I've come to realize something a bit odd about my music listening habits. I tend to listen to a lot of rock (surprise) and I used to sing bass in a few college groups. So I've always know that I tend to hum along/sing along to the bass line in a lot of stuff. When I'm not singing lead, you know.
Anyhow, I recently realized that what I'm really digging during guitar solos and the like is the opportunity to hear the rhythm section. What about you guys? Do you know which part of music you listen to?
I just listen to the parts that make noise.
If I have a passion for it (or addiction), I'm a died-in-the-wool deconstructivist.
I first approach it as a whole. Then, each time I revisit it, I'm focusing on some individual component(s) that wiggle out of, or through the field and grab my attention. Then I look for the relationships between/among those cool bits and and the whole and assess if they enhance or detract from the overall intent.
Same for painting, sculpture, design, architecture, prose, film...
This may sound quite mechanical and dispassionate. However, the passion always came first, then the knowledge, then a better understanding, then true appreciation, more wonder, more happy endings.
God, I am a pedant.
And I am sooooo not alone here.
the first time i listened to music in a serious way - it was Casals playing a solo piece - i found myself totally concentrated on the music in such a way that the music was me and i was the music (a bit like what they say about some martial arts masters), and i could then listen not only to the melody and the notes being played, but also the birth, life, and the end (death) of every note. every note was different and had its own story, its own life.
it's as if Casals was directly connected to me, and sending me all he felt while playing the cello.
Total concentration...
i understand that this is quite common among musicians.
I most often will hum the bass line. Sometimes (especially in the car) I will air drum the bass drum with my left foot. It's easy since I drive an automatic.
I really enjoy vocal harmonies, so they get my attention. Guitar rarely does, except for certain artists, such as David Gilmour.
I guess I listen to the melody which, depending on the song, can be the bass line, rythm guitar, singer ect. I think there are some cultural preferences at work here too, which is why some ethnic groups music is dominated by drums and bass where others may be dominated by stringed or brass instruments for eg.
Depends on the music. For Neil Young and Dylan, its the lyrics. There are some tracks on Gabriel's Security I absolutely listen for the percussion. On the Bach pipe organ disc, well...
On complicated classical and jazz pieces, it is about the interaction of instruments: the play of the parts about the whole.
Can't say I'm quite as
obsessive compulsive thorough in my listening as Bob though.
the first time i listened to music in a serious way - it was Casals playing a solo piece - i found myself totally concentrated on the music in such a way that the music was me and i was the music (a bit like what they say about some martial arts masters), and i could then listen not only to the melody and the notes being played, but also the birth, life, and the end (death) of every note. every note was different and had its own story, its own life.
it's as if Casals was directly connected to me, and sending me all he felt while playing the cello.
Total concentration...
i understand that this is quite common among musicians.
Or.....Stoners. Matter-of-fact, best way to really deconstruct a song. I used to swear I could hear the pick hitting the strings.....
I'm a sucker for songs that feature a piano as the focal point. Overall thou, I admire the engineering of a song. I think that's why I prefer instrumentals over vocals.
I pretty much tune it
all out until the part where the colored girls go: "Doot-doo-doo doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo doot-doo-doo..."
