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Cochlear implant (CI) users have traditionally reported less enjoyment and have performed more poorly on tasks of music perception (timbre, melody and pitch) than their normal hearing (NH) counterparts. The enjoyment and perception of music can be affected by the MAP programmed into a user’s speech processor, the parameters of which can be altered to change the way that a CI recipient hears sound. However, finding the optimal MAP can prove challenging to clinicians because altering one parameter will affect others. Until recently the only way to find the optimal MAP has theoretically been to present each potential combination of parameters systematically, however this is impractical in a clinical setting due to the thousands of different potential combinations. Thus, in general, clinicians can find a good MAP, but not necessarily the best one. The goal of this study was to assess whether a Genetic Algorithm would assist clinicians to create a better MAP for music listening than current methods. Seven adult Nucleus Freedom CI users were assessed on tasks of timbre identification, melody identification and pitch-ranking using their original MAP. The participants then used the GA software to create an individualised MAP for music listening (referred to as their “GA MAP”). They then spent four weeks comparing their GA and original MAPs in their everyday life, and recording their listening experiences in a listening diary. At the end of this period participants were assessed on the same timbre, melody, and pitch tasks using their GA MAP. The results of the study showed that the GA process took an average of 35 minutes (range: 13-72 minutes) to create a MAP for music listening. As a group, participants reported the GA MAP to be slightly better than their original MAP for music listening, and preferred the GA MAP when at the cinema. Participants, on average, also performed significantly better on the melody identification task with their GA MAP; however they were significantly better on the half-octave interval pitch ranking task with their original MAP. The results also showed that participants were significantly more accurate on the single-instrument identification task than the ensemble instrument identification task regardless of which MAP they used. Overall, the results show that a GA can be used to successfully create a MAP for music listening, with two participants creating a MAP that they decided to keep at the conclusion of the study.

Existing music questionnaires have shown that postlingually deafened adult cochlear implant (CI) users generally find music to be less enjoyable following implantation. However, they did not investigate, in detail, which factors influence CI users’ music listening enjoyment, nor did they examine the approach a music training program should take. In order to obtain such information, a questionnaire, the University of Canterbury Music Listening Questionnaire (UCMLQ), was developed. The UCMLQ investigated: (i) the effect of implantation on CI users’ music listening enjoyment (determined by comparing the levels of enjoyment experienced post-implantation to prehearing loss, and just before implantation); (ii) the effect of a hearing aid in the unimplanted ear on CI users’ music perception and appreciation; (iii) the effect of timbre on music listening enjoyment whereby respondents will be asked to rate the pleasantness and naturalness of common instruments and voices, and also, give ratings on the instruments’ sound quality based on what they expect these instruments to sound to a person with normal hearing; (iv) whether respondents have a preference for a particular musical style (e.g. Country and Western, Jazz, Classical, etc); (v) whether respondents’ have a preference for, firstly, low-pitched versus high-pitched instruments/voices; secondly, music with instruments-only, voice-only, or both instruments and voice; and lastly, music with smaller number of performers versus greater number of performers; (vi) practical methods or ‘tips’ for enhancing everyday music listening enjoyment were collated; and finally, (vii) respondents were asked for their views and opinions on the content and logistics of a ‘take-home’ MTP for improving their music listening enjoyment. One-hundred postlingually deafened adult CI users, ranging in age from 18 to 88 years (mean = 62.1, SD = 17.1), completed the UCMLQ. All respondents used a Nucleus CI24 implant and the ACE speech processing strategy. Results showed that following implantation, respondents generally found music to be less enjoyable but they also preferred certain types of instruments and music: (i) low-frequency instruments over high-frequency instruments; (ii) certain instruments (e.g. the guitar) over others (e.g. brass instruments); (iii) smaller numbers of performers as opposed to larger numbers; (iv) Country and Western music as opposed to Pop/Rock, Jazz, Classical-small group, and Classical-orchestra; and (v) music with a slow rhythm/beat, and words. A comparison of the ratings given by CI and Hearing Aid (CI+HA) users and CI-only users also revealed that CI+HA users felt that they were significantly more able to follow the melody-line of musical styles, identify these styles, and they also rated musical styles to sound significantly ‘more normal’ than the CI-only users did. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups’ (CI+HA users versus CI-only users) ratings for common instrumental sounds. In regards to respondents’ interest in partaking in a ‘take-home’ music training program (MTP), 54% of respondents stated that they would be interested in undertaking one. Respondents also indicated that the MTP should focus on improving their ability to recognise tunes, in particular, tunes known before implantation, and commonly-known tunes, and the MTP should offer a wide range of musical styles. In addition, training sessions should be of 30- minutes duration, 2 times per week, and the MTP should come in the form of a DVD with subtitles. Overall, this study collected information which not only helps us to better understand CI users’ appreciation of music but also could be used in the shaping and development of a future MTP.

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