Sound School Podcast Silence Is Worth Your Time
9 snips
Apr 7, 2026 
Noam Hassenfeld, podcast host and musician behind Vox's Unexplainable, explains his musical approach to audio storytelling. He discusses why silence can feel uncomfortable and how he plans and scores stretches of silence. They talk anechoic chambers, John Cage's 4'33", and techniques for easing listeners into long silent passages.
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Silence Forces Listener Autonomy
- Silence is experienced as an unstructured space that forces listeners to self-direct their attention.
- Rob Rosenthal and Noam Hassenfeld note silence asks more of the listener than music or dialogue, creating discomfort and introspection.
Ease Listeners Into Extended Silence
- Gradually introduce silence in audio pieces rather than plunging listeners into long dead air.
- Noam sprinkled brief silences, then expanded them, to condition listeners before a long four-minute section.
John Cage's Anechoic Chamber Revelation
- Noam visited an anechoic chamber and recounted John Cage's famous experience hearing his nervous system and circulation.
- Cage concluded there's no absolute silence and later composed 4'33", a performance of ambient sounds.