Occasioned by meeting with some people, at our town’s Stadtfest at a street location where a band played last century’s folk/pop/rock classics, badly, and amplified to a huge volume. You could only converse if you happened to know sign language, or by leaning over the table and shouting in the other party’s ear, or be exchanging written notes.
The curious thing: some disliked the volume, but some were OK with it, and when I mentioned it in a Facebook thread the next day someone accused me of being a spoilsport who should stay at home when people who want to party, party.
I’d like to pick the minds of people who do like their music very loud at such occasions.
What interests me in particular are situations where people hear the music but do not dance to it - I can relate to but do not share a taste for music drowning out everything when dancing.
My definition of very loud music is :
soft music: you have to concentrate on the music, and even slight background noises make you lose some detail or phrasing
normal volume: you don’t have to concentrate, just listen
loud: you lose no details of the music when people next to you talk
**- very loud: conversation (except by shouting) is impossible. **
So, what are the benefits that you experience with ‘very loud’ music and that are missing with ‘loud’ music?
But seriously, for me personally, I always have trouble using music as background noise, music is always the focus (for example I can’t read and listen to music at the same time) so the music might as well be loud enough to drown out all the creeps around me trying to carry on conversations while the band is playing
Beyond a certain volume, it becomes more about feeling rather than hearing. You’re able to feel the bass in your guts. This can create a sort of overwhelming feeling, which may be desired in a rock concert context. It’s a fine line to tread, though, because pretty soon you will hit the pain threshold, especially for higher frequencies, and you don’t want to permanently damage anyone’s hearing.
It is exciting. You feel it in your body and it is exhilarating.
Seriously, what is the matter with you? I am old now, and no longer like it loud, but I was young once and I have a memory. How old are you? Hadn’t they invented electrical amplification when you were a teen?
Ehhhh. I’m old…er and while I’m fine with having it plenty loud, the volume at your typical club show is such that you’re going to experience “distortion” in your ears because of it. Fine details are going to get lost, blah blah. Also you’ll get out and not be able to hear anything for a day or two. This is why I wear earplugs to shows, but I rather wish I didn’t have to. But the music sounds better with the plugs than without…
It’s easier to hear and easier to feel. If you ever get the chance see The Rolling Stones live. From a distance. They are the loudest act I have ever heard, but the audio is very well balanced. Your whole body feels the sound, particularly the deeper sounds. It really feels great to feel a fun familiar song as well as hear it.
Loud music can affect the heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. Cite
Coupled with a fast beat, this can produce simpatico physical reactions which correlate with stimulation in general; many people find stimulation pleasurable.
Have you ever slow-danced with someone in your arms to really loud music? So loud it makes your bodies vibrate together? So I wear a hearing aid now, it was worth it.
Sometimes when I’m in a good mood, I’ll play certain “feel good” songs and crank the volume WAY UP!
It’s not good for my hearing, but I paid $2600 for the 11-speaker Bose Surround Sound in my car, so I like to use it once it in a while. (The Power Moonroof was also included in that price, I wouldn’t have paid $2600 just for an audio system)…
Sometimes you want to feel your music. If your guts aren’t vibrating, it isn’t loud enough.
Of course, this is from someone who at age 4 would physically attach herself to the back of the piano when the church organist was noodling around on it after church. There’s something so intense and pleasurable about having the music impacting your whole body.
Pros for super-loud: don’t have to deal with conversation, can’t hear car alarms or sirens in the vicinity, everyone else listens to what you pick (whether they want to or not), physical pain (for the masochist), those who’ve invested in hearing aid companies can look forward to greater demand for that product in the future.
Cons: physical pain (for those who are not masochists), hostility from neighbors/passersby who don’t want to share your “taste” in “music” (seems to me the loudest stereos tend to belong to those with the worst taste in noise), occasional conversations with people with badges responding to noise complaints (especially later in the evening), occasional conversations with building managers (if a renter) regarding complaints from sleep-deprived neighbors, you miss important things going on around you such as that hot guy/girl who just propositioned you but you couldn’t hear it, possibly higher power bills, possibly damage to your car from all the vibration, probable long-term hearing loss…
Just my middle-aged opinion. Yes, I own an iPod and like music, but I consider pain in my ears or head or inability to hear a conversation in the same room a signal that it’s too loud.
So if you’re just doing it for the feeling, why bother with the music part at all? I’ve felt what you guys are describing at marching band practice when I was in a room with all the percussionists. (They had earplugs, I didn’t.) I didn’t need any tonal music or singers.
To me, if you’re going to have that stuff, then you must want people to be able to listen to it. It seems like those who wear earplugs get the best of both worlds.
