KJ-52: Most important sound, song, and a summary of his new album

People of Whom I Would Like To Ask--"What is your most important sound?"

As I've said before, this little project is around to foster a deeper love and understanding of the people around us. I think sometimes I limit myself by forgetting--a person's most important sound is the gateway to that person themself (wow, awful grammar there). Sometimes, I just try to get a sound and get out. But that's not the point. The sound opens windows to knowing the person better. In ordinary conversation, that sound question would give me a chance to open the person up, make them feel comfortable, and connect with them. I realize sometimes that in trying to take this project "big" I forget the entire purpose of the sound. Yes, I want to gather sounds to make my lifelong song--the song of the world--but a big part of it is meeting the actual people! Like my interview with my editor friend from the last post. I didn't just grab a sound and get out. We talked! Granted, she's a dear friend. But...

I saw an intrepid lady on the metro last month who dashed through and got herself stuck in the doors. She was so determined to get on, and I wanted to meet her. But I was so shy--me, shy!--and did not ask her my sound question, or any other question, or even say hi. I'll regret it forever! So all that said, I hope I remember to talk to people and find out about them in the future. So many wonderful people all around us to find out about! Not to sound Pollyannish.

But there are people I'd like to meet--to get beyond the controversies and legends, and just talk to, like people. Girl to man, woman, boy, or girl. Seeker to Most Important Sound. Face to face. I can dream.
In no particular order...this list subject to grow and shrink at a whim. "Good guys" and "bad guys" and all over.

Barack Obama
Chuck Norris
Ryan Higa
KevJumba
Rush Limbaugh
Michelle Obama
TobyMac
Justin Bieber
Harrison Ford
Crow (author of http://www.nicky510.com/)
The XKCD guy (Randall Munroe)
Machosauce productions (Alfonso Rachel)
Ron Paul
George W. Bush
John Piper
The Valve Team that worked on Portal
Relient K
Kelly Minter
BarlowGirl
SuperChic
The lady who inspired me to first start writing: Lynne Reid Banks
B.W.
Michael Tait
Lynda Randall
You

A book editor's Most Important Sound

On the outside, she has short brown 20s bob, and walks with a little bend. Her glasses have a strong, trendy look, and she dresses in clothes that can only be described as always absolutely appropriate. Her words have a metaphysical flavor, and they roll off her tongue with precise, elaborate diction and creative metaphors. She looks and talks exactly how I expect a book editor ought--and well she might, for she works at one of the oldest political publication agencies in the country.

She told me, as she leaned on the wall separating my doorless office from the general hallway, that she categorizes the world in colors. Decades have colors--dark brown is always a bad thing, and light blue is a good thing. The 20s and 60s have dark browns. The 1780s have a sky-blue.

I asked her what color F sharp was. She said a brown or grey. But see, for things other than decades, that is not a bad thing.

Then I asked what she thought was the most important sound in the world.

"Waves on a beach," she said immediately. "That is just the most beautiful sound in the world."

To her, important means beautiful, and important means dreams.

She told me she would like to have a home on a bluff overlooking the sea, and hear those waves all day long.

"Oh, yes, I know exactly what you mean!" I said. "I can see like fields of heather on top!"

"And sitting all alone, can you see my little cottage?"

"Oh yes I can!"

Can you?

89.9 Positive Hits Radio Show Host weighs in on Most Important Sound

Theresa speaks very much for herself. Clearly, God is the most important thing in the world to her, but in a very particular way, a way that has to do with children, hope, and music, speaking to her as a mother, a Christian, and a radio host. I think it's very pretty.

Sent by Ravens (hard rock) and their Most Important Sounds

So yeah, it took me a little while to get this last one up finally, but here it is! I'll have two more in the "AwakeningFest" series coming this week, so do stay tuned.  After that, I have another sound project set from a sheep festival (weird, huh)!

I think the security guard who helped me get these said it best.  "It's that instant reaction," Kate C. said, and went on to explain that the interest in the question comes for her from seeing people's momentary reaction.  An alarm, a siren--these are things that people instantly react to, things that stir people's blood and let them know danger stalks, or awaits in a business suit, or approaches in the form of a missed school-bus. These sounds become the Most Important Sound because we instinctually respond, and because they save our lives.

The instant, spur-of-the-moment hypothesis Kate offered also fits nicely with the other answers. To musicians, music is like your alarm. It's the thing that keeps you alive. It's the sound that protects you, or with which you warn the world. I think, anyway. Not being much of a musician myself, I'm not sure I know. The sound of the wind follows nicely from music, because it's a sound that culturally we associate with music and poetry. If Kate's theory is correct, the first answer, aside from being funny, highlights what pops out into Zach's head when he hears "important"--his wife. (cue d'aaaaaaawww)

So if you had to go on a gunshot gut reaction, what do you think when you hear "important"? How would that change your MIP answer?

Hawk Nelson and their Most Important Sounds (AwakeningFest 3)

Every time I say "the sound of music" I begin to sing my favorite things parody in my head. I even made a video of that song. It's kind of awful, but I feel obligated to link to it for full disclosure of my hownottoblog failure.  Anyway, here's Hawk Nelson!

I apologize for the awful quality. They wouldn't let me take video, and the AwakeningFest bands in the back were makin' a heaven-uva lotta noise.

But again we see the relationality sound holds for people in the "my wife saying she loves me" answer, and the career/life orientation in "music." The funny thing is, in the years of asking this question, no one has ever said "music" as the MIP--except musicians.

I love, too, how everyone interprets the question differently. Perhaps this is a sign of a bad interview in normal reporting, but for an art project like this, which is meant to showcase humanity (as is all art), I think it's beautiful. Mr. Benner answered "what is the most important sound to me," I think Mr. Dunn answered "what is the most influential sound in the world," and Mr. Biro answered "what is the perfect sound." I love how this question not only shows what sounds are important, but how different people define important!
How do you define important? And have you told me yet what you think is the most important sound?

Help! Metal Band Disciple Sounds Off, But I Missed a Man

These guys are Kevin / Micah / Andrew / Israel and Trent.

Andrew is the guy who has question marks over his head in the subtitles. I am absolutely embarrassed to say I can't remember what Andrew said there. Please comment and help me solve the riddle of the 'sound that makes us all equal again.'

The point is made, however, even if I cannot solve the riddle. Some things make us equal, and the kind of music we listen to or the kind of sounds we prefer often label our socioeconomic status or inner sensibility. I don't know if that's how it should be--should we be labelled by our music? Or is it a good thing that you can often extrapolate to a person's inside based on what they like to hear? What say you?

Another interesting observation these guys bring up: the things dearest to our hearts are, quite obviously, often mothers and children. I don't believe that's biological wiring. I believe that's biological wiring meant to represent the state of human hearts. But of course, those kind of metaphors and things are not for here, but for here. What kind of sounds remind you of your mother? Are children a positive auditory experience for you? Just some stuff to think about.

And of course--who doesn't want to be poetic? Cicadas are pretty cool, Mr. Kevin, even though I know you were in a hurry to go. XD What kind of sounds do you think are the most poetic or clever, people? And the original sound, "eeeee" raises a similar question. What kind of sounds strike you, personally, as the most funny?

Hope that gave you guys some food for thought today. Again, this project is about you, thinking about life and what matters to you!