When it is time to stop playing?

[Eupher6]

Hey, I'm only 60 and I wear hearing aids (thanks to overzealous trumpets and drums over the years). I can't wear them while playing, though. Too much sound for the little buggers and it sounds like cats scrambling to get out of my ears.

But directors on the podium who can't speak up? Yeah, it's a problem. The mic thing is a fabulous idea.

[RickF]

A section mate also takes out his aids when playing in band. A flute-player friend of mine recently got new hearing aids called 'ReSound Cala' (Costco). They connect to his iPhone via blue tooth where he can change settings. He's able to dial back for use in band. Says they're working pretty well.

I've had my hearing checked twice in the past few years. The loss I have can't be helped with aids they tell me. I told them that my wife has to tell me everything 3 times! Her reply was that she can't help me with that.

[opus37]

I play with hearing aids. Mine are programable for situation and even location. I have a "tuba" program that eliminates the "screeching" (really feedback) when they are in the normal program. They are adjustable with my smart phone. Although mine are from Starky, a number of friends have gotten similar aids from Cosco. The technology for hearing aids has changed a lot in the last few years. A much broader range of hearing problems are helped now and with a very broad range of options.

[Jonathantuba]

Wessex oldest customer as far as I know was a 93 year old buying a new tuba! It is difficult to put yourself in someone else's shoes, but for me playing tuba has been a continued friend throughout my life since the age of 12 and I cannot imagine ever stopping while I can still draw breath and see the music.

[John Morgan]

Wessex oldest customer as far as I know was a 93 year old buying a new tuba! It is difficult to put yourself in someone else's shoes, but for me playing tuba has been a continued friend throughout my life since the age of 12 and I cannot imagine ever stopping while I can still draw breath and see the music.

Jonathan - agreed and well said!!

[adrian_quince]

Adrian - Your comment about dialing back your volume got me to thinking about what we do in the local New Horizons Band, which has many older people of varying hearing abilities. The director uses a wireless mic headset which connects to a couple of speakers on stands. We started this on my recommendation 3-4 years ago (I saw this being done at a New Horizons Band Camp in Washington state), and it works wonders in people being able to hear the director, and the director not having to shout or not being heard. I highly, highly recommend this. Many of the New Horizons Bands around the country do this, and even some other type bands (community, etc. with folks that aren't real old).

Hi John,

I've only seen this one once and that was with a convention band at a conference a few years back with 150+ people. Never really thought about doing it with my own groups, especially since I usually manage to be heard OK and haven't had any voice problems yet. But it might be worth a try. I think I'll have to get out of the habit of muttering to myself during rehearsal first, though...

[highpitch]

I'll play as long as I can hold the horn properly (no gizmos allowed), and I get along with the conductor.

The former is not a problem yet, and I control the latter...

Dennis

[altobone64]

Playing alone

I'm 52 and quit playing 2 years ago due to hyperacusis in both ears. It is severe and accompanied by tinnitus in my right ear, which I attribute (at least in part) to many years of playing upright bell euphonium*. Custom, audiologist-fitted noise reduction earplugs and tinnitus retraining therapy have helped, but I could no longer tolerate sitting in a room with other musicians and finally packed it in.

I really missed playing, so...

A few months ago, I returned to playing tenor trombone and recently switched to Eb alto trombone and bell front alto horn, which are now my instruments of choice. Sound is directed away from my head and they can be played quietly enough that both are quite tolerable in my home practice room. As a bonus, they are both very easy to hold which has alleviated hand and wrist pain. I'm also using sound absorption panels to adjust the room acoustics to suit my needs. While my ensemble playing days are most certainly over and I can no longer attend most live shows, films in theaters and sporting events, I've found that I rather enjoy playing music alone. I play an hour or two a day and work on tone and technique just as I did before, but now I play for an audience of one.

I needed to adjust my situation and now I'm having fun again. In the end, that's what counts.



(*Playing bell front euphonium or any tuba now induces dizziness and nausea, which may be attributable to vestibular hyperacusis. The symptoms are interesting, though somewhat disturbing. At any rate the damage is done.)

