Talking Ears

Setting the Global Stage - NHCA Fall Summit 2026

Every year, the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) hosts two conferences, the most recent of which was the 2026 NHCA Fall Virtual Educational Summit held in early September. Talking Ears co-host, Frank Wartinger, was invited to present on the topic of Music Audiology in a live podcast format. With both eminent guest panelists, Jos Mulder, PhD, music technology educator and researcher at the National Australian University School of Music, and Laura Sinnott, AuD, Music Audiologist and owner of Sound Culture. having worked on the international HELA (Healthy Ears Limited Annoyance) program, we quickly settled on the topic: Setting the Global Stage: Updates in Hearing Loss Prevention for Live Music Settings. This presentation was edited for length for the conference, but is presented here in the unabridged form. If you would like to view the video presentation with accompanying slides and visuals, please visit: https://youtu.be/apeRnMbxez8

D'MAP - Jason Baker and the Directory of Music Audiology Providers

How many ways can we say that Music Audiology is a small, niche, subspeciality comprised of a handful of dedicated and passionate independent providers? We are a small but tight bunch, and we would like to take a moment to introduce you to one of our ranks: Jason Baker. Dr. Baker hails from none other than Music City itself, Nashville! Naturally, his practice is called Music City Audiology - a name so apropos it makes Talking Ears co-host Frank quite audibly jealous. Lets say you were a musician traveling around the US in need of hearing services, or an audiologist looking to consult with or refer to a music specialist, or an artist management firm aiming to care for your performer's greatest irreplaceable asset (their hearing, naturally)... how would you find a provider? Glad you asked! Simply consult D'MAP - the Directory of Music Audiology Providers at www.musicaud.org

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Stage Monitoring with Hearing Loss - Part 2

We are continuing our deep dive into a deeply technical topic. This episode has a companion article available through this link. Stage monitoring is complicated and difficult even in the best circumstances, but when the performer has hearing loss the barriers can compound and confound the situation. We pick up where we left off with Part 1 to practical guidance for performers with hearing loss, as well as supporting knowledgeable audio engineers who are mixing monitors for an artist with hearing loss. In this second installment, we discuss: How spatial processing can be used to add separation and clarity Steps to audiogram-informed processing Purpose-built systems designed to streamline this process and support the performer Please continue to send in your questions, comments, and suggestions for guests and topics. You're the reason we make this show, so thanks for listening!

Stage Monitoring with Hearing Loss - Part 1

To kick off Season 5 of Talking Ears, we are taking a deep dive into a technical topic. This episode has a companion article available through this link. Stage monitoring is complicated and difficult even in the best circumstances, but when the performer has hearing loss the barriers can compound and confound the situation. Herein, Juan and Frank will provide practical guidance for performers with hearing loss, as well as supporting knowledgeable audio engineers who are mixing monitors for an artist with hearing loss. In this first installment, we discuss: Sensorineural hearing loss How the audiogram can be interpreted and used to inform monitor mixing Using traditional mix management techniques to focus and simplify the mix for the musician with hearing loss Please continue to send in your questions, comments, and suggestions for guests and topics. You're the reason we make this show, so thanks for listening!

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Season 5 Announcement

Talking Ears Season 5 is just around the corner, and we are excited! Please continue to send in your questions and suggestions for topics, and as always, thanks for listening!

Darin Atwater - talking injury recovery and storytelling

Darin Atwater is a composer, conductor, and pianist best known as the founder and leader of Baltimore's groundbreaking ensemble Soulful Symphony. As an educator, he now serves as Distinguished Visiting Faculty at The Peabody Conservatory. In this conversation, we'll discuss how a severe hand injury he experienced last year which forced him to reassess the relationship with his music, audiences, and students. We explore how personal and artistic identify are affected by one's ability to perform and engage with their instrument and creativity, and how recovery has informed his work moving forward. He gave a moving talk at the Performing Arts Medical Association (PAMA) conference in 2025, putting a human face on the topic of work-limiting injuries and medical care for performing artists. Needless to say, his invitation to Talking Ears was sent within minutes after this address, and we are confident you'll hear why in this episode. For your listening pleasure, we’ll be hearing selections from the Soulful Symphony’s 2009 release, Song in a Strange Land. We cannot stress this enough: stop everything and go listen to Soulful Symphony's incredible body of work.

