When I was a child, Sony debuted its Mega Bass technology. Other electronics manufacturers followed suit with their own versions; Bass Boost, Max-Bass, Dbb, Bass X-tend, etc. The majority of the music I listened to while growing up was hip-hop. Some of it was considered "gangsta rap" and centered on violence, oppression, and life in the ghettos of America. Most of the listening was done through headphones, plugged into a Walkman. Maximum volume, maximum bass, no sound distortion. All tapes, all day. In retrospect it's interesting, thinking of the hardcore lessons, messages, and beats drilled into my head from such depths of the underground. As I was growing up, right next to me was the evolution and commercialization of the art form. Before rap music became the new pop music, the education derived from nearly all recorded artists was incredible, especially by today's standards. In looking back, YO! MTV Raps is the greatest example of how times have changed. The videos played and studio guests were the best, and most respected of their time. Though rocking the freshest styles of their era, these men and women were on stage for their talents, not for the degree to which they sold out, how many commercials they appeared in, or how many award shows they attended. Can you remember when MTV stood for rebellion and original creative expression? It seems like forever ago. I guess it was forever ago.
In my early teens, I began to take great interest in movies, how they were made, and who made them. I was intrigued and clued myself into aspect ratios, film stock vs. video, filmmakers, actors, and perhaps above all, sound. Film scoring became a fascination of mine. Instrumental music, largely from the movies, was one of my first real passions. In my opinion, soundtracks remain one of the most under-appreciated forms of music in the world. In the beginning of middle school I began to fully understand the way stereo components worked. It was then that I connected my family VCR to the home stereo. Realistic brand receiver, wood housed 2-way floor speakers, Hitachi 4-head hi-fi stereo VCR. Bass. Treble. Volume. I credit this single move with generating my interest in film making. All of a sudden, watching movies at home became awesome.
Thus began the trend of Pumping up the Volume. I had been blasting music in my earphones for years, but this was the start of something new. This was also the birth of the "turn it down, it's too loud" people. From headphones, to automobiles, to home entertainment centers . . . theater quality and quantity audio became the benchmark. The only variable; noise pollution; interfering with others sleep, disturbing the neighbors. I'm not sure of anywhere I've lived since at home in high school where I didn't receive at least one noise complaint . . as usual, keeping it real yields disadvantages as well.
The theme of the essay is simply this; life happens in full volume. The events of your day do not have a volume control knob. When in a movie theater, at a ball game, or at a concert . . you do not have the ability to reach for the remote. The volume is loud and proud as it was designed to be. Whether you're seeing a country, hip-hop, or classical performance, the volume has been carefully engineered and calibrated . . and it is loud. When a lion roars, a fire trucks' siren is blaring, a crowd erupts in applause, or the sky explodes with fireworks . . there is no volume control . . or mute button. That is life happening, full tilt, full stereo surround sound. Nature, and the artists aligned with it, recognize the value of volume . . and the fact that the audience has no say in it.
We have gotten so very accustomed as a people to get what we want, just when we want it. We have "the power" to change the channel on news we don't want to hear, "to block" messages from those who's postings have gotten to annoying to bare, to select what we will from countless options worldwide. Immersion is the action. Absorb the world around you. Grab existence by the horns. Live life to its maximum potential. Turn the volume up, not down.
i like when the thx audio logo initiates, you know there is no fucking around.
ReplyDeleteHard at work on your memoirs, I see, lol!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, there are many reasons that you can't expect everyone to want everything around them on overdrive.
One, have a baby who is fussy, and you'll discover your Inner "Turn It Dowwwwwn!" Yeller Within.
Second, be somebody with some sensory integration issues, which is an estimated 10% of the population. For them, EVERY MINUTE can be an overload of sound or sights or smells or tactile sensation. It's easy to be driven crazy.
Third, be somebody tired. Tired of being harassed or stared at or told what to do. Tired of being abused. Tired of being scared every time a man walks up too close behind too quickly. Tired of others violating their personal space, their safe space. Tired of other people's BS, stupidity, arrogance or even just their callous disregard for the boundaries that make good neighbors.
We've created a society that allows technology to dictate current social norms. We worship our "stuff" more than we respect our brethren and sistren. So if the cell phone Blue Tooth needs you to holler so your friend across town can hear you better, what do you care if a woman is in line a foot behind you, in the next seat on the bus, walking towards you wondering why you're looking her way and yelling? You and your devices say "Turn it up!" And these days that seems to be more important than listening with respect when someone says to respect their rights as much as your own.