[ann reid]

I got my BA in Music Ed. as a voice major by default, since my instrument was bass clarinet, and the clarinet professor said he’d resign if he had to try to teach me soprano clarinet. I loved being a voice major and got pretty decent as a singer, and still played in every instrumental ensemble on campus, and sang in every choral ensemble except Opera Workshop.
After teaching general music for a year I realized I definitely didn’t want to do that for long, and happened on a state fellowship in speech therapy, for which I was accepted, and worked as a therapist and special ed. Teacher for most of the rest of my professional life.
The thought never once occurred to me that I wouldn’t at some time return to music.
When I retired I began harp lessons and bought myself a beautifully restored pedal harp, and at almost the same time learned that I had arthritis in at least two fingers, and my left pointer quickly became deformed. Almost at the same time, my voice was severely damaged by medications.
So, H*ll bent for music, but no instrument. Along comes my grandson, who is born with an orthopedic handicap. At about 2 1/2 years old, he began to ask to see tubas and French Horns and trombones on my iPad.
OF COURSE, I bought him a pBone, and since it was 2’ taller than he, I started to play it myself, and was amazed to find that I could actually play a scale on it. One day while watching pictures of tubas, the grandson came across a bunch of people in holiday gear playing tubas. “Yikes!”, I thought, “That REALLY looks like fun!”
Out of my misty past I remembered when I wanted more than anything to play Sousaphone, and wasn’t allowed to because “Girls don’t”. NOW, girls DO!
I’ve played euphonium for almost 3 months in a community band, have connected to a great teacher, and practice every day. I’m within inches of being able to get through the euphonium parts of the Holst Suites, and aiming at Grainger. Can’t wait to get a tuba.
I will never NEVER stop again. This thread is amazingly inspiring. You are my HEROES.

[John Morgan]

I got my BA in Music Ed. as a voice major by default, since my instrument was bass clarinet, and the clarinet professor said he’d resign if he had to try to teach me soprano clarinet. I loved being a voice major and got pretty decent as a singer, and still played in every instrumental ensemble on campus, and sang in every choral ensemble except Opera Workshop.
After teaching general music for a year I realized I definitely didn’t want to do that for long, and happened on a state fellowship in speech therapy, for which I was accepted, and worked as a therapist and special ed. Teacher for most of the rest of my professional life.
The thought never once occurred to me that I wouldn’t at some time return to music.
When I retired I began harp lessons and bought myself a beautifully restored pedal harp, and at almost the same time learned that I had arthritis in at least two fingers, and my left pointer quickly became deformed. Almost at the same time, my voice was severely damaged by medications.
So, H*ll bent for music, but no instrument. Along comes my grandson, who is born with an orthopedic handicap. At about 2 1/2 years old, he began to ask to see tubas and French Horns and trombones on my iPad.
OF COURSE, I bought him a pBone, and since it was 2’ taller than he, I started to play it myself, and was amazed to find that I could actually play a scale on it. One day while watching pictures of tubas, the grandson came across a bunch of people in holiday gear playing tubas. “Yikes!”, I thought, “That REALLY looks like fun!”
Out of my misty past I remembered when I wanted more than anything to play Sousaphone, and wasn’t allowed to because “Girls don’t”. NOW, girls DO!
I’ve played euphonium for almost 3 months in a community band, have connected to a great teacher, and practice every day. I’m within inches of being able to get through the euphonium parts of the Holst Suites, and aiming at Grainger. Can’t wait to get a tuba.
I will never NEVER stop again. This thread is amazingly inspiring. You are my HEROES.

What a delightful story!! So very glad and happy to see you playing euphonium and perhaps tuba eventually. Check out Wessex. I am a euphonium player for life, but I did get a Wessex Eb tuba a year ago for a really great price, about 2K. It is delightful. If you almost have the Holst Suites down (congrats by the way), then you indeed are well into the euphonium world. Look for David Werden's arrangement of the Holst Suite for euphonium and piano. It is quite nice.

Keep playing! Stay forever young!

[Simes]

As a late-ish starter and someone who relishes the learning challenges playing Euphonium provides, I only know that the end of enjoyment will be the catalyst for my retirement. How or why this will happen, I’ve literally no idea! And even that not knowing is part of the fun!

[Simes]

What a delightful story!! So very glad and happy to see you playing euphonium and perhaps tuba eventually. Check out Wessex. I am a euphonium player for life, but I did get a Wessex Eb tuba a year ago for a really great price, about 2K. It is delightful. If you almost have the Holst Suites down (congrats by the way), then you indeed are well into the euphonium world. Look for David Werden's arrangement of the Holst Suite for euphonium and piano. It is quite nice.

Keep playing! Stay forever young!

Can’t go wrong with Holst. Weirdly we don’t go in for it much in the UK, but what I’ve played is very nice.

[ChristianeSparkle]

This and the other thread on "playing forever" are gold! Thank you for sharing your story, Ann!