greetings from DPI What Did You Say?
Protecting Our Hearing? Julie Palkowski, Fine Arts and Creativity Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Sue Baker, Program Director, Les Paul Foundation
What does the typical day sound like for you? Let’s listen in on our teaching col- league, Robin. (Notice the decibel level {dBA} in parenthesis for each sound.)
The day starts with the alarm clock (65-80 dBA) encouraging Robin to get out of bed. She catches her breath (10 dBA) before staggering out of bed and heads for the bathroom to show- er. After drying off, she quickly blow dries her hair (60-95dBA), and dress- es for work. Noticing some suspicious clouds outside, Robin walks into the living room to turn on the television (70 dBA) for the local weather fore- cast. Just as she suspected, there is a thunderstorm brewing. It should hit right about the time she is ready to leave the house for work.
“Everything we use, connect with and encounter has some sort of auditory wave that adds to the noise around us.”
Speaking of brewing, Robin better get her coffee made. She starts the coffee maker (55 dBA) to get a thermos filled with her favorite hazelnut coffee for the upcoming workday. While walk- ing towards the refrigerator to get a yogurt, she steps on the dog’s squeak toy (135 dBA). She now has about five minutes to brush her teeth with her electric toothbrush (50-60 dBA) and to get to the car for work. She locks up the house, turns on the alarm (80 dBA), and hops into her car. Robin shoves her backpack to the passen- ger seat and accidentally presses the car horn (110 dBA). Hoping the neighbors didn’t hear that, she starts the car (70-90 dBA) and reaches for the radio dial to turn up the volume (varies depending on the song). As she pulls out of the garage, just as expected, a clap of thunder (120 dBA) echoes across the sky. This should be an interesting and somewhat noisy ride to work as the rain pelts (50-80 dBA) the top of the car. Robin com- pensates for this sound by putting the radio dial up a notch (Center for Hearing and Communication).
Our days are filled with sound. Everything we use, connect with and encounter has some sort of auditory wave that adds to the noise around us. The example above is just a start to Robin’s day. Imagine if Robin was a music teacher. Music teachers and musicians in general have an intense exposure to sounds. We typically have acquired sensitivity to multiple ranges, timbres, textures and volumes. Our pro- fession has built our focus on the review, adjustments and manipulation of sounds, creating a situation where we may have a hyper sensitive awareness to sounds.
Go to the online version of WSM to easily access hyperlinked content within this article.
In Robin’s sound story, the decibel levels may not seem extreme when you realize that hearing loss is attributed to long or repeated exposure to sound that is at or above 85 decibels (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders). However many of the normal everyday sounds shared within the story reach beyond 85 decibels. These sounds occur quickly, but can cause serious dam- age to your hearing, especially in those instances when there is a sudden loud sound, such as loud percussion.
In a study conducted from 2004-2008, seven million health insurance records were reviewed by a German research team. Within the records the team found that musicians were 57 percent more likely to suffer tinnitus as a result of their jobs (Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS).
As a musician and music teacher, you are within a unique environment whether it is a soundscape of normal everyday sounds or those created in your rehearsals. A symphonic orchestra has been monitored with a peak of 120 to 137 decibels. A rock concert has the potential to go to 150 decibels. As music teachers, we are surrounded by varying sounds at elevated (after all, that is what this article is about) decibel levels (CHC).
12
January 2017
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
