MikeG

Hi there,
I won't bore you with a long introduction.
My name is Michael Groves, and i am a music student in Brighton,
For my 2nd year Research i have decided to look at the role of music in a deaf persons life, and attempt to understand the perception of music for deaf people.
There is no specific's, i only wish to learn of the different experiences of different people, with different level's of hearing, and how important music is/can be in their life.
My inspiration for this project is largely thanks to Evelyn Glennie, an incredibly talented deaf percussionist.

If you would be so kind to share with me your experience with music and the role it plays in your life, whether it be a single sentence or several paragraphs, i would be incredibly grateful.

you may email me privately if you wish to: m-groves@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you

Michael Groves.

Deafness

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dereksbicycles

The loud sound that I can feel is the VROOM of a turbo engine. I'm deaf and don't need music. Sound from turbo engine is cool!!!

Hannah louise

I logged on this to see if any other hard of hearing people enkoy music like i do.
Music is like therapy to me. I swear, i would go mental without t. You switch off your hearing aids, put in your earphones, and you can hear nothing but beautiful sounds. It's just so refreshing, I'm so grateful that although i'm hard of hearing, i hear music through earphones without hearing aids.
It's heavan. I would die without music!(:

Hannah louise

I apologise for the bad spelling! I'm on my phone..

MikeG

Hi Derek & Hannah, thanks for your responses!

Derek, that's fascinating, is it a soothing feeling? The sound of the Engine.

Hannah, Do you mind me asking how much of your hearing have you lost?
And do you know if the way you hear the music in your headphones is the same as the way your friends and family hear the music?
What are you favorite things to listen to?
and I'm glad that Music is such an important part of your life!

drphil

Because there is so many functions to music- symphonic, movies, dance, popular songs etc
hard to give a "brief description" which can be justified.
As for the DEAF-depends when one became DEAF: birth VS late deafened. Able to use a Cochlear Implant VS not being "suitable" VS prefers to remain "silent".
Not exactly a simple declaration re the DEAF and music. Not every DEAF person can "feel" music like a select few eg Evelyn Glennie.
Aside: I have tested the theory of being able to " feel music by putting my hand on a loud speaker playing music"-vibrations only! I don't identify as music. Real easy: just disconnect my Cochlear implant.
One DEAF person's experience since becoming bilateral DEAF-December 20, 2006.

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Get Real:Implanted Sunnybrook/Toronto -Advanced Bionics-Harmony activated Aug/07

rachelreader3

To me music is sacred. I memorize every single note of every single song I feel I could not bare to not hear again. I want to learn how to play the piano. I wonder if I can.

eirlys

Music.. my former love. I love jazz. The syncopated swing just feels wonderful.

I was a music education major in college. I played several instruments, mainly the saxophone. Life events got me away from it and I'm afraid I no longer hear well enough to get back into it.

I still could not live without it. The thing about instrumental music for me is that I don't have to ignore the music to hear the lyrics. I've never been able to understand lyrics. I hear them as pitches and rhythms.

I have conductive hearing loss in my right ear, profound in the lower to lower midrange and severe in the upper midrange to upper range. Sensoneural in my left ear.. moderate and reverse slope (same direction as my right ear) (likely caused by lack of ear protection in 20 years of playing in bands).

I always wear full earmuff headphones when I listen to music. It boosts what I can't hear in my left ear and gives me a tiny bit in my right ear. I should probably not listen so loud if I want to salvage what hearing I have left though.

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Severe/Profound HoH in right ear, Moderate HoH in left.
Has Otosclerosis and is actively avoiding the BAHA
Very happy with Rexton Insite Power BTE
Would rather be playing Soul Calibur V or WoW!

KristinaB

Music is very important to me. I used to play the piano and learned while I was HOH. Now I am deaf and don't play as much. I can no longer hear music, but I have all the music stored in my head from all my years of some hearing.

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Taking life one day at a time.

FadedRose

I'm a Deaf composer-have my own band, protools, a piano among other things. I'm currently revamping my "sound" and writing new songs and getting rid of the old crap.
If you want to hear I'll be more than happy to share once I complete them.
If you like nine inch nails-you'd like this

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kokonut

Music is important to me. Played bands in middle school and high school, and even competed in a marching band competition. I've been playing the piano since I was 7 years old and play ragtime and early jazz pieces. I have my own Ragtime Piano! blogsite with a few of my videos on there of me playing ragtime.

__________________
Before AD.

After AD.

"Restriction on free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us."
-Thurgood Marshall, former Supreme Court Justice


"... turns out they are telling the truth."