Office Hours - Continuing Education for Audiologists

Welcome back to the office hours with Juan and Frank! We just put on a fresh pot of coffee, so come on in, pour yourself a cup, and grab a seat. In this brief episode we'll discuss a workshop we co-hosted at the American Academy of Audiology 2025 conference in New Orleans. We focused on the value of continuing education for audiologists on the topic of music audiology, and how musicians and audiologists can collaborate to meet their mutual goals, but mostly this episode is an excuse to bring you the music of our in-session house band. They absolutely ruled and that is an evidence-based fact. The band was Ari Teitel (guitar), TJ Norris (bass), and Trenton O'Neal (drums) of the 2x Grammy nominated band The Rumble. They played for about an hour and brought a party atmosphere to what would otherwise be a dry but informative hands-on hearing protection and SPL meter activity. And we're not done with support audiologists who want to care for musician patients in the best possible manner. If you're attending the National Hearing Conservation Association, come join our 3 hour hands-on workshop Thursday February 5th, 2026 (just make sure you watch the 3 hour on-demand didactic portion so you're fully prepared). We cooked up something truly unique for this conference and I can't to see if it actually works!

Tom May - talking guitar tone, in ear monitors, and punk

After a brief fall hiatus, we return with Tom May of the Philadelphia-based punk rock institution The Menzingers! They've been touring and putting out critically-acclaimed records since 2006, so the obvious first question is how four high school friends from Scranton can keep the same line up and energy going strong for almost 20 years. Retrospectively, it seems obvious that the answer was "democracy". (Editor's note: this interview was recorded in early 2024) Besides a deep dive into guitar tone, we stay on topic and focus our conversation on in-ear monitors - including the active-ambient system Tom uses on stage, the Sensaphonics 3DMEs - and live event safety. Music heard in this episode is from The Menzinger's 8th and most recent studio album "Some of It Was True". Content Warning: this episode contains profanity. We challenge the sensitive listener to try talking about punk rock without the use of George Carlin's famous list of 7 words.

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Office Hours - Are earplugs always needed?

Welcome back to our office hours! Here in Juan and Frank open the proverbial mailbag with the intent of getting through loads of listener questions. We get through only 2 this time, but it was a good start to an exciting new segment for the show. In this episode, we selected a common listener question which dovetailed with Cyrille Aimee's episode which we recently released. Additionally, we tackled the perennial question, "why did you name that thing that name?" If you have questions for Talking Ears, please send them to us by email or voice memo - your voice could be featured in a future episode! Please indicate if you would like us to answer them publicly or privately. We will continue to try our absolutely busy best to answer every question we receive. Music in this episode is from Frank's 2015 album "Cafe Ensemble". If you like what you hear and want to support the show, we invite you to purchase the album at the low low price of name-your-price. All proceeds will go to coffee and our ongoing work to develop a viable stasis chamber so we have more hours in the day to devote to producing and editing your favorite podcast.

Cyrille Aimee - talking Costa Rica, nature, and improvisation

Cyrille Aimée has become a household name for jazz lovers, and for good reason. She is a vocalist who captivates listeners with her original compositions, reinterpretations of standards (including Move On, a whole album of invigorating versions of Stephen Sondheim songbook's), and refreshingly playful approach to improvisation. In this episode, we talk about and listen to music from her two most recent albums - Grammy-nominated à Fleur de Peau and the energetic 4.24 which was recorded live at Birdland in New York - as well as performances of musicians and animals at La Tucanera, her self-designed jungle house/studio/retreat in Costa Rica. Much of the conversation revolves around nature, both the sounds and the lessons it give us as long as we are open and listening.

