Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Vixen) (04/24/91)
Index Number: 15117
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Hi Jack,
Well, last weekend I went to a party jam session. I "thought" I
might be okay because it was all going to be loud amplified rock
and roll. I attempted this using no other special equipment, just
wearing my BTEs and my Telex.
I sang and played bass on the first three songs of the Jam. Since
everyone had to "follow me" my not hearing was'nt that much of a
problem. (And so I told by the people there) even though I could'nt
"hear me."
So, I was thinking, "Hey, this is pretty cool, my ears my be all
wired up to junk, but I am playing and singing anyway and it went
over well!
Unfortunately, after that, it was time for the others to think up
tunes and jams and to "Play along with them." Disaster time!
The only way I can describe how it sounded to me is to say it was
probably what it would be like if you took someone into a room,
with seven stereos playing seven different songs at the same time
at full volume!
I did'nt know what I was hearing or who was doing what, the music
was more like this big loud hum than recognizable music and it was
a "big mess" for me!
Not only that, in quiter moments, I would ask, "is my guitar loud
enough" and be told yes, definitely, but "I" could'nt hear it at
all. It was horrible and I was growing more frustrated by the
minute. I could'nt recognize anything much at all.
I tried switching to drums (I am good player.) because I thought, I
will be the one setting the time, but I could'nt hear past the end
of the snare drum.
Anyway, to be very honest, I gave up, I was hurting and feeling
pretty nad for myself and I was glad I had my big dark glasses on!!
I packed up and went home pretty quick. I was'nt "at all"
emtionally prepared for happened and I am still a bit upset.
(Although, I am not vrying in my beer at the moment!) Besides, I
hate beer!
Bonnies says, she thinks she can try to replace my bad frequencies
by using an equilizer and handphones. For exmaple, she has a dual
fifteen band equalizer that she would like to try to expriment with
on me. Although, she still wants me to take my BTEs off. But she
did say that those frequencies that I simply do not have, she
cannot replace.
I keep thinking that maybe her plan is fine but she should'bt be
thinking in terms of taking my BTEs off! This makes think that she
is still thinking in terms of, "Well, if I just make these
frequencies louder for Vixen, then she will hear and understand
them." I have always understod that my hearing loss is'nt that
simple?
I think Bonnie may want to approach things this waay because I do
have residual hearing and do quite well with my aids and things. I
don't think she understands that even the things I can hear in my
better ear without an aid on it is pretty lousy and I am starining
to hear!
Or perhaps her intent is to make a "giant hearing aid" out of her
electronic gizmos and headphones. And she does want to do as you
have suggested, set withever gizmo she comes up with to the curves
or whatever you call them on a recent audiogram.
Does any of this make sense to you? I know Bonnie knows quite a lot
about sound and acoustics and electronics but I think people here,
like you, understand more about hearing loss! Maybe I need to get
you and her trading mesages!
Well, sorry to ramble on, hope you understand.
Keepin' the faith!
. Vixen
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!11!Vixen
Internet: Vixen@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.orgIJJT500@INDYCMS.IUPUI.EDU (Mike Wheeler) (04/25/91)
Index Number: 15207
Vix,
My headset sendout standard "T"-coil signals like you get off the
phone hook that to your equalizer and then the sounds comes out a
lot clearer I also use feel to pick up a lot. We switched to doing
everything through a P.A. and now they can run everything mixed the
way I want it through a line out I then use a nifty DOD Direct box
that can go both ways and a 30-watt amp right by me with a thin
poece of ply wood. I can feel the entire range after it goes
through the mixing board. I'll try ro explain my new set up in
detail. My Guitar runs through an Osciliscope so I can see what
kind of signal I am running (clean, corussed, distortion etc.) then
runs to the mixing board from there the raw output are run into a
seperate mixer for me with to mixes one for my special monitor with
wood over it (sometimes I abuse it turn it on its back and stand on
the wood) and another for a set of headphones that send out T-coil
signals for my the headset mixer is set as follows: takes drums
boost all hi frequency as much as possible i.e. snare and symbol,
boost bass enough so that I know its there but not more, boost bass
so I know it there on the bass guitar, leave the keyboard out
because it just sticks in too much noise thats why I keep the bass
to a minimum on the headset, boost my guitar all over so that it
blends with drums. Next mixer to my monitor: Heavy bass off the
drums and bass, and heavy boost off they keyboard. Set a chair or
stand on it. This will probably take some time getting used to but
since I learned to play guitar by feel never really hearing it this
is how I play. Got another gig on the 28 and people think it wild
to have a rythm / sometimes lead guitarist the is Deaf. hope I
could help.
Keepin' the faith too Vixen.
Mike Wheeler
IJJT500@INDYCMS.IUPUI.EDU
P.S. Hope I made everyting clear, The hadset is just a normal pair except they
throw out "T"-coil compatible signal.Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe) (04/26/91)
Index Number: 15241
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Hi Vixen,
Sorry the jam session didn't work out well for you. But I've been
in similar situations and I can understand the frustration you must
feel.
V> Bonnies says, she thinks she can try to replace my bad
V> frequencies by using an equilizer and handphones. For exmaple,
V> she has a dual fifteen band equalizer that she would like to try
V> to expriment with on me. Although, she still wants me to take my
V> BTEs off. But she did say that those frequencies that I simply
V> do not have, she cannot replace.
Whatever you do, be careful. I have a set of big earphones, the
kind that cover the entire ear and shut out external sound, with
individual volume controls on each side. These earphones generate
enough of an inductive field that they work well with the T-coil
on my Telex hearing aid, but they could be used with or without
the hearing aid.
For the sake of safety, always start with the volume at the lowest
setting. And control it yourself. Bonnie is correct that all the
equalizers in the world won't bring back the frequencies that you
no longer have. I have a low freq corner residual in my "good" ear,
and nothing at all in the other one. So I try to be very careful
to conserve what I have left.
V> And she does want to do as you have suggested, set withever
V> gizmo she comes up with to the curves or whatever you call
V> them on a recent audiogram.
V> Does any of this make sense to you? I know Bonnie knows quite a
V> lot about sound and acoustics and electronics but I think people
V> here, like you, understand more about hearing loss! Maybe I need
V> to get you and her trading mesages!
There are limits to what can be done with the analog equalizers, so
don't expect too much. If we could sample and process sound digitally in
realtime, then we'd have something. Good luck - and be careful :-)
... Jack.
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Jack.O'keeffe
Internet: Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org