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What silence can teach you about sound

3,290,627 views | Dallas Taylor • TED2020

What can you hear in silence? In this exploration of sound, host of the podcast "Twenty Thousand Hertz" Dallas Taylor tells the story of arguably the most debated musical composition in recent history -- composer John Cage's iconic piece 4'33" -- and invites you to take notice of the soundscape around you. Watch to the end to experience a performance of 4'33".

What can you hear in silence? In this exploration of sound, host of the podcast "Twenty Thousand Hertz" Dallas Taylor tells the story of arguably the most debated musical composition in recent history -- composer John Cage's iconic piece 4'33" -- and invites you to take notice of the soundscape around you. Watch to the end to experience a performance of 4'33".

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Dallas Taylor

Sound evangelist

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Dallas Taylor is the host of "Twenty Thousand Hertz," a podcast about sound.

Kyle Gann | Yale University Press, 2011 | Book

No Such Thing as Silence: John Cage's 4'33"

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Twenty Thousand Hertz

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.