by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A musician explained,
I suddenly began experiencing a strange phenomenon with my hearing. I now hear music through my right ear at the correct pitch, while, at the same time, I hear the same music a semitone higher in my left ear. This is frustrating and scary. I can no longer perform my music. A major part of my life has suddenly been snatched from me. Have you ever heard of this before? Am I going crazy? What can I do to correct this condition?
Another person related,
I’ve suddenly begun to experience a rather disturbing auditory phenomenon. Sounds as heard by my right ear are pitched a bit lower than the same sounds as heard by my left ear. This gives music a very frightening and eerie chorus effect that is becoming more and more disconcerting. What causes it? Does it ever go away?
In a previous eZine, I wrote about people who hear music off-pitch—either certain notes, or all notes. (See “When You Hear Music in the Wrong Key” including all the comments.) In most cases, these people heard the same music off-pitch with both ears. This alone was disconcerting and destroyed their enjoyment of music.
However, it is even more frustrating when you hear the same notes at different pitches in each ear and you don’t know which ear to believe. For example, your left ear may hear a note as F while your right ear may hear the same note as F# (F sharp).
Rest assured, when this happens you are not going crazy, but something definitely has messed up the pitch perception between your ears. This condition is known as diplacusis (dip-lah-KOO-sis).
What is Diplacusis?
Diplacusis is a disconcerting condition, especially for musicians, because you hear the same note at two different pitches—often at the correct pitch in one ear and either higher (sharp) or lower (flat) in the other ear. This makes playing, singing or listening to music sound sour (sharp or flat depending on the direction of the frequency-shift). This can be devastating to a musician who has previously had perfect pitch.
The dictionary defines diplacusis as “abnormal perception of sound either in time or in pitch, such that one sound is heard as two. This fancy name comes from two Greek words “diplous”—double, and “akousis”—hearing. Thus, diplacusis is really double hearing or hearing double. (1)
Diplacusis occurs when your ears have a significant difference in frequency selectivity. This results in clashing interpretations (dissonance) of the tones you hear.
Fortunately, although many people hear tones at different pitches in each of their ears, this difference is normally slight. In fact, when the difference in pitch is less than about one semitone (halftone), the average person typically does not notice it. This difference in pitch normally escapes our notice because the slightly different pitches of sound from our two ears merge in our conscious perception such that we only hear one pitch of sound. (2)
Musicians, however, because of their musical training, may be considerably more sensitive to these slight pitch differences. As a result, they may be aware of, and bothered by, smaller pitch differences than even a semi-tone.
Kinds of Diplacusis
Diplacusis or “double hearing” comes in various “flavors”.
Diplacusis binauralis (by-nar-RAL-is) is where you hear the same sound differently in each of your ears. For example, you may hear a different pitch of sound in each ear, or the timing may be different in each ear.
A subset of diplacusis binauralis is diplacusis dysharmonica (dis-har-MON-ih-ka) where only the pitch is different in each ear. Some authorities use the term “Interaural Pitch Difference” (IPD) rather than diplacusis, but they both refer to the same condition. (2)
Diplacusis echoica (eh-KOE-ih-ka), as it’s name implies, is where you hear the same sound repeated in the affected ear—thus you hear the original sound followed by an “echo” of the original sound.
Finally, there is diplacusis monauralis (moh-nar-RAL-is). This is where you hear a single sound as two different sounds in the same ear. (1)
In my experience, by far the most common “flavor” of diplacusis is diplacusis dysharmonica. This is the annoying condition that numbers of musicians experience and the “kind” of diplacusis we will discuss here.
What Causes Diplacusis?
Diplacusis involves a shift of pitch perception. This can happen when the hearing in one ear is damaged (unilateral hearing loss), or the hearing in one ear is damaged more than it is in the other ear (asymmetrical hearing loss). However, the degree of pitch distortion does not appear to bear any simple relationship to the degree of hearing loss. (3)
Incidentally, diplacusis was first observed way back in the 1880s in people with unilateral hearing loss. (2)
If one ear has normal hearing, and the other one has sensorineural hearing loss, you can have a lot of diplacusis. Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss results in less diplacusis but there are probably pitch distortions because both ears are likely messed up in the same way. (4)
In fact, there is a high degree of correlation between the occurrence of diplacusis and damage to the inner ear. (2) Diplacusis is typically experienced as a result of sensorineural hearing loss. Onset is usually spontaneous and can occur at the time of an acoustic trauma or in the midst of an ear infection. Sufferers may experience the effect permanently, or it may go away on its own. (4)
For people who have some degree of sensorineural (inner ear) hearing loss, here is a detailed account of how diplacusis may develop…. (Read the rest of this article here.)
Two weeks ago, I awoke to what felt like a severely congested left ear. Within a few days, however, the symptoms had progressed to the point where I could barely hear, and what I could hear was tinny and echoy.