MintyOreo

Music... used to be my best friend. I used to play a lot of different instruments, mainly the alto saxophone, clarinet, piano, guitar, and etc. That was when I was HOH. I was in concert, marching, and jazz bands. I used music as an escape. I used to write and arrange musical pieces, but I don't anymore.

Now, I am deaf. (Around a mod. severe/severe loss in one ear, and a severe-to-profound loss in the other ear, as of my last audiogram a few weeks ago.) I kind of have a weird relationship with music right now. I'm not sure where I stand. I got my clarinet out today, and I was playing a few songs. What I could hear of the clarinet was not what I used to be able to hear. It wasn't the same. But I was surprised that I could hear it somewhat - though I had to play very loudly and concentrate hard. My alto sax is in the attic, so I would have to root around to find it. I haven't tried the piano yet. I can play guitar, but I cannot hear it. (Acoustic guitar, btw.) I don't enjoy playing the guitar anymore. Clarinet, I kind of do, but it's not the same. Alto sax I might enjoy, same with piano. I don't know. I'll have to try them again and see for myself.

What is my relationship with music? I don't know. I tend to go through phases. Sometimes I like it, other times I hate it and want nothing to do with it. Can't exactly say that I LOVE it, or that I live for it anymore. I have other things to live for. It's just a nice little background thing in my life, I suppose. I play and enjoy music sometimes, and other times I run in the other direction.

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A FEW of my favorite quotes:

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” ~ Dr. Seuss

“The past does not have to be your prison. You have a voice in your destiny. You have a say in your life. You have a choice in the path you take.” ~ Max Lucado

“Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.” ~ Fred Rogers

“Even though you may not understand how God works, you know he does.” ~ Max Lucado

RBDShadow

Music is something I can use to get away from everything that's going on in my life and also doesn't remind me that I'm HOH and wear hearing aids.

I'm 19 and HOH. I also use hearing aids in both ears.

Music is basically a getaway for me. I love to listen to anything that has deep bass, because I can feel it in my headphones, even though it can be loud to other people, and occasionally I have to turn it down, but other than that, it's cranked up like no other! (Sometimes I have like 3 backup headphones in case one blows out.. )

JenniferLyn

I'm HOH since early childhood and when I was younger I played the piano and guitar. I think most people who can experience music say that it is important to them. My learning instruments was a way for me to better understand and appreciate it (though it was a ton of hard work and I don't know that I was ever that good). I still really enjoy music, but mostly when I'm wearing headphones that I can turn way up. I like to sing along, but I only do this when I don't have to subject some poor hearing victim to it.

Adam Woerlein

I'm hard of hearing. Because of that I prefer music that is not english. I enjoy that much more, the lyrics, which I have trouble understanding in english, become part of the music when I hear them in another language.

jcreinke

I'm Hard of Hearing (Severe going fully Deaf) and I've never really gotten into a lot of music while growing up. I always got the why teach the person who can't hear excuse. That being said, I do enjoy music, especially those in a different language with deep bass. Opera would have to be my favorite and most relaxing.

Music has kinda played a large role though in my life, because even though I can't hear everything, God has blessed me with a fiancee who is a parish music major. No clue why He put the guy who can't hear and the girl who's job it is to hear together, but we may it work out somehow. She always finds it interesting to see what I can hear and what I can't hear as she plays.

KristinaB

I had the advantage of growing up in a very musical house. Father played flute and 6-string classical guitar, mother sang and played cello and piano, oldest brother played 6-string and 12-string acoustic guitar and bass as well as electric guitar, piano, and flute, other brother played trumpet and drums. In the house there was rock, jazz, R & B, classical, country, pop, Christian, blues, folk songs, and I'm not sure what all else. Now, not much music. Father died in 1991, mother has dementia, oldest brother had an accident at work and can't handle the frets on the guitar anymore, and other brother gave up all music. I still play piano when I can.

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Taking life one day at a time.

Vorsia

I sing and enjoy music I play really loud and put aids in and I'm connected to music put my hands on the and enjoy.

Vorsia

I love music I love my speakers I blast my music.

MikeG

Thank you very much for your responses everyone!
I have enjoyed reading all of your own personal experiences with music and the relationship you have with it.
I am handing in my Research Project tomorrow evening, and i have to say that it has been quite an experience for me, i have learned a great deal and i would like to thank you all for your part in that.

