Re: a woman's ears

[Goddess <thefates@concentric.net>]

  Thanks Bryan and Sarajane for bringing this point to light.  I too
absolutely have those times when I simply must leave the room or make it
stop!  Other women I know tend to agree when it comes to high, screechy
stuff.  I personally find that this is increased when I'm PMS-ing.  I would
have to say that my musical tastes don't tend to be in the "screechy",
dissonant realm.  I don't necessarily atribute this fact to a difference in
hearing though, but who knows...  I do however have some tollerance
sometimes for this as I need to to work in a music store when the kids get
out of school.  As for that study, I've heard a little about it but I'd
like to hear some more.  What little I do know of it leaves me a little
skeptical because of the means with which the subjects were tested.
Anyway, it's very interesting.  Where would this study leave bisexual
women, fem lesbians, or gay men?  ha ha Maybe this is why gay men and
middle-class white male loopers apparently have so much in common... JUST
KIDDING!!!

smiles,

Corynne
At 09:46 AM 3/8/98 -0700, you wrote:
>
>Dear Loopers
>     The recent "my girlfriend" thread reminds me of the old folk song
>"momma don't  allow no guitar playing round here". But so far, no
>one has mentioned the fact that there are actual physical differences
>in HOW men and women perceive sound....for instance, female ears
>are able to hear in higher ranges than most males. This effect is 
>especially
>pronounced at times of hormonal surges, and many women find those 
>high (screechy) notes physically uncomfortable. The biological reasons
>(and I'm not making this up; I've read the medical/scientific studies on
this)
>behind this seem to be pointing towards millions of years of conditioning
>females to hear those babies (high pitched and loud in their frequencies)
>and it causes a certain biological trigger (make it stop!). This is
especially
>true of REPETITIVE (ie loops, anyone?) loud, high pitched sound. And 
>while 
>women, especially when in MOM mode, have a certain amount of tolerance
>built up for repetition (Mom? Mom? Mom? Can I...Mom?)they may not always
>choose to seek it out recreationally....
>    And did anyone see the article in the newspaper this week about the
>inner ear differences (structureally speaking) between lesbian inner ears
>and heterosexual female inner ears? Seems the lesbian ears are more
>like men's ears......perhaps because of hormonal differences while still
>in the womb....
>    However, NO sweeping generalities can be made when talking about 
>sensory awareness---I'm female, and I LOVE many kinds of loop music,
>even loud, even odd pitches....I lived with a bagpiper once, who played
> in the house on bad weather days. and it was great! And 17 years
>of listening to Bryan's music has not bored me---though there are the
>occasional high notes that drive me from the room....
>                                          Sarajane Helm  
>
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