View Full Version : Do you just listen to the music, OR...?
guyhayton
23-07-2012, 21:49
Just curious, recently I have found it difficult to just sit back and listen to the music. I find myself browsing the web whilst listening - a wandering mind.
Unfortunately, for my wallet the web-browsing has resulted in me spending rather too much money on amazon.co.uk ordering CDs I come across on the Spinning right now.. thread. I keep convincing myself that its only another £4.81 :doh:
Anyway, just as a general topic of conversation, I was wondering if others browse the web, read, do a puzzle or similar when listening to music. Or am I the only one with ADHD :scratch:
Music is always on when I'm at home, unless I'm watching a film (don't really do much regular TV these days) and I tend to do the following;
Whilst surfing the net I generally play music I know well and have played before, so don't have to concentrate too much.
New music I listen to whilst sat on the sofa and then I just listen, or sometimes read a book or music magazine as well. I like to listen to classical whilst reading too.
When discovering new bands/music I use Spotify and my headphone setup and just do research whilst listening to new bands. This does often lead me over to Amazon :doh:
Most of my 'serious' listening I do at the weekends and mostly later at night, with the lights dimmed and a glass of wine.
I walk to work everyday and for this I listen to the radio shows I have recorded from my DAB radio. These are the twice weekly shows by Bob Harris (4 hours worth). Guy Garvey's Sunday show and if I have time, Dermot O'Leary's Saturday show.
That lot tends to keep me pretty busy and in the loop for any new bands ;)
However, I have no problem sitting back and just listening and this is my preferred way of enjoying music.
Just curious, recently I have found it difficult to just sit back and listen to the music. I find myself browsing the web whilst listening - a wandering mind.
Unfortunately, for my wallet the web-browsing has resulted in me spending rather too much money on amazon.co.uk ordering CDs I come across on the Spinning right now.. thread. I keep convincing myself that its only another £4.81 :doh:
Anyway, just as a general topic of conversation, I was wondering if others browse the web, read, do a puzzle or similar when listening to music. Or am I the only one with ADHD :scratch:
I tend to listen to music when surfing the net too so you are not alone Guy.
I like to really listen to music
bkgengwe
24-07-2012, 07:23
I have got music for everything that I do, from baby making sessions to cooking breakfast, I wake up everyday at 6 am and instantly switch on music, I listen to church music in the morning whilst brewing and then enjoying my morning cuppa until I get to the shower, when at the office, i play classical in the backgroud, when I get home late afternoon, its jazz until I begin studying then it's classical, i only listen analytically when I have plenty of time, like saturday mornings till round about lunchtime, then the afternoon is dedicated to cleaning the car and then I listen to whatever's playing on the radio. for baby making sessions I listen to slow old school soulful classical r'n'b!
I actually find is difficult reading when my system is on. The music is too distracting.
Andrew
bobbasrah
24-07-2012, 08:20
Music regularly plays on the main system, drifting in or out of attention depending on what I am doing. On the computer, I flit between the two regularly...
Reading a book I do find difficult with music playing however, as each fights to dominate my attention.
I listen to music exclusively when I'm running the hi-fi system. The PC system gets used more when I'm working.
realysm42
24-07-2012, 09:00
I tend to distract myself when listening.
Funnily enough, when I do just sit back and listen, I tend to always fall into a really relaxing light sleep/state of light meditation. Quite unusual really.
Reading a book I do find difficult with music playing however, as each fights to dominate my attention.
It's a good test of how good you system is - if you cannot concentrate on what you are reading because the sound is grabbing your attention. I found once I got past a certain point I could no longer read and listen as I would keep losing my place in the text. I like to listen mainly week nights as it relaxes me after work - by 1800 every night I will be sat down with a beer and some tunes on - often with all the telephones switched off as well :eyebrows: No surfing, no browsing, getting lost in the music.
Isn't it interesting how we all listen to music?
The thing I find odd and it's something I cannot do, is shuffle/random play. I nearly always listen to the entire album, but by browsing through Last.fm it seems this is almost exclusively the domain of the older generation. Many youngsters seem to shuffle play all the time, especially women. In fact from the browsing I have done through members music playlists, it seems women nearly always play randomly and rarely listen to an entire album. At least those that play similar music to me seem to. This type of listening is totally alien to me, unless I'm having a dinner party then its forced on me :rolleyes:
Canetoad
24-07-2012, 15:16
I used to listen to Bachman Turner Overdrive all the time while I was reading Frank Herbert's Dune when I was at uni. I still think of that book when I listen to them now. :)
It's a good test of how good you system is - if you cannot concentrate on what you are reading because the sound is grabbing your attention. I found once I got past a certain point I could no longer read and listen as I would keep losing my place in the text. I like to listen mainly week nights as it relaxes me after work - by 1800 every night I will be sat down with a beer and some tunes on - often with all the telephones switched off as well :eyebrows: No surfing, no browsing, getting lost in the music.
I dunno if it's an age thing as well - I certainly used to be able to 'multitask' reading and listening to music, whereas now If I'm listening to music I can't take in what I'm reading, and vice-versa.
