hearing

[Nicole_Rose]

i'm looking at several schools to maybe become an official recording engineer. but.... i've lost some hearing due to loud rock music done without ear plugs. i've definitlely lost some highs in my hearing and a little volume.

do you think i'd still be able to be competent at it?

[Freudian Slip]

Originally Posted by Nicole_Rose

i'm looking at several schools to maybe become an official recording engineer. but.... i've lost some hearing due to loud rock music done without ear plugs. i've definitlely lost some highs in my hearing and a little volume.

do you think i'd still be able to be competent at it?

I personally think that everyone has some hearing loss. I have quite a bit on the hi's too and a little over all. I think I do ok. Everyone who hears my own stuff says it's way better than the stuff I paid to get done soooo. I think it can be done. Only you know how bad your ears are.


F.S.

[COOLCAT]

yeah its a proven fact the highs go for adults....that was the big stink in the schools the kids could beep each other and the older people couldn't hear it.

i did the test and i couldn't hear it....and the kids were all amazed because they could hear it....16K or 17K or something?

[Golden]

you could get a hearing test done... I'm not sure how that works in the states... Or how much it would cost...

Nonetheless, I was considering getting a test done on my ears... My right ear is a bit sensitive. I was in a band for 5 years... stood next to the symbols. pain!

[punkin]

It's remarkable how the body over comes. My guess is that since your decline has come on gradually, your ability to compensate would certainly be something you could learn to understand and adjust for as needed.

The problem IMHO is simply being aware of the problem in the first place. I lost all hearing in my left side about 15 years ago. Struggled with it for a number of years but in otherways the hearing in my right side seems to have actually improved. I find myself having certain advantages with the directional nature of my situation.

Stereo is still a problem but spending a lot of time with reference recordings and a super smooth swivel chair gets me through it. Regardless...I leave the mastering to the pros . Too bad you can't get price break on half a headphone

[Elton Bear]

I'm young and use earplugs ALL the time at gigs, playing or watching, and sometimes even in loud pubs etc.
I still have the 17k there, but my dad has lost everything from about 5-6k up from years of loud, loud music.

He knows this and simply EQs his amp to sound bassy to his ears and comes out with great settings when he plays (not that he does so that much any more...)

[Nicole_Rose]

Originally Posted by Freudian Slip

I personally think that everyone has some hearing loss. I have quite a bit on the hi's too and a little over all. I think I do ok. Everyone who hears my own stuff says it's way better than the stuff I paid to get done soooo. I think it can be done. Only you know how bad your ears are.


F.S.

i've definitely have more than just the normal hearing loss for my age. i always used to play with the drums to my left so my left ear is a little more hard of hearing than my right. my wife has a quiet voice and i'm always asking her to repeat things. (she hates that).

Golden,

a hearing test is a good idea, but other than learning that i don't hear as well as i should, what testing parameters should i be looking for/at?

[Golden]

I remember going to the hospital about 15 years ago (basically when I was a kid) and they sat me in a room (behind a glass) -- actually looked like a mixing room... they slapped a set of headphones on my head and made me click a button whenever I heard a sound...

anyway, after you do the test, the doctors will let you know what the damage is... It should give you an idea where you stand (I think).

I myself don't really know what to be looking for (as it pertains to how it will effect your skills as an engineer)... but at the very least you'll get an expert opinion on the health of your ears...

I think I'm going to do the test in 2008...

[Golden]

but yeah, they might just say "Your hearing is bad"...

[COOLCAT]

i think people can help by having their ears flushed out now and then too.

yes, many colleges offer a free test is my understanding.

I used to think I had horrible tintinitis-ringing ear....but after I stopped doing so much headphone work and use the speakers its been a non-issue.

I think it's very normal to lose the hearing from 17k....not sure of the sub-freq's.

you can probably give yourself the test. someone posted a really, nice matrix of tones the other day.....it had about every freq and in different db.

no problems!

[Nicole_Rose]

yeah i remember taking that test in elementary school. haven't had one since. i'm definitely going to be taking a hearing test before applying to any schools.

does anyone know what i should be looking at/for in the results of the test?

[Nicole_Rose]

Originally Posted by COOLCAT

i think people can help by having their ears flushed out now and then too.

yes, many colleges offer a free test is my understanding.

I used to think I had horrible tintinitis-ringing ear....but after I stopped doing so much headphone work and use the speakers its been a non-issue.

I think it's very normal to lose the hearing from 17k....not sure of the sub-freq's.

you can probably give yourself the test. someone posted a really, nice matrix of tones the other day.....it had about every freq and in different db.

no problems!

i don't believe they just test the freqs in a hearing test. i believe they also test volume.

but if you're right, the schools i might apply to might have a free test, and might know what to look for/at from the results.

[COOLCAT]

I meant college campus's when I wrote schools....

We have the Callier Center for kids and individuals with impaired hearing. Audiology, speech etc...

