Piano training designed for cochlear implant users improves speech-on-speech perception
Abstract
Musical training has been reported to benefit speech-on-speech perception, supported by some (but not all) studies comparing musicians and non-musicians. Speech-on-speech perception is especially challenging for cochlear-implant (CI) users, but previous musical training approaches with this population reported mixed results and small effect sizes. The current study attempted to maximize the cross-domain effectiveness of training in CI users by careful selection of practice and teaching elements, such as improvisation techniques aimed at boosting audiomotor integration. The Piano group was compared to two control groups, one non-musical training with Minecraft gaming lessons (lesson duration and structure as comparable as possible to piano training), and one with no training (test/retest only). We found that six months of training improved speech-on-speech perception in CI users only for the piano group compared to the no-training control group, and a Bayesian analysis confirmed that this effect was strong. The piano training effect was not yet developed after three months of training and had receded at three-month follow-up. The training effect in the Minecraft group did not significantly differ either from that of the Control group or of the Piano group. We conclude that methods of musical training with intentional inclusion of elements such as musical improvisation can improve speech-on-speech perception in CI users in at least six months of training, and continued training may help maintain effects. Moreover, the Piano group anecdotally reported higher enjoyment with their training than the Minecraft group, potentially contributing to motivated engagement, further influencing training outcomes.
Related
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BibTeX
@misc{harding2026piano,
title = {{Piano training designed for cochlear implant users improves speech-on-speech perception}},
author = {Eleanor Harding and Etienne Gaudrain and Robert Harris and Barbara Tillmann and Bert Maat and Steven de Rooij and Rolien Free and Deniz Başkent},
howpublished = {HAL},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.31234/osf.io/8vrt4_v1},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05820564v1},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Piano training designed for cochlear implant users improves speech-on-speech perception
AU - Eleanor Harding
AU - Etienne Gaudrain
AU - Robert Harris
AU - Barbara Tillmann
AU - Bert Maat
AU - Steven de Rooij
AU - Rolien Free
AU - Deniz Başkent
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/17
PB - HAL
DO - 10.31234/osf.io/8vrt4_v1
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05820564v1
AB - Musical training has been reported to benefit speech-on-speech perception, supported by some (but not all) studies comparing musicians and non-musicians. Speech-on-speech perception is especially challenging for cochlear-implant (CI) users, but previous musical training approaches with this population reported mixed results and small effect sizes. The current study attempted to maximize the cross-domain effectiveness of training in CI users by careful selection of practice and teaching elements, such as improvisation techniques aimed at boosting audiomotor integration. The Piano group was compared to two control groups, one non-musical training with Minecraft gaming lessons (lesson duration and structure as comparable as possible to piano training), and one with no training (test/retest only). We found that six months of training improved speech-on-speech perception in CI users only for the piano group compared to the no-training control group, and a Bayesian analysis confirmed that this effect was strong. The piano training effect was not yet developed after three months of training and had receded at three-month follow-up. The training effect in the Minecraft group did not significantly differ either from that of the Control group or of the Piano group. We conclude that methods of musical training with intentional inclusion of elements such as musical improvisation can improve speech-on-speech perception in CI users in at least six months of training, and continued training may help maintain effects. Moreover, the Piano group anecdotally reported higher enjoyment with their training than the Minecraft group, potentially contributing to motivated engagement, further influencing training outcomes.
ER -