Bass Music Kills Student?

An article on the front page of the Metro today claims that "Loud Bass Music" was responsible for the Death of a student at Londons Koko club on September 27th this year.

Aside from the fact that the article was full of maybes, and that the coroners report suggested natural causes, it is quite a rarity to see a sound related article on the front of a national newspaper.

Condolences to Tom Reids family.

See the full article here
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/805430-loud-bass-music-killed-student-tom-reid

Quiet Times

Having recently listened to the excellent Trevor Cox Save our Sounds documentaries I have been thinking about how we are losing our quiet times. Trevor discusses the fact that cities are not really getting noisier, but rather that quiet space is becoming harder to find within them as more space is used commercially or for habitation. But how do our changing lives effect quiet times too?

With life in Britain becoming faster, working hours long and varied, and in turn social life too, there are less times to find quiet. Now by quiet I don't mean silent, but rather peaceful, different from the bustle and pace of noisier times.

Here in Central Manchester for example, early Sunday mornings is one of those times, where until about 9.30am it is relatively peaceful. Soon after though it is just as busy as any other day, as the shops open sending their competing Muzak into the streets and crowds of people bring footsteps and chatter.

And yet to many people Sunday is still a day to rest and relax, the majority of office workers are not working, but with people living right in the city centre and the shops open almost a full day, it sounds the same as any other. Until the Sunday Trading Act was passed in 1994 though, the majority of shops did not open at all on a Sunday, giving the day a quieter soundscape, distinct from the other days of the week.

Another law that has had an effect on quiet times is the Licensing Act 2003, which since coming in to play in 2005 has seen a small but steady rise in pubs opening later, particularly at weekends.

By closing their doors at one or two, pubs ensure that the streets are busy and filled with sound well into the next morning, rather than peaking after last orders at eleven and then quietening down after twelve once the majority of people are in a club or back home.

In my opinion it is a good idea, but it is a prime example of what Trevor discusses. The actual level of noise and disturbance at any one time is probably less than it used to be at its peak, but the constant stream of people moving around town throughout the night means that there is actually less quiet time to be found.

It is important to progress, and both of these acts were necessary given the changing working habits in Britain, but I do find it interesting how they can have such an affect on our soundscapes and much more thought needs to be put into ensuring that we do not lose quiet time and space from the public arena all together.

The Sound of Recession

So what is the sound of recession?

Economic decline can have a major impact on our soundscapes, both in the private and public environment. I know that in a way the recession has made my home a quieter place, as a half finished development stands untouched just a few meters from my window. The sound of workmen, banging metal and sawing wood are all absent, replaced just by the gentle flapping in the wind of the plastic sheeting that hangs from the roof.

I am currently undertaking research into how the current recession has affected the sounds of our lives and would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Is your life quieter because of the slowing of construction? Has a new job or unemployment bought about new sounds? Are once bustling streets now deserted and quiet? Does an increased consciousness of money lead you toward different activities with different soundscapes?

I would be really grateful to hear about any of your thoughts and experiences around the subject, so to tell me your stories, or for more information about the project, please email me at envirosonic@live.co.uk or just leave a comment below.

thanks
Carl

Noise and Mental Performance

I have just been reading a really interesting report into Noise and Mental Performance by a team of researchers from the University of Belgrade.

They bring together evidence demonstrating that exposure to background noise has a detrimental affect on our ability to carry out mental tasks, but go further to explain how different personality traits tend to react differently to noise.

Those with more extrovert personalities tend to have a higher threshold and can perform mental tasks with a relative amount of background noise without showing signs of reduced performance. Whereas the mental performance of those with more introvert personalities tend to suffer at a much lower level.

They go on to explain how this can cause less extrovert people to perform worse at work, firstly by affecting their ability to think and act and secondly by encouraging them to finish tasks quicker and less thoroughly to escape the uncomfortable situation.

There are many other factors to take into consideration but it is interesting to think about the various components that contribute to our differing personalities and how these in turn can help and hinder us in life.

Click here for the full report

Wall of Silence

Found out recently why the huge concrete structure dividing Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens and the Tram and Bus station was designed the way it was by architect Tado Ando. The shape and materials were used specifically to reduce noise from the buses and trams into the gardens.

More about it here