Office Hours - Decreased Sound Tolerance

Welcome to our first Talking Ears Office Hours. In these bonus episodes, hosts Frank and Juan will dive into waters deemed too clinical, technical, or otherwise ear-geeky to be featured in the main episodes. We will be opening listener questions, speaking with other clinicians, discussing the nuance of management techniques and hearing wellness gear, and/or - as in the case of this episode - adding technical context to a recent guest interview. If you haven't listened to Vincent Karamanov's episode, we encourage you to do so, as his story will be referenced throughout. Brendan Fitzgerald, AuD (University of Rochester, Wooden Cities) joins the show (again and again) to discuss Decreased Sound Tolerance (DST) conditions. First we set about clarifying the related but distinct presentations of hyperacusis, phonophobia, and misophonia, before unraveling the current management recommendations. [consult the chapter markers if you would like to skip ahead to the topic that interests you] Music in this episode is by Brendan Fitzgerald, Juan Vasquez, and Frank Wartinger, and was recorded during a snow 'storm' in Albuquerque, NM at the National Hearing Conservation Association's 2023 annual conference. You can listen to more of the Original Talking Ears music on Bandcamp. Thanks for joining our office hours, and thanks for listening!

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Vincent Karamanov - talking hyperacusis, distortions, and classical music

Vincent Karamanov is a freelance bassoonist playing with such prestigious ensembles as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera, and Joffrey Ballet. In this episode, Vincent reflects on how the onset of dysacusis (auditory distortions) and hyperacusis (decreased sound tolerance) forced him to make significant life changes in his employment, outlook, and relationships. The conversation follows the rollercoaster of his last several years, and brings us full circle in a story which somehow repaints Shostakovich's epic symphonic depiction of war as a message of a peace and recovery. Music heard in this episode features Vincent Karamanov (sometimes credited as Vince Halley) on bassoon, bass, guitar, and voice. You can hear more of the music featured through the following links: Ryan Martinez's album "Ensemble" Murder City Players The Sallys album "Dog Days Demos" Vince and The Sallys cover of Green Days "Nice Guys Finish Last" The recording of Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 (‘1905’) is from the public domain archive 1958 recording of the Houston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski [Seraphim (S-60228)] In this episode, we discuss mental health and significant distress from audiologic conditions. If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

Phil's Tracks #157 Musicians and Tinnitus with Frank Wartinger AuD

While we're waiting for Season 4 of Talking Ears, here is a little treat! Phil Yale, the host of Phil's Tracks, asked me (Frank) to join him on an episode of his show. I had a great time chatting with him about musician's hearing health and tinnitus, and was impressed with his interview chops, organizational skills, and general likability. I hope you have as much fun listening as I had being his guest. Here is a link to the (gulp) video version of the episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3anArMctogCV0CEsoz955w?si=jCy6hzQQSW6LZq651nNfsA The following are all the episode notes from Phil's Tracks: MainTrack – Tinnitus' unique impact on those in the music industry. SideTrack – Three ‘Names’ Impacted By Hearing Loss InsideTrack – Insights fromMatt Froehle Lead Guitarist Knock For Six UpTrack – ‘The Best Imitation of Myself' Talking Ears Podcast Episode– A Field Guide To Musicians’ Tinnitus https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MiiRknFKcMIU75TxKJx5X?si=8970ae35260e4858 MusiCares eligibility: https://www.tunedcare.com/musicares Schedule with Frank: https://www.earmarkhc.com/schedule Earmark homepage: www.earmarkhc.com Contact for Earmark: Contact@earmarkhc.com Contact for Frank: Frank@earmarkhc.com Sensaphonics find an audiologist: https://www.sensaphonics.com/pages/find-an-audiologist NIOSH Sound Level Meter app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/niosh-sound-level-meter/id1096545820 Referenced Phil’s Tracks Episodes: Crafting The Artistry of Karen Carpenter and Mary ChapinCarpenter (Includes segment with Holle Aungst on ‘Safe Listening’ https://open.spotify.com/episode/1omzOYRhHXLGyfT2GWXx1w?si=e5f4251895864545 Knock For Six https://open.spotify.com/episode/5TyH12xbLAqP66DNMrFkZe?si=617803122c7849e9 Best Imitation of Myself https://youtu.be/s7CVoD_Et_0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.philyale.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ e: ⁠info@philyale.com⁠ FB: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/325567269673280⁠⁠⁠ #rockhistory #brotherphil #philstracks #sidetrack#liketrack #maintrack #uptrack #talkingears #frankwartinger #tinnitus

