[Wrao]

So, whenever you go, well, just about anywhere. There is usually a set of speakers in the ceiling playing soft rock/ pop radio stations. Quiet, heavily compressed, bland music to provide some atmosphere or otherwise fill the empty void humans create by ignoring each other all the time. It is a funny thing because, despite the music itself being exceptionally vapid and trivial(even when a great song plays, in this context it's never appreciated). When the music stops.... things get eerie.

I don't know what happened to cause the radio to stop yesterday while I was at the UPS store, but I do know that it made 5 people very uncomfortable. Ironically, when the music came back on 4 minutes later it was no loner on a soft-rock station and instead had been flipped to a local hip hop station that was debuting a new krunk'd single from the drrty souf. Again, 5 people were made uncomfortable.

That's not even to mention the muzak station that plays at my local burrito place. A couple weeks ago I heard a lovely rendition of Dave Brubeck's classic odd-time opus "take 5"... in 4.

[Majost]

You'd be surprised how much thought goes in to some stores' Muzak™. They choose songs that pace you more slowly, and have been tested to sell more. It's kinda scary.

On a slightly related note, Discreet Music by Brian Eno (iTunes) is specifically designed to be ambient music. He got the idea while hospitalized, just barely able to hear some music... and unable to turn it off or up. So, in that vein, this album is supposed to be listened to a barely audible volumes. So low, in fact, that you can only hear it if you concentrate.

[DMBand0026]

Target doesn't play music, it's very weird.

That is all.

[Wrao]

Originally Posted by DMBand0026 Target doesn't play music, it's very weird. That is all.

!

I was at target today, and I noticed that! I thought the radio might have been busted there too.

[DMBand0026]

No, it's not busted, they just don't play music. It bothers me like you wouldn't believe. It makes the whole store very uncomfortable. As much as I like Target, I'm not down with the no music thing.

[Wrao]

Originally Posted by DMBand0026 No, it's not busted, they just don't play music. It bothers me like you wouldn't believe. It makes the whole store very uncomfortable. As much as I like Target, I'm not down with the no music thing.

See? this is the point of the thread basically. It's a weird sensation that not having music in indoor public places is often unsettling. Even places that are expected to be quiet like libraries are still kind of weird.

A friend of mine postulated that it has something to do with innate programming to associate the sound of unnatural silence with danger. Which is to say, out in nature, whenever it is silent(no birds or anything) there is usually something bad coming. Kind of a stretch, but not too unbelievable.

[Dave]

I like it when stores and restaurants don't play music. It's usually some nasty cover that makes me cringe when I think about how much better the original is.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Wrao Which is to say, out in nature, whenever it is silent(no birds or anything) there is usually something bad coming.

Yeah, the birds are scared of me

[DMBand0026]

I don't mind it in most places, like smaller shops, libraries, bookstores, or even restaurants. However, there's something about Target that makes me think it should have music, maybe it's because it's the only store of that size in the entire world that doesn't have music. It's just weird and it is a situation that needs rectifying.

[Wrao]

Originally Posted by DMBand0026 I don't mind it in most places, like smaller shops, libraries, bookstores, or even restaurants. However, there's something about Target that makes me think it should have music, maybe it's because it's the only store of that size in the entire world that doesn't have music. It's just weird and it is a situation that needs rectifying.

Restaurants have enough ambient noise as is, clattering of tables and conversations, even the kitchen alone can make tons of noise.

It's mostly, I think, when you expect there to be noise... and there isn't. That's unnerving.

[Wrao]

Originally Posted by Dave Yeah, the birds are scared of me

Heh, you'd be surprised. I took some lessons with a tracker once and it is astounding the difference a seasoned and knowledgeable outdoorsman's impact is versus the average schmuck. He attributed it to a sort of... field that humans put out versus animals. Of course this only really applies to true wilderness areas. Animals in cities are typically less likely to be skittish. But, he talked about how you can learn to reduce that field and get to the point where you can literally just walk up to a deer and smack its ass before it is disturbed by your presence. I'm not sure if I believe it all, but it is certainly compelling, and he showed me enough other remarkable things that I'd be inclined to at least trust him somewhat.

[Artap99]

I always thought it was 'inoffensive'.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Wrao Heh, you'd be surprised. I took some lessons with a tracker once and it is astounding the difference a seasoned and knowledgeable outdoorsman's impact is versus the average schmuck. He attributed it to a sort of... field that humans put out versus animals. Of course this only really applies to true wilderness areas. Animals in cities are typically less likely to be skittish. But, he talked about how you can learn to reduce that field and get to the point where you can literally just walk up to a deer and smack its ass before it is disturbed by your presence. I'm not sure if I believe it all, but it is certainly compelling, and he showed me enough other remarkable things that I'd be inclined to at least trust him somewhat.

Yeah, city animals are jaded. I got to within probably 1-2 feet of a squirrel eating on a fence post the other day. He was doing weird things to that acorn with his mouth...

[Luca]

I much prefer a rock station of some kind (classic, alternative or hard rock all work) in the background. It's actually more relaxing to me than muzak because the songs evoke a feeling of familiarity, whereas "inoffensive" music is usually so bad that it gets on my nerves.

