TalkBass Bassists With Hearing Loss.

[SoulReflection]

There have been a few threads on this subject but mostly in the Misc. Forum.

I believe this is a common problem and there should be one thread that deals with TalkBass Bassists with Hearing Loss. The mods can do whatever they want with this but, it would be nice to have one, specific thread that discusses this problem.

There are many degrees of hearing loss, from minor to profound. Each degree has its own and different solution. I will open this up with one solution for profound hearing loss.

I have struggled for years to have my $4,000+ hear aids work with live bass. It has been my experience that live bass distorts my aids, despite numerous trips to the audiologist to adjust them.

Searching the Apple App store, I stumbled across an app that allows my iPhone to act like a hearing aid. It uses the iPhone mic and provides volume and EQ adjustments. I was skeptical since the internet is full of BS. It costs $100 per year but had a short trial period. It is mainly intended for close conversations. I downloaded it and was amazed how sensitive it was. In fact, I found it too sensitive but went for it for insurance and buying time to save up for new aids.


Last night, while lying in bed, I was contemplating getting out of bass altogether. It suddenly dawned on me that it might work with the iPhone sitting in front of my Rumble 100 Combo and/or DAW monitors….


I tried it is morning and, wholly crap, it was just like having new ears! I could hear my bass even better than cranking up the speakers and rattling everything in the house. Every note and finger movement came through clear as a bell. The volume on the R100 and monitors was so low that I could barely hear them with my hearing aids.

It is not a perfect solution to being able to hear everything with hearing aids, but it works for me and I am not affiliated with:

‎Sound Amplifier

If anyone has experience with the various degrees of hearing loss, let's discuss...

 

[SoulReflection]

Hello, @ajkula66. Still having fun, George. How about you?

 

[ajkula66]

Hello, @ajkula66. Still having fun, George. How about you?

Doing my very best good sir, being busy in a good way. Let's see how long that lasts...

On the subject matter, my hearing is quite damaged - anything above 10K comes in way quieter than it should according to the test I took a couple of years ago - but I'm not at the point of requiring a hearing aid just yet. I guess it's a good thing I'm a bass player and not a harpist or a violinist...

Interesting read your OP was. Keep on keepin' on and stay well...

 

[SoulReflection]

Doing my very best good sir, being busy in a good way. Let's see how long that lasts...

On the subject matter, my hearing is quite damaged - anything above 10K comes in way quieter than it should according to the test I took a couple of years ago - but I'm not at the point of requiring a hearing aid just yet. I guess it's a good thing I'm a bass player and not a harpist or a violinist...

Interesting read your OP was. Keep on keepin' on and stay well...

Thank you, George. You are quite right...losing highs is one thing, losing lows is serious for a bass player.

I have lost both but, I am still fighting (and hearing) so I am still in the game .

 

[ajkula66]

I am still fighting (and hearing) so I am still in the game .

I wouldn't expect anything else from you...

 

[SoulReflection]

I wouldn't expect anything else from you...

Oh, and for you and your signature:

 

[Rfan]

Deaf on one side. Profound loss on the other. Tinnitus at 84db on the deaf side. Never play with hearing aids due to hyperacusis. Cannot tolerate levels over 70 db. Hardly play any more anyway as it is frowned upon in my house. Mainly watch tv with the captions on. Live amplified music is no longer an option. About the only option for me is the coffeehouse performance.

 

[Bajo Clarkko]

I’ve had tinnitus for years, but I’m doing ok. I wear hearing protection at work, but I should have started about 35-40 years ago. I am

doing a little better than these guys, though.

 

[SoulReflection]

Deaf on one side. Profound loss on the other. Tinnitus at 84db on the deaf side. Never play with hearing aids due to hyperacusis. Cannot tolerate levels over 70 db. Hardly play any more anyway as it is frowned upon in my house. Mainly watch tv with the captions on. Live amplified music is no longer an option. About the only option for me is the coffeehouse performance.

Sorry for that. I thought my bass days were over until I tried that iPhone app. Give it a shot. It might help...

 

[jcerio]

Just had a hearing test today. My hearing has a noticeable dropoff between 2K and 4K, but not critical yet. The bass response is still quite good. To combat ths I have molded earplugs with interchangeable -9, -15, and -25 db filters and molded in-ears. I keep my plugs on me at all times with the -9 filtersinstalled. Takes the edge off and according to my audiologist it should work well to combat hearing loss when listening to loud music in clubs and at concerts and on most stages. So far so good.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

There have been a few threads on this subject but mostly in the Misc. Forum.

