Sound plays a deeper role in our lives than many of us may realize. It doesn't just connect us to the world and each other: it connects us with our own bodies, and with parts of our brains that we aren't even aware of most of the time. These podcasts focus on the relationship between sound and our physical and mental well-being, and how we can utilize sound to help us relax, inspire ourselves and teach our brains to think in new ways and recognize signs of hearing loss and impairment.
One of the most phenomenally popular audio developments since the turn of the millennium has been the emergence of ASMR videos. ASMR is short for “autonomous sensory meridian response,” and it describes an oddly relaxing tingling along the spine that certain soft sounds, like whispering voices or rustling leaves, can trigger in the listener. It’s also the name of a new category of online videos featuring talented artists who work with a variety of sound effects to create that state of relaxation for their audience. It’s become one of YouTube’s most popular genres, and these podcasts take a closer look at the science and history of ASMR and at some of the best “ASMRtists” online.
Sound can also serve as a bridge between ourselves and the deeper, less conscious parts of our brains, and in these episodes, we discuss that powerful connection with a variety of expert guests. We look at the subconscious effects that sound has on us, from the sense of dread that low-frequency infrasound can create to such unusual medical phenomena as auditory-visual synesthesia and misophonia, to the mystery of binaural beats, and whether they can alter our brain's state of awareness.
We also focus on the medical side of sound and feature guests who help us delve deeper into the field of audiology, the science of hearing, balance, and all the surprising connections between our ears and the rest of our bodies. Sound's becoming increasingly important in our daily lives, which can also mean that it's louder, more uncomfortable, and more widespread than ever before. These episodes offer a closer look at recognizing signs of hearing trouble, managing our personal soundscapes, and the work being done to create a healthier, more satisfying audio environment for everyone.
The complex and often subtle link between sound, our ears, our brains, and our overall health is something that’s still being studied, and we're constantly making new discoveries. Audio is all about connection: it connects us to the world around us, to our audience, and even to ourselves.
“Ultimately the sound is almost irrelevant to the musical experience, with the important caveat that what matters about the sound is the psychological process it triggers in the mind of the listener. So it obviously plays an important role there, but what really matters is how it’s being perceived and how it’s being heard. So […]
“I came into the world listening. Other people came in noticing, visually, or touching things, tactically, which is why there are sculptors and visual artists, and some of us were just innately oriented toward the sound of the world.” – Michael Joly This week is the second half of my interview with Michael Joly, founder […]
“In tone therapy, we’ve created a space which is both safe and intriguing so we can solve some of the discomfort problem with mindfulness meditation and we can also solve some of the boredom aspects of it.” – Michael Joly This episode’s guest is the founder of solu®, maker of n.o.w. Tone Therapy™, a sound […]
When you close your eyes and think about being in a hospital, what do you imagine hearing? Are the sounds soothing, or do they make you tense up with even more anxiety? Hospitals aren’t usually relaxing places, and they don’t always sound very relaxing either. Heart monitors beep, respirators pump, and voices murmur in the […]
ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It has to do with certain triggers, usually having to do with sound or sight, giving you “tingles in your brain”. It may seem like a strange reaction to have while hearing unintelligible whispers, someone using a marker on a pad of paper or seeing someone use a […]
The production company behind these commercials does such wonderful work that it’s always a pleasure to voice something for them. I’ve been working with them on the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital spots for some time now and I love everything they produce. Here’s just one (outstanding) example: