Dear Henrik Falk Magnussen
Thank you for your mail on the subject tinnitus/sound shields, which has preoccupied my mind since I got tinnitus in 1994.
I’m convinced that if I in 1994 had used a sound shield with absorption, I wouldn’t be suffering from tinnitus today.
If you want to refer to the article from Ugebladet Søndag it’s OK with me.
Since that day in 1994 my carreer has dependent on protecting my ears against the soundpressure. Initially I tried out the smooth and curved shield of hard glass, we had then and supplied with earplugs. As a woodden wind instrument player earplugs just isn’t an good because you hear the sound from within, which is no use. Besides from that you can’t hear the other instruments. The solution is a shield, not a smooth and curved one, which just makes it worse. But a shield, muted on the inside, so you can sort of crawl inside the shield, when needed. The shield that I use – and totally depends on – is the one on the picture in the article from Ugebaldet Søndag – the earflap model, which is pretty close to the ears and in which I can seek “shelter” when I need it. The placing of the shield is evitable: I normally sit with my ears a little ahead of the edge in front and can easily hear myself and the surrounding instruments.
The solution is a shield, not a smooth and curved one, which just makes it worse.
If I hadn’t used this shield or one like that, I’m not sure that I would be playing in the orchestra today. I count myself lucky over the efficiency of the shield and I’m surprised to experience that so few are using it. I do my bit spread the word about the shield and its efficiency.
The shield that I use – and totally depends on – is the one on the picture in the article from Ugebaldet Søndag – the earflap model, which is pretty close to the ears and in which I can seek “shelter” when I need it. The placing of the shield is evitable: I normally sit with my ears a little ahead of the edge in front and can easily hear myselv and the surrounding instruments. At powerful places in the music, I just lean back 5 cm, sometimes I lean into the cave, and thereby obtains protections from the muted earflaps. Until now this has worked brilliantly for me.
If I hadn’t used this shield or one like that, I’m not sure that I would be playing in the orchestra today. I count myself lucky over the efficiency of the shield and I’m surprised to experience that so few are using it. I do my bit spread the word about the shield and its efficiency.
In these particular days something very exciting is going for me. Tomorrow 1st of March we perform Shostakovich 10th symphoni, this exact piece, which 24th og September 1994 caused my tinnitus due to the extreme powerful outbursts. The rehearsals for the symphoni have been executed without problem, despite of my hypersensitivity to sound. I’m tense about tomorrow where we perform for a real audience and therefor pushes the soundpressure a little far, but my experience is that it’ll work out fine for my and my tinnitus.
After our concert last Thursday performing Shostakovics 10th symphoni, I can now ascertain that the earclapshield lived up to my high hopes and expectations. The soundpressure was enourmus, but my tinnitus is kept at its status qou.
Regards
Lars Borup
Soloclarinettist, Aarhus Symfoniorkester
Docent, Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium