<description>&lt;p&gt;I really enjoyed this opportunity to speak with &lt;strong&gt;Mack Hagood&lt;/strong&gt;, author of &lt;em&gt;Hush: Media and Sonic Self-Control&lt;/em&gt;, to explore how we use sound to manage our minds, moods, and modern lives. From &lt;strong&gt;white noise apps and noise-cancelling headphones to tinnitus and sound therapy,&lt;/strong&gt; Mack helped me understand the complex relationship between media, technology, and the human need to tune in (or out). We discuss the surprising cultural history behind everyday sonic tools — from the 1964 Sleep-Mate sound conditioner to Irv Teibel’s visionary &lt;em&gt;Environments&lt;/em&gt; recordings, to Dr. Amar Gopal Bose’s 1978 flight epiphany that led to noise-cancelling headphones. Mack reflected on teaching &lt;strong&gt;“The Smartphone in Society,”&lt;/strong&gt; and concerns with both social media and streaming platforms. Towards the end of this conversation he explained why started his &lt;strong&gt;podcast Phantom Power&lt;/strong&gt; and how his childhood in New Orleans eventually led him to the new field of sound scholarship. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/mack-hagood"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Complete Show Notes with all the links! &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Timestamps:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(00:00) Intro&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(02:34) life as a guitarist, Pinetop &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(05:47) tinnitus&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(15:32) first white noise machine Sleep Mate&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(22:54) &lt;em&gt;Hush: Sonic Media and Sonic Self-Control, &lt;/em&gt;Irv Teibel&lt;em&gt; environments&lt;/em&gt; series&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(30:36) Bose noise-cancelling headphones &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(35:30) Edison Realism test, how our listening is culturally conditioned &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(41:03) other linked episodes and ways to support this series&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(41:47) soundscapes, R. Murray Schafer, field recordings&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(45:14) podcast Phantom Power&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(49:02) Walkmans, consumption of music, white noise apps&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(52:14) The Smartphone in Society, social media&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(59:08) why Mack got into podcasting as a sound scholar, Liz Pelley, problems with Spotify&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(01:08:07) how he became a sound scholar&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

Leah Roseman

How We Cancel the Noise: Mack Hagood on Sound, Tech, and Attention

NOV 15, 202575 MIN
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

How We Cancel the Noise: Mack Hagood on Sound, Tech, and Attention

NOV 15, 202575 MIN

Description

<p>I really enjoyed this opportunity to speak with <strong>Mack Hagood</strong>, author of <em>Hush: Media and Sonic Self-Control</em>, to explore how we use sound to manage our minds, moods, and modern lives. From <strong>white noise apps and noise-cancelling headphones to tinnitus and sound therapy,</strong> Mack helped me understand the complex relationship between media, technology, and the human need to tune in (or out). We discuss the surprising cultural history behind everyday sonic tools — from the 1964 Sleep-Mate sound conditioner to Irv Teibel’s visionary <em>Environments</em> recordings, to Dr. Amar Gopal Bose’s 1978 flight epiphany that led to noise-cancelling headphones. Mack reflected on teaching <strong>“The Smartphone in Society,”</strong> and concerns with both social media and streaming platforms. Towards the end of this conversation he explained why started his <strong>podcast Phantom Power</strong> and how his childhood in New Orleans eventually led him to the new field of sound scholarship. </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/mack-hagood"><strong>Complete Show Notes with all the links! </strong></a></p><p>Timestamps:</p><p>(00:00) Intro</p><p>(02:34) life as a guitarist, Pinetop </p><p>(05:47) tinnitus</p><p>(15:32) first white noise machine Sleep Mate</p><p>(22:54) <em>Hush: Sonic Media and Sonic Self-Control, </em>Irv Teibel<em> environments</em> series</p><p>(30:36) Bose noise-cancelling headphones </p><p>(35:30) Edison Realism test, how our listening is culturally conditioned </p><p>(41:03) other linked episodes and ways to support this series</p><p>(41:47) soundscapes, R. Murray Schafer, field recordings</p><p>(45:14) podcast Phantom Power</p><p>(49:02) Walkmans, consumption of music, white noise apps</p><p>(52:14) The Smartphone in Society, social media</p><p>(59:08) why Mack got into podcasting as a sound scholar, Liz Pelley, problems with Spotify</p><p>(01:08:07) how he became a sound scholar</p>