Media Affordances and Sound (Media lectorial WK4)

This week we discussed the significance of sound and the meaning of affordances and how they contribute to the images and sound we see on screen. The question must be addressed what are affordances? As audiences we are continually absorbing and filtering the landscape. Our ears only protection is an elaborate psychological mechanism for filtering out undesirable sound in order to concentrate on the desire. Therefore affordances are the relationship between an object or an environment and an organism that through a collection of stimuli, affords the opportunity for that organism to perform an action. We also discussed the difference between listening and hearing and that of the distinct attitude or approach that is brought to bear on a listening experience. The argument is clear that hearing just happens and its perceiving by the ear however listening is argued to be intentional as you consciously choose to do it and it requires you’re focus and concentration.

John Cage’s 4’33 piece

I found a social experiment that we discussed very interesting; famous composer and pianist John Cage performed in front of the audience and what he did before the touched the keys was the reason why sound is very important. The piece was called 4:33 as for 4 minutes and 33 seconds John Cage sat at his piano and didn’t play a note for that time, why was this significant? Well the audience had the expectation that Cage would play the piano and instead the audience murmurs and sounds of silence actually made the audience feel quite uncomfortable. Therefore sound can create expectations and also a lack of sound can make audiences quite uncomfortable. What is really formed through 4’33 is that it is impossible for humans to experience true silence, all the purposes to represent pure silence are never intended to create silence but instead the reactions to silence or a moment without expected sound. What 4’33 consists of is whatever background noises fill the space being the distant sounds of travel or aircraft flying over or outside noises, a cough in the crowd, audience murmuring, whispering under the breath and the heating system of the concert hall; the ambient sound is what is key in this piece. Some audiences find this comical as they believe not performing is absurd and silly but ultimately that’s a good effect as laughing would only add to the ambient sound.

In conclusion sound plays an important role in transporting audiences to a different place and time, this of course excludes Cage’s piece as it transports the audience to their exact position in time awaiting and expecting Cage to perform. It certainly does highlight the importance of ambient sound but I wouldn’t go purchasing the mp3 anytime soon.

Michael Serpell