The Sound of Silence

There is a rather famous song by the duo Simon and Garfunkel called the ‘Sound of Silence.’ The title of the is quite an oxymoron. Silence and sound just don’t go together, do they?

Well growing up listening to the song, I thought it was a cool title for a song, nothing more. It’s of course lately that I have begun to realize Silence can also be heard. And it’s something quite palpable and way beyond a cool name.

Matt Mikelesen, is an audio technician, he works for a non-profit called One Square Inch of Silence. Basically what he does is, he travels through natural parks and records the quietest place on earth. (How do you record silence:)) Places where there is no human sound intrusion. The idea is if you can keep these places pristine from human sound, the miles around can also enjoy natural silence. You can find his recordings, if I am not wrong, on Youtube, though I cannot recall where I last heard them. It is quite fascinating.

I will share a much more personal experience of silence, I believe there is a sound that goes beyond human vibrations, that you can hear every moment. And I am sure many of you here have heard it as well.

If you sit very quietly in any place, if you pay attention to the sounds around, you might catch the stray sounds around in the room, if you are in nature you will start catching the sound of perhaps the wind, something more subtle like the leaf, or a cricket. But as you sit for a little longer you start hearing silence which is a way subtler sound. But it is constantly at play. Of course, there is no pitch no rhythm , at least not in the way we are used to understand these concepts. But it is very intense and dynamic.

There is a just a vastness  that is hard to put to words. Yet you can hear it. For me many a times it feels beyond awareness as well.

Being a musician it’s easy for me to share and play music for people, but this sound is the most dynamic and joyful music I have ever heard. Unfortunately, no, You Tube cannot play it for you. You have to be the record player yourself. But you should try listening to it. I am sure you would have heard no music like that before.

May the music find everyone!