Before the first note: a second of room tone

Before the first note of an ipe() track, there is a second of almost nothing: the sound of a quiet room. We call it room tone, and we leave it in.

Room tone is what a space sounds like when no one is playing: a faint hum, the air moving, a chair settling. Most mixes trim it away so the music starts exactly on the beat. We keep a short stretch of it at the head of every track.

The reason is simple. A track that begins at full presence asks you to arrive all at once. A second of room tone lets you arrive at your own pace: you settle, the room settles, and then the music begins.

It is also honest. The tracks are made in a small room, late at night, at a low volume, and that room is part of the recording. Taking it out would make the sound cleaner and a little less true.

ipe(); // the room, then the music

So when you press play, wait one second before you judge. The first second is part of the song.