See also: Articles on Music, Hearing Loss, and Hearing Devices
As you read this website, keep in mind the following:
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People with hearing loss can differ in many ways.
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Some information may be more similar to your situation.
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Pick and choose the information most useful for you.
Cochlear Implant (CI) and Music: Listening to Music
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Listening to Music Through a Cochlear Implant (CI)
(NOTE: making music is covered in another section).
Cochlear implants have been designed for understanding speech, not music.
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Music does not sound like it did prior to hearing loss.
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Some CI users learn to enjoy music again, others do not.
Many factors can affect music listening (see Figure 1):
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Technical features of a cochlear implant and processor
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Listening environment
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Listening practice and training
Each factor is described on other pages of this website.
These factors interact with one another and change over time.
For example, CI users may enjoy one piece of music in a quiet listening environment when they are feeling rested and alert. That same music may be more difficult to understand in a noisy room, or if they feel tired. Figure 1 illustrates these factors.
Figure 1. Factors that interact to affect music listening
Find more information about individual differences and music enjoyment on CI users and music by clicking on the following links:
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Music enjoyment and the listening environment
Click here to review references used in preparation of this website.
1. All images on this website are used under Creative Commons or other licenses or have been created by the website developers.
2. Click here to access the sources of images on this page.