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This is something really weird I've been thinking about. People listen to music in many different ways because there are many different kinds of people who listen to music, simply put. However, I think the way I listen is kind of retarded and stupid.
I assume most people listen to music just as-is. They take it as it comes, and are probably able to enjoy it the most that way. They feel every dynamic, every change in tempo, etc.
Then there are the educated...they are the ones who will time out the time signature while listening, name the key and scales used, and in the end tell you if they're technically remarkable or not. As they listen, they observe and analyze the overall composition of the song, I guess.
Those are just two that came to mind.
I'm somewhere in between those two extremes. I have some education in music, but nothing really worth mentioning. I can't name keys (aside from C... -_- ), scales or chords or anything like that. At the same time, I find it hard to just listen to a song as-is...I like to try to figure out why it's interesting or bad in addition to declaring it as such.
One thing I really like to do is pick apart every individual instrument used in a recording. I like to figure out how many guitars a band is really using, how many backgrounds effects are going on, etc.
This is the part of my music listening that drove me to write this. I've realized I don't really treat vocals the same way most people do, and probably the way they should be treated. A singing or growling or screaming voice, to me, is just another melodic line or tone, usually the lead. I don't pay attention to the lyrical content in direct relation to the song, but instead just see how the vocalist's tone fits into the song, the voice's overall quality, and the way the words are strung together rhythmically/syllabically/however-you-want-to-put-it.
The lyrics themselves are unimportant until later, should I choose to look them up. I can't understand lyrics in songs worth shit, be it pop, rock, metal, hip hop or whatever. It's just not something I pay attention to.
I realized this as I was trying to update a small music review blog I write on occasionally (mostly just for self-fulfillment. I really don't give a shit about traffic for it). I've written reviews most for metal albums on it, but today, while procrastinating on studying for a midterm, I decided to try my hand at a Japanese pop album I really like, and am completely fucking stuck.
I can't write shit about it, and really don't have anything to say.
I dunno...do you guys get what I'm saying? How do you listen to music? Particularly when listening to more vocally-oriented music, how do you listen? What do you listen for? ...and so on and so forth.
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i hate how a lot of jpop songs add in multiple instances of the artist singing to make some parts of the song fuller or richer when in fact her voice is fine without adding in more of the same.
this ends up making me think about voice-enhancements and other editing. personally, i dont care about voice-enhancements like some people complain about. i listen to the song for how good it sounds to me so i can enjoy it. if using voice enhancements makes it sound better then great. however, i do recognize and appreciate it when a singer can sound just as good live as he/she sounds in the album.
i also end up noticing the skill needed in playing some songs. la campanella and paganini's 24 caprices seem more enjoyable just because they take more skill/dexterity to play than a song that sounds great but is easier to play.
eh, just some thoughts. i dont really have any points to make.
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I probably fit into your first category of "I assume most people listen to music just as-is. They take it as it comes, and are probably able to enjoy it the most that way. They feel every dynamic, every change in tempo, etc."
I also agree with you that I really couldn't care less about the actual lyrics (and I always suck at making them out as well), I think I do the same as you, listen to the vocalist's tone fitting into the song, the quality of it and how it works out rhythmically/whatever.
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Unless vocalist has exceptional voice or can write some kickass lyrics, I pay no attention to vocals. In fact, I'm mostly into non-vocal bands, because it's rare to see some good lyrics these days.
Example of a song, for which vocals are essential and worth listening:
+ Show Spoiler +
And one, where they are only to fit in:
+ Show Spoiler +
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Well I'm a huge hip-hop fan. You could call me an underground elitist, I guess I am a bit.
But lyrics mean a lot to me, anything witty, clever or with real depth and meaning can grab my attention paticularly if I can relate to it. Hip-hop also has a huge emphasis on lyrical content. Of course a nice beat always helps.
I guess I fall in to the category of people who just appreciate the simpler things in Music. I did a Music course for 2 years and sucked at it.
But as you said, there are so many different forms of music. So to each his own.
To answer your last questions, I listen to hip-hop all day, so I usually have an emphasis on the lyrics. But generally beats in hip-hop are simple in nature with a bit of melody added in. And the main emphasis isn't really on the instrumental content, and the beat is fairly repetative.
Other genres- I don't really know much about. I used to be a massive rock fan about 5 years ago, still always got a soft spot for Metallica and Iron Maiden, but I just grew tired of it all!
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On November 03 2009 21:10 ieatkids5 wrote:
i hate how a lot of jpop songs add in multiple instances of the artist singing to make some parts of the song fuller or richer when in fact her voice is fine without adding in more of the same.
this ends up making me think about voice-enhancements and other editing. personally, i dont care about voice-enhancements like some people complain about. i listen to the song for how good it sounds to me so i can enjoy it. if using voice enhancements makes it sound better then great. however, i do recognize and appreciate it when a singer can sound just as good live as he/she sounds in the album.
i also end up noticing the skill needed in playing some songs. la campanella and paganini's 24 caprices seem more enjoyable just because they take more skill/dexterity to play than a song that sounds great but is easier to play.
eh, just some thoughts. i dont really have any points to make.