Haselsh1
24-07-2012, 15:54
I set the sofa in the critical position and switch on the amp for an hour to warm up. I then close the curtains and choose the CD that best suits my mood. For me it is only about the music as I drift off into some weird trance like state completely dissolved in sound.
I should point out that I don't exclusively listen to music when surfing t'internet, it's a lot more involved than that. The music I listen to when surfing tends to be of the lighter variety, sort of a background soundtrack. I do enjoy listening this way but it is a different level of enjoyment than what I get out of a dedicated listening session. There are many ways to listen to music and they are all fun.
The thing I find odd and it's something I cannot do, is shuffle/random play.
Especially useful for classical music :eek:
There are many ways to listen to music and they are all fun.
:thumbsup:
Classical on shuffle play :eek: OMG - nearly as bad as Classic FM which my Dad loves and I cannot listen too.... pass me those headphones!
You could have the Four Random Seasons or the Seven Random Planets :)
bobbasrah
24-07-2012, 17:46
You could have the Four Random Seasons or the Seven Random Planets :)
aka English Summer, and security/politics in the UK/Olympics respectively....;)
guyhayton
24-07-2012, 19:36
Interesting stuff... I own up to being someone who only occasionally listens to a whole album - and its mainly only then for classical or Pink Floyd
Most of the time I am flitting between stuff if its not background music. Its one of the reasons why my 100% file based system suits me down to the ground - all controlled via my iPad
With vinyl I almost always listen to a whole album, and usually it's just the music (though sometimes I'll surf the net a bit). With digital it's usually kids' music, or streaming radio. The latter I'll have on while "multitasking" but I occasionally find myself stopping to listen if there's a particularly catchy tune on that I haven't heard before, or if I'm listening to the Proms on Radio 3 (which is kind of sad, as I should probably just get off my duff and walk across the park to Albert Hall and listen live).
I actually find is difficult reading when my system is on. The music is too distracting.
+1!
And as Martin says:
It's a good test of how good you system is - if you cannot concentrate on what you are reading because the sound is grabbing your attention.
:)
I don't do 'background' music.
Marco.
Agreed it is difficult to read and listen to music. There are only a very few records with which I can do both.
I would say that I too "don't do" background music - but there is stuff I will play if I'm cooking: I open the door between the kitchen and the living room, so I'm not listening on axis! Often it will be listening to the radio, but it can be CDs.
When surfing the web or posting on AoS, I will play music that I know well at a low level. Important, as I'm often logged on in the small hours of the morning!
guyhayton
26-07-2012, 20:56
It's a good test of how good you system is - if you cannot concentrate on what you are reading because the sound is grabbing your attention.
Well, it will be a long time before I put that to the test again. I said goodbye to my Linn system 12+ years ago :doh:
It's interesting to hear of the different ways people listen to their music. What's pretty clear is that there are a few members who can only listen when they are strapped to an armchair (these seem to be in a minority) and then there's the rest of us who are far more flexible and adaptable in our listening habits. For example, I like beat based music playing when I am working on something simply because I find I work better. If I want to relax then I get down to some serious listening in the armchair. It's kinda ironic that it has been suggested that those of us who can do this are lacking something in our systems. Jealousy perhaps? :scratch:
I think it does explain why my musical tastes are different in the car, where I tend to play music with a driving (sorry) beat or very clear vocals. Jeff Beck, Kraftwerk and Hybrid get lots of air time in the car, very little at home. I never play classical in the car as it's just not the right environment.
daytona600
27-07-2012, 15:04
have music on all day cd/spotify/radio usually while working & surfing
but when i play a Lp i give it 100% attention
typing this while listening to a reggae complation on headphones as a example
The comments I have found interesting are regarding so called 'background music'. Does that mean that you don't ever have music on, unless you are sat in front of the stereo and concentrating on the music?
Hi Tim,
If you're referring to my earlier comment, I meant it in the sense that my system doesn't do 'background music', as it commands my attention, in terms of the dynamic and engaging sound it produces, even at very low volumes (much as Andrew described earlier with his system), and how it in turn connects me with my favourite music, making me unable to concentrate on anything else whilst the music is playing :)
Of course, when I'm not upstairs listening to my system, in my dedicated music room, I can quite happily listen to music on the radio, as I'm preparing food in the kitchen, working, or whatever :cool:
Marco.
The comments I have found interesting are regarding so called 'background music'. Does that mean that you don't ever have music on, unless you are sat in front of the stereo and concentrating on the music?
Yes. I will listen to the radio for a short while whilst out on my round, but it gets boring (1 hour of Monseigneur Kent Bruce is enough!). I never listen to music at home unless I am strapped into mission control and 100% attentive.
...and suitably excited in your leather shorts.
Marco,
Jah, mein lederhosen are a party in themselves.
The comments I have found interesting are regarding so called 'background music'. Does that mean that you don't ever have music on, unless you are sat in front of the stereo and concentrating on the music?
Yes that pretty much is the only way I listen. The only exception is the rare occasion I have a guest or guests round then I will play background music while we chat. I still manage a good 25 hours a week of 'proper' listening. Not much else to do of an evening y'see :)
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