Sounds of Burningman

[dj jmotion]

Won't be there physically but can be there with you in sonic spirit...

Much music... Playable and downloadable under BLOGS...

myspace.com/djjjmotion

[stew]

In the "residental" areas, a dB limit would be nice but not necessary IMHO. There are earplugs.

[wannaberavin]

I dont think it has anything to do with noise as to location, location, location. Choose where you camp wisely.

But the people who are in charge of assigning camp locations should bve asking what type of camp it is and it is more of a day or night crowd.

Sorry about your misfortune.

[dj jmotion]

[quote="dj jmotion"]Won't be there physically but can be there with you in sonic spirit...

Much music... Playable and downloadable under BLOGS...

myspace.com/djjjmotion[/quote]

I have to say I have gotten quite a few mixed comments and opinions of the man this year most of them not so great....


Anyone love it this year? hate it?
comments?responses...?

[capjbadger]

Going to BM for quiet is like going for a swim in the ocean and expecting to stay dry.

If you don't like noise, don't go. Easy.

Badger

[Flon]

Going to BM for quiet is like going for a swim in the ocean and expecting to stay dry.

If you don't like noise, don't go. Easy.

Easy enough advice to follow. In fact i don't think I have ever met a person who went to Burning Man specifically for the quiet.

On the other hand, I have met lots of people that go to Burning Man to play acoustic instruments, or to do visual art that requires enough concentration that they need some sleep while they are there, or to have simple conversations with their neighbors that do not require yelling.

I don't think a curfew is at all a good idea. What I do think is a good idea is for everyone to consider their neighbors, to realize that there is no "right" to play loud music 24/7 "because it is Burning Man", and to not assume that Burning Man is not for those who want to sleep or hear something other than loud repetitive music.

What people need to do is compromise: talk to your neighbors and find out how what you are doing is affecting them; group loud camps near each other; realize that some artistic visions are not possible even at Burning Man ("I want to broadcast infants crying at 140 dBA 24/7" or "I want no noise from the event to reach my installation" or "everyone there must paint their genitals purple").

It seems that the main point of the festival is to allow people to freely express themselves (at least that seems to be the point from the ORG's view and from most people's opinion that I have heard), but just as your right to swing your arm ends at my nose and your right to shoot your gun is curtailed if it is pointed at me, a right to free expression must be curtailed when it makes it impossible for others to express themselves freely.

[Valkyrie]

There's also the walk-in area for those who want a little distance between them and the Rest of the World.

Also, as an example, I sleep just fine with noise (sleeping through falling out of bed and fire engines coming to my house) so it would be a mistake to project your own needs on everyone. There are lots of things you can do for yourself to address your own quiet needs.

[Flon]

There's also the walk-in area for those who want a little distance between them and the Rest of the World.

Also, as an example, I sleep just fine with noise (sleeping through falling out of bed and fire engines coming to my house) so it would be a mistake to project your own needs on everyone. There are lots of things you can do for yourself to address your own quiet needs.

Valkyrie, you seem to have missed the main point of what I was saying.

For the record, I have never had any trouble sleeping at Burning Man, but I have known others who had much to offer artistically that have stopped going because of the noise stress. To say that I am projecting my needs on everyone is as silly as saying that someone at one of these camps is projecting their need to dance to loud music all night on everyone. My biggest problem with noise is that, much as a certain subset consider dancing to electronic music important to their experience, I consider hearing and playing new acoustic music essential, and it is impossible to do this in vast swaths of the city.

It is true that "There are lots of things you can do for yourself to address your own quiet needs." It is also true that there are lots of things that very loud camps can do to address the needs of the city to be open to the wide variety of arts and expression that make Burning Man so, so much more than just another rave. Compromise - that's the point.

[Burner till death]

I love the music. Looking at the numbers looks like 4/5's of BM seems to prefer no cutoff pretty overwhelming.

[madmatt]

I think that's the stupidest suggestion for BM that I've ever heard. Stay home if you don't like it. Not having to be quiet is one of the most wonderful freedoms that you have on the playa.

[trypical]

If you make an event that you claim is for everyone, then you pretty much have to expect everything including loud music at all hours of the day and night.

[madmatt]

I think that's the stupidest suggestion for BM that I've ever heard. Stay home if you don't like it. Not having to be quiet is one of the most wonderful freedoms that you have on the playa.