After a battery of tests, my doctor diagnosed me with conductive hearing loss.
She put me on a round of steroids and over one week my hearing seemed to improve slightly. However, the perception of “double hearing” was getting much worse. In certain tones on the higher register, music and even talking voices are disharmonious and grating.
In doing research I came across your article and it was an AH-HA moment for me. However, what I find interesting is that you suggest Diplacusis is generally a result of sensorineural hearing loss. My doctor has assured me that I have conductive. Is it possible for diplacusis to be caused by middle ear dysfunction or should I get a second opinion regarding the type of hearing loss I’m currently experiencing.
Thank you so much!
Hi Molli regarding diplacusis which i am experiencing now , my diplacusis seems on the process of healing and its not as severe as before however i still hear some distorted sound but not that much , its like broken speaker but not as severe as that . i wonder how long do you recover your diplacusis , mine is going fine but im still wishing for a full recovery which i dont know how long should i wait and is there any medication treatment that you did ? Thank you
I can echo your post. I also was put on Medrol after a terrible sinus infection that caused partial loss of hearing in one ear. I could not listen to music at all because it was torture. The dates were the same as yours. The Medrol cleared my ear up but I still am hearing the higher and lower C as a little sharp with my bad ear. Middle C is the same with both ears. How do we figure this out?! Please let me know if yours is getting better. I had a friend over who is a pianist with no cold, no ear problems and he covered one ear at a time. Guess what? He had the same thing. I could have had this all along to some degree and not know it. However, a month ago, the C in the bad ear was a definite C sharp (I’d play C sharp a second later and listen with the good ear). Please reply and let me know how you’re progressing.
I have found your message after so many years of suffering from the condition. My career is/was music and could no tolerate listening to music. “It was torture.” That is exactly what I felt. Was there any remedy or at least some relief?
This comment is for the musician. I was a professional entertainer / singer for 40 years. Three years ago I got “Sudden Hearing Loss”. I had to get out of the business as well. Everything sounded strange. But the worst part is that I sing flat. It sounds ok when I’m singing to me because I only hear my voice as head sound. ( As when one puts both fingers in both ears and talks or sings )but when recorded, the pitch is WAY off. I know exactly how you feel. It’s like a professional skier loosing his legs.
Gary
Hello guys,
I’m going through the same thing right now. I don’t really have a hearing loss (only a tiny bit in low frequencies), but I’m indeed hearing double and I’m getting increasingly sensitive towards normal sounds (people speaking, running water, children crying etc.). How are you guys doing now (a year later). Is it still there?
Thanks in advance?
Andreas
Update: 2 years later. Still there, but it fluctuated the past 2 years. I’ve had better periods and worse ones. Right now it’s bad, so I’m hoping it will be good again soon.
Hi, I’m a musician and singer who’s been playing by ear for 30 years. Not my profession but definitely my hobby and my way of serving at my church.
I woke up one morning hearing in August 2014 with 3 different phenomena:
1. Super-sensitivity – the conversations that were happening 3 rooms away to my right were very loud in my left ear as if right next to me.
2. Canned Echo sound in my left ear (What I heard in my right was delayed in my left and sounded like it was metallic or chorus effect)
3. Half pitch off in my right ear (I discovered that the right ear was off and the left ear was correct)
I immediately did some research and found this article and others like it. I was really scared and concerned. I decided to wait a day and hope that it was congestion or temporary. It went away that day and has been gone for a month.
But just today September 2014 it came back. All three sensations.
I think I need to go see my doctor and confirm what’s happening. I have had severe discomfort in my right ear over the last few years when I hear very loud sounds, but it was always just about intensity, never about dissonance in the hearing.
I hope this is temporary but I’m also going to brace myself for some permanent steps I might have to take. I’ll update again if I can. Thanks for your post and for those who’ve commented.
As a musician and singer I can say, this sucks!
Hi musicians and singers, my name is Hariyanto Tan,i’m 42,i’m from Indonesia. I got tinnitus at 2013,by the end of 2015,it developed to double hearing with all of you guys mentioned above. As, a musician,it really devastated me, everything I heard was double and all music was flat/off key! I went to doctor and got prescribed vitamin E, dexamethasone,and cinnarizine. Everytime I took the meds,it became worse, it developed as if there was a V8 engine idling in my ears. As a church musician, I was done,i almost gave up my service. And then I prayed. God gave me wisdom. I stopped all meds and started my self medication.(I once was a Nurse aid back in the US few years ago). I took Simvastatin 20 mg once @nite, allopurinol 300mg morning and evening,and Amoxsan 500mg morn and evening. . 3 days later I was healed! It’s normal again. I can play and enjoy music as before. This is a miracle to me. Praise Jesusu! And the medications almost cost nothing. However it’s all subjective,it worked for me but I can’t guarantee it will work for you. Guys,please don’t give up! Keep hoping for the best and God will help you.
