Loss and Piano Tuning ( was: hearing etc.)

[J. R. White]

One of my clients, a physician, explained to me that hearing is the last
sense to fade away, and that pitch-acuity almost invariably remains as sharp
as ever unless one becomes absolutely stone deaf.  It's tragic, in my view,
when elderly people believe their hearing is fouled up when they hear their
pianos sounding badly.  These dear folks need to be assured that we can hear
the same bad sounds that they hear, that it is the pianos, not their ears,
which need help.  
My physician-client also told me that nurses and other caregivers very often
talk or read to patients who are dying, and keep on reading until well after
the patients seem to be deceased, even for a few minutes after breathing
stops.  
The thought among medical professionals currently seems to be that patients
can hear just as well following the instant of death as they could a few
minutes prior to it.
I've had many doctors soberly express this thought to me.
Interesting!
J R W

jrwhiteltd at msn.com
(253) 922-2372
-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of carlteplitski
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 8:43 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: Loss and Piano Tuning ( was: hearing etc.)


Good point ! Knew a fellow tech. who passed away at 91, and could still 
tune, but physically too
taxing. It was also quite hard to carry a conversation with him, as you 
were often repeating yourself,
because he didn't hear well , but he could hear intervals and beats. How 
does one splain that ???

Carl / Winnipeg


A440A at aol.com wrote:

>Robert writes: 
><< Thanks a lot for your comments Andrew. I will defintely look into
getting 
>ear plugs. Not only do I want to prevent any damage to my ears as a result
of 
>tuning pianos, but I don't want my hearing to be degraded as a musician
either 
>since I play piano recitals and attend lots of concerts.  >>
>
>Greetings, 
>       It is interesting that we, as tuner/techs, worry so much about our 
>hearing.  I don't think I have ever met someone that had to leave the
business 
>because of hearing problems.  
>
>HOWEVER !,  I have spoken to numerous techs and former techs that had to 
>leave the tuning and rebuilding business because of joint problems,
repetitive 
>stress problems, tendonitis, carpal tunnel problems, etc.  and I have heard
very, 
>very, little about protecting against these things.  
>     Worry about our hearing is misplaced if we ignore the mechanical
dangers 
>of our work.  I would suggest that a better expense than custom ear plugs 
>would be a yoga course, or a physical trainer or therapist that could
diagnose 
>our posture, ergonomic habits, and flexibility capacity.  That is where the
more 
>likely danger will be addressed. 
>Regards,  
>
>Ed Foote RPT 
>http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
>www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
> 
>
>  
>