Name: Marla Hansen
Nationality: American
Occupation: Violist, violinist, singer, songwriter
Recent Release: Marla Hansen's "Dresden" is out now. This is the second single off her upcoming new album Salt, slated for release on March 15th 2024 via Karaoke Kalk.

If you enjoyed this Marla Hansen interview and would like to stay up to date with her music, visit her official homepage. She is also on Instagram, and Facebook.

For a deeper dive, read our conversation with Marla about her creative process.
 


When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening? Do you listen with your eyes open or closed?

I guess I would say the best way to describe it is like when I am really listening, I am plugging into a current or a charge, and my body/soul somehow vibrates with the music. It’s very similar to how it feels when playing or performing it.

I do like to close my eyes when possible and shut out visual distraction. I feel strong physical sensations, waves, pushes, but I don’t tend to see specific things.

How do listening with headphones and listening through a stereo system change your experience of sound and music?

I do love noise cancellation technology. It makes listening on public transport a potentially lovely thing, especially if you have something nice to look at out of the window.

We just got a really nice record player, we thought our records were mostly old and crappy sounding, but really it was the record player. So my family and I have been listening to vinyl now a lot. I worry the whole time that our neighbors are annoyed, especially when it’s hip hop. But no one has said anything yet.

But really for that reason, living in an apartment with thin walls, I do listen on headphones when I want to really relax. So I don’t feel like I am imposing on anyone else.

Tell me about some of the albums or artists that you love specifically for their sound, please.

I remember when I was a teenager I noticed I really loved the way The Unforgettable Fire from U2 sounded. It’s soft, but clear and open at the same time.



Another later example, I love the band The Walkmen partly because of the sound of their records, especially the pianos. It really obsessed me at that time, it was one of the first times I think I really paid attention to production in that way.



More recently PJ Harvey’s newest record is just perfect sound-wise, it makes me want to try to make something that sounds more like that, loose and spontaneous, a little dirtier.



I guess I like sound concepts that create a feeling themselves, an atmosphere that enhances the songs in a real, direct way.

Do you experience strong emotional responses towards certain sounds? If so, what kind of sounds are these and do you have an explanation about the reasons for these responses?

I get upset by loud noises, especially sudden ones out on the street. I can be shaken for a bit by that, more than some people I think. I do however find it very purifying sometimes to listen to very loud music for a bit, and have it block out everything else.

When I hear a stringed instrument played very beautifully, with a beautiful tone, I can get a bit choked up. I think because of my background studying viola for so long. There can be something so human about it.

What are among your favourite spaces to record and play your music?

I love playing live at Donau115 in Berlin. I’ve done it a few times now, it’s cosy and relaxed and they have the best, most attentive audiences.

And I recorded some of my new record at Candy Bomber Studios with Ingo Krauss. That is a magic place, his rooms have such a lovely history to them. There is something cool to look at on every surface, but it’s also super cozy and comfortable there. I guess I like older rooms, with personality.

Do music and sound feel “material” to you? Does working with sound feel like you're sculpting or shaping something?

Yes I like this idea. I think a lot about shape, especially in terms of song form and dynamics. I think having a classical background makes things like big dynamic contrasts and flexible tempos pretty normal for me. And I do think about pushing or pulling songs or individual musical ideas in different ways, like you would sculpt something.

I always think about direction too, where is this idea going, where is it coming from, how much volume / pitch / tone change does it need to get there etc. etc. So that adds a temporal element to the physical idea of shaping something.

How important is sound for our overall well-being and in how far do you feel the "acoustic health" of a society or environment is reflective of its overall health?

I think it’s extremely important. For example, I’ve worked in places making music with children with quite a lot of unnecessary extra sound, untreated spaces, where it can noticeably contribute to the stress levels of the kids, in comparison to spaces that are nicely carpeted and properly treated.

I mean in general, it can be exciting to immerse yourself in a loud urban environment for a while, or go to a super loud show. But obviously living with that everyday is a clear detriment to most people's health.

I wonder if this will become more of an issue in the future, it surprises me that people don’t talk about it more, especially in terms of education.

Sound, song, and rhythm are all around us, from animal noises to the waves of the ocean. What, if any, are some of the most moving experiences you've had with these non-human-made sounds?

Well the sound of the ocean, I know it’s a cliché, but it is always awe-inspiring and humbling. Maybe I love it even more because I didn’t experience it at all when I was a kid, so it’s special and a little intimidating.

I do also love these big winds we can get here in Berlin too, there are a lot of trees where I live and it can get really massive and exciting sometimes.

I do love tiny sounds too, the summer is the best, out in a field, just surrendering to the buzz of the insects.

Tinnitus and developing hyperacusis are very real risks for anyone working with sound. Do you take precautions in this regard and if you're suffering from these or similar issues – how do you cope with them?

I have a bit of a hiss that I am starting to acknowledge. I only hear it when it’s really quiet, like when I’m in bed.

I started wearing earplugs when I am teaching, the ones that block out the sound over a certain decibel level, those have helped a lot. And I notice I am also more relaxed at the end of the day. I often wear them to shows now too, depending on the show.

I do worry I was too lax about this when I was touring a lot, we’ll see what happens!

We can surround us with sound every second of the day. The great pianist Glenn Gould even considered this the ultimate delight. How do you see that yourself and what importance does silence hold?

I find silence very important, and nearly impossible to find. I never listen to music for example when I go running outside. It’s not silence but the lack of organized sound I find important to the feeling of reset and focus that exercising outdoors brings.

I talk with my students about this from time to time. There is always a mix of what they prefer for studying - some absolutely need music, some can’t have any music (I’m in that camp). I think this is a very individualized thing and probably has something to do with your the environment is like when you are a child.

I do think my Scandinavian DNA makes me crave quiet more than some people do.