4 Modes Of Listening: Does It Mean Anything To `the Modern Listener`?

Pierre Schaeffer (d. 1995), arguably one of the most influential composers and critical thinkers of the 20th century, is remembered most prominently for his collection of work `L`Objet Sonore` - `The Concept of the Sound Object`. To accompany this selection of works, which included some of the first Musiqué Concrete, `Etude aux Chemins de Fer` and `Cinq Etudes de Bruits`, Schaeffer offered his own proposition on how to best recognize the `stance correlated with [the] immediate perception of sound.` (Kane, 2003,p. 4)

These 4 modes of listening can be broken down as such:

Écouter: The most primal listening sense. The easiest way in which to describe this mode is through the effect of instinct, for instance hearing a noise and relating it to danger. Because our focus is drawn straight to the sound, we attempt to identify the noise both in characteristic and direction. Paul Vickers of Northumbria University writes, "Even though our listening may fall into another mode, we are always pulled back to this one at the point at which we try to decode the sound" (2012)

Ouir: This mode deals with primarily our peripheral listening. For example, the sound that surrounds you whilst walking down the street, does not demand focus or attention, similar to Écouter, but none the less is still present. We do not grasp sound in this mode as we do in others making it `the lowest, most elementary level of perception` (Kane, 2003, p. 4).

Entendre: A subjective mode of listening that can be narrowed down simply to `selective hearing`. However, being more complex than simply the choice to listen or not, this mode allows the listener to deconstruct certain aspects of sound, without the need to relate it to any external factor. For instance, we as listeners in this mode can appreciate the pitch or frequency of a sound without further focusing upon it. We determine what is of interest and simply appreciate that.

Comprendre: Comprendre in opposition to its counter `objective` listening mode, Écouter, deals with relating the sounds to a meaning or emotion felt by the listener. For instance when we hear the sound of the sea we may feel relaxed because we associate the waves to a time when we felt relaxed. Of course this shares links with the detection of sound with Écouter, but more importantly it is the transferal to the frontal lobe of the brain that causes a more definite `emtional` reaction to the sound. It is described by `Ears` as `grasping a meaning` of the sound (p. 20).

Schaeffer intended these listening modes to be used when studying his own music, however in today`s music saturated society it seems realistic to ask the question, are they relevant today?

In order to answer this question I conducted a short experiment, taking three songs of varying genre, sound world and era, and attempted to apply these modes when listening to them. All of the tracks included were listened to only once within the 30 minutes I conducted this experiment, and were all listened to in MP3 format with the Beyerdynamic DT 770, closed back, headphones.

I began the experiment by listening to Steve Reich`s `Electric Counterpoint - Fast`. This recording released in 1989 is based upon his boyhood experiences of trains, and is linked to the Nazi transportation of Jews by train to concentration camps. (Cook, 2012) I found using the listening modes particularly interesting when listening to this track. For instance when the music begins I felt the use of Écouter particularly prominent, particularly as the panning in the track changed. I felt that my auditory focus shifted with the music from left to right, almost creating disorientation. However the most interesting factor to this track was when the texture began to build. As more instruments were added the original patterns became part of the background, suggesting a move to the Ouir mode. I suspect this to be due to the repetative nature of minimalist music; however it was surprising, as I had listened to Reich many times previously, to take notice of this in context of my active listening brain. I found Entendre to also be relatively prominent as the texture grew in the piece. I became less concerned with individual notes or instruments and more on the texture as a whole and particularly how it made me feel, showing a strong connection to Comprendre. I did not feel a great deal of emotion whilst listening to this track, but rather began to attach a meaning to its nature. I felt that the repetition and texture was there to relax and to surprise when its balance was shifted by an addition of a new sound. All in all I found listening, with Schaeffer`s modes in mind, to this track a rewarding experience.

The second track I chose was `The Chain` by Fleetwood Mac. A song I knew very well from childhood, I decided to see how much the modes of listening could either enhance or detract from a song that I had such a strong connection to already. From the very beginning of the song I felt very aware, of the presence of the instruments around me. Both the panning and the crystal clear production on the track made me feel very centralized within the band, and therefore I felt Écouter working overtime to follow each instrument. I am certain at some points during the song I must have allowed certain instruments to fall into my peripheral listening, however this was not obvious, as I felt drawn to each new instrument or note that came. I think in comparison to `Electric Counterpoint` I was not engulfed in sound so much as I was engulfed by the band itself. This could have been due to a number of reasons;

1. The track contained singing.

2. I knew exactly what instruments were playing what parts.

3. The mix suggested a live set up, with the listener in the very centre.

However there were moments, particularly in the opening with the Bass Drum figure, where I was appreciating the envelope of the Bass Drum`s frequency. Without thinking about the quality of recording, I was simply appreciating the sound`s attack and decay. Lastly, I found Comprendre to be present only when considering the track`s sound world. With the levels of reverb and the minor key, I was drawn to a feeling of longing; one point in particular was when Lindsey Buckingham sings in the coda, "Running in the Shadows". The long, downward motion of the vocal line, suggested to me a longing as opposed to the short rhythmical chorus held by Stevie Nicks underneath. I found the experience of listening to this track using the modes greatly satisfying, as it opened a new level of appreciation; for the meticulous placement of each sound source within the mix, and it showed why it has become a benchmark for Rock music production.

