Psychoacoustics: The Power of Sound

Every day, we hear a wide variety of sounds and noises that our brains must process for us so that we can make sense out of them. Some of these noises can be pleasant and others can be jarring. A nice piece of classical music can be soothing, but if your dog starts barking in your ears, then you might lose that soothing feeling. Psychoacoustics is basically the study of these psychological and physiological interactions with sound. Obviously, the way a sonata makes us feel is entirely different than the way Rover’s yap makes us feel.

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Arrrrrgh my ears are ringing! (Part 1) - I have Tinnitus

I was never that super cool dude with the booming car stereo, where the sub-woofers significantly caused diminished trunk space, or the super cool kid on the bus with the loud iPod anyone can hear from more than 5 feet away;  Best yet, where I’m from in Jamaica, the dude in front of the speaker box at the session (alternative word for party) acting like the ridiculously loud volume is not bothering him.  Instead, I am the guy that complains about volume levels in the rehearsal room, at the sound check, and during the gig.  I’m the guy that wears ear plugs only on rare occasions, but could never sing with them because of this and that, so just never used them much.  That’s unfortunate, because now I’m the guy with TINNITUS.

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Annoying music sends shoppers heading for the exits

Study illustrates the danger of retailers leaving the sound of their brand to chance

Half of Britain’s shoppers have left a store because they were annoyed by the music. This is the result of a study carried out by Immedia Plc, which develops music strategies for retailers. 

The findings illustrate the danger High Street brands face by not developing a suitable ‘sound’ for their brand.

1,000+ shoppers were asked both about their attitude to in-store music, and about how music affects them psychologically and emotionally. 

Key results are as follows:

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Finding Affordable Mixing & Mastering

With the low prices of recording equipment and software, it is no surprise that the number of musicians trying to make it big on a DIY budget is on the rise. Seasoned industry veterans will testify that not only does an artist need to possess the talent and determination to succeed in the music business but their success depends on the team of dedicated industry professionals surrounding the artist. As more and more layoffs take place within major labels, these professionals become more accessible to the little man.

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