Janelle Monáe

I went to see cyber-diva Janelle Monáe in a small theatre in London. You won't need hearing support for that I hear you say. But...

My hearing loss affects high frequency sounds (more on this later). Janelle Monáe can screech like a banshee and her drummer boasts 7 varied Zildjian cymbals. My hearing aid selectively amplifies the range where my hearing loss is worst (more on this as well, later). Would it offer an extra dimension to this concert experience?

The concert was very loud. I was glad we were on tier three as it would probably have been untenable in the stalls. Monáe's show is highly produced and the PA was adding significant amounts of reverb and a wealth of other effects.

Ben, my hearing consultant has set up just three programmes on the instrument to start with and there's also an 'automatic' setting (more about this as well later...). One of the programmes he set up is designed specifically for music.

We set this up in the consulting room whilst listening to a string quartet. It's designed absolutely to push the HF sound, making violin harmonics that I do remember hearing in the past but haven't heard more recently available, but also selectively boosting the mid ranges of the cello. This programme took the greatest time to set up during the consultation and, when we were done, I was very satisfied...But it's not going to do for live R&B.

I experimented with all the programmes and using the Music programme it was clear that I was hearing the frequencies, harmonics and overtones that were otherwise lost. But in the noisy environment and with the volume turned right down the tonal balance was way off.

I'm not discouraged though. I guess this is a big ask and it may be that we won't find a setting that'll be suitable for for over-amplified popular music. But there's still plenty of space for other programmes on the device and we'll try out a few more during my follow-up consultation in two weeks.

I have yet to try out the current music programme in the Purcell Room which I guess it was designed for really.

Meanwhile eating in a Syrian restaurant prior to the concert I was very pleased with the narrow directional programme that allows me to focus the amplified zone both in width and range. So I was able to hear my guest even in this rather noisy urban space.