NHCA 2025 Student Scholarship Panel

Welcome to the last episode of Season 3 of Talking Ears! This also happens to be the final installment of the eight part NHCA 2025 Conference spotlight series. What a ride we've had this year and we are excited to share what we've been working on for Season 4! This episode features a round table conversation captured at the NHCA 2025 Conference with two audiology graduate Student Scholarship Award recipients: Hannah Miller (Idaho State University) and Blake Voss (University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point). They each presented remarkable research posters surveying contrasting intersections between the worlds of music and hearing. Juan and Frank were happy to find time during the busy conference schedule to delve into the personal and academic factors that led them to focused on each of their specific target populations for their research. Music heard in this episode was written and recorded by Juan Vasquez and produced by Frank Wartinger. To hear the full tracks, visit the new Original Music Of Talking Ears album. If you like the show (or the music) and want to support us, you may choose to donate through bandcamp. It would probably go towards funding some coffee so we can keep awake so we can make more of this show and music. As we enter Season 4, we would love to hear more of your feedback on the show. If you've listened (and read) this far, YOU are our target audience of dedicated listeners, and you can help shape the future sound of Talking Ears. We invite you to share your questions, your requests, your responses, or your praise/critics. We'll take it all! After all - we are all ears, so to speak.

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Benj Kanters - Intersection of Music, Audio and Audiology

This is the sixth and final installment of the 2025 NHCA Updates in Music Audiology Workshop recap. In this episode, we'll listen to Benj Kanters' lecture "Tools For Teaching Awareness From the Intersection of Music, Audio and Audiology". Whether you call it the caboose, anchor, closer, wrap-up, coda, or ultimate, Benj's talk was the last of a long day of lectures and panel discussions circling the larger topic of Music Audiology, and we could not have imagined a better way to close out the workshop. Note that the content has been edited slightly for the audio-only format, and these lecture recordings are not eligible for CEUs. If you want the full educational experience, we invite you to seek out the National Hearing Conservation Association and our annual conferences. Benj Kanters (BS/MM Northwestern University) is associate professor emeritus of audio, Columbia College Chicago, where he was on the faculty of the Audio Arts and Acoustics department from 1993 to 2022. He directed the Audio Design and Production major, teaching audio physics and recording/production at all levels of the curriculum. After studying hearing physiology as part of his master’s degree at Northwestern, he developed the course Studies in Hearing in 2002, teaching physiology, disorders and conservation as a department core Requirement. Prior to Columbia, Benj spent twenty years in the Chicago music scene. He was partner and sound engineer at the concert-club Amazingrace, and later partner and chief managing engineer of Studiomedia Recording in Evanston. In 2007, he founded Heartomorrow and The Hearing Conservation Workshop, visiting universities and professional organizations to teach his unique flavor of hearing awareness to students and professionals in audio, music and the hearing sciences. To date, he has presented over 100 workshops in the US, Mexico and Europe and in recognition of his work received the Safe in Sound award in 2014.

