Mac and Matt
I respect both of your abilities you're great musicians. I've only lately come to understand about frequencies and harmonics and how they play in speech and music. I think "ear training" is much too simplistic a solution - I've had a very good "ear" but it's gone the way of the dodo with my hearing loss.

But for the purposes of my thread I was trying to compact too much in too short a space. There is a great discussion going on in the hearing aid world given the capabilities of newer digital aids. Old school audiologists still believe in the analog theory of "speech frequencies" first and apply it to digital aids. Digital aids are capable of much much more and can have a separate audio program set up on board for music. If only all audiologists will take the time. Read the link way below.

But there is a fundamental difference in how "speech" and "music" are treated for those who have severe hearing losses. You can't hear if the frequencies aren't there - regardless how good your ear training is. In order to hear your root notes you have to be able to have a well-balanced hearing loss below 1000Hz - this is a challenge for hearing aids.

I am not an expert, so you can question what I say from your own experiences and musical training.
Speech loss compensation calls for boosting 1-2.5 Khz - that's where the consonant sounds are for clarity. Does it not make sense that "music" would be somewhat skewed if a person needed a 80 db boost in those frequencies to even hear them? I need almost 100db. What is the impact on the root notes? Not noticeable? But there are audiologists that don't bother so much about tweaking the on-board music program.

Here is a good link to explain what I am trying to say
Hearing Aids and Music

Thanks for reading.

Ian

Ian
My "Original Tunes" Site
My gene pool needs more chlorine.