The Consequences and Benefits of Sound

Within our modern world we are constantly avoiding obvious physical threats, we have a clear focused fear of things that can cause us physical harm. This has been an integral part of our human nature for centuries and as a result of the obvious detrimental effects to these physical threats, we stay focused within this realm of thinking. But, what about the things that do not necessarily threaten our lives physically but perhaps our livelihood without even noticing? Things that can directly affect or alter our mental state and emotional health, what have we done to study or analyse these potential threats? When I use the word threats I do not necessarily mean detrimental and life altering complications, but an overall reaction or a ‘cause and effect’ type response to those events. On the opposite end of that discussion, how do we utilize this matter that can have potential threats to our advantage. Is it possible for us to understand the connections between something physically intangible and how it may heal or benefit us. In summation, how complicated is it to study or analyse the consequences and benefits of something immaterial like sound and noise.

Sound and noise are a part of our daily lives no matter what an individual may try to do to evade them. As a result of this inability to analyse and control this physically intangible thing, much has gone unresearched. But, as we have learned throughout this term sound and noise does directly alter and affect many aspects of our daily lives whether purposefully or not. We have taken a look at the soundscapes of cities, the anxiety inducing idea of silence and even the real effects of noise pollution on individuals. These are all direct results or reactions to sound and noise. But why is all of this important for us to be discussing? In my paper, as my title states, I plan to analyze some of the potentially negative consequences, as well as certain benefits associated with sound and noise. I will do so by first discussing this fairly new area of research and its work. Furthermore, I will be presenting some of the analysis we have learned throughout this course, in addition to specific case studies that aid in emphasizing the importance of this academic discipline. Sound and noise are not at the forefront of the conversation when discussing real effects of one’s mood or state. Specifically music as a field of research has been researched and analyzed much deeper and for much longer.

Music has always been at the center focus within the topic of any sort of sound research, but there was still so much not being addressed at that time. Yes it is agreed that music has a wildly engrossing impact on many aspects of culture, economy and even specific individuals, but what about the sounds and noise we are bombarded with without any real consent or choice? This is where the study of sound or ‘Acoustic Ecology’ comes into play. Prior to the development of this field of study pioneered by “...researcher R. Murray Schafer at Simon Fraser University in the early 1970’s.” (Droumeva, 2018), there was no research being done to connect or study the relationship between sound and noise with an individual or society as a whole. As Kendall Wrightson describes in her journal article, “An introduction to acoustic ecology. Soundscape: The journal of acoustic ecology”, Wrightson outlines the basic philosophy that Acoustic Ecology is based off of, “Your awareness of sound-- specifically your level of awareness of the acoustic environment at any given time-- is an issue central to the interdiscipline of Acoustic Ecology (also known as ecoacoustics).” (Wrightson, 2000, p.10)

This specific aspect of awareness, as I have learned throughout this course, is a very integral aspect within this area of study. It is attempting to bring conscious awareness to not only the sounds or noise themselves, but most importantly, how these are affecting us whether consciously or unconsciously. As mentioned previously, music research is quite different from ‘acoustic ecology’ because it is either a very conscious choice or the listener has a distinct level of awareness towards the sounds and rhythms they are hearing. It is this level of awareness and consciousness that is even exhibited in what Schafer has decided to study. As explained by Dr. Milena Droumeva, Schafer has attempted to examine cover many aspects of sound in order to bring to light his work for Acoustic Ecology and these include; Areas of research included aural perception, listening and soundmaking, community soundscapes, the physics of sound and acoustics, noise pollution, sound in media, the psychology of sound, soundwalks, sound and spirituality, and urban soundscape design. (Droumeva, 2018)

This is an incredibly extensive list to analyse considering these are ever changing and never stagnant. As the study and academic discipline of ‘Acoustic Ecology’ expands we have to be applying this work to study our functions as a society in relation to sound and noise. Before beginning this course I was actually quite unsure what would entail within a class called “Sound Studies 1: Listening, Culture and Society”. I had never heard of this exact focus of academia and even my loved ones around me were confused about exactly what this class can teach me. But as the term comes to an end, different aspects and terms I have learned within this course keep coming up in my daily life. For this reason and more, Schafers work within acoustic ecology is a critical aspect in understanding sounds or noise within our worlds and how we function or respond to it. Throughout the learning and development of my own understanding of acoustic ecology and the myriad of ways sound directly alters our realities, it was the negative aspects that stood out to me greatly.