Thank you for all your comments. I also play flute and piano. I had an ear infection a few weeks ago and now hear the 2 pitches you speak of. This makes me very very sad. I know that I can deal, find the silver lining if this is real. I pray it will go away and offer my music as a gift to the world when it comes back. I will cherish it always
I am a musician as most of you are and I had the same situation. It seems to come and go. The only suggestion I have for you as it worked for me. Is use head phones on a lower volume and then your brain will do the rest. But without head phones it is kaos.
I’ve just had the same experience as so many of you. Had a mild cold, felt in earache, then 3 days later had almost lost all hearing in my right ear and the hearing I did have was off pitch. Got a steroid shot in the ear as it is presumed to be a cochlear virus and am now on oral steroids for 10 days to try and heal. I’ve been reading and it seems like there is a slim chance that things go back to normal but an OK chance that some will come back. I’ve been a percussionist for 17 years and play other instruments all the time… certainly a very sad time right now. Thinking I might just play with an ear plug in the bad ear to block out the wrong pitch?
I was experiencing all the same symptoms as everyone above for four weeks.I have had tinnitus for years.and still have it.I went to my family Doctor Brown in st louis for his opinion on this.He prescribed Debrox ear wax removal for me to use for four days ,this Mon. he will wash out my ears after Debrox softens and dissolves the wax.He also prescribed prednizone#5 to clean out my sinus cavities.The good news for me is the Debrox has worked and I can hear all the notes and sing in key again.I pray and hope this will help someone,I was getting already pricing my instruments for sell.its horrible to loose something you love to do ,but its not the end of the world
Hello all,
hate to read all the stories, but glad to know I’m not alone. I have been a musician since I was 16 years old (44 now). I no longer play professionally. A bout a week ago, I awoke with ringing in both ears, that seems to wear off as the day went on. Ears felt a little full, and yawning would really relieve the pressure. Next morning, in the car, I though my door chime was busted as it sounded horrible. on a hunch, I covered one ear at a time, and immediately noticed the pitch was off. I made an appointment with an ENT for this Monday. It seems to be very noticeable with higher ranges (violins, brass, and woodwinds)… and my cats sound like little robots when they meow. I am hoping it will get better. So depressed right now thinking this could destroy my ability to enjoy music.
Good luck to everyone out there.
Hi Eric,
I’m also a musican and have experienced the same symptoms on a number of occasions over the past three years, I understand how terrifying and depressing it can when it happens – I hope your symptoms have improved since you left your comment. The first time I noticed it was in my left ear, I was on the phone and I thought the speaker was broken as the person talking sounded like a robot. Then I noticed it on the TV a little later that day, again people’s speech sounded like a robot, like how Wall-E talks in the film. Then came the horrible realisation that it wasn’t the TV or my phone, it was my ears – pure, terrifying dread. I tried listening to some music, my right ear was perfect, my left ear perceived a disgusting mish-mash of tones in the mid range, it sounded horrendous.
Thankfully though it did get better after seeing a specialist and being prescribed Predisolone and Betahistine. It does return now and then, mainly as a side effect of the CSF leak I suffer from. I’ve also found that some of the supplements from the John of Ohio Regimen for Meniere’s disease sufferers also help – I take Lemon Bioflavanoids and Lysine daily which seem to help keep my hearing balanced in both ears.
Best regards
How long does it take for your diplacusis to resolve ?
HELP , I loved music.
My story is too long to get into detail, but I have deafness, tinnitus, hyperacusis, disequilibrium, diplocusis. distorted hearing and distorted autophony. That’s everything in the book. I would prefer to have gone stone deaf. I could not invent a worse torture. The best remedy seemed to be to jump off a cliff. I did walk away from the edge eventually.
I’m 21 and just starting my career as a singer. I can’t accept that this is the end of that. I’m almost certain now that it’s the result of a horrible sinus infection but even if it is permanent I still have one unaffected ear. I’ll plug the bad one, I’ll study my pieces more intensely, hell I’ll learn them in the right and wrong pitch to be able to tell the difference if that’s what it takes. I’m grateful only one ear seems to be off and I am determined to make the most of the other, no matter the effort.
Hi S:
If your diplacusis is a result of your sinus infection, it should go away as your sinus infection goes away. So give it a couple of weeks before you get bent out of shape. But I like you determination to lick this condition. Go for it.
Cordially,
Neil
There is software that allows you to run vst plugins on a pc called equilzer apo this will let you change the pitch on one channel left or right with a pitch shifting plugin. Also if you use in ear monitors with a physical pitch shifting pedal (ie the pod go, helix lt, hx stomp, helix, digitech whammy but the whammy is harder to use) you can then with some trickery change the pitch of the effected channel left or right. All of these methods cause a delay but the delay is much less intrusive and can be gotten used to vs not playing music at all.