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Musicians’ Hearing Health in Classical magazine

Posted on July 20, 2022 by - Homepage, Read About Us

Musicians’ Hearing Health in Classical magazine

Paul Checkley – Clinical Director at Harley Street Hearing and Musicians’ Hearing Services was interviewed on the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme and how it came about.

How well do musicians tend to get on with hearing protection? “The problem is that you are putting something in the ear.  A musician who has had a career of open ears can find that quite difficult, and it does take some practice to make these earplugs work for you.  With a trombone player, for example, they can hear the sound they are making with their mouth as well as the sound coming out of the end of their instrument.  Musicians’ earplugs can minimise this effect, but it will never be the same.  To some extent it has to sound a bit different in order to work.”

Paul adds: “There are people who aren’t quite aware that there are earplugs designed specifically for musicians.  Most hearing protection will reduce high frequencies rather than low, but specialist hearing protection will retain the fidelity so it doesn’t sound different, just quieter.  You don’t get the dullness you can get with foam earplugs.”

Click on the article below to see the full interview.

If you’d like to apply for the Musicians’ Hearing Health Scheme click here

Hearing health in the music industry podcast

Posted on August 5, 2019 by - Blog, Homepage

Hearing health in the music industry podcast

Listen to this invaluable interview with drummer Nigel Elliott including hearing advice & tips.  

Nigel Elliott discusses the effects that over 40 years of playing music has had on his hearing, the knowledge he’s picked up along the way and the steps he’s taken to protect it. 

Includes advice on how to look after your hearing health, and also tells how you can access professional moulded ear plugs for a fraction of the price. 

Listen to the Elevate Music podcast here or click the image above

First podcast helping musicians health & wellbeing

Posted on July 16, 2019 by - Blog, Homepage, Listen To Us

First podcast helping musicians health & wellbeing

Listen to the first Elevate Music podcast – an invaluable resource helping musicians to improve their health and wellbeing. (Series 1 – episode 1)

The Elevate Music podcast focuses on a range of different themes across 15 episodes, including mental and vocal health, hearing problems, stage fright, drugs and alcohol, social media and the challenge of touring and many more.

The series launches with an episode featuring host Lucy Heyman talking to Help Musicians’ Head of Health & Welfare – Joe Hastings, and Adam Ficek, a member of Babyshambles.

“When I was thrust into the music industry, it was amazing, I felt adrenalised, but I didn’t have the same business sense I have now,” said Ficek. “On reflection, the biggest transition was after the phone stops ringing. It’s a business, it’s an industry and it’s neither good nor bad.”

He added: “There needs to be more information and awareness, to help musicians be better prepared. A place for musicians to go”.

The project is the brainchild of industry researcher and CEO of Elevate Music, Lucy Heyman, who also presents the podcast.

“Studies have shown that pop musicians feel unsupported in their careers with health and wellbeing issues, so this  podcast is looking at the key topics that research tells us they need most help with,” she said.  “The podcast, along with the other services that Elevate Music provides, is initiating a much-needed crisis-prevention model within the industry to try and stop issues from impacting on musicians’ health in the future.”

Mark Glentworth – composer & performer

Posted on April 9, 2019 by - Homepage, Testimonials

I first noticed my hearing loss as a child but more significantly about 8 years ago.

I was always asking people to repeat themselves when in groups or in busy places and having to turn up the radio or TV.

 I found out about Harley Street Hearing through Help Musicians’ UK.

Wearing hearing aids has made a great difference as I can now hear everything and everyone. I can also turn them down in busy noisy places or when playing music.

My advice for anyone who is experiencing difficulties with their hearing is don’t be embarrassed about wearing hearing aids, they are discrete, and they will make such a difference to your life.

The team at Harley Street Hearing are amazing, very professional, I would highly recommend them.

Mark is a composer and performer and his recent new musical ‘seven and a half years’ is a true story of a man’s journey from success to despair and isolation back to a final rejuvenation, portrayed through the power of Music and Words. 

For details on Seven and a half years the musical click here

To contact Mark Glentworth click here

World’s first hearable with artificial intelligence

Posted on April 3, 2019 by - Blog, Homepage

World’s first hearable with artificial intelligence

LIVIO is the world’s very first hearable with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

This is a hearing aid within a class of its own.

This new technology is completely revolutionary. It features integrated sensors and AI (this means it performs tasks that normally require human intelligence).

It’s proven that hearing health is directly connected to overall health and well-being.  Meaning those who can hear can engage with the world around them and live healthier and better lives.  Early treatment for hearing loss can improve or limit cognitive decline and dementia.

Some of the unique features of LIVIO:-

  • Up to 30% improvement in speech understanding in noisy environments
  • Significant improvements in sharpness and clarity
  • Automatically and instantly adapts to the environment to optimise challenging situations
  • Built-in activity tracker – to support hearing health and fitness
  • Manages balance and spatial awareness
  • Detects if you fall and alerts your chosen contact

Want to be one of the first to trial LIVIO in the UK?

