"Hear from the Audiologists" MusiCares and Tuned panel!

In celebration of National Protect Your Hearing Month, MusiCares and Tuned put together a panel of audiologists to reflect on the first year of tele-audiology service delivery and help an audience of professional musicians learn more about the ways they can receive hearing health support year-round. Heather Malyuk, the Head of Audiology at Tuned, expertly lead the panel which included audiologists Lisa Tannenbaum, Laura Sinnott, Shannon Switzer, and Frank Wartinger, all of whom have been active on the platform since the beginning.

Besides the intended audience of musicians, this discussion will be of particular value to anyone in the audiology field who may be interested in 1) what the sub-specialty of music audiology entails, and 2) how the Tuned tele-audiology platform functions.

https://youtu.be/qGHSYemp-64?si=FXnzNAPnnimrxOc8

I'm honored to work alongside this incredible group of trail-blazing audiologists. I was also overjoyed to produce this video, and excited to have this discussion available to a wide audience! Please be on the lookout for a companion piece on the Talking Ears podcast featuring Juan Vasquez's responses to all of Heather's fantastic questions.

Kicking off Season 2 of Talking Ears with a conversation with audiologist and musician Brendan Fitzgerald!

With over a dozen special conversations, taking a moment to think on the importance and the impact of those people’s voices and their music sounds like the most appropriate thing to do. This time, a reflection of someone that we had thought of having a discussion with since the beginning of Talking Ears: Brendan Fitzgerald. A friend, musician, and audiologist, he tapped us into a conversation about his creative methods and the reason why music continues to mean so much to him. 

With a strong emphasis on artistic collaboration with the people he gets to make music and embracing experimental rhythmic and harmonic complexity, the music of Brendan Fitzgerald and his bands Wooden Cities and f-f-f-f-Faulty Tower brings forth a realm of acoustic energy that can be described as unpredictable, intriguing, structured chaos, and thought-provoking. Through democratic exploration of both traditional and unconventional means in creating new sound, the tonality and substance of their art challenges the listener to search inward, focus on what the music is doing, brace for the unexpected, and take in a truly awe-inspiring aural experience. 

In a seemingly effortless way, Brendan produces a transcendental art form which, (particularly now in an era bursting with trending, capital-driven, and attention-seeking stimulation) pushes what creativity can be and the possibilities of where it can take our minds. All this makes their music one of the most refreshingly original artistic experiences that we’ve had the privilege to encounter. 

Talking Ears is beyond honored to present this conversation with Brendan; especially with a new understanding that it’s the people that he gets to play music with that makes the process unique and worth continuing; a feeling that we certainly share.

Stay tuned for the continuation of Season 2 of Talking ears! We have a very exciting batch of episodes coming out in the coming months!

Rock On…with Caution: Hearing Loss Risk in Musicians

Earmark's Frank Wartinger, AuD, was interviewed for a recent article titled "Rock On…with Caution: Hearing Loss Risk in Musicians" published in the Hearing Journal.

Solid Advice

The article is packed with incredibly honest and sage "I've been there" type advice from industry veterans David Uosikkinen (The Hooters) and Tom Hampton (Marshall Tucker Band, Robert Hazard). Dr. Wartinger's main take-away was simple: never stop making music.

"Yes, there are risks, but with the right tools and precautions, you can reduce your risk. The key is to understand, respect, and protect your hearing as a valuable tool in the music-making process..."

Know better, do better, teach the next generation

Many of rock-and-roll's icons have given their ears to help craft the soundtracks of our youths and good times: Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend (The Who) and Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) to name a few. In many ways, the technological and stylistic revolutions these visionaries created was the very thing that put them at risk. Bigger audiences and stages, ever more powerful sound systems, and heavier sounds had the cummulative effect of creating a previously unheard-of health hazard: Music Induced Hearing Disorders.

“It is serious business,” said Uosikkinen. “I tell my students that they should take care of their ears because they need to last you an entire lifetime. I'm grateful that technology has made it a little bit better, but I'm still concerned about young people today.

Solutions exist and music audiology experts such as Dr. Wartinger are capable of connecting your performance needs with the long-term needs of your career in music. Reach out to Earmark Hearing Conservation with any questions or comments, or to further discuss your own needs and situation.

When Punk Meets Hearing Wellness

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Frank and Earmark Hearing Conservation were proud to participate in the inaugural production of the YallaPunk Conference and Festival in Philadelphia. YallaPunk brought the art and music, and Earmark brought the hearing wellness discussion to the audiences and artists, as well complimentary earplugs for everyone to enjoy the shows safely.

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Barakka playing at Johnny Brenda's at the YallaPunk Festival, September 2nd, 2017.

YallaPunk's stated goal was to "highlight creative accomplishments of MENA (Middle Eastern and Northern African) individuals and serve as a safe space forum for discourse about social issues." The three day event featured bands, poets, comedians and visual artists in an inclusive setting at several venues in the Fishtown neighborhood.

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Special thanks to Rana Fayez and all the organizers for taking on such an ambitious and timely project, and to the venues that hosted the concerts - Johnny Brenda's and The Barbary.

With such a positive response from the audience and artists, we're motivated to bring the message of hearing wellness to many more concerts and venues in the future. Contact Earmark Hearing Conservation to discuss your event and stay tuned for more to come!

