DEAFNOTES004: Broken Harmonies
The Art of Sonic Chaos
In the realm of music, especially within the avant-garde sphere of experimental art and electronic soundscapes, the quest for the perfect, harmonious tone is a relentless driving force. For centuries, artists and composers have strived to capture and mold the essence of sound in its purest form. Yet, what does this perfect sound mean in a world suffused with noise and distortion? Living with severe inner ear hearing loss and relying on hearing aids, I often find myself caught in the tension between the ideal of clear sound and the reality of distorted perception. I frequently question whether this perfect sound is even attainable.
The pursuit of sonic perfection has a long history. In antiquity, philosophers and musicians like Pythagoras searched for mathematical harmonies that permeate the universe, elevating music to a form of divine order. Pythagoras envisioned the universe as a perfectly harmonious and mathematically ordered system, where numbers and proportions are the fundamental principles connecting all phenomena. He believed that mathematical laws applied not only to music but also to the entire cosmic order. This idea manifested in his concept of the "music of the spheres," where the movements of celestial bodies like planets and stars produce harmonic sounds inaudible to the human ear. These cosmic sounds reflect the mathematical relationships found in musical intervals, illustrating how the universe is governed by a system of harmony and balance. This notion underscored the belief that studying mathematics and music could offer deeper insights into the nature and structure of reality.
This idea evolved during the Renaissance, as composers like Johann Sebastian Bach promoted the "well-tempered" sound that promised perfect balance between keys. In the 20th century, electronic music pioneers embraced this quest. Composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen and John Cage experimented with new sounds and techniques to push the boundaries of traditional music. They posed the question: Can technology create the perfect sound?
Dissonant Echoes
Interestingly, the quest for harmony in music history has always intertwined with the exploration of dissonance and disharmony. While classical music often emphasized harmonic consonance, dissonance was introduced as a means of creating emotional and intellectual depth. As early as the Middle Ages, composers experimented with dissonance to express specific emotions or tell musical stories. A prominent example is Guillaume de Machaut and the Ars Nova.
Guillaume de Machaut, a leading composer of the Ars Nova in the 14th century, used dissonance innovatively. In his "Messe de Nostre Dame," one of the first polyphonic Masses attributed to a single composer, dissonance emphasized the spiritual and emotional weight of the texts. These dissonances heightened feelings of awe and spirituality, conveying the depth of religious experience. In passages concerning suffering or redemption, the dissonant sounds created a sense of urgency and introspection. In the "Kyrie," Machaut used dissonance to underscore the prayer's pleading and humble mood. The use of close intervals and dissonant harmonies intensified the sense of tension and reverence.
Machaut's work with complex rhythmic structures and dissonant intervals sent listeners on an intense emotional journey. Dissonance was crucial for achieving greater expressiveness and a sense of uncertainty or urgency.
These techniques laid the foundation for later musical developments and the increasingly free use of dissonance in composition. Dissonance became a tool for creating contrasts and challenging audience expectations. Modern composers like Arnold Schoenberg and Igor Stravinsky revolutionized music through the use of atonality and complex rhythmic structures, breaking traditional harmonic patterns. This musical upheaval transformed perceptions of sound and opened new aesthetic possibilities in music.
In electronic and experimental music, the approach to dissonance and disharmony has continued to evolve. Artists like Brian Eno and Aphex Twin use unconventional sounds and structures to create soundscapes that transport the listener to new acoustic worlds. Dissonance serves not only as a stylistic device but also as an expression of a creative process that questions the familiar and explores the new. Aphex Twin, for instance, employs dissonance to generate emotional intensity and sonic tension in his tracks, challenging and often unsettling the listener. He integrates unconventional harmonies and dissonant sounds to craft complex and unexpected soundscapes that challenge traditional musical structures. This use of dissonance contributes to his unique and innovative sonic aesthetic, establishing him as a pioneer in the electronic music scene.
A great example of Aphex Twin's work with dissonance is the track "Ventolin". Released in 1995, "Ventolin" is known for its abrasive sonic texture and is often described as one of the harshest and most uncomfortable pieces of electronic music. The title "Ventolin" refers to an asthma medication containing salbutamol (known as Ventolin in some regions). Richard D. James, the mind behind Aphex Twin, was reportedly inspired by the side effects of this medication, particularly the high, tinnitus-like ringing it can cause. The track reflects this unpleasant sensation through its piercing and dissonant sound, acoustically simulating the physical and psychological effects of tinnitus. With its intense use of distorted synthesizers and harsh, industrial sounds, "Ventolin" explores the boundary between music and noise, typical of Aphex Twin's experimental approach. The piece challenges listeners by breaking the conventions of musical enjoyment and questioning the concept of music as a pleasant experience.
