Sitting under the piano

[David M. Porritt]

Isaac:

Yes, the brain does try to close down the ear canal when sound gets
to a certain level.  The sound pressure level that triggers this can
be measured by an audiologist.  The muscle that does this is the
stapedial muscle.  

When subjected to sounds that are too loud, we don't really "get used
to it" the cochlea fatigues.  If this loud sound continues, it leads
to cochlear damage.  This is why we have two choices in our approach
to our work as piano technicians.  We can use hearing protection so
we can maintain our hearing for many years, or we can save large
amounts of money early in our career so we can retire by the age of
45 because we no longer hear well.

Whether we use an ETD or not, our ears are our most important asset
and most necessary tools.  Incidentally, there is a very interesting
web site about the ear.  http://www.augie.edu/perry/ear/ear.htm

dave
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 11/30/2002 at 2:45 PM Isaac OLEG wrote:

>Hi !
>
>Even when a child, while I liked to sit under the piano while it was
>played, I could not stay there long because of the high level of the
>sound.
>
>I believe that the actual world is so far more noisy that our ears
get
>acquainted to higher threshold of sound.
>
>I understand that the more we accept high noises , the less
sensitive
>we are. When tuning, I've been told that there is a closing of the
ear
>that is brain induced, so our ears are protected of the high level
of
>the attack.
>
>That is what audiologists say anyway, how it goes I don't know, but
it
>is not a passive act as being surrounded by tone.
>
>Beside, when tuning we have more interest in the tone as perceived a
>bit far of the piano that just above or under it (even if I stand
for
>tuning and I am then exposed to more level than sitting.
>
>Do someone know how the ear physically can close to lower the level
?
>
>Regards.
>
>Isaac OLEG
>
>
>
>> -----Message d'origine-----
>> De : pianotech-bounces@ptg.org
>> [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]De la
>> part de Bill Ballard
>> Envoye : samedi 30 novembre 2002 06:23
>> A : Pianotech
>> Objet : Re: Sitting under the piano
>>
>>
>> At 8:54 PM +0000 11/29/02, Nathan Bower wrote:
>> >Anyway I enjoy sitting under our piano when someone is
>> playing it - I think
>> >that the sound is much better there. I expect this is
>> because I cannot hear
>> >the strings so clearly and the soundboard is providing
>> almost all of the
>> >sound. The bass response is better, and the SPL clearly
>> higher. I would love
>> >to sit under someone like E Kissin's piano at a
>> Rachmaninoff concert!
>> <snip>
>> >(currently trying to work out a method of sitting
>> underneath, and playing a
>> >piano... at the same time!)
>>
>> Could anyone else take a stab at this one. I'm sorry, I
>> can't keep a
>> straight face....
>>
>> Bill Ballard RPT
>> NH Chapter, P.T.G.
>>
>> "Garth, Take me!"
>> "Where? I'm low on gas and you need a jacket"
>>      ...........Kim Bassinger and Dana Carvey in "Wayne's World 2"
>> +++++++++++++++++++++
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>_______________________________________________
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_____________________________
David M. Porritt
dporritt@mail.smu.edu
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275
_____________________________