Call us to book the next available trial appointment on 020 7486 1053 or complete below

Eddy Temple-Morris DJ gets earplugs for tinnitus

Posted on July 4, 2013 by - Homepage

Eddy Temple-Morris DJ gets earplugs for tinnitus

If you’re a DJ or a muso and you’re reading this and thinking ‘maybe its time I got some earplugs…’, hold that thought and listen: there is NO ‘maybe’ about it. I cannot stress to you how important it is to protect your ears, they are your living, and they are under almost daily barrage.

I’ve been on tour with The Prodigy and played gigs so big the monitoring is 30,000 watts of sound, but if you’re thinking ‘I only play little gigs’ it’s often those sh*tty little sound systems at Camden Monarch or some bar that will cause the most damage.

One day, years ago, my colleague Erol Alkan told me he’d lost 40% of the hearing in one of his ears and that he’d just discovered Geraldine and Paul at Musicians Hearing Services.

That recommendation changed my life. I’d get tinnitus SO badly after every gig, that I couldn’t sleep, and I’d be ill as a result. My immune system was shot through and I was a mess.

Since getting MHS to sort me out with plugs, I carry them EVERYWHERE and use them at big gigs, little gigs, parties, anywhere with a sound system. Now I sleep, I’m healthy and my ears aren’t getting any worse despite my job.

They make it easy, they are nice people, they’ll even get rid of that horrid build up of years worth of wax for you.

The plugs come in varying degrees of sound reduction and they just reduce it, not muffle it like those spongy yellow ones you can get for free at festivals. You’ll still hear the sizzle of a hi-hat and the boom of a kick drum, just at less damaging volume.

Now if you’re final thought is ‘hmmm but its quite expensive…’ Stop. It’s the best money I EVER spent.

Do it now. You will not regret it. Just guard them with your life!

PS – just one more thing – if you’re thinking ‘this is one of those free plugs for a plug thing…’ NO. This is from the heart and I paid the same for my earplugs

as you will pay for yours.

Eddy Temple-Morris

most successful Lyric centre in Europe

Posted on March 1, 2019 by - Homepage

Most successful Lyric centre in Europe

If you’re looking for help with your hearing Lyric is the only truly invisible device that will enhance your hearing loss and increase the clarity of your music and no one will know.

Known as the contact lens for the ear – Lyric can be worn 24/7, while showering, sleeping, gigging & even swimming with custom-made swim moulds.

For your risk-free Lyric hearing assessment and 30 day trial call 020 7486 1053 or complete below.

ALT-J-drummer Thom Green “I couldn’t have imagined how fantastic it would be”

Posted on July 17, 2013 by - Homepage, Testimonials

We first met Alt-J when they came in for their on-stage in-ear-monitors.  Our Clinical Director Paul noticed that drummer Thom was wearing just one 10-year-old NHS aid – its pair was broken – and spoke to him about how digital technology has moved hearing aids on. “I was blown away by how little I knew about new hearing aids,” says Thom.

Thom returned for a full hearing test where, with Paul’s advice, he opted for a binaural pair of Widex Clear 440s. A couple of weeks later, in-between band commitments and touring, Thom returned for his fitting, an experience that up until that point in his life, he could never have imagined.

“The fitting with Paul was great,” he says. “It was overwhelming. I knew that I’d be surprised and it would be amazing but I couldn’t have imagined how fantastic it would be. The levels of my new aids are so good. I’m aware of my voice; I can hear the sound of my pronunciation.”

Harrogate-born Thom was born with Alport Syndrome, a condition that results in hearing loss, kidney disease and can affect eye-sight.

Because of his profession and the sheer volume of touring the band was set to take on in the coming months and years, at their initial consultation Thom decided to opt for CICs as opposed to the BTEs he had been wearing. “When you’re touring, you sleep wherever you can and more often than not, that’s in the van. If you’re trying to sleep with your head leaning against a metal pole your hearing aids get in the way. It’s amazing to now have that whole freedom away from my ears.”

During the fitting, Paul was careful to caution Thom that everything might initially sound strange, especially as Thom had auditory deprivation, having not worn the pair to his aid for over a year. “In situations like this, it takes time to get used to the new sound,” explains Paul. “It will initially feel strange and a bit surreal because the brain is re-adjusting to binaural hearing, which affects balance.”

But Thom soon got used to his new aids and the band embarked on a summer of touring and playing festivals from Japan to Los Angeles, and all over Europe.

As well as being fitted with Widex Clear 440 CICs, Thom now has the Widex M-Dex, an assistive listening device for use with the mobile phone, which has also helped in his life as a member of a Mercury Prize-winning band. “I do a lot of promo and phone interviews,” he says. “The M-Dex makes such a difference. It’s so unique.”

Feel like your hearing has changed call 020 7486 1053 or complete below.