6 ms·

The Sounds of CDMX

154 points by feross 4y ago

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
ljoshua 4y ago
This is a really fun, interactive experience. And the rest of the site is worth exploring too for its unique presentations. Having lived in Mexico City myself and returning there a few times a year right now, this is definitely a pretty accurate representation of many of the sounds you'll see/hear (with the exception that the folks playing the sounds aren't always as smiley as the way the cutesy art makes them look). A fun way to learn about another culture though.
- onli 4y ago
  It seems to me it gets the sounds right, but not the volume. Mexico City is so loud, from the music in the metro to the calls of the vendors to especially the constant traffic jam and the incredible amount of cars. The site sounds like the areas outside of the city. Not at all how experienced the city itself.
  - huevosabio 4y ago
    Surprisingly, I find CDMX to be ver quiet the moment you get out of the main streets. The buildings and vegetation seems to seal noises to their area. Of course the quietness is never permanent as no street is off limits for the wandering merchants.
jollofricepeas 4y ago
“Se compran … colchones … tambores … refrigeradores … estufas … lavadoras … microondas … o algo de fierro viejo que vendan!” If you know, you know ;)
- trentearl 4y ago
  Exactly what I thought of, I always thought it would be a good addition to Mexican rap song.
  - lobo_tuerto 4y ago
    Maybe something like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yitoITlNcKs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yitoITlNcKs
- hellohowareu 4y ago
  The shouts of vendors in the street is why I avoid cities in Mexico, especially CDMX. The noise levels in Mexico are so abrasive to me.
  - elboru 4y ago
    Big parties late at night in residential areas, vendors shooting while passing by, then dogs barking at them, delivery men in noisy motorcycles, then dogs barking at them again. I guess that’s why gated communities are trending in many Mexican cities now days.
    - jolmg 4y ago
      > vendors shooting while passing by *shouting > I guess that’s why gated communities are trending in many Mexican cities now days. No, I'm sure the biggest value of a gated community is the added safety. You'd still get the noises you mentioned, except perhaps the street vendors if the gated area is remote or big enough. It's still a residential area with parties, dogs, and delivery motorcycles, after all.
      - elboru 4y ago
        Thanks, yes, I meant shouting. I’ve lived in both gated and non-gated. And gated neighborhoods are significantly more quiet.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
classified 4y ago
What a lovely way to present contemporary culture. I'm enamored.
hombre_fatal 4y ago
I never understood the organ grinders. Why would you ever want a North Korean general cranking a music box while you eat? Thankfully everyone under age 50 agrees. Great website.
e4e5 4y ago
The Organ Grinders are the worst! When I visited some of them were so out of tune that it hurt to listen to them. Couldn't help but feel happy when the website said they're losing popularity
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- hombre_fatal 4y ago
  One used to play in front of the taco stand outside my apartment every morning. I remember laying in bed fantasizing about the government enacting a law where you have to play an actual instrument if you want to generate loud sounds while you busker.
lostgame 4y ago
This was one of the closest experiences to 'Virtual Reality' I've had; lol - the combination of the cute art mixed with the sound is truly great.
volkk 4y ago
Was just there and I ended up enjoying the sounds by the end of the trip so much, they became comforting. One of the most wonderful cities I've been to
- owly 4y ago
  I had a similarly positive experience there. The energy of CDMX is vibrant and the city is full of life. There are definitely places to go for quiet away from the main streets. Sometimes too quiet!
Jack_rando_fang 4y ago
A fun and quite immersive experience! Wouldn't want to live here due to all the noise but sure would love a visit.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
qwertox 4y ago
I expected to hear a "periodicooooo".
gomox 4y ago
Awesome. I find myself frequently trying to explain the fact that CDMX's sounds are so iconic. This site does a much better job than I ever could. A glaring omission in my opinion is the camote (sweet potato) steam whistle, which has a PTSD-worthy volume even when heard from half a block away.
- dheera 4y ago
  I've been wanting to do a project like this for a long time, there are lots of places I have travelled and lived that have unique sounds that I'd like to share. The only reason I haven't done it is that today's social media wouldn't provide a means for my work to be seen. On Facebook for example if I post anything with external links it covertly censors my content so that even my own friends cannot see it. Nowadays they downrank pretty much anything that isn't a "Reel", my still photographs are now only shown to a very small subset of my friends. Sound-only content isn't really attractive to news sites either so I just don't know how I'd publish it effectively.
  - yieldcrv 4y ago
    The ephemeral “stories” can get a lot of interaction, thats the primary way my circle uses instagram, the “posts” feature are pretty much dead, baring a once a year “photo dump” For a creative that gets validation from simply having things seen, consider buying a more popular account on instagram and rebranding it. Theyve already done the work of growing the account with real users. You don't need to participate in that popularity rat race, just buy your own art gallery but with the mailing list of the prior owner.
- aunty_helen 4y ago
  I hunted for this sound for 2 days in CDMX. Where? what? who? but most of all why? It was all very delicious and satisfying in the end, like finding the pot at the end of the rainbow. The experience of standing next to a personal steam engine, on a street at night, in Mexico, being served platano covered with condensed milk and cinnamon is one of the reasons why I enjoy travel.
- murki 4y ago
kristopolous 4y ago
My favorite big city in North America! (although I haven't been to Toronto or Boston so forgive me) Really, you should give it a go. Find people to meet or small places to go to beforehand, preferably themed. If you're into say, music, go to music museums, find community groups, local concerts and just do that.
jergtn 4y ago
<3

