Introduction and web site for hearing-impaired musicians

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hohviolist

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Hello everyone,

My name is Wendy Cheng and I happened to wander onto this board while doing a google search!

A few words about myself - I grew up hard of hearing and lost the remainder of my hearing about 13 years ago, in 1996 suddenly, just as I was about to attend a string quartet workshop. I now have two implants, and run a group called AAMHL (Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss). The web site for the group is below my signature, and you can find my bio and audiological history as well. Both of my girls (who have normal hearing) play strings too - the older one plays violin and the younger one plays cello.

Anyway, several of the posting on this sub-forum are just begging for my input, so I guess you'll see me chiming in here and there.

Best regards to everyone,
Wendy
 
Umm, wow!

:wave:

I didn't realize that this realm was this developed out there. I was hoping to find something like this some day. A long time. My name is Stephanie Ellison. I am a percussionist, and currently I play drum set in a rock band setting (I'm currently not in a band, pending feet technique fundamentals reworking). I used to play bass guitar in the school jazz band and other bands, and I sang for about a year and a half. I am profoundly deaf and have been since a baby. Anyway, It has been a solitary effort to do the foot technique changes for double bass drumming and ambidexterity (though with help from several people). I have felt really alone in the last 4 years since the last rock band broke up, since I'm trying to rebuild my skills from the ground up. It has not been easy.

I started playing music in the school band in the 5th grade and went up through my first year in college (the second university from my second year on didn't have a marching band program, and classes had gotten too demanding for me to handle music). I had the fortune to tour western Europe as a orchestra/band percussionist with America's Youth in Concert in 1983 (at the end of my sophomore year in high school) and United States Collegiate Wind Band in 1984 (at the end of my junior year). That would make it 32 years since I first got involved with music. I have weaved in and out of music over the years, but this time, this is what I want to do. I can't think of anything else I want to do. I have tried computers twice, health education, working in an office setting, and retail. There's no heart in it.

I'm going to your web site, Wendy and submit my web site, which is Deaf Drummer . org, where my full bio is under "my bio." I look forward to the day I get to meet another deaf musician in person for the first time.

The musician's threads here and the information at AAMHL actually caused to me to pause and consider whether I really want to go back to school to pursue a degree in music (I have an M.Ed. in vocational rehab from UT Austin, but state voc rehab work is not what I want to do).

Thanks!

Stephanie
 
Very impressive website, Stephanie! Wish we lived closer together as I'd love to jam with you sometimes. Classic rock happens to be my favorite genre so it would be so much fun. Who knows...one day, maybe.
 
(Bows graciously)

Thank you! Maybe... Claz shared with me his vision of a time when deaf musicians from all over the world can come here to meet in Houston, the 4th largest city in the country, to find each other, learn from each other, and possibly form bands on the spot and lifelong friendships.

Stephanie
 
That would be a dream come true for a lot of us deaf musicians.
deafdrummer said:
(Bows graciously)

Thank you! Maybe... Claz shared with me his vision of a time when deaf musicians from all over the world can come here to meet in Houston, the 4th largest city in the country, to find each other, learn from each other, and possibly form bands on the spot and lifelong friendships.

Stephanie
Click to expand...
 
Tmhska

Hi Guys.
My name is Tony, I live in Adelaide, Australia.
It's good to see HOH and profoundly deaf musicians coming out and having a say, letting all those hearing ding a lings know, you do not have to be a hearing person to be able to play a musical instrument.
I play both the bass and guitar, I have played since I was a child, I am currently involved with an organisation called the "Weekend Warriors," we do "live mike" nights, meaning anyone can get up on stage and sing play guitar, sax, drums any musical instrument etc.
All the musical equipement is supplied, all we have to do is supply the talent, cool hey !
Anyway hope to "hear" from anyone wishing to have a conversation with me, or add a comment to my blog.
Let there be ROCK !:lol:
 
deaf bass player....

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kws-RxbRi8g]YouTube - BrettyBoyBass[/ame]

needs to more done with deaf musicians...
 
deaf/hh ragtime pianist.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcLBAxz6SO0]YouTube - Black and White Rag by George Botsford[/ame]
 
Mixed Feelings About Music

I am adjusting to thinking of myself as belonging more to the Deaf world than the Hearing world. I already knew how to sign, and had had some previous exposure to Deaf culture, but I am having "mixed feelings" about the role I want music to play in my life. I think people (outside the Community) may not realize that people can make use of "residual" hearing, be VERY sensitive to vibrations, can sometimes still hear music fairly well (even if the words are not clear), etc. I SANG in a voice choir, but IT WAS REALLY HARD. I think the thing that made it "stink" was the way I got treated. I have no desire to be treated as if I were Hearing, NOR do I wish to be thought of as something totally remarkable. How about...just having people treat me as an individual?

This idea that Deaf people don't/can't enjoy music (in its various forms) is just INSANE. I've been going to a Deaf Church, and the praise music ROCKS THE BLOCK! The pastor leads a small Sign Choir, and there is a big screen up front and to the side (for video AND words at the bottom), and I can still hear the music pretty well (using hearing aids and because it's LOUD). I can sometimes "feel the beat" and I feel much more comfortable just signing to the music, because I don't have "worry about" wrong notes or pronunciation, etc. That is my preference, but Deaf/HH people are individuals. If you can do it, then GO FOR IT!
 
Community Band

Last Thursday I went to a band practice for a local "civic" (community) band. I had a really good time. I played cymbal and some other "auxiliary" percussion instruments. But my FAVORITE was playing tympani (kettledrums). They are low in pitch, so I can hear them pretty well and the vibrations I can feel by touching the sides of them (brass instruments, esp) are FANTASTIC! I LOVED IT! The director (and the others) was very patient and explained what he wanted (in terms of playing music).

I had tried playing in the band several years ago, but I had trouble with rhythm. Now, I don't. Wearing hearing aids has really helped with that.
 
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