Improving music perception in cochlear implant users
Reviewed by Sirat Lodhi

Can you imagine a world without music? In the words of Hans Christian Anderson, a prolific 19th-century Danish author, “Where words fail, music speaks.” This quote highlights music’s importance as a language of emotions that transcends linguistic barriers. This case study explores ways to enhance music perception in cochlear implant (CI) users. CI users often experience music differently. For example, pitch variations and differences in instruments or voices in a mixture may be poorly heard. This can lead to varied experiences of music perception, and music aversion. To enhance music perception by CI users, it is vital to understand their perspective and improve techniques focused on enhancing delivery pathways for CI signal processing modifications. Music hearing is particularly challenging for individuals with multisensory impairment. By understanding how these individuals perceive and interpret music, we can gain insights into multisensory integration and its effect on music perception. This case report explores experiences of a 64-year-old CI user with Usher syndrome, a genetic condition characterised by hearing loss and progressive vision impairment. The key aim was to provide insight into strategies that might improve music perception. A semi-structured interview explored the deafblind musician’s musical engagement and auditory evolution. Reflexive thematic analysis with a descriptive phenomenological approach identified four themes: (1) emotional connection and identity, (2) changes in musical engagement throughout deafblindness, (3) self-driven strategies for improving music perception, and (4) technological and social support. Notably, theme three describes adaptive self-driven strategies such as environmental adaptations for improved perception. Additionally, theme four explores personalised adjustment of CI settings, to improve hearing of instruments and tones. These findings highlight the importance of utilising multidisciplinary approaches to enhance music perception, incorporating both self-driven adaptations in line with the ability of CI users, and individualised CI programming with audiologists.

Strategies for improving music perception and enjoyment: a case study of a deafblind musician with cochlear implants.
Lam C, Vickers D, Parmar B.
COCHLEAR IMPLANTS INT
2025;16:1-12.