154 points by feross 4y ago

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

This is a really fun, interactive experience. And the rest of the site is worth exploring too for its unique presentations. Having lived in Mexico City myself and returning there a few times a year right now, this is definitely a pretty accurate representation of many of the sounds you'll see/hear (with the exception that the folks playing the sounds aren't always as smiley as the way the cutesy art makes them look). A fun way to learn about another culture though.

onli 4y ago
It seems to me it gets the sounds right, but not the volume. Mexico City is so loud, from the music in the metro to the calls of the vendors to especially the constant traffic jam and the incredible amount of cars. The site sounds like the areas outside of the city. Not at all how experienced the city itself.
- huevosabio 4y ago
  Surprisingly, I find CDMX to be ver quiet the moment you get out of the main streets. The buildings and vegetation seems to seal noises to their area. Of course the quietness is never permanent as no street is off limits for the wandering merchants.

jollofricepeas 4y ago

“Se compran … colchones … tambores … refrigeradores … estufas … lavadoras … microondas … o algo de fierro viejo que vendan!” If you know, you know ;)

trentearl 4y ago
Exactly what I thought of, I always thought it would be a good addition to Mexican rap song.
- lobo_tuerto 4y ago
  Maybe something like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yitoITlNcKs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yitoITlNcKs
hellohowareu 4y ago
The shouts of vendors in the street is why I avoid cities in Mexico, especially CDMX. The noise levels in Mexico are so abrasive to me.
- elboru 4y ago
  Big parties late at night in residential areas, vendors shooting while passing by, then dogs barking at them, delivery men in noisy motorcycles, then dogs barking at them again. I guess that’s why gated communities are trending in many Mexican cities now days.
  - jolmg 4y ago
    > vendors shooting while passing by *shouting > I guess that’s why gated communities are trending in many Mexican cities now days. No, I'm sure the biggest value of a gated community is the added safety. You'd still get the noises you mentioned, except perhaps the street vendors if the gated area is remote or big enough. It's still a residential area with parties, dogs, and delivery motorcycles, after all.
    - elboru 4y ago
      Thanks, yes, I meant shouting. I’ve lived in both gated and non-gated. And gated neighborhoods are significantly more quiet.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

classified 4y ago

What a lovely way to present contemporary culture. I'm enamored.

hombre_fatal 4y ago

I never understood the organ grinders. Why would you ever want a North Korean general cranking a music box while you eat? Thankfully everyone under age 50 agrees. Great website.

e4e5 4y ago

The Organ Grinders are the worst! When I visited some of them were so out of tune that it hurt to listen to them. Couldn't help but feel happy when the website said they're losing popularity

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
hombre_fatal 4y ago
One used to play in front of the taco stand outside my apartment every morning. I remember laying in bed fantasizing about the government enacting a law where you have to play an actual instrument if you want to generate loud sounds while you busker.

lostgame 4y ago

This was one of the closest experiences to 'Virtual Reality' I've had; lol - the combination of the cute art mixed with the sound is truly great.

volkk 4y ago

Was just there and I ended up enjoying the sounds by the end of the trip so much, they became comforting. One of the most wonderful cities I've been to

owly 4y ago
I had a similarly positive experience there. The energy of CDMX is vibrant and the city is full of life. There are definitely places to go for quiet away from the main streets. Sometimes too quiet!

Jack_rando_fang 4y ago

A fun and quite immersive experience! Wouldn't want to live here due to all the noise but sure would love a visit.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

qwertox 4y ago

I expected to hear a "periodicooooo".

gomox 4y ago

Awesome. I find myself frequently trying to explain the fact that CDMX's sounds are so iconic. This site does a much better job than I ever could. A glaring omission in my opinion is the camote (sweet potato) steam whistle, which has a PTSD-worthy volume even when heard from half a block away.

dheera 4y ago
I've been wanting to do a project like this for a long time, there are lots of places I have travelled and lived that have unique sounds that I'd like to share. The only reason I haven't done it is that today's social media wouldn't provide a means for my work to be seen. On Facebook for example if I post anything with external links it covertly censors my content so that even my own friends cannot see it. Nowadays they downrank pretty much anything that isn't a "Reel", my still photographs are now only shown to a very small subset of my friends. Sound-only content isn't really attractive to news sites either so I just don't know how I'd publish it effectively.
- yieldcrv 4y ago
  The ephemeral “stories” can get a lot of interaction, thats the primary way my circle uses instagram, the “posts” feature are pretty much dead, baring a once a year “photo dump” For a creative that gets validation from simply having things seen, consider buying a more popular account on instagram and rebranding it. Theyve already done the work of growing the account with real users. You don't need to participate in that popularity rat race, just buy your own art gallery but with the mailing list of the prior owner.
aunty_helen 4y ago
I hunted for this sound for 2 days in CDMX. Where? what? who? but most of all why? It was all very delicious and satisfying in the end, like finding the pot at the end of the rainbow. The experience of standing next to a personal steam engine, on a street at night, in Mexico, being served platano covered with condensed milk and cinnamon is one of the reasons why I enjoy travel.
murki 4y ago

kristopolous 4y ago

My favorite big city in North America! (although I haven't been to Toronto or Boston so forgive me) Really, you should give it a go. Find people to meet or small places to go to beforehand, preferably themed. If you're into say, music, go to music museums, find community groups, local concerts and just do that.

jergtn 4y ago