Re: My experiences with Music

[Guest guest]

This was a beautiful post, . Thank you for sending it.

Alice

http://www..com

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

WOW - an awesome post !! It is very encouraging and realistic.

I've reconnected with music since my CI activation in April, 2006.

Like you say, it is NOT an immediate thing, but does take practice.

My favorite music is classic Rock, and on the day I was activated

tried to listen to Mick Jagger, but he sounded more like Alvin the

Chipmunk )

Now most music sounds great to me, and I even enjoy ny Cash (the

acoustic guitar sounds seem to be especially crisp for me), as a lot

of his lyrics are easier to follow, and make good listening

excercises.

THANKS again for the uplifting message

Regards,

Jim S.

AB 90K/Auria

Activated 4-25-2006

>

> First of all, we must remember that we should never compare

ourselves with

> others when it comes to time frames for hearing or perceived

quality. We each

> progress at our own speed and when our brains are ready to tackle

the next

> level, they will. Hence the question, " Should I be hearing music

already? " is not

> answerable by anyone. Six years ago, my surgeon advised me not to

ever

> expect to enjoy music again. I thought a lot about that because

music is very

> important to me. But ultimately I came to the conclusion that if

I could have

> normal conversations with people, then I would give up music

forever if that were

> to be the case.

>

> Music and telephones tend to be the most difficult for implant

wearers to

> acclimate to. I refused to even put a phone to my implanted ear

for the first

> three months that I was hooked up. And when I finally did, boy

did it sound

> awful! But the more you practice, the more your auditory memory

gets replaced

> and you brain fuses together what it remembers with what it is

getting now, for

> post-lingually deafened people, that is.

>

> I can't remember when I tried to understand music but I do

remember the

> stages that I went through. I began with AM radio: news, sports,

weather, traffic,

> etc. I know this has nothing to do with music but the fact of the

matter is

> I wanted to start with the most simple " synthetic " sound I could

think of.

> Once I realized that I was able to understand words on the radio

(even one or two

> words was a miracle!), then I tried music. I began with soft jazz

that had

> no lyrics. Some of it was a mess and some sounded OK. I was

advised by my

> audie to leave some kind of radio or TV sound on as often

throughout the day as

> possible. Even when you are not actively listening, your brain

soaks it all

> in! After soft jazz, I tried lite FM and reggae. The low

frequency hearing in

> my unimplanted ear was a big help with the bass sounds. I think

disco came

> next and more complex jazz. I probably tried some country but I

never liked it

> that much anyway. I don't do so well with classical and you can

forget rap and

> opera... yuck! Eventually, I got myself to rock, which is my

favorite music.

> I actually have quite eclectic tastes in music but my favorite

local rock

> station is usually what I listen to. Some music, mostly if it is

unfamiliar,

> sounds crappy to me and sometimes I may have some stress which

makes all music

> sound annoying. My hearing is more dependent on my stress levels

and outside

> factors than for a normal hearing person.

>

> Our hearing journeys are now lifetime processes. We have been

reborn, so to

> speak, when we are implanted, and our neural pathways need more

time to grow

> than if we had really been just born into the world. Practice

listening on a

> daily basis, and practice not listening too! It'll all happen

when it happens.

>

>

> implanted 9/28/00

> hooked and hearing since 10/26/00

>

>

>