I believe this is a common problem and there should be one thread that deals with TalkBass Bassists with Hearing Loss. The mods can do whatever they want with this but, it would be nice to have one, specific thread that discusses this problem.

There are many degrees of hearing loss, from minor to profound. Each degree has its own and different solution. I will open this up with one solution for profound hearing loss.

I have struggled for years to have my $4,000+ hear aids work with live bass. It has been my experience that live bass distorts my aids, despite numerous trips to the audiologist to adjust them.

Searching the Apple App store, I stumbled across an app that allows my iPhone to act like a hearing aid. It uses the iPhone mic and provides volume and EQ adjustments. I was skeptical since the internet is full of BS. It costs $100 per year but had a short trial period. It is mainly intended for close conversations. I downloaded it and was amazed how sensitive it was. In fact, I found it too sensitive but went for it for insurance and buying time to save up for new aids.


Last night, while lying in bed, I was contemplating getting out of bass altogether. It suddenly dawned on me that it might work with the iPhone sitting in front of my Rumble 100 Combo and/or DAW monitors….


I tried it is morning and, wholly crap, it was just like having new ears! I could hear my bass even better than cranking up the speakers and rattling everything in the house. Every note and finger movement came through clear as a bell. The volume on the R100 and monitors was so low that I could barely hear them with my hearing aids.

It is not a perfect solution to being able to hear everything with hearing aids, but it works for me and I am not affiliated with:

‎Sound Amplifier

If anyone has experience with the various degrees of hearing loss, let's discuss...

Bass and drums. Drums and bass. Both equal deafness. Neither can thrive without the other.


I've lived with tenitis, and hearing loss for 10 years or so, probably more. I work construction and I play bass. I'm screwed.

 

[Robot.G]

I encountered SSHL (sudden sensorineural hearing loss) in my left ear about 16 years ago. I was devastated. Sold off my basses at that point and thought I'd never play again. I should probably get a hearing aid for my left ear. I have some issues in noisy environments when people mumble. A lot of people mumble!

 

[SoulReflection]

I encountered SSHL (sudden sensorineural hearing loss) in my left ear about 16 years ago. I was devastated. Sold off my basses at that point and thought I'd never play again. I should probably get a hearing aid for my left ear. I have some issues in noisy environments when people mumble. A lot of people mumble!

Yeah, the same people that don't want to hear the TV...what's the point?

 

[Kipp Harrington]

There have been a few threads on this subject but mostly in the Misc. Forum.

I believe this is a common problem and there should be one thread that deals with TalkBass Bassists with Hearing Loss. The mods can do whatever they want with this but, it would be nice to have one, specific thread that discusses this problem.

There are many degrees of hearing loss, from minor to profound. Each degree has its own and different solution. I will open this up with one solution for profound hearing loss.

I have struggled for years to have my $4,000+ hear aids work with live bass. It has been my experience that live bass distorts my aids, despite numerous trips to the audiologist to adjust them.

Searching the Apple App store, I stumbled across an app that allows my iPhone to act like a hearing aid. It uses the iPhone mic and provides volume and EQ adjustments. I was skeptical since the internet is full of BS. It costs $100 per year but had a short trial period. It is mainly intended for close conversations. I downloaded it and was amazed how sensitive it was. In fact, I found it too sensitive but went for it for insurance and buying time to save up for new aids.


Last night, while lying in bed, I was contemplating getting out of bass altogether. It suddenly dawned on me that it might work with the iPhone sitting in front of my Rumble 100 Combo and/or DAW monitors….


I tried it is morning and, wholly crap, it was just like having new ears! I could hear my bass even better than cranking up the speakers and rattling everything in the house. Every note and finger movement came through clear as a bell. The volume on the R100 and monitors was so low that I could barely hear them with my hearing aids.

It is not a perfect solution to being able to hear everything with hearing aids, but it works for me and I am not affiliated with:

‎Sound Amplifier

If anyone has experience with the various degrees of hearing loss, let's discuss...

What?

 

[SoulReflection]

What?

Can you hear me now???

