In 1951 John Cage stepped into Harvard’s anechoic chamber expecting to experience silence. What he heard instead was the sound of his body, the high pitched hum of his nervous system and the low bass of his blood circulation. I will never tire of telling this story.
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After years of sitting idly knowing that Northumbria has an anechoic chamber, I was finally able to find someone to put me in touch with someone to give me access to it. It’s not quite the same kind of chamber as the one John Cage used; it serves its purpose as a dead-space for microwaves. Despite that, I still took the opportunity to witness something akin to what Cage had some 64 years ago. I listened to my breathing and felt the tight pressure around my ears, straining a bit to hear the sounds Cage did. Because the chamber wasn't absolutely soundproofed, most of my efforts were in vain. It's interesting to note that I was more aware of the silence/lack of echo when the technician still had the door open than when he shut it. Something about the way sound travels had a feeling of pressure rest on my shoulders and back of my ears. Closing myself in felt like a release, almost as though I was enveloped, and therefore, unable, to experience it. 
Northumbria's anechoic chamber.
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Harvard's anechoic chamber.
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After 4'33" (2015)
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