technology
Protecting Your Ears and Voice: Technology to Aid in Vocal
and Aural Health Michael Hayden, WMEA State Chair, Technology
As music teachers, there are two ar- eas of our physical health that remain critical to our ca- reers, and are areas that frequently en- dure the most over- use and stress: our ears and our voices.
Loud environments and vocal strain can lead to lasting damages and make teach- ing difficult, even painful at times. Maybe technology can help.
Loud Environment
It wasn’t until recently that I started to think about how loud it was in my orches- tra classroom. And if my classroom was loud, what about the band room down the hall, sitting at the piano in the choir room, or being in an enclosed practice space? Armed with a simple decibel reader, which I downloaded for free on my phone, I set out to find some answers. How loud is it in our music classrooms? These are by no means scientific results, but I found that the decibel reading in different loca- tions in the band room (sitting in front of trombones, next to a flute, and by the director’s podium), the sound level of the 80+ person symphonic band at my school easily reached 100+ dB. I also ventured down the street to our middle school and found that even 6th grade band students were capable of cranking out tunes in upwards of 95 dB.
According to Occupation Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), extended exposure to sound above 85 dB can cause damage to the hairs of the inner ear, lead- ing to hearing loss; 100 dB is considered to be damaging to your hearing if sustained for over 15 minutes and sound that ex- ceeds 120 dB could cause immediate and
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potentially permanent damage. I asked some of my band colleagues how they keep their ears from ringing all the time. Their answer was “earplugs.” I hadn’t thought about wearing earplugs in my classroom but if you are working in an environment where sound exceeds 90 dB on a consistent basis, it makes sense to protect your ears.
Solutions
There is a wide range of hearing protection (earplugs) options out there. These range from the inexpensive yellow plugs you can buy at the hardware store to custom molded earplugs equipped with exchange- able filters to suit your specific hearing needs. For example, if you would like to have hearing protection that lowers the overall decibel level while not reducing clarity, take a look at the many options offered by Etymotic Research. They have a wide range of custom products, offer non custom earplugs ($13 on Amazon), and make active (electronic) high fidel- ity earplugs that can reduce and enhance sound level. Another company known for making custom and non-custom hear- ing protection is Westone, which has specialized in custom hearing protection for nearly 60 years. So how loud is my orchestra classroom anyways? It’s 97 max dB at the podium. To find out how loud your classroom is, there are numerous free apps available for iOS and Android that measure decibel level.
Saving Your Voice
Ever find yourself hoarse at the end of the day? At the beginning of the school year or after winter vacation my voice can be a little tender from talking for much of the day. This vocal stress and overuse can lead to lasting damage to your voice and, as some research has indicated, not keeping students as engaged as you might think.
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The solution that many have offered, in- cluding some in my own district, is class- room voice amplification. This is not just for people who need assistance projecting their voice in a large space or at a confer- ence; voice amplification in the music classroom can have a positive impact on student learning and help keep your vocal chords from developing a handful of debilitating conditions (such as vocal nodes). As with hearing protection, class- room amplification systems vary in types of configurations, use and cost. Luckily, the October issue of NAfME’s Teaching Music magazine features an article on personal amplification systems.
Solutions
One of the more economical options for classroom voice amplification is to use a wireless microphone system. This type of system is most often used in theatre set- tings or for presenters in larger convention halls. However, because of the numerous manufacturers and models, this route may be the most economical. As an example, the ATW-1101/H92-TH Wireless System and Pro 92cW headset mic, available from Audio Technica, is easily connected to your class stereo or PA system via bal- anced (XLR) or unbalanced (1/4 inch) cable. As a bonus, you may already have a wireless mic system at your school. Sys- tems that are dedicated towards classroom voice amplification tend to be slightly more expensive, have a dedicated mi- crophone that hangs around the teacher’s neck or via a headset microphone, and can even be paired with infrared technology
January 2017
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