music teachers and hearing loss

[klm]

How is it different to hear from only one ear?  I am a university piano professor.  Could I still be effective?

[ppearl214]

Hi klm and welcome. Well, we do have our resident rock n' roller on this site, "Crazykat" (Paul) who plays in a band... I know he's been peeking in so I'm hoping he can share his SSD (single-sided deafness) situation during his music playing and how he handles it.

Again, welcome.
Phyl

[satman]

Hi klm, I play guitar and drums and I also work with audio/video and the SSD "single sided deafness" has not affected my ability
when it comes to hearing,the only issue I have is when someone calls out my name from across the room, I have to
figure out what direction it"s coming from,but it's not that difficult to get used to,if you have to listen to playback recordings you can always get a mono plug for a headset and get a full mix in one ear,we learn to addapt.

[Debbi]

Although I am not yet in the SSD club (will be as of the afternoon of April 16), my dad has been SSD for 30+ years (not related to AN, just lucky.)   He would be the first to tell you that he loves music (and is a former musician) and that he still gets tremendous enjoyment from listening to music.  He is able to detect the same subtle notes as he always did.  Hey, Dad, if you're lurking out there, feel free to chime in!

Deb (Chillin' in NJ)

[LADavid]

Hi KLM

There is a long list of musicians who suffer from tinnitus and SSD to some degree if not all.  A lot of them are not from the finer arena of music -- Bono, Neil Young. Pete Townsend -- but the list also includes singers such as Barbara Streisand.  And I believe that it was either Mozart or Chopin who had SSD.  From experience, I never had any issue with the enjoyment and appreciation of music until recently when I lost a sizable portion of hearing in my good ear.  I now wear a hearing aid and the quality of music is not the same.  I don't think SSD should affect your work -- BUT, I would do everything possible to protect my hearing in the other ear.  The mistake I made.

David

[nancyann]

hi klm:  I'm an 'amateur' pianist (Chopin & Debussey my favorites).  When I'm playing piano in the quiet of my home there is no problem with
sound for me.

The only problems I have at work is inability to make out what people say if more than 1 person talks at a time;  high pitched voices are
more difficult to understand than low pitched.    Like 'satman' said, when someone calls my name, or if I hear a dog bark, etc., it always
sounds like it's coming from the left (hearing) side .   When driving & I hear sirens, I don't know what direction they're coming
from, so I have to look all around.

One problem I personally had with playing piano immediately post op was getting dizzy, especially if I was playing a piece I hadn't memorized & had to look up at the
music then down at the keys (since you're a professor, you probably don't have to look down when you play !).   It has gotten easier as time
passes.

Always good thoughts,   Nancy

[Crazycat]

Hi Kim,

   There's not much more to say than what the others have already said.

I was pretty much deaf as a post in my AN ear for several years before my diagnosis and treatment. I had assumed that the  hearing loss in my left ear had been caused by the side of my head always facing toward the drums and the rest of the band. I was wrong about that. Exposure to loud noise can deafen you just as much as any other problem but not in my case. The thought of that possibility did not surprise me simply because of the amount of playing I had done over the years. At one point I was playing out 5-6 times a week. This went on for years. As deaf as I was in my left ear, I would—and still do—wear an earplug in my right ear. I can still hear everything that is going on because it's so damned loud; it's just that the dangerous frequencies are dampened and blocked out. My right ear is still in good shape.

  You get into trouble with the direction of sound and especially deciphering conversations in crowded rooms with background noise. It helps if the person that you're speaking with is a good speaker that enunciates clearly. If not, either pull the person into another room or area or just forget about even having a conversation at all. It becomes very tiresome having to position your head so that your good ear is inches away from the person's mouth in order to hear what they're saying. I've become so jaded and cynical about this that I find myself gleefully using my SSD as an excuse to back away from having conversations with people that I'd prefer not to have in the first place.

  Another depressing note: say good-bye to stereo headphones. Hearing in stereo is now a thing of the past. This is not to say that you won't be able to listen to, play and enjoy music though.

  One thing to watch out for is left or right side impairment from brain compression during surgery—especially if you're an artist or musician. There are many AN patients
(including myself) that have experienced compromised dexterity with their left or right hands, depending on what side the growth is on. This is brought on through brain compression or what is known as "cerebellar retraction". As an example, I was at one time an excellent illustrator and had beautiful, flowing penmanship. Not anymore. My left hand dexterity has been compromised, almost as if I had a minor stroke.
I used to be a very strong acoustic guitarist as well as a bassist. I no longer play my acoustic guitar because my left hand has been changed. I'm still a very strong bassist though because the impetus of the instrument is rhythmic and driven primarily with the right—or picking hand.

  This problem may or may not effect you depending on the the size and location of your tumor and method of treatment.

The good news is that I'm still a strong and viable player on the circuit. I've been through a lot. I'm 50 years old and still kicking serious butt playing in rock n' blues bands.

  It's now 2:02 am, 30 degrees outside and I'm going jogging for 4 miles! What does that tell you?

You didn't mention the size of your growth or what side it's on. Please feel free to share this information with us.


  Good luck with everything and please keep us posted!

Paul

[HeadCase2]

klm,
  I would think that you will still be just as affective as a piano professor if you lose hearing on one side.  I used to play guitar in a Blues band in Dallas, and still enjoy playing Blues music.   I listen to a lot of music, and still enjoy it even though I only hear in one ear.
  As others mentioned, sound directionality is harder to discern.  Although after a while you'll develope some ability to find out the direct sounds come from by noting that as you turn your head sounds can become louder of softer.  The treble sounds drop off the fastest in volume if your ear is not pointed right at them.  I would quess that you're listening to one piano at a time, so directionality shouldn't be a problem.
  Some AN patients note that loud sudden sounds can be a bit startling.  Recruitment may play a role with this if your "good" ear has some hearing loss.
Regards,
  Rob