Teleaudiology Panel Discussion - NHCA 2025

We assembled the largest gathering of Teleaudiology experts on the planet (world record eligible?) as part of the NHCA 2025 conference "Updates in Music Audiology" workshop. This episode is that panel discussion, lightly edited for the audio-only format. Of course, Teleaudiology is not a new topic for Talking Ears listeners, as we have had all the panelists as guests in the past, and discussed Tuned and MusiCares in various episodes including a panel video. This episode serves as an update to the rapidly changing landscape of the field of virtual care for musicians, as well as a deep dive into the online hearing screener development and accessibility benefits of the delivery model. The panelists were Heather Malyuk (Tuned, Soundcheck Audiology), Laura Sinnott (Sound Culture), Sharron Switzer (Sensaphonics), and Juan Vasquez (Talking Ears, Earmark). Frank Wartinger moderated the panel discussion. Note: these conference lecture recordings are not eligible for CEUs. If you want the full educational experience, we invite you to seek out the National Hearing Conservation Association and our annual conferences.

Sound Discussion - Hearing Health for Musicians with Dr. Frank Wartinger and Dr. Juan Vasquez

This is a feed-drop episode where we get to share an episode of the Sound Discussion podcast. Juan Vasquez and Frank Wartinger had a great time as guests on their show, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the banter and conversation. If you like what you're hearing, make sure you subscribe to their show for more in-depth and light-hearted discussions of audio and recording topics. Here is the (overly flattering) episode description from the team at Sound Discussion: This month on Sound Discussion, we’re diving deep into the essential topic of hearing health with two incredible experts in the field, Dr. Frank Wartinger and Dr. Juan Vasquez. Dr. Wartinger, the founder of Earmark Hearing Conservation in Philadelphia, and Dr. Vasquez, a passionate audiologist based in Chicago, join us to share their wealth of knowledge on how to protect your hearing in the music industry. As musicians, engineers, and music lovers, we often take our hearing for granted. In this episode, we explore the importance of hearing conservation and discuss practical strategies to maintain hearing health while performing or attending live events. From the dangers of high decibel levels to the types of hearing protection available, Frank and Juan break down what you need to know to keep your ears safe. We also touch on common misconceptions about hearing loss, the significance of using in-ear monitors correctly, and the impact of modern technology on our auditory health. With insights from their podcast, Talking Ears, our guests provide valuable tips for musicians at every stage of their careers. This episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in music, whether you're on stage, behind the mixing board, or enjoying a concert from the crowd. Join us for an engaging and enlightening conversation that could change the way you think about sound and hearing!

Juan Vasquez and Heather Malyuk - NHCA 2025 Workshop

The 5th installment of the NHCA Updates in Music Audiology Workshop recap is actually a double feature! Here we have friend of the show Heather Malyuk speaking about diplacusis and co-host Juan Vasquez speaking about clinical management of musician patients. Both lectures are informative, concise, and expertly delivered, so this is a real treat for those who want to learn some practical knowledge on the clinical applications of music audiology. Note: the content has been edited slightly for the audio-only format. These lecture recordings are not eligible for CEUs. If you want the full educational experience, we invite you to seek out the National Hearing Conservation Association and our annual conferences. Juan Vasquez is an audiologist based in Chicago, Illinois. Before pursuing a career in audiology he taught, recorded, and performed music with various ensembles and as a solo artist. In 2019, he earned a Doctor of Audiology degree from Pacific University and has had various experiences in ENT, Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, private practice, research, and hospital settings. Currently, his clinical focus is centered around hearing loss prevention, particularly for musicians. Utilizing the telehealth services, Juan provides virtual consultations for hearing wellness, co-teach CAOHC courses, and co-produces the show Talking Ears, a podcast that focuses on music creators and their experiences with what is perhaps their most important instrument - their sense of hearing. Heather Malyuk, owner of Soundcheck Audiology, is a musician and audiologist who hails from Northeast Ohio, but is known internationally as a clinician and public speaker in the field of music audiology. She received an undergraduate degree in Music History and Literature from the University of Akron and continued on to earn her Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree from Kent State University. In 2020, she co-authored the clinical consensus document for Audiological Services for Music Industry Personnel through the American Academy of Audiology, she is a former Executive Council and Leadership Advisory Team member for the National Hearing Conservation Association, as well as a former co-chair of the College Music Society’s Committee on Musicians’ Health. She is passionate about new delivery models for audiologic care and is the Head of Audiology for Tuned, a groundbreaking virtual audiology clinic. In addition to her clinical and educational work, Heather developed and manages the first-ever hearing wellness video curriculum for the music industry, is a sought-after consultant and author, and is a research team member with various groups around the United States.