PS - sorry, I didn't mean to be mean. Also, there's a ginormous village called Hushville that I believe has already addressed this need. Also, the deep playa is quite quiet.

[mdmf007]

As an all inclusive societal experiment there are already low sound zones. Or you can do what some others do and camp a little farher out. It is really pretty simple.

Me? I am a light sleeper, and somehow deal with the incesant oontz music.

later

[Valkyrie]

And here, I thought the question was "should there be a cut off time/curfew for music on the loud side of the playa?"...

See, if you want for everyone to be quiet during certain hours, you're out of your mind. You won't even find that in a city.

[mdmf007]

I missed the original question,

A cutoff - NO.

Quiet zones - sure why not.

[skygod]

Cutoff time?
Sunrise

[Elliot]

Burning Man is perfect; there is even room for improvement.

I was in a Theme Camp at 4:30 & C. There was not supposed to be any Loud Thumping in that immediate Theme Camp area. But there was -- right across the street. Often, it was difficult to hold a conversation in our camp, and that's "where my nose begins".

One of the key aspects of Theme Camps is that the Placement Team can put compatible camps near each other. In this case, there seems to be room for improvement.

It is important that Theme Camp applicants give the Placement Team a complete and accurate desription of their camp's activities, specially sound levels.

Perhaps the camp placement system ought to be expanded from just Theme Camps to include some non-theme camps, such as those with loud sound?

It's not that I generally favor restrictions and regulations and prohibitions -- specially not at BM. But I talked to a lot of people about this, and there seems to be a large percentage of burners who feel that Loud Thumping is being "shared a bit too generously" by those who enjoy it.

There are many possibilities for this "improvement that we have room for", and I hope that no Draconian measures will be needed. But let me run one idea up the flagpole as a topic for rational discussion: How about having Loud Thumping on one half of BRC, and not on the other? I'm not claiming that's "The Solution". But it may be one possible approach.

One more idea: How about the BMOrg conduct a poll of all ticket buyers, with a handful of options to vote for, as guidance for the Org?

Happy New Year, everybody!

[theCryptofishist]

Problem with that is finding a volenteer willing to spend many many hours to compile answers that aren't going to be from a representative sample. The LLC does tend to do things by fiat (no, Larry did not buy an italian auto) but I've never filled out the damn sensus even.

[Elliot]

Heh, heh... yes, I'm familiar with "Rule by fiat". I use that phrase occasionally -- usually on the same occasion as when I say "When I become Emperor of the World,...."

(Enlightened Benevolent Dictatorship may indeed be the best possible form of government.)

Problem with the sensus, is that... I haven't done it either! That's why I said "ticket buyers". BM Headquarters can reach most of us -- in the quiet of our homes -- as with the post card that recently came out announcing the 2008 ticket sales. If that postcard had had a survey on it, I would have filled it out and returned it, and I'm inclined to think that most of us would. That may be the most representative sample we could ever get.

I would be happy to invest some volunteer time. The only problem is the practical aspect -- living out here in the boondocks and having to earn a living. If those 30.000 postcards were shipped to me, so I could work on them when I am free....

[bonzaikitty]

I rather enjoyed walking with my friends belting out a revised version of We Built This City, by Jefferson Airplanes.

In which the new chorus was:

We built this city on drugs and base.

[zabsinth]

Shouldn't that be "Drugs and Bass?"


I camped at 2:35 or so and Fairlane, relatively close to the rave brigade, and even though I could hear plenty, it was easy enough to deal with...

Real problem was inadequate shade for daysleeping....

[drutter]

I camped at 2:35 or so and Fairlane, relatively close to the rave brigade, and even though I could hear plenty, it was easy enough to deal with...

Real problem was inadequate shade for daysleeping....

I was at 3:15 and Fairlane. We could hear the 2oclock rave, but it wasn't very loud.

I agree with you, shade for sleeping in the day is a requirement. Even if all it does is keep your tent cool enough to sleep until 9 or so, that's awesome. If I could sleep 4-9 every day I'd survive.

As for the sound issues, I say let the noisy raves and stuff congregate at 10 and 2, and along the esplanade, and have rangers available to settle disputes that arise from people being overly noisy in the "quiet neighborhoods".