Tinnitus or vocoder?

[jg::]

Just putting my hand up to say: I've got it too! Not too bad, and I'm learning to ignore it. There's a surprising number of people who have tinnitus, it seems. Especially musicians. In my case, I have no doubt that it is due to playing in too many loud rock bands.

Earplugs. Let me repeat that: wear earplugs!!!!

jg::

[Akos Janca]

Dear Olivia,

I've just read your post now.

Although it looks off topic, I can suggest generally from experience, *simply* (with few words from the heart) ask God to heal you. He did it with me when I was in big trouble.
I think the following helps us the most: belief, prayer, honesty to ourselves and other people, peace in the mind, true love, supporting family, real friends, and last but not least good music for sure. (And I vote for vitamins and fresh wheatgrass juice. )

All the best,

Akos

[bctines]

Interesting topic! Thanks Moz for starting it.

This'll be a pretty long FWIW post, but I've learned a lot about Tinnitus and hearing anomalies as I've been living with Tinnitus since age six and hearing degradation for about fifteen years. Maybe some of what's below will be of help to you.

I have have dealt with how both influence hearing ability and musicianship in composing, arranging and playing in large symphonic, small chamber, brass choir, worship, Dixie, Rock, Blues, small Jazz combos & big swing band settings, as well as in loud ordnance, weapons, aircraft, and loud marine (and silent) environments. Tinnitus and hearing loss combine in ways that differ from person to person and how you deal with them can really affect how you perform in all your activities.

When Tinnitus gets loud enough, as mine is, it definitely is a hindrance and I found you learn how to compensate for it by how you interact verbally with your environment, plus how you focus your ears. Plus how well you ignore it as has been said above.

(Did you know you can actually focus your hearing as well as your eyes? Study how blind folks adapt. Then learn it. Even if you do hear well now, you'll hear better with focused hearing. Imagine catching an Eb deep down in the mix, coming from Mr. Bass that you'd miss without focus. It adds a lot to the fun of gigging, symphonic as well as pop.

How does one compensate? That's a long and very subjective discussion. There are resources in libraries and on the net that you can learn from. But if you think you have either, please go to a properly qualified audiologist and take all the tests. Don't just go sit in a booth somewhere and push the button. There are more tests than that elementary one.

I've spent many bucks and lots of time with audiologists with expertise from OK to super. Today, we have the benefit of enjoying the benefits of some pretty far-out technologies that allow the audiologist to print for you a snapshot of just where and how your own Tinnitus affects your hearing (in addition to any "regular" hearing loss due to illness, aging, whatever. If you're lucky, you'll come across one of the wizards who can help you hear what you hear...or think you hear.

When I got my IEMs and custom-molded ear plugs, it meant learning more about working around the Tinnitus and hearing decline. Both are great helps in different situations, but they will magnify Tinnitus because the ratio of internal body noise to external frequencies is increased. That can get almost unconscious, but it still can influence your reaction to sound...or the perceived lack of certain sounds & timbres.

Soon I will start using some hearing aids that permit specific EQing within (IIRCC) 200 Hz. bands starting around 40hz up to about 16k Hz. And the neat thing is you don't have to try to live with one EQ profile. You can tweak the profile both in the doctor's office, as well as less sophisticated tweakability while you're out in different acoustic environments. Sort of like having a compander and EQ box inside your head.

Earlier this year I spent quite a bit of time testing various models in all the normal places I go, including loud stage venues, mixing, parties, flying, driving tractors, chain-sawing, Kart racing, whispering sweet nothings, playing with kids and other activities that require some degree of hearing acuity. This was fascinating. Not unlike testing cars or boats or planes. There are Ferraries, and there are Segways and everything in between.

In addition to all the nuances and workarounds one learns for compensating, and that are too long to discuss here, one thing I have learned that breaks my heart is when I see other musicians, especially younger ones, who ignore their ears and the damage that can cause. *Every* serious pro musician of advancing age that I know will say the same thing...

Spare no effort to protect your ears.

If you don't there will come a time when your music and your entire lifestyle will suffer from either Tinnitus or hearing loss, or both. And you will regret it, especially if you do stage work and/or serious mixing, or acoustic engineering.

Tinnitus is mostly not easily preventable or so the technology tells us now. We may learn different in the future. Hearing loss is controllable to a large extent, although less today than in the past. (iPods and cellphones are one of the reasons, TV another, crowded cities still another, diet may be another factor. Stress certainly is, according to some. Did yo know that iPods account for a very large segment of reported hearing degradation, according the the audiologist's trade association? (Maybe we're creating a generation of "deefers" when they get older.)

All musicians would benefit from learning all they can about both Tinnitus and hearing.

There are now coming to market some interesting gadgets that claim to reduce Tinnitus. Maybe in a year of so after the buzz gets out, I'll try one. It'd be nifty if they work. If anyone here has tried one, please let us know your reactions.