Scott Hallam - Sound Profile Interview

SCOTT HALLAM

Songwriter, vocalist, producer, and co-founder of Audiodowsing, a full service audio company specializing in soundtrack and sound design production.

EARMARK: What first got you into music?

SCOTT H: In middle school chorus class, we were shown a VHS of music from around the world. There was a chapter on the North Indian classical tradition that moved me, and I became fascinated by the sitar. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a teacher or an instrument to practice on in my town, but since I also loved the sound of the guitar, I began to learn that instead.

When did you know you wanted to do music professional?

Making music gave me the best feeling I had ever experienced, so I thought that if I could turn that into a career, my life would be amazing. I started having this dream during the heyday of recorded music sales, the late ‘90s, so from my vantage point it didn't seem impossible to make a living performing/recording music. I was also a big fan of video games and the music used in them. That industry was growing steadily and I thought if a career as a recording artist petered out, I could parlay my skills as a composer there for a more "straight" job.

What was it about video game music that interested you?

I liked the wide variety of styles and arrangements that were possible. While there were hard limitations for what was technologically possible to reproduce on a console's chip, there didn't yet seem to be established norms for the compositions. Every game's music had a completely different identity, more so than what I had heard as a layman in film soundtracks.

Who is someone who inspires you, musically?

The Zen Buddhist nun and chef Jeong Kwan is a breath of fresh air to me. I highly recommend seeking out her remarks about creativity, ego, sharing, time's nature and power. These days, I'm finding myself more and more inspired musically by creators in other disciplines than I am by music or other musicians.

What is your current monitoring setup for performances and rehearsals?

We just use whatever the house monitors happen to be. I would someday like to use in-ear monitors to be able to control the volume granularly and preferably on the fly. I currently use custom-molded musician’s earplugs for both rehearsals and shows to protect my hearing. They most recently saved my ears while attending a Weedeater show; the sound quality was still full and clear, so I appreciated knowing my hearing was protected while still enjoying the sound. Sometimes more harmonically complex music it can be a little difficult to distinguish detail, e.g. complex chords. Also, it does take some getting used to having something plugging up your ear canals.

Hearing Conservation is a term that means maintaining one’s current hearing health by reducing the risk of acquiring hearing damage from noise/music exposure. How do you think Hearing Conservation plays into your career and life?

I live in a famously loud city, New York, and there is no lack of environments where my ears must be protected from harsh and loud ambient noise. I'm interested in protecting my hearing, and I'm also interested in protecting my mental health and stress levels that are effected by a cacophonous environment. It can be easy to overlook how a mental state can be influenced by sensory overload.

Most people have a quick-draw answer to "what is your favorite color?" How would you answer "what is your favorite sound?"

Rain softly pelting your windows loud enough to wake you up in the middle of the night but not so loud that you can't fall back asleep to its song, probably.

This is the first Sound Profile Interview, a new series focusing on the key element at the heart of Music Audiology: the musician. Frank Wartinger, Au.D., and Earmark Hearing Conservation are dedicated to improving the hearing health of all musicians through Philadelphia’s Musicians’ Clinic as well as mobile services throughout the Philadelphia region.

A Music-Lover's Guide to Tinnitus

Frank Wartinger contributed insight and clinically-based commentary to a powerful article written by Angus Finlayson (@angusWFinlayson) for the electronic music publication Resident Advisor. The feature of the article is the accounts of two musician's with tinnitus and how the auditory condition has shaped their lives and careers.

A Music-Lover's Guide To Tinnitus, Resident Advisor. 

Words / Angus Finlayson

Published / Thu, 22 Jun 2017

Talking About Tinnitus

By demystifying tinnitus and openly discussing how professional musicians can continue to have a fulfilling relationship with music, this article repeatedly hits on an important message: don't ever stop! Keep going and do so in a manner that respects your ears and hearing.

Act Before You Should Have Acted

The article feedback has been positive and engaging. However, a telling trend has emerged from the comments - those who endorse caution have already been burned. 

From those who have not experienced first hand the warning signs of hearing damage, we still hear the chant of "if it's too loud, you're too old". That saying is ironic since both our youth and hearing health are delicate - even transient - and certainly worth appreciating and protecting. Consider that both these things are true: one day it will be too loud AND you will be too old. 

I Have Tinnitus... Is It Too Late?

Far from it! If you're noticing constant ringing in your ears or dulled hearing after every rehearsal or gig, these are warning signs that should encourage action. If our feet hurt from running we would given them a rest and look into more supportive footwear. Our ears don't feel pain like that, but with tinnitus and temporary hearing loss, they are able to tell us when something needs out attention.

Reach out to a hearing professional and discuss how you can keep your career on track. Indeed, there are ways of helping even the most dire situations. What's more, musicians often notice improved performances and increased satisfaction when they begin to rehearse and perform with their hearing health in mind.

Holiday Caroling at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

The CHOP Choir will be caroling and celebrating on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 5 p.m. at the plaza of the new Buerger Center of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia! The celebration will include songs, refreshments, and a keepsake candle and songbook for the attendees. The event also kicks off the city-wide lighting ceremony.

Always willing to lend a hand and be the source of many polka-related jokes, Earmark's Dr. Wartinger will be joining the choir on the accordion. Don't miss it!

For more information, visit the CHOP Seasons of Light information page.