The Sound Of Silence....

[gness]

...I have probably had a chunter about this before.....

Does noise.....especially music in shops and cafes etc. niggle you? Or do you not notice it?

A friend and I tried a new cafe in town yesterday.....after our gym visit we needed coffee and cake....
It was lovely except for the grating, loud music which wasn't improved by the three screechy toddlers who came to the next table....
Today, just in case we hadn't replaced all the calories yesterday, I met with five friends for coffee and cake.....
It was lovely.....silence bar the hum of chatter until the music was put on.....again tinny, loud and grating....and folk began to talk loudly to be heard...
But.....when I mentioned it I was surprised that not one of my friends had noticed the music.....they just hadn't heard it.....although having had it brought to their attention they didn't like it....

Do people just no longer hear the "music" that places inflict upon us.......does it improve sales do you think... does it grate on you at all....or do you enjoy it?.....x

[Zacs-Master]

Hate it. Background music playing behind interviews on TV and radio is annoying too. It's as if they think we can't concentrate without it.

[Patsy33]

All depends on my mood. Must admit, most of the time I would rather no music, especially if tinny, loud and not my taste in music! It's a job to find any peace these days gness....

[murraymints]

hate it..especially the bagpipe stuff that pervades Edinburgh city !

[melv16]

If it's music I like I have no problem with it, so long as it's not too loud. However, most music in cafés, lifts etc is usually dire.
I can't understand people when walking in the countryside listening to music on their headphones.

[gness]

That is annoying too, Zacs.......glad it's not just me.....I couldn't believe that my friends just hadn't heard it....are we becoming less aware of our surroundings maybe?

It is, Patsy......just silence can be bliss....x

[pastafreak]

Supposedly shops play different types of music according to the clientele they have...or want to attract.
If it's loud and annoying...either they want a younger crowd, or they think we oldies are deaf...

[Patsy33]

True gness, I love the sound of silence. It seems to re -energise you. I get mentally tired, so I need this..

[gness]

I think it's people not noticing that surprises me....sometimes I'll ask a shop assistant if they find the music annoying and they'll say they don't really hear it....

It is the dire music, Melv.....it's like listening to a loud, badly tuned radio.....

Maybe I'll have my grommets removed...... ;-)

[Peter Pedant]

effect of age sweet one

you cant filter out the muzak as you could once

[sunny-dave]

It's not just the volume (or indeed the content) - it's very often reproduced so badly as to be a literal pain in the ears.

I came out of a (seriously loud) well produced gig recently with no ear-ringing or other problems - the sound was perfectly balanced - but the average 'wedding disco' reduces me to pained absence in minutes because of the ridiculously poor quality of the amplification and speakers.

I fear for the long term hearing of the poor souls who work in some shops (hello HoF at Rushden) - they will have no treble left after quite a short while.

[Peter Pedant]

// does it improve sales do you think//

yup no doubt of that I am afraid
and wiv muzak sales are better than with decent classical

width of aisles are also tied to class and sales
(there is a max aisle wideth tied to max sales - and the width varies with the social class of the clientele)
sad fact of life

[gness]

I don't think I agree with that, Peter....except the sweet one bit....it's not age....I think it's the inability to enjoy and be comfortable with silence....x

Dave, you must email HofF in Rushden......I've had a lovely reply from M&S who are going to sort out the changing rooms so I don't have to use the men's cubicles next time.... :-)

[cupid04]

I hate it when your neighbours inflict you with their music
When you want a quiet afternoon in the garden.

[gness]

That's really unfair, Cupid.......I'm lucky in having quiet neighbours but the house up for sale is a bit of worry.... I shall have to vet the buyers....... ;-)

[ferlew]

I dislike NOISE of any type, muzak, sirens, screeching children and the like. It seems to go right through me.
I occasionally do play music, but quietly, if I want background noise I would choose to listen to something like R4 or R4 Extra.
Must admit if I have some parchment work on the go, I can totally loose myself in the silence.
(I'm not crabby, just have always lived in quiet areas, and had quiet folk around me)

[gness]

Maybe some of us are somehow more aware of it...and affected by it, Ferlew.....

I love music of my choice and listening to the radio.....4Extra as a rule but like you, quietly.....x

[jambutty]

I too had a favourite café in town which myself and friends often went to, but it must have been taken over by new management because the racket from the music became awful and we simply stopped going. I know of others who no longer go either. I don't mind background music on TV though because I sometimes think it adds to the programme.

[campbellking]

I love peace and quiet, and also tend to prefer to listen to the spoken word rather than music. Having said that, can also block most stuff out and just go into my own world.

[gness]

Maybe we all need to mention our dislike of loud, bad music, Jam....I really think those working in it all day don't notice...x

[anneasquith]

Ferlew, I hope things are OK at home. Excuse me G .