Some of the main issues that this study brings into light such as What I was able to connect in my own personal life to this course material or area of study in general was actually a book I had read a few years back, the ever infamous American author Chuck Palahniuk’s “Lullaby”. It was only about half way through this class before I made this connection to this specific fiction based novel. Ultimately realizing the negative consequences that sound and noise can have on individuals. But having said that, this book affected my greatly at the time of me reading it. The book is based around a basic concept of ‘What if words or sounds could kill?’. The basic premise of the novel is an ancient script of a death ‘lullaby’ gets into the hands of an unassuming simple man. The man realizes soon after the discovery this seemingly meaningless string of words that whoever hears this will die. I do realize how ridiculous the premise may sound but after my having finished the novel, I urged so many of my friends to read this book because I had never thought of sound or noise as such a detrimental consequence before. Although I do understand Palahniuk’s deeper philosophy of more ‘if words could kill’, the basic concept remains, what if sounds could kill?

Thinking about sounds you are exposed too, which are commonly an unconscious choice and are exposed to without direct consent, can and do have negative effects on individuals. For example, arguably the most famous term to come from ‘Acoustic Ecology’, noise pollution is exactly that. Droumeva defines ‘noise pollution’ as a… “A recent term used to suggest the destructive effects of excessive sound, usually based on properties of loudness and irritation.” (Droumeva, 2018) Noise pollution does have quite strong effects that can damage individuals psychologically. These effects include: hearing loss, stress, fatigue and sleep deprivation. (Droumeva, 2018) These can cause serious damage to individuals but are a simultaneously seemingly uncontrollable fact of life, as Truax describes it in his book. “For people living in a technologized society, noise becomes a “fact of life,” something one either puts up with (i.e., desensitizes oneself to) or complains about in the hope that some small relief may be obtained.” (Truax, 2000, p.93)

Technological development and simply progress as a society are the cause of noise pollution and therefore necessary, as well as unmanageable. For myself and I feel as though many share similar realizations, it is not until you are away from the noise pollution we are accustomed to that you realize the serenity of a peaceful soundscape. As mentioned in numerous of my peers writings for our online tutorials, it is something we only recognize once directly submerged into a completely different soundscape. From my personal experiences of going so deep into the squamish forest that we no longer have cell service, only then was I able to realize this ‘Hi-Fi’ environment that I am never able to experience within the city. This concept of awareness is included within the module covering psychological effects associated with noise pollution.

Droumeva describes, “If it is no worse than average, nothing’s wrong is a rationalization of the high average noise level to which the population in general has become highly desensitized.” (Droumeva, 2018) This inability to fight or alleviate oneself from the apparently unavoidable ‘noise pollution’ and its psychological effects had me question something. It would have an effect on your conscious mind vs. your subconscious mind, how much could be available of your conscious mind when your subconscious mind is no longer being occupied unknowingly by these effects of sound and noise. Since this noise is continuously causing distress and anxiety unconsciously, what if we were alleviate ourselves from all of this and what could be do with that unconscious part of our mind that is being altered or effected? As a case study in support of the amazing benefits of this academic discipline I would like to introduce the term ASMR. ASMR, also known as Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is a relatively new phenomenon to come into mainstream culture and even newer when it comes to medical research.

Many connections have already been made by studying ASMR through the scope of ‘Acoustic Ecology’. As mentioned by Diego Garro in his article, “Autonomous Meridian Sensory Response – From Internet Subculture to Audiovisual Therapy”, he argues that ASMR has done more in the advancement of ‘Acoustic Ecology’ further than any other project before. (Garro, 2017) ‘Acoustic Ecology’ may be the catalyst in discovering and understanding this overwhelming sensation that is ASMR. People who experience ASMR have also provided insight into its amazing benefits and positive effects as they have claimed it has helped them tremendously with issues such mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and even insomnia. (Barrat & Davis, 2015) As someone who is personally affected by anxiety and depression for the majority of my life, I too use ASMR stimuli to aid myself through panic attacks and depressive episodes. Although myself and thousands like me have made these assertions, there is little medical or scientific research to help explain this. How and why can certain audio stimuli cause such intense relaxation, but perhaps most importantly, a actual physical reaction to that stimuli.

