Tinnitus

[elser]

I've had pretty significant ringing in my ears for at least 10 years. I hear it all the time whether conversing, listening to music, watching tv or mixing. I'm just wondering if anyone else deals with it. Do you think it's affecting your mixes and how? Are there frequency ranges where it shows up in your mixing? Have you found anything that helps?

[Paulie]

I've had it for decades... usually the predominant ringing for me is a high B natural (which is tough as a horn player living in a Bb world) There are other notes at different times, but the B is always there.

I think it affects my mixes, my ability to focus at times, and my mood. I've never tried any of the over the counter remedies though, I've just dealt with it. Have you ever tried to isolate the pitches yourself, or have you gone to an audiologist?

[elser]

Yea man, B natural, gives you a constant Major 7 over anything in C. I could do without that. Mine is white noise primarily, then when it really gets rowdy I'll get a pitch or two mixed in. One time it sounded like there was a giant moth flapping against my ear drum, I'm glad that didn't last! I had a hearing check in 2001 with a regular doctor and it showed I had some loss around 3 and 4khz though at that time the ringing wasn't as bad.

I'm going into an audiologist on Aug. 3, hoping science has made some progress. I do ok with it emotionally, I know a lot of people struggle with that. I just want to know if there's something I/we, need to do to compensate for in our mixes. I think I tend to mix bright but I'm not sure if that's the reason.

I've noticed these things aggravate it, alcohol, allergies, distorted guitars and anything really metallic. I played in a band for 8 years where Glockenspiel was one of my instruments, I think I can blame the bulk of it on that. Those things are LOUD.

[feaker66]

I got it for the first time this year. It is a loud hiss that does dissipate in a few days if I am not around anything loud. It started with my chainsaw, even tho I had ear buds in. Now when I mow the lawn, I have to use ear plugs plus a 3M headphone. I find it to be a big distraction, but I know it is as bad as some folks have it. I talked to an ENT specialist and he basically told me not to focus on it. It sucks. Between that and my arthritis, I don't have much time left in the recording business

Sincerely

Paul

[lesmac]

Ive had it for years and it comes and goes.

Mine came from years of playing with my amp pointed at my ears as well as working shift in an industrial environment.

I had mine investigated while I was working and was told the same, don't focus on it.

Lack of sleep and stimulants like coffee, alcohol or whatever gets you through the night make it worse.

I think its an interesting idea to work out what frequency range is the problem. A woman once told me she cured hers by humming that frequency like some kind of phase cancellation.

Maybe its all in the mind

[hummingbird]

Just a couple of comments, as someone I know very well suffers from this:

- as above lack of sleep or other stresses may increase it
- for some it is almost like a form of deafness because all other sounds are muted, but it IS possible to 'heal' it by wearing specialized hearing aids
and, most important
- wearing of headphones exacerbates it

I am glad you are seeing an audiologist.

In terms of mixing there may be creative ways to compensate. [ I am profoundly deaf in one ear but I manage to mix stereo... I always run off mono's of my mixes so I can 'hear' the landscape/depth and that seems to work for me. ]

It occurs to me that, for example, if you have something bright playing notes above the B you mention, that you might always, always, double it with something an octave or more down, and that the higher one would be slightly less volume than the lower, so that you get a warmer quality... no idea if that would work, but it would provide depth to your mix and maybe help by not triggering the tinnitus...?

[lesmac]

Hey Paul, you mow the lawn with your chainsaw??!!!
Thats some serious grass your'e growing there man.
You should be growing pumpkins and booking first place in the Guiness book of records.

[elser]

Wow Vikki, you're almost deaf in one ear? It amazes me the things people overcome when they really love and are motivated by music.

I wouldn't classify my thing as anywhere near deafness, but it is constant all the time, has been for between 10 and 15 years, and even if I'm mixing really loud or playing in a band I still hear it. And the point of my post isn't coping with it, luckily I somehow have an ability to not let it bother me. But I do wonder if it affects my mixes. And during the course of having written this post I've thought of two things, first if I'm using any kind of reference material to compare my mixes to, then the way I hear those mixes will be the same as I hear mine. So if to my ears my mix is getting close to a pros mix then I should be ok. Second, it's always a good idea to bounce it off other peoples ears for a second opinion.

The other thing I notice is that it doesn't seem to be any more prominent among musicians than the rest of society. Most of my friends who are full time players don't have it. Must be genetic or something. I was kind of hoping that aside from mixing tips someone might chime in and say "hey didn't you hear, they have a cure!" Alas no.

[niallyboy]

I have tinnitus, a ringing at about 6,000 cycles. Yes, it definitely effects the mixing, so I ask my engineer if he hears the shakers, chimes, triangle, etc. that is masked by the ringing.

Niall

[elser]

Hey Niall, wow I see you have Eric Finklestein in your band! He's a great guy, good drummer. I'm surprised we haven't met, I've been playing in Reno/Tahoe/Nevada since about 1990.

Anyways, yea that's what I'm wondering is anything getting masked. Interesting both you and Paulie are sax players and your tinnitus has a pitch. Mine is just white noise, but if I do something to irritate it then I'll start getting frequencies as well. I don't know how much research is being done, I think not much, it's not life threatening, But as a musician I think I'd prefer some other ailment. "Can I trade in my tinnitus for dry eye syndrome please?"