well, apart from the 'telling' bit about the fact that the conversation had=
to fall away in the first place on a 'sound walk' :)
the whole 'silence' question really comes down to the fact that it isn't so=
much contested as simply wrong & the use of it aids the process of ignorin=
g whats there. If quiet places / times are referred to as 'silent' then the=
re is (has been) a gradual erosion of one part of the awareness of listenin=
g.
This is where 'quietude' comes in - its the right term imo as it describes =
both places & times where available sound ebbs away & the atmosphere become=
s inhabited with a sense of quiet & stillness.
I know lots of folks on here are more interested in the scientific approach=
to sound & on that level there is never silence of course as there are ult=
ra & infra sound signals along with the small sounds we can hear.
as for myself, I just enjoy these times, these places & the sense of being =
enveloped in quietude.
--- In "soundings23" <tony.whitehead2332@=
...> wrote:
>
> Clearly "silence" is a contested word, but personally I don't have any is=
sue with not attributing it to situations that might better be described as=
quiet.
>
> The differing experiences of "quiet" are however very interesting.
>
> Years ago, I was standing with a group of people at night (composers/soun=
d artists on a course as it happened) by the River Dart here in Devon. We w=
ere on a sound walk and it was a particularly still August evening. Convers=
ation fell away and we became still. As we did so I felt a "rushing in" - a=
n almost physical pressure. It was quite startling, but I've experienced it=
a number of times since when I've purposefully put myself in similar situa=
tions. Its the sort of experience that is personal and no recording technol=
ogy could replicate - but I recognise it in experiences related in this thr=
ead.
>
> I don't wish to overanalyse, but I'd be intrigued in a wider sharing of e=
xperiences of such quiet places to see if there's any commonality, or if ou=
r experience's differ widely.
>
> --- In "Jez" <tempjez@> wrote:
> >
> > quickly:
> >
> > these 'silences' aren't silent. What tends to happen is the extreme qui=
etness combined with the listeners attempts to perceive it lead to a situat=
ion where:
> >
> > 1) on a psychological level, one accepts the definition of silence
> > 2) on a physical level, the ears attempt to adjust to the surroundings =
& to 1)
> >
> > the combination means that 'silence' is the surface perception. There a=
re all kinds of sounds present, even in the disorienting stillness of the m=
ost quiet places on earth (such as deep caves or deserts) but, as is the wa=
y of us humans, it is easier for us to apply filters to our perception of w=
hat is there.
> >
> > micro / macro listening to these places or recordings of them reveals a=
wealth of sound, all be it on a sometimes very subtle level.
> >
> > it's amazing to perceive stillness & amazing to hear whats there at tho=
se times.
> >
> > --- In 404 <404@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Thanks for this, Raimund. Fascinating stuff!
> > >
> > > On 05 Jun 2012, at 19:39, Raimund wrote:
> > >
> > > > <But every now and then there's moments where the wind lies down an=
d the
> > > > flies stay away and it's silent. Not quiet. But silent. I'm sure th=
at anyone who's ever driven into the Australian outback or desert know what=
I'm talking about. I can highly recommend it>
> > > >
> > > > Peter,
> > > >
> > > > I think I know what you are talking about. I experienced that stunn=
ing silence several times shortly after sunset while camping in the Sonoran=
Desert (Arizona).
> > > >
> > > > There is a simple explanation for that kind of silence: A strong te=
mperature gradient in the air above the ground creates a sonic shadow regio=
n for each sound source (the ground is still hot, but the air is getting co=
oler at night). See http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/refract/refract.h=
tml. So, I think there is still some noise around, but it just cannot be he=
ard due to these refraction effects.
> > > >
> > > > Regards,
> > > > Raimund
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
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