 

[sirdude23]

ok, so, I've had my aids for about 6 months due to high freq hearing loss. Our band has converted to IEM's for everyone. My IEM's doesn't take out all of the drums or guitar that is on either side of me, but does allow me to turn up my bass enough to hear myself over them. Our board only has four aux outs, so I steal the mix from the vocalist's mix and add my bass into that mix. I have the ability to turn up "me" to cover what I need. Only down to this is not being able to turn up the volume of the guitarist on the other side of the stage at times. The aids doesn't go to gigs.

 

[HolmeBass]

I have congenital hearing loss, a big spike at 2k.

I have lost a bit of high end a little overall acuity in my left ear due to the rock and roll. Much less than my congenital loss.

 

[Element Zero]

I’ve got a bit of high damage and a bit of ringing a couple times a month for like 30 seconds. I have to wear earplugs at my work and we get tested every year. After 9 years I have minimal hearing loss from my first test in 2014.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I've been wearing hearing aids for at least 10 years. Sorry, I don't remember when I first got them. My first set was the $5K type. They were okay, but one broke and I lost the other, so now I have a set of Costco $1300 aids. They work pretty well.
I am classified as Profound, so I can wear the kind that is jut in your ear. I have to use those that sit on top of your ear.
I was flight crew in the Navy in old precip planes and I've spent 25 years in shooting sports in addition to playing live for 60 years, so it is a wonder I can hear at all.
I don't have the problem with the bass the OP has, It sounds pretty good. Where I notice the loss most is in the cymbals.
I also have pretty bad tinnitus. It isn't a steady noise, but it changes pitch and tone a lot. If I have any music or the TV on, I don't notice it.

But one thing I did learn is that if your wife is cussing you out, don't pull them out of your ears and put them in your pocket. I wasn't expecting it to be that painful.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

There have been a few threads on this subject but mostly in the Misc. Forum.

I believe this is a common problem and there should be one thread that deals with TalkBass Bassists with Hearing Loss. The mods can do whatever they want with this but, it would be nice to have one, specific thread that discusses this problem.

There are many degrees of hearing loss, from minor to profound. Each degree has its own and different solution. I will open this up with one solution for profound hearing loss.

I have struggled for years to have my $4,000+ hear aids work with live bass. It has been my experience that live bass distorts my aids, despite numerous trips to the audiologist to adjust them.

Searching the Apple App store, I stumbled across an app that allows my iPhone to act like a hearing aid. It uses the iPhone mic and provides volume and EQ adjustments. I was skeptical since the internet is full of BS. It costs $100 per year but had a short trial period. It is mainly intended for close conversations. I downloaded it and was amazed how sensitive it was. In fact, I found it too sensitive but went for it for insurance and buying time to save up for new aids.


Last night, while lying in bed, I was contemplating getting out of bass altogether. It suddenly dawned on me that it might work with the iPhone sitting in front of my Rumble 100 Combo and/or DAW monitors….


I tried it is morning and, wholly crap, it was just like having new ears! I could hear my bass even better than cranking up the speakers and rattling everything in the house. Every note and finger movement came through clear as a bell. The volume on the R100 and monitors was so low that I could barely hear them with my hearing aids.

It is not a perfect solution to being able to hear everything with hearing aids, but it works for me and I am not affiliated with:

‎Sound Amplifier

If anyone has experience with the various degrees of hearing loss, let's discuss...

I am the poster boy for bass player hearing loss. I toured in the early 70's for three years. We had one of those Kustom PA's with the 4x12 columns and we used it strictly for vocals. We had to provide room-filling sound from out amps. Back then we played 5-nights a week, 50-weeks a year, for 3-years. Most of us were anchored by our coil cords within 20-feet of our amps and were often much closer to them than that. I was using a Standel amp that was crazy loud on a level with the acoustic 360/361 but using a 215 powered bass reflex cab instead of cab with an 18" folded horn.

You knew you were playing way too loud when your ears would ring loudly after the song stopped. I did a lot of damage to my ears then and I use hearing aids now. When they did the hearing test, my hearing was normal right up to about 3KHz. Then the graph sank to the bottom and stayed there all the rest of the way up. I can actually still hear most of those frequencies if the level is turned up high enough. But that makes most folks cover their ears.

Hearing aids help a lot though they are no perfect, at least mine aren't and they were just under $5,000. When I told the audiologist that I play bass in a gigging group, she said, "turn off your hearing aids OFF when your playing or you'll make things worse yet."

So hearing loss is real no matter how invincible you feel you are in your teens and twenties. There are some great ear plugs now that let you hear conversations OK but clamp down on loud music. Buy a set and USE them!