As Emma L. Barratt and Nick J. Davis explain in their article, “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): a flow-like mental state”, “Those who describe ASMR claim it to be an anomalous sensory experience which has thus far escaped the eye of scientific research.” (Barrat & Davis, 2015, p.1) Many individuals like me that experience ASMR describe the feeling as tingles beginning at the scalp that cause deep relaxation. These ‘tingles’ as they are described can travel to the back of the neck and down the spine. This sensation has even been nicknamed as a ‘braingasm’ as a result of its overwhelming sensation and deep relaxation. Specific ‘tiggers’ as they are called, like the sound of paper being cut or nails tapping on a glass jar, cause these intense reactions but why and how? How do these seemingly unassuming sounds help to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. It was not until I learned more about how sounds are actually processed in the ear does this bizarre subculture as ASMR make sense to me. Furthermore, upon learning more about ‘soundscapes’ and specifically the ‘lo-fi’ environments we are most accustomed too, it has made me come to the realization that ASMR is an escape from that overwhelming noise.

‘Lo-Fi’ soundscapes are defined by Droumeva as, Lo-fi sound­scapes are defined as those in which sounds are overcrowded, making individual sounds (and, in particular distant sounds) difficult to hear clearly. Often, they are masked by other sounds. In addition, a lo-fi soundscape will usually have a predominance of certain frequencies—for example, low frequencies—that causes an imbalance in the frequency spectrum of a soundscape. (Droumeva, 2018) ‘Lo-Fi’ environments are the crowded congested sounds that almost become a blur when living in a city and as explained by Droumeva, it is an imbalance that is unsettling to most. Upon further reading into ‘Lo-Fi’ environments counterparts, ‘Hi-Fi’ environments, was I able to make a direct connection to ASMR and ‘Acoustic Ecology’. Listening to the sound example recommended in better understanding ‘Hi-Fi’ environments it quite literally caused me to have the triggered response and sensations I have previously illustrated of ASMR. The recording, provided by the World Soundscape Project, specifically track 2 of Cembra, Italy, is a perfect example of the escape most people seek from the hectic ‘Lo-Fi’ environments we are accustomed too. The isolated sound of rain, accompanied by the light tread of footsteps walking over soft wet gravel, this is the escape I seek nearly every night to aid in my anxiety and insomnia.

As Droumeva elaborates further in defining this recording, “...sounds may be heard clearly without masking audio.png or overcrowding. Notice the resultant sense of acoustic distance, the variety of acoustic spaces present, and the general clear sense of acoustic identity.” (Droumeva, 2018) It is the harmony of the acoustics that differentiates itself from all urban city sounds. As mentioned previously, it is the gravel that illustrates the “different physical spaces present” (Droumeva, 2018) within this specific soundscape that reflects the sound of the footsteps which cause a reverberation. All of these critical aspects of sound working together in creating that balance we seek from ‘Hi-Fi’ environments. In addition to an escape from ‘lo-fi’ environments, I cannot help but connect this idea of escape related to the aforementioned issue of noise pollution and its negative psychological effects.

Noise pollution and ‘Lo-Fi’ environments go seemingly hand in hand causing this unconscious distress of many individuals psychologically. ASMR is that form of escape for thousands from the adverse sound environments we must function and live within. In conclusion, the development of ‘Acoustic Ecology’ has presented us to a world of thinking we were quite simply blissfully unaware of, or at least I know I fell victim too. Utilizing tools and cultivating specific terminologies by this area of study can aid in our awareness of sound and noises direct effects on us as a society. Whether it be the alarmingly negative effects that unconscious sound can have on us psychologically or the newly discovered benefits to utilize sound to our advantage.