Hear The Music

Several years ago I was asked to be an expert witness by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association who were contemplating an action against the local police services board regarding an upcoming G20 meeting in Toronto.  The police services board was considering using Long Range Acoustic Devices, or LRADs, as a crowd control device.  LRADs are loudspeaker systems on steroids and

On Friday Sept 13, 2013, Ray Dolby passed away.  With the passing of Dr. Bose several months ago, the year 2013 was not among the best for the audio industry. I met Ray Dolby at an Audio Engineering Conference (AES) in Los Angeles about 20 years ago and it was my least-cool life moment. After being introduced, I proceeded to

This is the fourth in a series of blogs about why audiologists are hesitant to see musicians or others in the performing arts.  The blogs are actually quite tongue in cheek but have some truth in them.  I routinely receive phone calls from musicians who have been referred to me for a “second opinion” when the issue is really that

This series of blogs covers a number of areas about why audiologists would rather not work with musicians (or engineers, or lawyers, or …). Another reason, other than jargon, why audiologists may not want to work with musicians lies in the realm of temporary and permanent hearing loss.   This acronym of choice for temporary hearing loss is TTS which stands

This is the second in a series of blogs about why audiologists are terrified of musicians.  Actually, we are not terrified of musicians- merely working with musicians! This is a continuation of last week’s blog about using different jargon.  Let’s turn our attention to intensity and loudness.  Actually, for those purists out there, I am misusing “intensity”.  Technically we audiologists

Actually audiologists are macho and not afraid of anything.  They wear super-audiologist capes when not in the office and fly around unaided like Superman.  (Audiologists do not wear their capes in the office since they may snag on expensive pieces of equipment or trip up clients who inadvertently step on them).  Audiologists are not afraid of anything or anyone…. except

Like many of my colleagues, I have worked with musicians since the old days of linear Class A hearing aids- what some would call “crummy peak clippers”.  Reading through many of my old blogs it won’t take time to realize that one thing that was good about the 1980s was the lack of analog-to-digital converters in hearing aids, which is

Working in a musicians’ clinic means that I see…. musicians.  Hearing loss prevention is the number one request, followed closely by a request for in-ear monitors.  But not far behind are inquiries about tinnitus and about hyperacusis. I must admit, like most of my audiology colleagues, that I know very little about hyperacusis.  It’s not from lack of trying to

Have you ever noticed when testing a musician or even a teenager who walked into your office that the patient has a slight 4000 Hz notch in one ear and a 6000 Hz notch in the other ear.  From a strictly “asymmetrical hearing loss” perspective, this may fulfill the requirements for a retrocochlear investigation, which should be pursued. But I

Dr. Amar Gopal Bose (1929-2013) passed away earlier this month leaving the helm of a corporation that he helped guide for almost 50 years.  In a message from Bob Maresca of Bose, he states that “Dr. Bose…. was more than a chairman.  He was our teacher – always encouraging us, always believing that we could do great things, and that