# best use of silence in music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014 "2003-03-09T02:12:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![percussion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@percussion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percussion)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/21 "2003-03-10T00:12:11Z")
THANK YOU Theom …i was getting ready for a post similar to yours as i was reading. John Cage is not talentless…hes opened our ears…not to mention he wrote some of the first pieces for percussion ensemble…and being a percussionist, i apreciate that! If you let yourself go a little you will apreciate what he does a lot more… -ed ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/22 "2003-03-10T08:26:05Z")
While I appreciate your interpretation, **Theom** , in that case why the heck did the current copyright owners sue Mike Batt? ---
**Author:** ![darksight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@darksight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darksight)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/23 "2003-03-10T08:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Theom \* > \*\*D’oh D’oh and double D’oh. John Cage did not have a piece of work that consisted of 4 minutes and thirty three seconds of silence. What he had was 4 minute and thirty three seconds where he did not produce any music, the point was that the piece was created by the sounds of the people listening. The squeeking of chairs, the clearing of throats, he wanted for people to understand that background noise can be as essential to a piece of music as anything else. \*\* Well I guess this comes under the heading all art is subjective. But, to many have pointed out this simple concept within real Pieces of musical artwork. Think of the work of Tom Waits and others who use ambient sounds or Brian Eno. In my opinion John Cage was quite tone deaf and couldn’t really create music so he did what he could. Nothing ~ Big Deal ~ ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/24 "2003-03-10T12:46:53Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by Ludovic_ > Worst: > Dashboard Confessional: > “I’m the only one locked in this cell…” > [silence] > the reason its the worst, is because the silence lasts for a seemingly random time. I cant go with the “rhythm” of the song to determine when the music is gonna come back, and thats extremely annoying. I just thought that he paused for the length of time it took for that guitar chord to ring out. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/25 "2003-03-10T15:20:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferrous \* > \*\*I was going to mention the Alanis Morrissette one. > > I was rather annoyed when I heard a newer radio edit of that song, and they’d covered that second and a half of silence with a drum track, completely ruining it. \*\* reminds me of the Dance Remix of “I’m too sexy” I’m too sexy for this song, too sexy for this song, too sexy for this song…" :wally :wally :wally :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/26 "2003-03-10T15:29:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferrous \* > \*\*I was going to mention the Alanis Morrissette one. > > I was rather annoyed when I heard a newer radio edit of that song, and they’d covered that second and a half of silence with a drum track, completely ruining it. \*\* reminds me of the Dance Remix of “I’m too sexy” I’m too sexy for this song, too sexy for this song, too sexy for this song…" :wally :wally :wally :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Hepcat421](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/34f0e0/32.png) [@Hepcat421](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hepcat421)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/27 "2003-03-10T15:33:16Z")
Novocaine For The Soul - Eels ---
**Author:** ![Banger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Banger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banger)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/28 "2003-03-10T16:41:05Z")
“Waiting Room” by Fugazi. The song starts off with a repeating baseline, and about 20 seconds into it, the bass stops. After a 5 second pause, the bass starts again, now accompanied with drums. It’s a great song, not necessarily because of the pause, but the pause works well in the start of the song. Also helping was the fact that “Waiting Room” was the first track on the first Fugazi E.P., making “Waiting Room”, the bassline, and the pause all part of an interesting opening to an album. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/29 "2003-03-10T16:51:59Z")
I’m rather fond of the technique of dramatic pause in music, but the only example I can think of at the moment is Cockney Rebel’s _Come Up And See Me_ ---
**Author:** ![Dryga\_Yes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/30 "2003-03-10T17:56:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by darksight \* > \*\*Well I guess this comes under the heading all art is subjective. > But, to many have pointed out this simple concept within real Pieces of musical artwork. Think of the work of Tom Waits and others who use ambient sounds or Brian Eno. In my opinion John Cage was quite tone deaf and couldn’t really create music so he did what he could. > > Nothing ~ > > Big Deal ~ \*\* John Cage predates them both by a wide margin. Eno made his influential ambient stuff in the 70’s, John Cage was experimenting with musique concrete in the 30’s. While I can’t stand listening to most of the avant-garde “scene” that Cage was a part of, I can still recognise the influence they’ve had on other genres of music. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/31 "2003-03-10T17:56:48Z")
First of all, John Cage is dead. He is not the one who sued. Those who own the copyright sued. But the main point, as far as I remember when the story first broke, is that the second guy who used a “track of silence” actually \* credited \* John Cale in the liner notes. Even as a joke, it qualifies as recognition that the idea was lifted from elsewhere, and therefore compensation is owed to the owners of “4’33” 's copyright. I am no lawyer, but that was my impression. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/32 "2003-03-10T17:58:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferrous \* > \*\*I was rather annoyed when I heard a newer radio edit of that song, and they’d covered that second and a half of silence with a drum track, completely ruining it. \*\* Well, isn’t that ironic? Don’t you think? ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/33 "2003-03-10T20:13:44Z")
Robert Palmer’s song “Looking for Clues” has a false ending with a moment of silence, that’s very effectively done. I’m normally not a big fan of Madonna (understatement, for which read: I hate most everything she does). However, one song I like by her is “Don’t Tell Me”, which has a few beats of silence that break up the first few lines very well. ---
**Author:** ![Theom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@Theom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theom)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/34 "2003-03-10T20:14:32Z")
\*\* darksight \*\* John Cage was not a musician. He was an artist who also produced music as part of his art. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/35 "2003-03-11T12:08:27Z")
“Good Lovin’” by the Rascals. There are a lot of DJs who can’t resist hollering something during that split-second pause. ---
**Author:** ![darksight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@darksight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darksight)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/36 "2003-03-11T12:30:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Theom \* > \*\*\*\* darksight \*\* John Cage was not a musician. He was an artist who also produced music as part of his art. \*\* I think all this talk of Cage is getting to be a Hi - Jack. Especially since this is not what the original poster was looking for. I realize that I don’t know that much about what Mr. Cage was doing but what I have seen is not art to me thats all I’m saying. Kinda like all the silly Corporate paintings of nothing hanging in offices that any child could have painted. :o ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/37 "2003-03-11T15:14:36Z")
The ten second silence during the acoustic re-recording of “Space Oddity” by David Bowie. It’s a bonus track on the CD of _Scary Monsters_. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/38 "2003-03-11T15:23:39Z")
I’m partial to the coola-as-hell dividing pause in Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper”. Sweet’s “Love is Like Oxygen” has a similarly well-placed pause. ---
**Author:** ![Marathon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Marathon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marathon)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/39 "2003-03-11T15:35:31Z")
The big pause before the unexpectedly quiet and utterly bleak ending of _Don Juan_ by Richard Strauss. It’s in my mind because I saw the CSO play it last week, and that pause was stretched out…and there was not a single sound from the entire audience during it. It just went on, and on, and on, and the effect was magical. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hepcat421 \* > \*\*Novocaine For The Soul - Eels \*\* Absolutely. “Before I sputter out,” indeed! Here’s a fun one: I have a weakness for the measure of silence in Badfinger’s “No Matter What” that occurs right before one of the last statements of “Ooh girl, ooh girl, with you!” ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014/40 "2003-03-12T00:08:52Z")
The best moment of silence for me is in Belle and Sebastian’s “Mayfly”. When they performed this on the Black session, the crowd started clapping politely, only to be knocked out on the upswing. If any of the audience had ever actually \* listened \* to Belle and Sebastian before, they would have expected the pause. (This is the point when I stop before I rant bitterly. If \* I \* had been in the audience, I would have known when to clap.) :mad: 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-use-of-silence-in-music/160014.md?page=3)