Thank you very much
Take care,
Michael Groves x

TXgolfer

Music is a big big part of my life. Absolutely love it. There was a time when I could not enjoy music....That was rough

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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21


Sometimes at night, I see their faces. I feel the traces they've left on my soul

Babyblue

Wirelessly posted

I also enjoy music. I played the viola in 6th grade. My son currently plays the oboe. I enjoy going to his concerts. I enjoy listening to variety of music from classical to country music.

kokonut

I can only sympathize with you. I can't imagine what the loss would be like. BTW, do you wear a hearing aid at all. For some reason I thought you have a CI or was thinking of getting one?

Music is big in mine but it's mostly nowadays me playing the piano and enjoying myself. The rest I listen to on the radio are mostly the news talk shows even though I have several cassette tapes in my truck with me should I get tired of the talk shows.

__________________
Before AD.

After AD.

"Restriction on free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us."
-Thurgood Marshall, former Supreme Court Justice


"... turns out they are telling the truth."

blacksun73

Music has always been a big part of my life ever since I was little. I'm profoundly deaf but I do wear aids. I would always watch MTV on tv back in the 80s, as I lay on my back on the floor with one foot resting against the tv speaker so I can feel the tunes or bass. I can hear some of the tunes, but was always hard to hear the beats or bass tones. So while my foot feels the beats, I would hear the tones, they blend in very nicely. Didn't have a stereo system setup back then so the whole room would vibrate. But do have that now. Lol. Gotta have at least one subwoofer in the back of the car cuz I go nuts without any tunes while driving, it's relaxing. Of course, the only thing I really miss out on from music is the lyrics. Sometimes would memorize some lyrics in some songs and try to follow through by playing it over and over. I listen to pretty much any kinds of music, if I like the tones and beats.

There's another saying I found from somewhere.
"Music speaks when words fail"

coolgirlspyer90

I grew up playing music since I was about 7-8 years old. I started playing the piano first, and then i started playing percussion in the 6th grade (middle school), and i continued playing percussion all through out my middle school and high school career. I played, mainly, the marimba in the Centerville Jazz Band for 3 1/2 years. I played the vibraphone my first season, freshman year in high school and i started playing the marimba in winter 'A' Drumline my freshman year and it stayed that way. I had gotten an opportunity to participate in the Centerville 'World' Drumline for the rest of my high school career. It's been a long journey, but I made it I stopped playing the piano during my freshman year because with my marching band schedule and my drumlin schedule, it was too much, so i had to give up piano but I still continued my love for music. Plus, i have gotten interviews by our biggest competitions such as WGI (Winter Guard International) and BOA (Bands Of America). I'm also involved with a drumlin documentary called Rhythm Generation. It's suppose to come out but they have been having problems with the music rights, so hopefully it'll come out soon! But even though I'm Deaf, with two CI's, nothing can really stop me from playing music. I mean, even though I'm "retired" from being in the Marching band and Drumline, music is my escape from reality, and without it, i would go insane and i wouldn't know what to do with myself. If i didn't take up piano or did the centerville band program, I would've been sitting my lazy butt at home doing nothing of myself.

coolgirlspyer90

I can kind of relate to you! I don't play a wind or a brass instrument, or a guitar. I play percussion. But my advice to play music, is to feel the flow of the music. Get a metronome, feel the pulse of the beat, and get a groove going and just start playing. Because once you start, you can't stop because you're in the mood But I just basically try and find my tempo by feeling the beat of the drum's vibration on the floor, sometimes in practice i'll kick my shoes off or not and feel the pulse. My pit tech always have me be in front of the drum set when i'm in marching band or in drumline to help me keep in tempo. So basically, the drum set is my conductor haha. When I play, I watch my hands because First of all, we all know that we are deaf, and we can't really rely on our ears to see if we're at the right pitch or if we're playing the right notes. This is where my eyes come in, I use my eyes to watch what notes i'm playing. And when you use your eyes, your hand/fingers will have muscle memorization. So, when you play, it'll be like a piece of cake. It just takes a lot of practice. You can also use your metronome as a pitch, because on the met it has all the notes in there so you can play to see if you're on the right note for you, and it can become your ear. So that's another thing! i hope it helps!

deafdrummer

I am classically trained as a percussionist and a bass guitar player, and today, I play the drum set and am learning to play the didgeridoo as an addition to my drumming.

I love to listen to music as well, and I have a diverse range of music interest. I like rock, classic and modern, even some Indian rock music from India and Asia.

coolgirlspyer90

YES! finally! i'm not the only deaf percussionist around here!

TXgolfer

I have an HA. I plan to get a CI..... I've just haven't gotten around to it yet although I have started the process. Like Rush I can still enjoy songs I am familiar with. Some days I hear them quite well.

__________________
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21


Sometimes at night, I see their faces. I feel the traces they've left on my soul