Managing HAs while playing a musical instrument

[DPTexas]

I am in the process of researching to buy my first set of HAs.

One thing I'm worried about when I get them, is how I will manage them while playing a musical instrument. Does anyone have any experience with this that they can share with me?

I play the trumpet in my church orchestra. One of the difficulties I have had is being able to hear the conductor when we're rehearsing, even though he's only sitting 10 feet away from me, because we rehearse in a very large room.

I am concerned that if I have the aids on, my ears will get blasted out by my trumpet and the rest of the brass section sitting around me when we play. However, if I turn them off, I am back to my original problem of not hearing the conductor. Am I going to have to be constantly switching my aids on and off repeatedly during rehearsals?

I also play guitar, and am looking forward to being able to hear all the full harmonies and subtle tones again, but I'm wondering how all of this is going to work while playing the trumpet.

Any insight from other musicians would be greatly appreciated.

[Hask12]

Well one thing for sure you will need an adjustment period with your aids or you're right, the noise of the band will blast you out of the room. Talk to your audiologist for suggestions. But I wouldn't rush to wear the aids to rehearsal until you are at least comfortable wearing the aids at home when you are practicing the trumpet.

[EnglishDispenser]

I always ask clients if they play in a band, or sing in a choir etc.

If they say YES then I tell them the bad news: Sorry, I doubt your aids will work well in that environment.

All technology has its limits.

[Um bongo]

Originally Posted by EnglishDispenser

I always ask clients if they play in a band, or sing in a choir etc.

If they say YES then I tell them the bad news: Sorry, I doubt your aids will work well in that environment.

All technology has its limits.

Veras........

[EnglishDispenser]

Hmmm ... so a Vera will handle a whisper in the ear one second and cymbals at 2 feet the next ?????

[yvr]

I play the flute. Yes, Hask12 and EnglishDispenser are right - I'm blasted with a mess of loudness that I cannot distinguish between sound and music (it's that bad for me) and top that off with squirling feedback from my own flute So, off went the HAs from my ears at the orchestra practices.

Tried HAs in the choir environment (I sing bass). Although not as overwhelmed, I find it easier to hear fellow bass singers better and my high frequency hearing loss works to my advantage to filter out somewhat the tenors and sopranos! So, no HAs at choir too.

Of course in both scenarios, hearing the conductor can be challenging.

I am forced to choose and I choose to have HA off for these 2 environments + in the rain + showering + .... ;0

Otherwise, my HAs are on when I'm taking my breakfast (watching the morning news) till bedtime (after watching late night news).

Cheers
YVR

[DPTexas]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Guess I'll have to turn them off while playing in orchestra, then turn back on if I can't hear the conductor on an important point.

[Um bongo]

Originally Posted by EnglishDispenser

Hmmm ... so a Vera will handle a whisper in the ear one second and cymbals at 2 feet the next ?????

Apparently so, down to that sampling rate I was telling you about, it doesn't just sit in a 'mode' idly applying the same level of gain, but goes after the speech phonemes from the leading edge of the plosive from the talker.

[Castle81]

I have never had a problem with music and hearing aids. I have been wearing hearing aids for 20 years and have been playing music for 20 years.

With the newer models, playing music shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Get a music program for your hearing aid. For example, I have a Phonak Certena and whenever I am playing music (solo or group), I just switch to the music program. It makes the sounds a little less loud and more pleasant to listen to.