Staff Blog
My near-deaf Youtube guitar teacher can hear again!
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| Patrick *knows* he's in tune. |
About three years ago, I picked up a guitar for the first time and set about learning to play. For whatever reason, I dispensed with the rock strumming phase and went straight for fingerpicking — and folk music.
And then I discovered one of the great treasures of the internet — music lessons on YouTube.
In particular, I became a fan – and then a student – of Patrick Costello, a Philly-raised folk musician based in Clearfield, Md., who (besides making and selling banjos and writing music books The How and Tao of Folk Guitar, The How and Dao of Old Time Banjo, e.g.) gives great folk lessons for guitar and banjo on Youtube.
He and his father — Pat "Dear Old Dad," Costello — host the show together, not only giving lessons but sharing news of musical gatherings and reading letters from Pat's students around the world.
Amazingly, I was recently telling a friend about Patrick's lessons, and she said, "Wait, does he host the show with his dad? My dad takes lessons from him!"
Anyway — Patrick, it turns out, has suffered from serious hearing loss since he was a kid. For a guy who's dedicated his life to music, it's a pretty bitter twist of fate. He plays guitar holding the instrument to his teeth so he can feel the notes through the instrument wall; he's designed banjos that have extra-vibrating handles so he, or anyone else who can't hear, can feel the notes on his fingers.
Over the last year, Patrick's shared his experience with his students. He's also kept us up to date on his journey to remedy the hearing problem by getting a "Baha implant," a hearing aid implanted into the skull, which transmits vibrations straight to the hearing nerve, skipping the ears altogether.
I got home last night, checked my e-mail, and found that Pat had posted a new video a few days ago — of the successful activation of his implant.
Patrick can hear his own music again.
He wrote on his and his dad's blog, dailyfrail.com, a few days ago:
So I wandered down to the work boat harbor for a while, and then wound up walking along the edge of the marsh. There wasn’t anybody around. I listened to the birds  and the crickets for the first time in years. A mosquito buzzed by the microphone of my Baha and I found myself marvelling at the sound. It has been ages since I have been able to hear something like that.
The world is suddenly so much larger. Tomorrow we are running up to Wal-Mart so that I can wander around and get used to all of the new sounds jumping out at me. I have to admit that it is a little scary being surrounded by so many new experiences, but at the same time it is kind of neat. I mean, at the ripe old age of 39 I have the chance to reacquaint myself with the world. Â Everything is new and wonderful except for top 40 country. That stuff is just as bad as it was back when I went deaf. Yeech.
Here's the video. It's long and a little slow as the Johns Hopkins medic explains the less-fascinating aspects of Patrick's implant to him. But I, for one, was reaching for the ol' tissue box when — still at Johns Hopkins — he picked up his guitar, then his banjo, and could hear them while he played.
Congratulations, Patrick!
It’s already too late to grocery shop with any peace of mind - there was a...
Wow…great story! You’re right, the moment when he plays his guitar is very touching. Nice guitar! Cute tech!
Patrick, that’s fantastic! I’m so happy for you. Thanks for sharing this experience with us.
Patrick will no doubt now realize how horrid an instrument the banjo is!
Thank you, Patrick, for sharing this, too, with everyone.
[...] Continued here: My near-deaf Youtube guitar teacher can hear again! :: The Clog … [...]
[...] Philadelphia City Paper has the details of Patrick’s story. It’s amazing to read of how he learned to play, not [...]
Isaiah,
If you ever mis-spell ‘Crisfield’ again, I will never hum a tune with you. Smile! I sat beside you while you strummed a guitar tune Saturday night.
James Lane