Curating Your Auditory Environment
I believe it’s essential to adjust your environment, particularly when it comes to sound.
Last night, I tuned into the Grand Ole Opry from Nashville and discovered several new musical artists, who I’m now enjoying via Apple Music, thanks to our new internet connection at the cabin.
As I’ve often mentioned, my auditory sense is my preferred way of experiencing the world. While I may forget what I see, music stays with me for decades, even after hearing a song just once.
That’s why I’m always surprised when I visit someone’s home and find no background music playing. I’m so accustomed to curating my environment that, at supper time, I match both the wine and the music to whatever we’re having.
Part of this habit stems from misophonia—I can’t stand the sound of people eating in a silent room, which, to me, is almost a capital offense.
It’s always surprising to me that people can spend hours staring at a screen, engaging only their visual sense, while completely neglecting what they hear.
My wife and I both suffer from intermittent tinnitus, which we manage by playing white or pink noise while we sleep, masking the irritating hissing or ringing sounds.
But when we’re awake, it’s all about the music that fills our environment—though never too loudly, as that can lead to audio overload.
Perhaps the idea of filling the air with great music all day is new to some of you. But it’s a potentially life-changing habit if you embrace it.
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The key is to match the music to the mood you want to experience, which is why I avoid Black Sabbath or Opeth first thing in the morning. (Actually, I’ve moved away from metal almost entirely, having fallen in love with the superb and shimmering varieties of American country music.)
When I wake up, the first thing I do is turn on the coffee maker that I set up the night before, usually with Starbucks True North, a blonde roast that’s quintessentially Canadian.
If it’s cold in the cabin, the propane fireplace goes on with a click, and the music follows—anything from mellow morning jazz to the polyphonic perfection of Palestrina.
It’s a small thing, but it sets the mood and prepares my mind for the day ahead.
But my curation isn’t limited to music—it’s about sound.
In the evenings, I often unwind to the sound of loons on a lake, with added frogs and crickets, supplementing the natural sounds outside my window with the Calm Radio app.
Sound is so crucial to my enjoyment of life that I think I’d rather be blind than deaf—a radical statement, I know, and one most of you will likely disagree with.
So, what about you?
I believe the auditory sense is the most neglected in today’s world, but it’s easy to change that and engage your auditory cortex.
Have you ever considered awakening your sense of sound by filling your life with intentionally curated music and sounds that perfectly match your mood?
If so, a great starting point is any of the amazing streaming services available wherever you have internet access and a Bluetooth player.
I predict that, in time, you’ll be switching on the music right after you switch on the coffee.
- Mike Mandel
