What does it mean to listen?

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• Please either open a new note on your computer, text document on your computer, or grab a piece of paper and a writing utensil.
• Take 10 minutes to contemplate what it means “to listen”.
• At the end of 10 minutes, write any thoughts, working definitions, or notes you have on this idea.
• Save this writing for later.

Listening vs. Hearing

Listening is something that we, as humans, do through our sense of hearing. We will discuss this in more depth later in the semester, but as sound waves reach our ears, the physical movement of our ear drums starts a process that results in tiny hair cell receptors in our inner-ear sending electrical signals to our brain indicating the presence of specific frequencies at various amplitudes or loudness.

Our sense of hearing is what allows us to listen to what is occurring around us. Hearing is the physical act of processing physical sound in our environment. Hearing is something that most peoples bodies do ALL OF THE TIME. Unlike the eye, humans cannot turn off their sense of hearing. As many have pointed out, you cannot “blink an ear”.

We are always hearing. Even when we sleep, sound waves still pass into our ears, and vibrate our ear drums. Our sense of hearing serves many functions, including protection and safety through this “always on” approach.

So, if hearing is the physiological act of sensing sound, listening is the cognitive act of making meaning of the sounds we hear.

Listening Requires Work

Listening requires active work and focus. As an example, Listening is recognizing that a sound is coming from behind you, and is most likely a tree creaking in the wind. Listening is deciphering someones voice and understanding that they are telling you “I love you”.

Listening requires that a person spends mental energy making meaning of the sounds they perceive through hearing.

“Hearing is something that happens to us because we have ears – it is our primary sense organ. Listening is something we develop and cultivate our whole life, and maybe all of our lifetimes. Listening is what creates culture. Listening is very diverse and takes many forms as cultures take many forms.” – Pauline Oliveros, from Deep Listening: A Composer’s Sound Practice, 2005.

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• Compare your written “working definition” for listening with these new ideas.
• Did you capture these subtleties?