[Wrao]

Originally Posted by Artap99 I always thought it was 'inoffensive'.

ha.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Luca I much prefer a rock station of some kind (classic, alternative or hard rock all work) in the background. It's actually more relaxing to me than muzak because the songs evoke a feeling of familiarity, whereas "inoffensive" music is usually so bad that it gets on my nerves.

YES! Although I wish they would just turn it off sometimes (ok, most of the time).

[curiousuburb]

Some restaurants play up tempo music specifically intended to get you to eat quickly and clear the table so they can have rapid turnover of customers during peak hours... places like the Keg (canadians will know) often do this at quite loud volume (inhibiting conversation volume)... ditto some fast food joints.

In contrast, 7-11 and similar convenience stores have found that to solve the problem of loitering teens (sometimes shoplifting or intimidating customers from the parking lot), the magic solution is muzak or similarly unhip percy faith/mantovani/perrycomo/101strings/etc. Studies show the kids can't stand it and the stores do better business.

I seem to recall a few WIRED articles on muzak.

I generally prefer silence, but where you can't get absolute peace a quiet, a soft innocuous droning version of something is often better than a screaming kid in the next aisle. Good jazz can cure all ills... bad muzak causes ill.

[psmith2.0]

A few years ago (okay, about 12...pre-SoCal), I had an experience that really drove home how much music in a public place can play a role.

I was at my favorite Italian restaurant here in town with my S.O. It was a bit late and I guess the managers and higher ups weren't around. The busboys and many of the waiters here were all Steve Vai/Joe Satriani types (rocker guys, the hair, etc.). I knew a couple of them from school, in fact.

Usually, there's some soft mandolin-y, Italian sounding music playing (but very low, not even really noticeable).

That night, however, I guess one of the guys brought his CDs in and it was this progressive, heavy guitar stuff. No lyrics and it wasn't gut-wrenching, obnoxious Slayer/Megadeth type of music. It was just that Vai/Satriani "schooled metal" stuff...really complex, fast, endless noodling at the 15th fret and higher, etc.* You know the type. I'm not sure if it was actually Steve or Joe, but it was definitely someone in that genre.



Anyway, I noticed everyone looking around, looking up at the speakers and grimacing. Then we did too. I said "is it just me, or is that really obnoxious and tough to listen to?"

She said "totally...I can't stand it".

About the time I was going to ask a waiter to at least "turn it down some", the table behind us beat us to it, with the guy saying "do you guys have something else to play on your sound system...this is really horrible to listen to!"



They didn't change the music, as I recall, but it got turned down a notch or two.

So yeah...when I'm eating manicotti and garlic-y stuff, I want to hear music that makes sense. Hearing all this G.I.T. type insane shredding and complex beats/rhythms and chord progressions does not go well with a nice meal, I learned.



* Slightly preferable to hippie/jam band stuff...which is "endless noodling between the 5th and 12th frets". Thank you, Jerry. Thank you, Trey.

[v.noir]

Originally Posted by Wrao a lovely rendition of Dave Brubeck's classic odd-time opus "take 5"... in 4.

I'd rather like to hear that, you know. I'd sometimes play Take Five in four just for the fun, challenge, and hell of it - but I've only ever heard one recording of it in four; a reggae tune by Val Bennett, called "The Russians Are Coming". The first three bars or so are all good, then it drops into a pretty cool rendition, in my opinion.

[BuonRotto]

Ever walk into some tween or pseudo trendy teen store at a mall? The music on full blast like it's a club (I hate clubs with exception to jazz clubs) so you can't hear the person next to you, the bass giving you a headache along with the high-frequency throbbing of fluorescent lighting? I'd take "The Sound of Silence" played on the oboe any day over that.

[Majost]

The funniest background music I've heard is the pop melodies that are played on traditional Far Eastern instruments at some Chinese restaurants. It takes a bit to realize, but I had to laugh aloud the other day when I heard the melody of "Like a prayer" as I ate my Szechwan Chicken.

[psmith2.0]

I remember when I was a little boy, and would go to the Kmart near my house with my Mom and grandmother. They ALWAYS seemed to have the "Hawaii 5-0" theme playing. If I heard it once, I heard it 400 times!

That and "Misty" always seemed to be big choices ("Look at me, I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree..."). Sometimes vocals (but not the original, known artist), sometimes the instrumental treatment (and this was the 70's, so they weren't afraid of throwing in a little wah wah guitar at the drop of a hat..."chacka-whacka-whacka..."). Cop show music!



I was little (four or so) and that was probably the first time I was ever aware of "in store" music and such (and, to this DAY, I've actually never heard music on an elevator...is that a myth?).



Every elevator I've been has been dead silent, music-wise. Maybe this was something bigger in the past? Or only in certain types of environments? But in 37 years I've never truly heard "elevator music".

I've heard retail music. And doctor's office music. And "on hold" music. And restaurant music. But nothing from an elevator.

[Dave]

I think I might've heard elevator music once... many moons ago... not sure, it might've been part of a movie or a mostly forgotten dream.

[Axl]

Went to Winners a few times this year, and man do they ever have great musical taste. The Police, Peter Gabriel, Genesis… I was like WTF, I can't believe Winners always plays this stuff, I love it!