EVALUATE. CARE. PROTECT. EDUCATE.
We help people optimize the soundtracks of their lives. Dr. Laura Sinnott, Audiologist, founded Sound Culture for the purpose of promoting the sense of hearing. It is time for sound to take center stage. It starts with realizing that your ears are delicate, and they take a beating when they're exposed to loud sound, even if it’s sound we love. If cared for properly, however, they may perform exquisitely for years on end.
Listening is everything.
Evaluate
Hearing evaluations may include a hearing health history, otoscopy, otoacoustic emissions, hearing screening or a measurement of your pure tone thresholds up to 16 kHz, and speech-in-noise testing. It’s crucial to conduct regular hearing evaluations in order to identify gradual changes.
Care
Audiology is a challenging field because there aren't any magic pills that will make your hearing concerns vanish. However, there are many strategies and solutions that can help from devices to apps and referrals to other hearing healthcare experts.
Protect
Hearing loss is not the only auditory issue we face. Tinnitus is actually more prevalent, and then there's sound intolerance, distortion, fear of loud sound and more. Some causes of hearing disorders, like genetics, cannot be prevented, but others, like loud sound exposure, can be managed if we are armed with the right tools.
Inform
Our ears detect vibration (sound), but our brains interpret and make meaning of sound. When we understand our auditory system deeply, it becomes impossible not to treat it with respect. Once we know when we’re at risk for a hearing disorder, we can better decide what to do about it.
Video Appointments
If you are a music industry professional (from roadies to bandleaders), you likely qualify for a video consultation with Dr. Sinnott through the Tuned and MusiCares partnership, at no cost to you. A complimentary pair of Etymotic earplugs are also provided through MusiCares. Apply here and select Laura Sinnott to be your audiologist.
In-Person Appointments
Dr. Sinnott provides hearing preservation programs to groups, venues and ensembles. Please reach out for more information as programs are tailored to each group's schedule, budget and number of people.
About Dr. Laura Sinnott
A long time audio engineer, Laura career-expanded into hearing health after years working in the NYC film industry. She ran the hearing clinic at Sensaphonics, a Chicago-based institution that has served musicians for over 40 years. Now based in Central New York, she offers video consultations with music industry professionals through the Tuned platform, and provides traveling, concierge audiology services for musicians, media professionals, and music lovers. Laura holds a Doctorate of Audiology degree from CUNY, a Master’s in Music Technology from NYU and a Bachelor’s in Music Industry Studies from CU Denver.
For Laura, the nuances of sound are the heart of communication. When we speak to each other, it’s more than the words — it’s the intonation, the pauses, the listening — it’s the full orchestra supporting the communications dance.
When Laura discovered that audiology included counseling, becoming an audiologist became a no-brainer as it would call upon mindfulness, empathy, and relationship-building skills. When she is not helping patients protect and preserve their hearing, she can be found eating croissants or listening to snowflakes fall in the forest.