Deafness refers to a significant hearing impairment, where individuals have little to no functional hearing. People who are deaf may experience varying degrees of hearing loss, and they may use different communication methods, such as sign language, lip-reading, or cochlear implants.

Music and Deafness have a rich history together, the most notable examples being Ludwig van Beethoven who lost his hearing in his mid-late twenties, and Dame Evelynn Glennie who is a Scottish percussionist. 

In 2003, Glennie gave a TED talk about how she "touches the sound" and hears the music through vibrational listening. She senses and understands the sounds through vibration of her entire body- the chest, stomach, etc. (HOLMES, J. A. 2017)  Glennie's work has brought new awareness of deaf musicians, and the way that deaf people can still "hear" things. 

Tinnitus is a relatively common disorder that is characterized by the perception of noise in the ears when there is no external sound. Individuals with Tinnitus could hear ringing, buzzing, clicking, or other noises that vary in intensity and frequency. This condition is more common in the elderly, as a result of hair cell damage. In addition, people with Tinnitus experience difficulty concentrating, sleeping, or other quiet activities due to the consistent noise in their ears. According to (Yoo, S., et al., 2022) there is recently developed "tinnitus frequency-filtered music" which might have relieving effects for the disease. The study concluded that the music could reduce the awareness and loudness of tinnitus, which might help with the suffering of patients, although the specific "Tinnitus" music did not help relieve more compared to the control group of the study. Music therapy for Tinnitus patients might be possible, but higher-quality research is needed to develop a more effective way to combat the disease. 

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