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Topic: Listening or hearing (Read 5297 times) previous topic - next topic
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Listening or hearing

Interesting argument, c-net is hosting both sides:

background music is fine...
http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/music-multitas...-enhances-life/

stop what you're doing, and listen to vinyl...
http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/to-listen-to-m...s-the-question/

I don't see a "music should be listened to, but not from vinyl" option. Though I can't remember the last time I sat down and just listened to music at home. I often pay more attention to music in the car or when walking than I pay to the world around me (sorry other drivers), but that's still not listening in isolation.

OT: I'm probably old fashioned in that I spend an hour nearly every night just watching TV. Lights off, no phone/tablet/laptop/anything, watching something I've recorded days or weeks ago, and chosen to watch. Whereas I'm sure most people multitask when watching TV - I'm sure most TV programmes are edited with the assumption that you're not watching it properly.

Cheers,
David.

Listening or hearing

Reply #1 –
I never listen to my favourite music as background noise really. Partly because i don't want it getting overplayed and stale, partly because i do agree that someone's art deserves my (full) attention. Just listening to music up to ~6 hours a day in a dark room, while doing nothing practical is very appealing to me. I like to convince myself it's a learning experience, and pay extra attention to the production side sometimes. That said, i almost always daydream about things other than the music and the production itself, too, so i wonder if that's multitasking as well.

I think most pop music is appropriately reserved for background music, top40 radios, malls and whatnot. Even moreso than ambient music

Listening or hearing

Reply #2 –
How about both? Sometimes when I'm working I just need background noise, other times I want to sit down and actually listen.

Listening or hearing

Reply #3 –
I second the "both" statement. I have different playlists for "background music" and "focused listening".
The former I use when I'm working on something (coding, writing, etc), with the music really just giving me the rhythm to work in. The playlists usually contain a lot of music with everything I deem "enjoyable to listen to".
The latter I use when I really want to focus on the music and just appreciate the details. Those playlists usually contain favorites only, or new music I recently got.

Listening or hearing

Reply #4 –
Quote from: slks on
How about both? Sometimes when I'm working I just need background noise, other times I want to sit down and actually listen.

Same here - alittle from column A, a little from column B. But I feel that I have drifted too far towards background listening in recent years, and will be trying to correct the balance, as a New year's Resolution.

Listening or hearing

Reply #5 –
My opinions vary wildly from the ones expressed here. My "old favourites" bear both "comfort listening", ie. using it as background noise, or sustained listening, ie. getting deep into the music. I tend to comfort listen as a work aid. I find I need a specific headspace to properly appreciate new music these days, but after a "proper" listening, I tend to know which releases I like well enough for them to progress on to my "comfort listening" library.