You're going to get vocal layering anywhere you go in popular music, from death metal to hip hop. Jpop is not unique in that at all and by any means. Autotune is an industry standard just to get a cleaner sound out. EVERY band with a production budget will have those kinds of enhancements done.
BTW, classical music is incredibly different from popular music. Listening to that has nearly no relation to popular music, in my opinion. They're entirely different worlds of music, and I'm focusing solely on popular here.
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On November 03 2009 21:19 Dr.Lettuce wrote:
Well I'm a huge hip-hop fan. You could call me an underground elitist, I guess I am a bit.
But lyrics mean a lot to me, anything witty, clever or with real depth and meaning can grab my attention paticularly if I can relate to it. Hip-hop also has a huge emphasis on lyrical content. Of course a nice beat always helps.
I guess I fall in to the category of people who just appreciate the simpler things in Music. I did a Music course for 2 years and sucked at it.
But as you said, there are so many different forms of music. So to each his own.
To answer your last questions, I listen to hip-hop all day, so I usually have an emphasis on the lyrics. But generally beats in hip-hop are simple in nature with a bit of melody added in. And the main emphasis isn't really on the instrumental content, and the beat is fairly repetative.
Other genres- I don't really know much about. I used to be a massive rock fan about 5 years ago, still always got a soft spot for Metallica and Iron Maiden, but I just grew tired of it all!
Hip hop really is very different from rock or metal, which is where most of the music I listen to lies in.
I can definitely see that the lyrical content is very much so the meat of the music, which is probably why I have a hard time listening to it... ):
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konadora
Singapore66358 Posts
One thing I really like to do is pick apart every individual instrument used in a recording. I like to figure out how many guitars a band is really using, how many backgrounds effects are going on, etc.
This happens to me when I'm listening to a music alone on a long, one-hour bus ride.
I slowly feel the rhythm, the beats, the drums, and then slowly, I hear the other softer sounds, like the triangles. And while all that is happening, the lyrics just slowly blend in together.
Music is amazing.
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well i listen to jazz (mostly) so of course theres always the element of academia and theory lurking behind the music for me, but for me enjoyment is always the most important part. although, when i listen to something, like a certain cadence or chord that doesnt resolve well, or has a passing tone or avoid note or something and it stands out, you can hear it sound bad, and then you know why it sounds bad. so i guess they are kinda hand in hand for me
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PH, try this really unique guy I'm a fan of.
Aesop rock. I paticularly recommend his song Daylight. Not sure if you'll like it. I also encourage everyone who sees this post to go to youtube and listen to Aesop Rock - Daylight!
His talent must be known!
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I listen to the melodies mostly, and if I'm really into the band i get into the lyrical part of the songs. Also most bands can't write lyrics, at least not what i like. An example of good writing would be Pink Floyd, Neurosis, Isis, Tool and Nevermore (bands that first popped into my head). Also I enjoy a lot of purely instrumental music, mostly post rock and sludge with a small degree of jazz 
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On November 03 2009 21:20 PH wrote:BTW, classical music is incredibly different from popular music. Listening to that has nearly no relation to popular music, in my opinion. They're entirely different worlds of music, and I'm focusing solely on popular here.
As a listener to essentially only 'classical' music, I disagree entirely. It doesn't matter if you're listening to the simplest ABABA or if you're listening to a serial, polyrhythmic, aleatoric piece composed Klangfarbenmelodie style ending in a 15-voice, 5 subject fugue. All you need to do is make sure you're listening to every element and examine the effect on yourself.
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Aesop Rock is well known in underground hip hip; I'm sure PH and others will discover him if they undertake the journey.
Hip hop was one of the first genres I began listening to as a child along with classical, new age, and metal. Coming from a piano background, I found vocals in most music to be absolutely fascinating as they were new and mysterious to me. I have paid close attention to any and all lyrics ever since. Lyrics will make or break a song for me. However I admit I don't analyze the technical aspects of most music. I only know one person in real life who analyzes... everything. He is a music major and a true audiophile.
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aleatoric music sounds very interesting spinfusor, could you recommend any musicians?
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I get a record:
-1st couple of months: the whole thing
-after these months: all nice piano,guitar,saxophone drum parts hit me, OMG cool stuff I didnt even notice
-then time signatures, key changes, mood changes
-back to whole
-???
- repeat
Of course if I dont like the music in first place after giving it a try many times: i dont listen to it
BUT I might find the cd again after months/years AND like it then or not.
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I listen to music before I sleep.
Besides that, I only listen when I go to operas and stuff.
