However, despite tremendous technological advances in recent years, hearing aids do not provide relief in every clinical case of hearing loss 3. A common strategy in aural rehabilitation is fitting patients with hearing aids. Hearing loss is the most prevalent sensory impairment in older adults 1 with its prevalence being expected to grow with the ageing of the global population 2. This is of great relevance as these results highlight the potential of a low-cost and easy-to-implement intervention for a profound and widespread problem as speech-in-noise comprehension impairment.

Using generalized linear mixed-effects models we found a significant improvement in audiovisual speech perception in noise in the speechreading training group. Before and after training participants performed a speech-in-noise task mimicking real-life communication settings with participants being required to answer a speaker’s questions. This study investigates whether a computer-based speechreading training improves audiovisual speech perception in noise in a sample of middle-aged and older adults ( N = 62, 47–83 years) with 32 participants completing a speechreading training and 30 participants of an active control group completing a foreign language training. Since hearing aids do not mitigate these communication problems in every case, potential alternatives in a clinical rehabilitation plan need to be explored. We all want to be the best musicians that we can be, and there is no better way to become skilled, well-rounded musicians than to develop our aural capabilities to the fullest.Problems in understanding speech in noisy environments are characteristic for age-related hearing loss. For singers specifically, the development of aural skills will lead to becoming more comfortable and familiar with one’s own voice and style, meaning one would be better able to select music that is suitable to one’s voice. Without audiation, it is unlikely that a singer will produce the correct note.Īs with all skills, honing it will result in the skill becoming easier over time, and eventually looking at a new piece of music will excite you rather than make you feel queasy. Arguably the most important aural capability for a singer is audiation – the ability to hear music in your head. However, as a teacher of aural training, I have seen that many singers struggle to grasp some of the basic concepts, especially those who do not play a second instrument. There are no exceptions when considering who may need aural training – all musicians do. The benefits of aural training are myriad: Being able to sing/play on pitch, improving rhythmic skills and intonation, the ability to play by ear, the increased enjoyment of music, improved creativity, the ability to play with other musicians, and even an increase in confidence. Several categories are covered in aural training, including: We start to build an active understanding of the sounds that we listen to and produce, and we are able to learn new music faster as we begin to recognise and even anticipate specific musical elements.

All of this contributes to the development of our musicianship.

It is the process of combining one’s knowledge of music theory with the sounds that one hears in other words, combining the language of music and the sounds within that language. These tasks don’t seem nearly as frightening with the help of aural training.Īural training is a crucial component of one’s musical ability, wherein we develop our inner ear, which includes the ability to hear and identify specific musical elements in our heads while reading and listening to music. We’ve all been there: Staring blankly at a new piece of music and thinking, “Where do I even begin?” The rhythm looks complex, the melody is daunting, the thought of combining the two makes me feel on edge, and don’t even get me started on the harmonic structure.

Aural perception training