The difference between hearing and listening | Pauline Oliveros | TEDxIndianapolis
TEDx Talks
11 min, 38 sec
Three musicians ventured into an underground cistern to explore its unique acoustics, leading to the birth of the Deep Listening Band and a new understanding of the practice of deep listening.
Summary
- Musicians descend into a cistern to experience its 45-second reverberation, sparking the concept of deep listening.
- The Deep Listening Band was formed, emphasizing improvisation and the cistern's impact on their music.
- Deep listening differentiates between hearing and listening, engaging with sound in a more profound way.
- The practice has influenced various fields and led to the development of software to simulate cistern acoustics.
- The 25th anniversary of the Deep Listening Band celebrated with a performance using the simulated cistern acoustics.
Chapter 1

Musicians explore an underground cistern's acoustics, leading to an improvisational music experience and the formation of the Deep Listening Band.
- Three musicians squeeze through a small opening to enter an underground cistern.
- They experience the cistern's unique 45-second reverberation time.
- This experience gives birth to the Deep Listening Band and their album 'Deep Listening'.

Chapter 2

Deep listening involves distinguishing between hearing and active listening, expanding awareness of soundscapes, and respecting sound's impact on consciousness.
- The musicians learned to respect and incorporate the cistern's reverberations into their musical sensibility.
- Deep listening explores the difference between hearing and listening, emphasizing psychological and physical aspects of sound.
- It involves accumulated experiences and can focus on details or encompass the entire sound field.

Chapter 3

Listening is a complex, subjective practice that differs from the physical act of hearing, involving interpretation and memory.
- Listening is subjective and involves the brain and body sensations, not just the ears.
- The interpretation of sound waves by the brain can be immediate or delayed, influencing how we understand what we hear.
- Deep listening encourages an expanded perception of sounds, including their temporal and spatial context.

Chapter 4

The practice of listening attentively to space enhances musical performance and has led to the establishment of workshops and educational initiatives.
- Deep Listening Band's experience with the cistern informed their approach to other performance spaces.
- The band's activities expanded to include retreats, workshops, and a center at Rensselaer for deep listening studies.
- Each performance space interacts uniquely with sound, shaping the acoustic experience.

Chapter 5

Deep listening is defined by its depth of engagement with sound and its influence on various fields, including urban planning and technology.
- Deep listening involves understanding the complexity and boundaries of sound and surpassing ordinary understandings.
- The practice has implications for urban environments, technology, and can influence the work of designers, engineers, and planners.
- Deep thinkers challenge conventional knowledge, and deep listening seeks to grasp the complexities of sound.

Chapter 6

Through technological innovation, the unique acoustic properties of the cistern were simulated, allowing the experience to be shared in concert venues.
- The acoustical properties of the cistern were measured and simulated in software.
- The simulation was used in a concert to immerse the audience in the cistern's reverberations.
- The technology allows the deep listening experience to be transported to various locations worldwide.

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