I never ask that people don't converse on sound walks I've organised (for b=
oth adults and children) - i like people to be able to comminicate what the=
y are hearing - I view it as a shared exploration and exchange of perspecti=
ves. My experience is that there are times when people chat, and times when=
they listen, simple as that really. But clearly there's more than one way =
to do a sound walk
And silence is a contested word as the views here indicate. Me - I personal=
ly agree with you and think its application is wrong, but there are other v=
iews.
Originally however I was actually more interested experiences of "quiet" - =
an experience that like you I enjoy as well.
all the best
Tony
--- In "Jez" <> wrote:
>
> well, apart from the 'telling' bit about the fact that the conversation h=
ad 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 ignor=
ing whats there. If quiet places / times are referred to as 'silent' then t=
here is (has been) a gradual erosion of one part of the awareness of listen=
ing.
>
> This is where 'quietude' comes in - its the right term imo as it describe=
s both places & times where available sound ebbs away & the atmosphere beco=
mes inhabited with a sense of quiet & stillness.
>
> I know lots of folks on here are more interested in the scientific approa=
ch to sound & on that level there is never silence of course as there are u=
ltra & infra sound signals along with the small sounds we can hear.
>
> as for myself, I just enjoy these times, these places & the sense of bein=
g enveloped in quietude.
>
> --- In "soundings23" <tony.whitehead233=
2@> wrote:
> >
> > Clearly "silence" is a contested word, but personally I don't have any =
issue 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/so=
und artists on a course as it happened) by the River Dart here in Devon. We=
were on a sound walk and it was a particularly still August evening. Conve=
rsation fell away and we became still. As we did so I felt a "rushing in" -=
an 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 sit=
uations. Its the sort of experience that is personal and no recording techn=
ology could replicate - but I recognise it in experiences related in this t=
hread.
> >
> > I don't wish to overanalyse, but I'd be intrigued in a wider sharing of=
experiences of such quiet places to see if there's any commonality, or if =
our experience's differ widely.
> >
> > --- In "Jez" <tempjez@> wrote:
> > >
> > > quickly:
> > >
> > > these 'silences' aren't silent. What tends to happen is the extreme q=
uietness combined with the listeners attempts to perceive it lead to a situ=
ation where:
> > >
> > > 1) on a psychological level, one accepts the definition of silence
> > > 2) on a physical level, the ears attempt to adjust to the surrounding=
s & to 1)
> > >
> > > the combination means that 'silence' is the surface perception. There=
are all kinds of sounds present, even in the disorienting stillness of the=
most quiet places on earth (such as deep caves or deserts) but, as is the =
way of us humans, it is easier for us to apply filters to our perception of=
what 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 t=
hose 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 =
and the
> > > > > flies stay away and it's silent. Not quiet. But silent. I'm sure =
that anyone who's ever driven into the Australian outback or desert know wh=
at I'm talking about. I can highly recommend it>
> > > > >
> > > > > Peter,
> > > > >
> > > > > I think I know what you are talking about. I experienced that stu=
nning silence several times shortly after sunset while camping in the Sonor=
an Desert (Arizona).
> > > > >
> > > > > There is a simple explanation for that kind of silence: A strong =
temperature gradient in the air above the ground creates a sonic shadow reg=
ion for each sound source (the ground is still hot, but the air is getting =
cooler at night). See http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/refract/refract=
.html. So, I think there is still some noise around, but it just cannot be =
heard due to these refraction effects.
> > > > >
> > > > > Regards,
> > > > > Raimund
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
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