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Thread: In one ear....... |
    
Silver Member Username: Magfan
USA
Post Number: 522
Registered: Oct-07
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| Posted on Saturday, October 03, 2009 - 02:26 am: |
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This post will either leave you shaking your head or set you to wondering.
First, I've been trying to educate my ears.
We all know its not just the ears, but brain is involved as well. Each side of the brain seems to have an emphasis and talent, if you will.
Try an experiment.
Cover 1 ear at a time and listen to some music.
I notice different things when doing so, and I mean besides the loss of stereo. The same song sounds different when listened to thru either ear.
I think 1 side of my brain is responsible for some of the creative things that happen, like PRaT and the like, while the other side appreciates the tonal relationships of modern or progressive jazz. More of a math thing. related, to be sure, but handled in different part of the brain?
Try this if you wish. I think results may depend on if you are 'right brain' or 'left brain' dominant. |
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Platinum Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 10778
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Saturday, October 03, 2009 - 02:37 am: |
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Cool idea Leo. I will try that. |
Gold Member Username: Dmitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario
Canada
Post Number: 3106
Registered: Feb-07
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| Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 12:00 pm: |
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I've tried that before Leo. I've got a little bit of hearing loss in my left ear, so things already sound a little different listening with one ear or the other. |
Gold Member Username: Frank_abela
Berkshire
UK
Post Number: 3820
Registered: Sep-04
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| Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 12:17 pm: |
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Leo,
The main reason for that slight change in sound that you observe is not to do with the brain at all actually (insofar as scientists understand how the brain works of course). The different sides of a room create different reflections and different time signatures for the signals arriving at your (uncovered) ear.
The brain combines the hearing inputs in the same part of the brain - the temporal lobe. When you have both ears in play, a combination of 3 million years evolution and your lifetime's experiences allow you to construct a sonic image which allows to discern minute differences in pitch, pace (stimulus) and time delays (distance). When you deprive the brain of the two inputs artificially, it can't construct the correct image to build since the rules of your 3 million + 40 years of development don't apply. Hence it sounds weird (at first) while your brain tries to figure out what to do to construct that sonic map, which can get a bit better as it learns what things sound like through one ear in prolonged single ear exposure (days, weeks....).
Frank. |
Gold Member Username: Dmitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario
Canada
Post Number: 3108
Registered: Feb-07
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| Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 05:34 pm: |
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"The different sides of a room create different reflections and different time signatures for the signals arriving at your (uncovered) ear."
I've found this in my listening room for sure Frank. In one corner I have a wood burning stove, and an opening in the wall, and that definitely throws the balance of the room of a bit. I hear a lot more high end (cymbals, especially) coming from this side.
Hearing loss aside. |
Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 13644
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 09:17 pm: |
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I am not so certain that our hearing has devoloped over the last few millenia, so much as adapted.
Particularly since the industrial revolution, with it's associated assault of noise and damaging exposure levels.
Todays assaults are such that a slight reprieve from the onslaught seems blissful, when in reality, the sound levels from all around never really abate.
It would seem to me that human hearing peaked in generations, or eons in fact, of counting on all senses for simple survival to defence.
I could not hear a lion approch under any circumstances, but suffice to say that any senior aboriginal (around 28 then) had heard, and avoided a few. |
Silver Member Username: Magfan
USA
Post Number: 530
Registered: Oct-07
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 02:42 am: |
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This is what I had in mind:
http://www.waiting.com/brainfunction.html
I finally looked up something concrete. IF you hearing is handled in a left / right semetrical area, I'd expect there to be differences in perception of the same sound as heard thru each ear. No necessarily frequency differences, or the differences brought about by odd rooms.
But it looks from this drawing that the brain handles hearing in 1 area. |
Silver Member Username: Magfan
USA
Post Number: 531
Registered: Oct-07
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 02:43 am: |
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or this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_auditory_cortex
I've got some reading to do, |
