Hearing loss

[Yardbird47@aol.com]

The same lady (RPT Zen Rheinhadrt) who showed me the racquetball/pianohammer
key pounder also went on to describe the Noise-Buster which she was now
carrying as a companion to the "racket"-ball. The Noise-Buster, commonly
available at consumer electroncs outlets, is apparently nothing more than a
large hearing aid: a microphone, an equalizer/amplifier, and headphones, with
battery pack. The headphones isolate you and the equalizer/amplifier allows
you to specify the frequncy range you listen to. After my first couple of
days out with the racket-ball, I understood why she would want to protect her
hearing. (Not to bore by repetition, but the racket-ball actually bounces the
hand-to-key impact back into the key. That plus its extreme light weight will
have you putting out very high-db test blows without the accompaying negative
feedback from you hand.)
How a tuning might sound through such a hearing aid, I can only take her
testimony on faith. But I can add an experience of my own. Back in summer of
'88, I took too deep a dive at the swimming hole, and the rapid increase of
water pressure crammed a wad of ear wax up the end of my ear canal. (Yes, I
was long overdue for a cleaning herein....) It took two days before i culd
get to my GP for an irrigation, and during that time I several tunings to do.
I was pleasantly surprised that even in that aural "fog", I could hear all of
my favorite intervals and coincidental partials. But I couldn't judge voicing
for beans.
Hearing loss? Yes, I've got my own resident white noise (from rock'n'roll
saxophone). But as long as we constantly stretch our ear for the highest
partial we can hear, we should be able to stay in shape.

Bill Ballard, RPT           "Out here on the food chain, you either diet,

NH Chapt, PTG                    die, or dine" .......folksinger Mark Graham