Thanks for the information! Joy! Elwood ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sarah Fox" <sarah@gendernet.org> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2003 10:02 PM Subject: Re: "Put a plug in it" > Hi Elwood, > > > This is "for what it's worth": > > Several years ago I quit drinking caffeinated coffee since I found that > piano sounds were becoming loud and bright. Started drinking decaffeinated > coffee and problem went away. > > Fascinating! > > Yes, that makes sense. The ear is an active device. You have two groupings > of hair cells (vibration receptors) on your basilar membrane (the > vibration-sensing organ in your inner ear). The inner hair cells are what > actually sense the sound. The outer hair cells are mechanically linked to > the inner hair cells via an overlying flap called the tectorial membrane. > When the outer hair cells are vibrated, they vibrate back. (This is a > positive feedback mechanism.) In other words, the outer hair cells make a > weak vibration stronger. They are jazzed up, I believe, with caffeine, > which could make the ear hyperresponsive. > > What you experienced was more than a perception. It was physical. Because > your ear is no longer *mechanically* hyperresponsive, there would be less > potential for damage from loud sounds. > > Peace, > Sarah > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >
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