How Ambient Chill Became the New Silence
topic.com
topic.com
There is no music except for occasional snatches of it from passing cars. Instead there is the wind in the trees, various birds having their conversations, and perhaps kids playing if I'm near the playground. It's really kind of wonderful.
I find myself thinking that a cafe whose playlist is nothing but natural ambient sounds - maybe you walk in and the playlist is "jungle fauna", or "rainstorm", or "tranquil beach" - would be really cool, but I also know that running a small cafe is a ton of work and a great way to probably lose a ton of money. Maybe I'll suggest that at one of the cafes I work inside of on a regular basis.
It's quite successful too. (There's one right outside disneyland in Los Angeles)
There are some nice apps for blending sounds.
Seems like a good space for ML to play, producing unique, but authentic feeling sounds.
Stephane Pigeon of myNoise.net made the website himself, but hired out the app development.
Perhaps, but there are several sound libraries with 10hours + non looping recordings...
So not very seriously at all?
Well, they've worked just fine for me and millions of others (it's their most popular use). That said, there are indeed accidents from misuse.
Not sure what other people buy them for in the billions and have them at every bathroom. Cleaning vinyl records and nails?
There are specialty items mostly commonly used for the latter (cotton pads), and I'm not sure the reason almost every household has cotton swabs in their bathroom for fringe activities like: "taking samples of fluids for medical purposes (e.g. DNA swab), cleaning small items such as jewelry or electronics, applying glue in arts and crafts".
That leaves "applying makeup" as the other main use.
Cotton swabs aren't as precise as a Q-Tip for some types of cleaning/detailing.
At least, that's what my sisters tell me, both of whom get regular build-up of wax in their ears.
Now I love background noise because it's the only way I can escape tennitus (I hate headphones)
Do you really need to drown office noise completely through maxed out music?
Fortunately, we do have some resistance to this in the form of portable music players.
I virtually never hear any music at any of the venues or stores I visit, because I'm always listening to my own.
With or without headphones, the only strangers who come up and talk to me are people who want something from me, like beggars, people seeking directions, or people trying to sell me something. As someone who's not very social around strangers, I rarely initiate conversations with strangers myself.
Listening to my own music just makes getting through the world more pleasant for me. It doesn't make me significantly more isolated.
There are loud bars/clubs you go to with your friends at times when you want to let all your energy out and just drink, dance, and listen to music without having to worry about carrying a conversation.
There are also quieter and more fit for socializing bars and music venues, where you wanna go to shoot shit with the bartender, have a conversation with your friend you haven't seen in a while, or just relax and talk to people in your neighborhood who tent to visit that place often while chilling with a drink.
And I love the fact that in most cities I've lived in within the US, there are plenty of both, because I definitely like to utilize all of those options. More choices is always better.
The only example of yours I heavily disagree with is the gym one. It isn't a proper place for socializing imo, assuming you are talking about the weightlifting/cardio stuff. Team sports areas like basketball court or a soccer field (where I see a LOT of socializing happening) are a completely different story, however.
For example:
> The results showed that those asked to chat felt far more positive about their journey than those who kept to themselves, and that the longer people talked for the better they felt.
A world where the only people who talk to you outside your fortress are beggars, scammers, and salesmen is a sad one. Not to say you're always ready for a conversation with a stranger every time you leave your house, but there is also a chance of serendipity in the most unlikely exchanges.
I met a woman I dated for a year at a supermarket. This woman next to me was spending a lot of time comparing fruit, like gently tapping them and squeezing them. She hadn't even put one in her basket yet. I stood across from her and put some plums up to my ears as if to listen to them, mockingly, which started a conversation that we picked up that evening at a bar. It's something I think about when I err on the side of not interacting with those around me since it was a bit out of character for me.
It's one of the spices of life.
Granted it can be very emotionally draining.
That's a non-sequitur. Regardless, if you are looking to get assaulted by an angry drunk talking to homeless people isn't a very effective method. For best success try pick up bars with an 20-30 year old clientele, or just accost someone on the street who is already visibly drunk and antagonistic; they are (unintuitively?) unlikely to be homeless but will often happily have a go at you.
In the US maybe. In other parts of the world it can be quite different...
(I only did this once but it was very eye opening)
I suspect many malls are pumping potpourri scent into the HVAC system. It pervades the malls.
I think the picture makes the point on its own, but at the risk of being accused of Reddit style image replies: Prior to phones, people weren't automatically any more social with random strangers than they had to be.
I've gone there at times I wouldn't normally, like Sunday at 6 AM because I put it off and need something now, and it's like I'm on the wrong radio station.
So if you're ever at a Walmart and don't like the music, you're just not shopping at the right time apparently.
Mutebox
The anti-jukebox that lets you mute restaurants' ambient music to bring back the vitality of your surroundings. For when your favorite cafe is playing experimental electronic music and you really came for the sound of espresso machines and light background noise while you crank out that TPS report. Or, the jukebox that exclusively plays John Cage's 4'33". [1]
I suppose it could work if your ears are always in a known place.
That’s why we can only make noise cancelling headphones.
If you could identify the song then you could simply fast-forward it to know "what it will do next" and the cancellation would be much easier and more accurate.
Really fast indeed.
Peak speed: 18 m/s (40 mph)
How ubiquitous? I worked in a hotel once, and even the cargo elevator (used by all employees) had it. Oddly, the speaker wires would get mysteriously snipped on a regular basis to make it stop. That would work for a couple of days until maintenance got around to reconnecting things.
1 | CONTENT | 5
2 | CONTENT | 6
3 | CONTENT | 7
4 | CONTENT | 8
try the sequence 5 6 5 . Here where I am at, that mutes the sound. Sometimes 7 8 7 also turns the screen off.
But! You need to put it back to screen on, sound on, or the staff will notice and you risk them changing the combination on you.
Silence is so wonderful, why must we fill it up with noise?