Hello ! I just wanted to ask you a question about my case.
I have been playing music in bands in my teen years (13-19 years old). I had to stop when I developed hearing loss because of loud noises (I played guitars and keyboard at gigs without protections, and at home with loud headphones very often).
My hearing is basically like this : in the limit of the normal hearing (between -10 and -20 dbhl) up to 8khz.
But then, quickly after 9khz, my hearing drop a lot, and I can't hear anything after 11Khz at low volume.
So, while I am not deaf, or in need of hearing aids, I still have a bunch of hearing loss, in the very high frequencies area mainly.
My goal now is to still continue making music, but no gigs anymore, and instead, I want to focus on composing, songwriting, using piano/guitars, and also some Kontakt libraries, and collaborate with singers and producers.
Do you think that my hearing loss will make me unable to create great songs (in French ! I have a bad English) ? Keep in mind that I would not try to mix or produce my music. Or is it a situation that is still "okay" for playing and composing with instruments ?
Also, is there many musicians with hearing loss ? Is it common for older musicians/mix engineers to have a hearing loss similar to mine (with a hearing limit around 10-12khz) ? Thanks for any replies !
Anyone else with hearing loss ?
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- KVRist
- 59 posts since 29 Sep, 2020
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- Banned
- 10196 posts since 12 Mar, 2012 from the Bavarian Alps to my feet and the globe around my head
When you get older, there's always a hearing loss, more or less (gets worse already after age of 30). Fortunately I don't have any dramatic problems like tinnitus (because I was VERY careful in avoiding too high volumes) but with ear wax.
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- KVRAF
- 3409 posts since 26 Mar, 2002 from london
I regret going to gigs as a teenager, I never enjoyed them and always had ringing ears for a couple of days after, and subsequently I have some amount of tinnitus. I think my high frequency hearing was always a little poor... I tend to think it's not a huge deal. Those frequencies are basically 'air' and aren't doing anything substantial in terms of composition. I think it's safe to either get someone else to master your work or to use plugins to compare levels with other mixes within a similar genre.
Unfortunately for me I'm stuck with tinnitus, though it's within limits that generally don't affect me. I find that if my ears get a little blocked the perception of tinnitus increases enormously, and then it does become distracting.
Unfortunately for me I'm stuck with tinnitus, though it's within limits that generally don't affect me. I find that if my ears get a little blocked the perception of tinnitus increases enormously, and then it does become distracting.
Every day takes figuring out all over again how to f#ckin’ live.
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- KVRAF
- 3409 posts since 26 Mar, 2002 from london
Actually, I think tinnitus is probably messing with my perception of higher frequencies... I'm not sure, but most of the time my brain is filtering out the tinnitus... I think it leads to filtering out sounds of the same pitch/frequency.
Every day takes figuring out all over again how to f#ckin’ live.
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- Rad Grandad
- 38041 posts since 6 Sep, 2003 from Downeast Maine
before anyone asks, yes it appears to be one in the same
The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound, purpose‐larger‐than‐the‐self kind of understanding.