The elderly get "mobile tested" for free, maybe at a library or somewhere public.

I'm assuming its the same in most citys.

Start with the ear cleaning is what I'd do. Any local over the counter sells the kits.


a little college braggin rights here....
excerpt....

""In collaboration with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the Callier Center is well known for being a leader in cochlear implant procedures. Cochlear implants are designed for those who are profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. Before cochlear implants, patients with this level of hearing impairment were limited to sign language and lip reading. These electronic devices directly stimulate surviving nerve fibers in the inner ear, enabling many patients to hear for the first time.

In collaboration with U.T. Southwestern Medical Center, we've now performed implants on over 200 children. Many are now functioning at normal age level. Some are even playing instruments in orchestras. Just last week we were at our annual Cochlear Implant Summer Camp

It was amazing to see 72 children who had received cochlear implants talking, singing, and playing."

[Nicole_Rose]

Originally Posted by COOLCAT

I meant college campus's when I wrote schools....

We have the Callier Center for kids and individuals with impaired hearing. Audiology, speech etc...

The elderly get "mobile tested" for free, maybe at a library or somewhere public.

I'm assuming its the same in most citys.

Start with the ear cleaning is what I'd do. Any local over the counter sells the kits.


a little college braggin rights here....
excerpt....

""In collaboration with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the Callier Center is well known for being a leader in cochlear implant procedures. Cochlear implants are designed for those who are profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. Before cochlear implants, patients with this level of hearing impairment were limited to sign language and lip reading. These electronic devices directly stimulate surviving nerve fibers in the inner ear, enabling many patients to hear for the first time.

In collaboration with U.T. Southwestern Medical Center, we've now performed implants on over 200 children. Many are now functioning at normal age level. Some are even playing instruments in orchestras. Just last week we were at our annual Cochlear Implant Summer Camp

It was amazing to see 72 children who had received cochlear implants talking, singing, and playing."

that's amazing. i'm so glad there's help for them

[Nicole_Rose]

Does anyone else find it strange that in a field where everything we do is concerned with hearing, how we hear, what we hear, the frequencies and the volume, that no one seems to know anything about hearing?

[Dr.Bootleg]

It's good that you're concerned about your hearing. It's something that many people take for granted. I actually have a very rare ear condition known as "Hyperacusis" which is a general sensitivity to loud noises. I used to be in garage bands, played with firecrackers, and listened to very loud metal music when I was younger. Nothing out of the ordinary though. Many kids did way worse things. And one day about 11 years ago I started getting horrible pains in my ears. I went to a doctor but he couldn't find anything wrong with me. It scared the hell out of me and since then I've had to stay away from loud music or sounds of any kind because I get horrible sharp pains in my ears. I always thought there was something really wrong with me because I couldn't even stand normal noises like an electric razor or a vacuum cleaner. And then a friend of mine did a bunch of research and found the whole Hyperacusis thing and from all the symptoms it's exactly like what I have. After learning what I have it really helped me and I slowly acclimated myself to louder sounds so I can at least function in the normal world. But it's still a daily struggle and I have to always be careful and carry ear plugs on me. It's a bitch of a thing to have being a musician.

Anyway, do NOT rush out and get a hearing test. They actually have the ability to damage your ears because they can expose your ears to harmful frequencies. Be very careful with that. It might not be a good idea. However I would suggest going to a hearing professional of some kind and also doing some research yourself to figure out the best option. Like I said, they might not find anything wrong with you. They might not be able to. But the important thing is that you learn your ears' limitations and not to push them too far. Always wear ear protection at a concert or any situation that may be potentially too loud. Protect those ears! They're your best tool as a musician.

[cusebassman]

Originally Posted by punkin

It's remarkable how the body over comes. My guess is that since your decline has come on gradually, your ability to compensate would certainly be something you could learn to understand and adjust for as needed.

The problem IMHO is simply being aware of the problem in the first place. I lost all hearing in my left side about 15 years ago. Struggled with it for a number of years but in otherways the hearing in my right side seems to have actually improved. I find myself having certain advantages with the directional nature of my situation.

Stereo is still a problem but spending a lot of time with reference recordings and a super smooth swivel chair gets me through it. Regardless...I leave the mastering to the pros . Too bad you can't get price break on half a headphone

And here, I had a pair of Sony MDR7506's that one of the sides went on... I coulda just given em to you, but I threw em out

[Freudian Slip]

Originally Posted by Nicole_Rose

Does anyone else find it strange that in a field where everything we do is concerned with hearing, how we hear, what we hear, the frequencies and the volume, that no one seems to know anything about hearing?

I know enough to wear ear muffs when I mow the lawn etc. I plan to keep as much of what I have left as I can


F.S.

[punkin]

Originally Posted by cusebassman

And here, I had a pair of Sony MDR7506's that one of the sides went on... I coulda just given em to you, but I threw em out

Awww

Tis the season...it's the thought that counts. Just stand on my other side would ya