Hi, I'm responding because I too am single sided partial hearing, I have 10% hearing left in my right ear. I am not a musician other than a high school band geek from long ago. I am 5 years with hearing loss and have grown accustom to it. I remember when I was new with my hearing loss noticing that music had changed. Songs that I grew up with listening on the radio had changed, missing notes missing harmony and even missing words. Through hearing tests I discovered that I was missing specific octaves, and specific vocal sounds specific letter sounds in speech and combinations that are no longer discernible one from the other. I tried compensating with a hearing aide, that made the sounds I could detect overwhelming but did not clarify speech to me, so I muddle through. I tell people constantly I have a hearing problem and ask them to repeat, I some how picked up lip reading, seemed to come naturally. I anticipate conversation and try to place myself so my good ear is directed toward the speaker.
Music for awhile was disappointing and changed. I did not enjoy listening to the radio because songs I knew well were changed. I found stereo head phones interesting, I have a wireless set for watching tv because I need the volume higher than others can stand. If I reverse them on my head the sound track of a movie is completely different. I notice when voice recordings are on separate sides I will miss part of the conversation. Music will have missing instruments that I know should be in there etc. I don't try to learn new songs I here on the radio anymore because I find modern music too hard to understand and I probably am to old to relate to the subject matter anyway.
Now 5 years after hearing loss I am fairly accustom to it, my children and grandkids love having dinner conversation with me because I hear parts of a conversation and make up the rest myself and my responses or interactions have nothing to do with the conversation everyone else is having making for some very hilarious results. They will all stop look at each other and bust out in a hearty roar of laughter which suits me fine. Once the explanation is made for me I join in, it helps to remind us all that our communications need to be clear for my benefit. I spend one day a week with my youngest grandson preschooler, whom I can't understand from the back seat of the car no matter how loud he tries to talk I can't make out the conversation. He just gives a sigh and says never mind. He has a bit of a speech impediment and I think I am helping him work on his annotation because he knows I can't understand him. I think he appreciates the fact that he is not the only one with an issue.
So 5 years after I enjoy the radio oldies channel, I don't remember what the music sounded like before hearing loss so I don't notice what is missing or my brain has compensated in some way that I am filling in the blanks myself. I can tell when someone is off key or the harmony is wrong, probably not as well as I once did but I can notice those things. I know I pay more attention when listening is important now than I did, I can't say what specifically my brain is doing to make new understanding but it is there. If I had to make a list of directions on how I compensate I couldn't but I know my brain has made a way. Imperfect as it may be I am comfortable with my new hearing.
Don't give up your music, or any other interests that define you, keep playing don't be afraid to ask those around you to help accommodate for your hearing loss you will be amazed how much they want to help. And don't be upset when they forget you have an issue, that's just a sign of how well you are compensating and they can't tell you have an issue. Experiment with new ways to make those sounds audible to you, routing sounds from your damaged side to the hearing side through hearing technology. I think your brain will adjust to its new normal and you to will come to place that you find you no longer miss what you don't have and find a way to make what you have work better for you. It's not going to be easy and will take trial and error over an extended amount of time but I am confident that you will adjust and still find joy in what you do. Discouragement is always looking for a home in us and we in the AN community know it well. But persistence and inner strength are with in us as well. When you are deep in discouragement, struggling with a task, take a break do something different, rest and come back to it again later. Time is not our enemy, it is what will give us back our inner peace.
All things work together for our good and we will find the good in all things if we are looking for it. God be with you and may peace be yours.