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On November 03 2009 21:38 JohnColtrane wrote:
well i listen to jazz (mostly) so of course theres always the element of academia and theory lurking behind the music for me, but for me enjoyment is always the most important part. although, when i listen to something, like a certain cadence or chord that doesnt resolve well, or has a passing tone or avoid note or something and it stands out, you can hear it sound bad, and then you know why it sounds bad. so i guess they are kinda hand in hand for me
That's good. I know people studying music who come to a point where they just can't listen to music the same way anymore.
Personally, I think the point you're at is ideal. It's nice to have that technical understanding, but to look at it only after the actual listening will probably get you the most out of both worlds.
On November 03 2009 21:41 Dr.Lettuce wrote:
PH, try this really unique guy I'm a fan of.
Aesop rock. I paticularly recommend his song Daylight. Not sure if you'll like it. I also encourage everyone who sees this post to go to youtube and listen to Aesop Rock - Daylight!
His talent must be known!
I'll give it a try. Could you link some songs (in addition to "Daylight") in here?
On November 03 2009 22:06 Spinfusor wrote:Show nested quote +On November 03 2009 21:20 PH wrote:BTW, classical music is incredibly different from popular music. Listening to that has nearly no relation to popular music, in my opinion. They're entirely different worlds of music, and I'm focusing solely on popular here. As a listener to essentially only 'classical' music, I disagree entirely. It doesn't matter if you're listening to the simplest ABABA or if you're listening to a serial, polyrhythmic, aleatoric piece composed Klangfarbenmelodie style ending in a 15-voice, 5 subject fugue. All you need to do is make sure you're listening to every element and examine the effect on yourself.
Wow. Just wow.
I'm really curious...why did you feel it necessary to link a grip of random musical theory terms into a relatively simple topic? Does it really make you feel that much better? You could have easily made the same point with much less effort and much more modesty/decency, but for whatever reason you absolutely had to take a shockingly elitist route about it.
Your point is valid, but I can't get over the fact that you had to make it in such a dumb way, I'm sorry.
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On November 03 2009 22:47 PH wrote:Show nested quote +On November 03 2009 22:06 Spinfusor wrote:On November 03 2009 21:20 PH wrote:BTW, classical music is incredibly different from popular music. Listening to that has nearly no relation to popular music, in my opinion. They're entirely different worlds of music, and I'm focusing solely on popular here. As a listener to essentially only 'classical' music, I disagree entirely. It doesn't matter if you're listening to the simplest ABABA or if you're listening to a serial, polyrhythmic, aleatoric piece composed Klangfarbenmelodie style ending in a 15-voice, 5 subject fugue. All you need to do is make sure you're listening to every element and examine the effect on yourself. Wow. Just wow. I'm really curious...why did you feel it necessary to link a grip of random musical theory terms into a relatively simple topic? Does it really make you feel that much better? You could have easily made the same point with much less effort and much more modesty/decency, but for whatever reason you absolutely had to take a shockingly elitist route about it. Your point is valid, but I can't get over the fact that you had to make it in such a dumb way, I'm sorry.
Uh, maybe because this could be common knowledge to him? Seriously, he wasn't even saying stuff like "lol modern music sux its 4 simpletons who don't know shit about music" and you have to call him out? Jesus, don't blame others for your ignorance.
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On November 03 2009 23:03 writer22816 wrote:Show nested quote +On November 03 2009 22:47 PH wrote:On November 03 2009 22:06 Spinfusor wrote:On November 03 2009 21:20 PH wrote:BTW, classical music is incredibly different from popular music. Listening to that has nearly no relation to popular music, in my opinion. They're entirely different worlds of music, and I'm focusing solely on popular here. As a listener to essentially only 'classical' music, I disagree entirely. It doesn't matter if you're listening to the simplest ABABA or if you're listening to a serial, polyrhythmic, aleatoric piece composed Klangfarbenmelodie style ending in a 15-voice, 5 subject fugue. All you need to do is make sure you're listening to every element and examine the effect on yourself. Wow. Just wow. I'm really curious...why did you feel it necessary to link a grip of random musical theory terms into a relatively simple topic? Does it really make you feel that much better? You could have easily made the same point with much less effort and much more modesty/decency, but for whatever reason you absolutely had to take a shockingly elitist route about it. Your point is valid, but I can't get over the fact that you had to make it in such a dumb way, I'm sorry. Uh, maybe because this could be common knowledge to him? Seriously, he wasn't even saying stuff like "lol modern music sux its 4 simpletons who don't know shit about music" and you have to call him out? Jesus, don't blame others for your ignorance.
Spinfusor's post didn't sound ostentatious to you in the least? I skipped over half of what he said because he was dancing around his point with musical terms. His post was less effective to me because of how he wrote it and I am less inclined to read up on those links because of it.
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I put my hands up.
Play my song.
Nod my head like yea.
Move like hips like yea.
Cuz it's a party in the USA.
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EPT