Last weekend I got off the stand with a pretty well known Delta-Bluesman who's in his fifties and has never worn any ear protection. Even as a Delta Blues player of several different kinds of lap, steel, acoustic, and electric guitars (as opposed, say, to a heavy-metal frontline dude or first chair in the bone section), who has gigged for decades, he had trouble conversing. A lot of the first few minutes of the after-act decompressing had to be by touch and body language because he couldn't hear so well for a bit.

Even with my IEMs set low, I had trouble, too, because it was a raucous night and the decibels were up there, a lot of which will bleed through the custom IEMs. Everyone on that stage, including me with protection, lost a bit of our ears that night, and will every time we're in above-the-threshold ambiance. You will, too. You serious giggers (players and DJs both) know what I mean.

Protection for your ears is as important to your long-term health as protection for those other parts of your body, and just as much a part of stagecraft or studio work as that other activity associated with those other parts, IMO.

An audiologist (and fellow stage person sometimes) has a saying: ATD (Audio Transmitted Disease) can be almost as bad as a STD (of at least the mild kind).

Hope this isn't too preachy, but I do hope you all treat your ears with the respect they deserve. You won't be enjoying OASYSes, M3s, gigging, arranging, etc, etc, as much without good ears...the best they can be.

Moz, cans can be a huge help...as long as they are the best you can afford...not only for frequency reproduction, but also for isolation ability and comfort. Have you read some of the reviews in magazines like MIX, or EM, or SOS?

And if you spend a lot of time on an iPod, cans will protect (and reproduce) better than buds. It may look weird walking down St Germaine with cans on, but heck, so did the dudes with buds a couple of years ago.

HTH and bon chance!

[sirCombatWombat]

Thanks Bctines that was a good preach!

I have strived to protect my ears after several years ago I began noticing my ears ringing more and more easily after exposure to even normal volumes of supermarket noises. Not to mention my other profession as a blacksmith where I wear protection at all times.

I have a quiet tinnitus at all times, one I can hear if I concentrate on it, and only at quiet places it becomes predominant. But I have always been very (and I mean very) sensitive to loud noises, and even avoid being in public places because of it. Like a constant hangover if you will. I carry two pairs of quality in ear protectors, but that is either too slow to apply or hinders normal social contact.

Here I come to my question, is there a hearing aid that can be worn at all times that sounds natural and protects actively against loud noises? Like a compressor that fits in ear.

[bctines]

Thanks/rog sir combat. and thanks.

is there a hearing aid that can be worn at all times that sounds natural and protects actively against loud noises? Like a compressor that fits in ear.

Supermarkets are a bummer. Smithing (which I've done a little of) is like dodging ordnance. The noise spikes can really hurt! A stout hammer on a decent anvil is a definite

Yes, there are several choices from 3-4 different manufacturers, and there are model choices within any one manufacturer's line. It's a pretty wide choice and what I'd like to do is post some names & websites for you to check out.

I'll need a bit of time though as in a couple of hours I start a three-day stage gig. I'll try to get back to you by the 15th. If I don't please give me a prod (tnx).

Then feel free to ask for my opinions on technologies and manufacturers.

There are some that allow you to easily switch modes on the fly. For example you can switch from a "conversation" mode that favors muting background noise/chatter/etc. in favor of freqs/gains that are coming from someone you're conversing with at the supermarket, or in a booth at a restaurant, or schmoozing with at a cocktail party. Pretty cool stuff.

So after the party, you score the blond and go to the movies, then when the show starts you can switch to another mode that makes it easier to decipher the movie.

Two caveats, though: 1) The effective result from any one particular hearing aid is obviously very subjective. Sorta like how lots of folks like a particular M3 or OASYS combi with its stock timbres, FX and EQ, whereas you or I may not dig it as much and want to tweak the H out of it.

2) IMO, a lot of what you might want to buy depends on: a) The competency and market knowledge of your audiologist., b) The brands he/she will support and at what level of support, c) The kind of follow-up service your audiologist offers.

It's almost guaranteed that, no matter what brand model and which bells/whistles settings you try first will need some tweaking.

Most important would be that your audiologist (and I don't recommend buying from anyone but a well-qualified audiologist) let's you try some aids for at least a week for each set before you try to make up your mind. There are so many choices and the price range may be as high as $2-3k a pair between choices, so it could be easy to shell for something that turns you off after a while.

Although radical, there are devices that implant in your head for certain cases.

The week-long trial is very important IMO, as only in that length of time will you be able to evaluate your long-term satisfaction. Overall comfort and the hassle-factor can be almost as important as hearing improvement. Cleaning and battery changing are otehr important factors.

If time is of the essence, book the audiologist and check them out, unless you already trust one.

Select one that, hopefully, as a 3--60-90 day return/exchange policy, plus at least a year of decent warranty coverage. Also check out any after-sale "satisfaction/service" plan they may sell. Some seem to be quite worth it...an extended warranty that makes sense.

HTH

Later,
BC