The third song, `Live While We`re Young` - One Direction, I chose due to its current placement in the UK Top 40, and a track that the majority of `Modern Listeners` had heard. The song starts relatively sparsely with only a vocal line and guitar, allowing my ear to focus on both comfortably using the Écouter mode. However as the song continued I found this to become more of a task. The chorus in particularly appears to have hundreds of sound sources playing all at once, making it almost impossible to diffrentiate between the sounds, particularly in the upper frequencies of the track. The compression that is found on this track is far higher than the previous two and may very well explain the reason why I struggled to focus on anything other than the vocal line. This meant that of all the tracks I felt I was using the Ouir mode the most. This was not however in the comfortable manner that I had during `Electric Counterpoint`. I felt, whilst focusing on the backing music behind the vocals, claustrophobic underneath so much musical action; at times the effect was similar to that of listening to white noise. I found using Entendre very difficult, as I wasn`t able to deconstruct individual sounds to listen to their timbre. Simply put, it became very difficult to use `selective hearing` whilst listening to this track. This however I believe is no mistake, and the Comprendre mode allowed me to see further into this fact. The sense of elation that I beleive to be implied by this track, is very strong from the offset. The opening guitar line is constantly rising; as is the majority of the chorus, particularly the `oh ooo` vocals, and set alongside the drums, this had an interesting affect on my mood. I felt suddenly more alert, if slightly uncomfortable, and I felt as if I was being engulfed by not only the music, but also the elation it is trying to create. This may explain why this genre of music is popular with club goers and young adults, as it supplies the mood in a very accessible way for the listener from word go.

I drew to a conclusion shortly after the completion of this experiment that it is not so much the quality of a track or its production value that determines the success of `Mode` listening. I believe that a track`s function or underlying purpose is the strongest link to the type of listening that can be accomplished. For example it would seem that Steve Reich`s purpose with `Electric Counterpoint` is to immerse the listener in the repetition of the music, where as the purpose would seem with One Direction to provide a suitable soundtrack to dance to. The amount of `listening` required for these two contrasting purposes would be vastly different, illuminating the line where perhaps the suitability of the 4 listening mode lies.

In regards to its relevance to today`s musical public, the four listening modes may be losing its charm. It is no secret that the compression level found within the One Direction track is common, and it is no secret that it is because the majority of the public listen to music either through their mobile phone speakers or their laptop speakers. Tracks such as this one, is the proof that the loudness war is affecting the way we listen to music. This may not however be a bad thing, as this music was probably never designed to be listened to in the same manner as Schaeffer`s work. However at the same time we cannot brand all new music with the same iron, as I`m sure some modern artists including Flying Lotus, Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes intend for their music to be given the same attention, albeit perhaps different, as the four modes of listening.

It would seem that it`s not a case of wether this technique is relevant with today`s music but rather is relevant with today`s cultures, and our appreciation of sound. Are we not appreciating music due to the value of the craft taking an evident drop? Or is it simply that we do not wish to give music the necessary attention in order to complete the four modes of listening?

References:

Cook, Stephen., 2012: `Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint; Different Trains`., Available at: http://www.allmusic.com/album/steve-reich-electric-counterpoint-different-trains-mw0000427758 [Accessed 30/09/12]

Ears., 2012: `In Search of the Sound Object`., Available at: http://www.ears.dmu.ac.uk/IMG/pdf/Chion-guide/GuideSectionI.pdf [Accessed 30/09/12]

Kane, Brian., 2003: `L'Objet Sonore Maintenant: Pierre Schaeffer, sound objects and the phenomenological reduction`., Available at: http://www.browsebriankane.com/My_Homepage_Files/documents/L`objet_sonore_maintenant.pdf [Accessed 30/09/12]

Vickers, Paul., 2012: `Ways of Listening and Modes of Being: Electroacoustic auditory display`., Available at: http://journal.sonicstudies.org/vol02/nr01/a04 [Accessed 30/09/12]

Discography:

Reich, Steve., (1989), `Steve Reich: Electric Counterpoint; Different Trains`., [MP3], Elektra Nonesuch

Direction, One,. (2012), `Live While We`re Young`., [MP3], Syco Music

Mac, Fleetwood,. (1977), `Rumours`., [MP3], Warner Bros. Records