Sound and Sensory Disarray
To understand why authentic sound is difficult for people with inner ear hearing loss to achieve, it helps to examine the scientific foundations of hearing. The human ear is a highly complex organ that captures sound waves and converts them into electrical signals interpreted by the brain. The process begins in the outer ear, where sound waves are captured and directed to the eardrum. From there, they are transmitted through the middle ear bones to the inner ear.
The inner ear contains the cochlea, a fluid-filled structure housing thousands of tiny hair cells responsible for converting sound waves into electrical impulses. In people with inner ear hearing loss, these hair cells are damaged or destroyed, leading to a loss of hearing ability. Depending on the degree of damage, different frequencies may be poorly perceived or not perceived at all, significantly affecting sound perception.
For those with inner ear hearing loss, sound is often experienced differently than for those with normal hearing. While hearing aids can help compensate for the loss by amplifying sound, they cannot restore sound in its natural form. One major reason is that hearing aids, while increasing volume, cannot faithfully reproduce the fine nuances of sound, such as timbre and pitch.
In the opposite extreme, for someone with absolute pitch—the ability to identify tones without reference—the accurate perception of pitch offers a deeper connection to music. This ability is often linked to a specific neurobiological predisposition that people with hearing loss cannot possess, as they cannot achieve precise frequency processing.
Another challenge for people with hearing aids is distinguishing between speech and background noise. In noisy environments, these sounds often merge, making it difficult to follow conversations or enjoy music. Hearing aids must differentiate between important and unimportant sounds, a task that often works only to a limited extent in practice. Additionally, moisture, such as sweat in summer, can impair the function of hearing aids, leading to additional distortions and failures.
Every day, I am confronted with a multitude of disruptive noises that affect my perception. Whether it's the noise of the street, the hum of the air conditioning, or the chatter in a café—all these sounds blend into an inseparable tapestry of sound. My hearing aids help filter these noises, but often the sound becomes distorted and altered. The clarity and authenticity many take for granted remain a challenge for me.
In summer, the situation becomes even more difficult. Heat and humidity significantly affect the performance of my hearing aids. Sweat can seep into the devices and impair their performance. This results in distortions and failures, making it even harder to distinguish voices and ambient sounds. Often, I feel trapped in an endless ocean of noise, unable to tame or control the waves.
SIDE STORY: From time to time, I annoy my audiologists with the question of why it's 2024, and while we can carry compressed high-performance computers in our pockets, we still don't have waterproof hearing aids. The reason fully waterproof hearing aids don't exist lies in several technical challenges. Hearing aids must keep sensitive microphones open to receive sound, making them vulnerable to water. Additionally, the miniaturization and complexity of the electronic components require ventilation, which complicates complete sealing. The battery compartments and charging mechanisms are further weak points in water resistance. Although waterproof technologies would significantly increase production costs, there are already water-resistant models certified to IP67 or IP68, offering protection against splashes and sweat. Advances in materials and nanotechnology may allow the development of fully waterproof hearing aids in the future.
These daily challenges lead me to ponder whether the perfect sound can even exist. Is it perhaps just an illusion, an ideal that sounds different to every person? The beauty of music often lies in its imperfection, in the small deviations and disturbances that give it character and depth. Experimental music, in particular, demonstrates that the imperfect and chaotic can possess its own aesthetic.
Conclusion
For me, the perfect sound is not just a matter of technical perfection but also of emotional resonance. It's about experiencing music in a way that strikes a chord within me—even if that chord is sometimes out of tune. In experimental music, I find a freedom and acceptance of the imperfect that provides solace and inspiration.
The definition of perfection varies from person to person. For someone like me, living with hearing loss, the perfect sound may be unattainable, but that does not make it any less valuable. Instead, I have learned to appreciate the sounds and noises of the world in all their variety—even if they sometimes appear blurred or distorted.
In both music and life, it’s not about achieving the impossible, but about experiencing the possible in its most beautiful form. Perhaps true perfection lies in accepting imperfection and in finding one’s place amidst chaos. By freeing ourselves from the notion of perfect sound, we can build a deeper connection with ourselves and our surroundings and enjoy music in all its facets.
The perfect sound may be an illusion for me, but the journey to find it is as enriching as the music itself. Through my experiences, I have learned that the perception of sound goes far beyond the physical and is a deeply personal and emotional experience.
I’m new to your writing and finding it fascinating. The part here about perfect/imperfect sound chimes with me - a similar notion inspired the title of my album ‘NOTHING IS PERFECT, EVERYTHING IS PERFECT’.