RE: a woman's ears

[Laurie Hatch <lahatch@dnai.com>]

Sarajane, thanks for writing!  You've touched on something I've 
experienced, 
but did not realize had been scientifically documented.  (S's post is 
copied at 
end...)

Invariably, xy's I've played with have been able to handle louder high 
frequency volumes onstage than I, some by a considerable margin.  (Maybe 
that's 
one reason why I'm into bass %^). This doesn't mean I don't like it 
totally 
intense and balls to the wall!  Plus, overall I think my musical tastes 
are 
usually as out there as anybody's.  So it may well be that, as you suggest 
Sarajane, in some situations volume can have more to do with discomfort 
than 
musical content.  Non-musicians may not necessarily be able to articulate 
the 
difference.

However, some people are just more into mainstream stuff than others (re 
the 
bedraggled "Anti-Spouse Forces Theorem" thread).  Developing a taste for 
more 
fringe and eclectic music is a not only a function of personality, but 
also of 
experience and exposure.  For instance, recently when I listened to what 
had 
been a favorite cd for the first time in about 15 years - I was really 
surprised how slick and unimaginative it sounded now.  (I got off on 
*that*?) 
 Guess it's mostly because I've been listening to and playing more 
experimental 
stuff in the interim.  That's a good sign!

The point is, if one's significant other/friend/partner isn't a musician 
or 
audiophile, maybe their lack of musical "sophistication" lies in part 
because 
they haven't had the advantage or pleasure of learning to listen in the 
ways 
that we as musicians do.  If one of the reasons they are with us is 
because of 
our musical natures, maybe we can more systematically (and patiently!) 
help 
them develop that part of themselves as well.

laurie


Sarajane's post:
Dear Loopers
     The recent "my girlfriend" thread reminds me of the old folk song
"momma don't  allow no guitar playing round here". But so far, no
one has mentioned the fact that there are actual physical differences
in HOW men and women perceive sound....for instance, female ears
are able to hear in higher ranges than most males. This effect is 
especially
pronounced at times of hormonal surges, and many women find those
high (screechy) notes physically uncomfortable. The biological reasons
(and I'm not making this up; I've read the medical/scientific studies on 
this)
behind this seem to be pointing towards millions of years of conditioning
females to hear those babies (high pitched and loud in their frequencies)
and it causes a certain biological trigger (make it stop!). This is 
especially
true of REPETITIVE (ie loops, anyone?) loud, high pitched sound. And while
women, especially when in MOM mode, have a certain amount of tolerance
built up for repetition (Mom? Mom? Mom? Can I...Mom?)they may not always
choose to seek it out recreationally....
    And did anyone see the article in the newspaper this week about the
inner ear differences (structureally speaking) between lesbian inner ears
and heterosexual female inner ears? Seems the lesbian ears are more
like men's ears......perhaps because of hormonal differences while still
in the womb....
    However, NO sweeping generalities can be made when talking about
sensory awareness---I'm female, and I LOVE many kinds of loop music,
even loud, even odd pitches....I lived with a bagpiper once, who played
 in the house on bad weather days. and it was great! And 17 years
of listening to Bryan's music has not bored me---though there are the
occasional high notes that drive me from the room....
                                          Sarajane Helm