How people really feel about loud music.
We often hear them coming from miles away. Long before we hear the sound of the vehicle itself we hear the vibrating boom of their music at full blast. Doesn't seem to matter if it's in the early am hours or late at night, they want us to hear how special their music is. They play it as loud as they can possibly get it without care if it's grossly distorted, rattling the tools in their trunks or loosening the fillings in their teeth. But, is it their music? Predominantly, the answer is no. They are playing music at concert decibels that another talented artist composed and produced as if it were their own.
As would be expected, those asked how they feel about being subjected to blaring music from passing vehicles stated it was quite simply annoying. And the driver instantly labeled an idiot. This is not just for older people. Those I questioned ranged in ages from 5 years old to 50. After each obtrusive blaring vehicle passed by, each person exhibited the same response. With that portion of my study completed, I could move on to the second part. I obtained the assistance of my lovely partner in this study to approach the loud music lovers as they entered the coffee shop.
My assistant smiled warmly as she walked up and explained that she was doing a sociological study and asked if they would mind speaking to her for a moment. Each agreed. She first asked to know the name of the song and artist of the music he was playing as he entered the parking lot. As others in the coffee shop began to film the conversations with their smart phones the drivers seemed to get a little nervous. She then asked the drivers if they were in the music industry or perhaps had any tracks of their own recorded. Those that said they did could not produce any demos and the others honestly replied they did not have any music of their own. She then informed the drivers that each person in the coffee shop seated near the windows had been asked how they felt about the loud music as he drove by. The driver looked nervously at the snickering and giggling customers. She asked each driver if they would like her to read the responses of the customers and each shyly shook their heads.
I've been quite naughty before in my articles but this I had to admit was perhaps my worst. I still had one last segment of my study to perform. With my trusty assistant, we set up a day of fun in the sun with another friend of ours. This very talented friend performed at local night clubs and events and had original tracks of his own on CDs. I asked if he would mind bringing some of his own material for us to listen to on the way. He was quite honored to do so.
He sat in the front passenger seat and placed his demo into my player. I noticed how meticulously he set my equalizers to get the right sound. But what I was most impressed by was that he did not turn up the volume obtrusively. Even after I coaxed him to play it louder he seemed a bit reluctant. We entered the drive through to get some food and he turned the music down even before we got into the drive through lane. What was he thinking? I looked to my lovely assistant in the rear view and she was thoroughly enjoying every moment.
Once we arrived at the swimming area, we sat our food out on the picnic table and I walked the short distance to my car and turned his demo up as loud as I could. My friend seemed mortified as his lyrics reverberated across the crowded park. Even though other beach goers were playing loudly as well, it only seemed to matter that his music was being blared. He nervously asked me what I thought I was doing. I smiled and signaled a group of people passing by to come over.
I asked them if my music was too loud and they nodded, it was in fact somewhat obtrusive. When I told them my friend sitting across the table had written and produced the music he put his head under the table. Their eyes widened and began to smile. "That's really him, rapping on the track? " they asked. They complimented my friend and confided that his music was amazing. They exchanged numbers to receive their own CDs of his works. Satisfied with my results, I turned the music down. My friend was not amused but we all agreed it was a very interesting study.
Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.com
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