Brian Fligor - Tinnitus evaluation and management

In the fourth installment of the NHCA Updates in Music Audiology Workshop recap, we have music audiology expert and dear friend Dr. Brian Fligor. In this episode we'll listen in to his lecture on Tinnitus Evaluation and Management. The content has been edited slightly for the audio-only format. Note that these lecture recordings are not eligible for CEUs. If you want the full educational experience, we invite you to seek out the National Hearing Conservation Association and our annual conferences. Brian Fligor is a board-certified pediatric audiologist and owner and staff audiologist at Tobias & Battite Hearing Wellness, a large private audiology practice in downtown Boston. His specific clinical and research interest is in evaluation and management of chronic bothersome tinnitus, hyperacusis and other auditory injuries due to high sound exposures. Dr. Fligor is adjunct faculty at Mass General Hospital Institute for Health Professions and at Drexel University GSO College of Audiology. Dr. Fligor's publications on hearing loss risk from music received considerable popular media attention, including being spoofed on the David Letterman Show in 2005. His publications on ototoxicity were incorporated into the JCIH Position Statement (2007) and helped shape a consensus international chemotherapy ototoxicity grading scale. He holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and doctorate in Audiology from Boston University, and post-doctoral research fellowship from Harvard Medical School.

A Field Guide To Musicians' Tinnitus

In this episode, we flip the table and Juan interviews Frank about an article he co-authored for Seminars in Hearing Volume 45, Number 3 (2025). First, a thank you to guest series editor Marc Fagelson, PhD, for the invitation to write this article for Seminars in Hearing. Marc, Frank, and Juan have been collaborating for the last year on an exciting Music Audiology project with the American Tinnitus Association (ATA) and Texas Roadhouse to bring hearing and tinnitus awareness and care to musicians and crew music festivals. This work has been described in detail in the ATA’s Tinnitus Today Winter 2024 publication and we discussed it in detail on a panel episode of Talking Ears. Second, this article would not have happened without the contributions and insights from these amazing collaborators: Nancy Gould, M.Ed - Nancy is the Tinnitus Specialist with Tuned Care, and practices on telehealth and in North Carolina. She specializes in mindfulness stress reduction as well as tinnitus retraining. We first connected when she made dramatic differences in the care of many of my patients seen on the Tuned platform through the MusiCares program, so I knew she would have great insights into this article. Melissa Rogel, LMFT - Melissa is a licensed individual and relationship therapist, runs the practice Cooperative Path in the Philadelphia area, and is the drummer of Philly-based indie rock band The Diaphone. She clearly understands the musicians’ perspective and brought to light the psychological concepts. Full disclosure: Frank has been playing keyboards and bass with The Diaphone since 2022, so we’re bandmates. Thus the article: A Field Guide to Musicians’ Tinnitus outlines the differences in psychological presentation and care approaches when working with musicians who have significant tinnitus reactions, then follows a case that Nancy and Frank shared via teleaudiology. Music heard in this episode was written and recorded by Juan Vasquez and produced by Frank Wartinger. To hear the full tracks, visit the new Original Music Of Talking Ears album. If you like the show (or the music) and want to support us, you may choose to donate through bandcamp. It would go towards funding some coffee so we can keep awake so we can make more of this show (or music) you like so much!