Sir Roger Scruton observed how distracting music in public spaces can be since it has a way of commanding our mental attention to follow it. So even beautiful music at a reasonable volume can still be distracting when played during an intimate dinner, for example.
I'm not sure if I completely agree with Scruton here. While I know that amazing music can distract us (in a positive way) from other things, good music, especially when it is instrumental, doesn't ruin my concentration on things the way that negative noises do. This is why some of it is contextual and personal.
Discussing the noise levels in a super cool, high end local restaurant recently , a sound consultant told me that high noise levels induce higher table turnover, meaning more $$$. Has it become hip to be too noisy so diners can’t hold conversations over dinner?
I’m not sure what drives the music volume to be so loud that people have to raise their voices sitting across from each other. It can be quite frustrating.
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. I hate how defeatist everyone is around noise, like we have to accept the incredible disruption of the soundscape by machines we made as if they are some divine dictate or natural law.
Car horns and tire roll resistance are very high on my anger points. Drivers hitting the horns make me violently angry but of there was less of everything else maybe drivers bring selfish gremlins wouldn't be as bad or, at least, would make their behaviour more obviously repugnant.
This is hugely important and largely ignored. I’ve always been bothered by loud noises, and was one of those odd teens who couldn’t go to concerts without ear plugs. I still can’t. I even notice some TV shows have the music volume up to a level that competes with voices. Why do we want to drown each other out? Thanks for pointing this out, Michael.
Sir Roger Scruton observed how distracting music in public spaces can be since it has a way of commanding our mental attention to follow it. So even beautiful music at a reasonable volume can still be distracting when played during an intimate dinner, for example.
I'm not sure if I completely agree with Scruton here. While I know that amazing music can distract us (in a positive way) from other things, good music, especially when it is instrumental, doesn't ruin my concentration on things the way that negative noises do. This is why some of it is contextual and personal.
Discussing the noise levels in a super cool, high end local restaurant recently , a sound consultant told me that high noise levels induce higher table turnover, meaning more $$$. Has it become hip to be too noisy so diners can’t hold conversations over dinner?
I’m not sure what drives the music volume to be so loud that people have to raise their voices sitting across from each other. It can be quite frustrating.
Ha! They don’t even play music…the accoustical design, or rather lack of it.
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. I hate how defeatist everyone is around noise, like we have to accept the incredible disruption of the soundscape by machines we made as if they are some divine dictate or natural law.
From the incessant beeping noise from small trucks backing up to the ads playing on gas station pumps, we have so much unnecessary noise!
Car horns and tire roll resistance are very high on my anger points. Drivers hitting the horns make me violently angry but of there was less of everything else maybe drivers bring selfish gremlins wouldn't be as bad or, at least, would make their behaviour more obviously repugnant.
I live on a busy street so car noises, including unreasonably loud music, are at the top of my noise pollution issue.
This is hugely important and largely ignored. I’ve always been bothered by loud noises, and was one of those odd teens who couldn’t go to concerts without ear plugs. I still can’t. I even notice some TV shows have the music volume up to a level that competes with voices. Why do we want to drown each other out? Thanks for pointing this out, Michael.
The strange thing to me is that we have much better speaker quality, so you’d think it would be better balanced.