How you listen to music
Ben O'Brien Smith
Issue date: 12/11/09 Section: A&E
I listen to music as often as possible. Listening sources range from an iTunes library through studio monitors, to an iPod with headphones, to Pandora online radio, to standard FM radios. I am a fan of high fidelity, but I can by no means consider myself an "audiophile." I enjoy listening to music in almost any convenient capacity, especially in a live environment where I can actually witness music happening.
I try to make at least 30-40 percent of my music listening "active" instead of simply having music playing in the background during other activities. This means actually sitting down and taking in the music without distraction. Sometimes it can be tough to take the time to focus explicitly on music but the experience is always worth it. I often catch enjoyable subtleties in the mix and arrangement that might otherwise be overlooked. I also make a point of listening to the album in its entirety in the original track order.
Obviously it would be unrealistic to listen to all music in an active manner. I love to have music playing in the background. The genre doesn't matter. Sometimes it's instrumental and sometimes the lyrics are of the utmost importance. I find that listening to music while working on other things helps to make me more productive. I'm actually listening to music as I write this.
Though I am a fiend for listening to albums in their entirety, I also enjoy making playlists of music to use for various occasions as well as casual listening. I try to put some serious effort into the track choices in order to create the best possible listening experience. A lot of this is based on intuition, but tempo, vibe and tonal center can play into it. Regardless, I try to listen to good variety of music as much as I can.
I try to make at least 30-40 percent of my music listening "active" instead of simply having music playing in the background during other activities. This means actually sitting down and taking in the music without distraction. Sometimes it can be tough to take the time to focus explicitly on music but the experience is always worth it. I often catch enjoyable subtleties in the mix and arrangement that might otherwise be overlooked. I also make a point of listening to the album in its entirety in the original track order.
Obviously it would be unrealistic to listen to all music in an active manner. I love to have music playing in the background. The genre doesn't matter. Sometimes it's instrumental and sometimes the lyrics are of the utmost importance. I find that listening to music while working on other things helps to make me more productive. I'm actually listening to music as I write this.
Though I am a fiend for listening to albums in their entirety, I also enjoy making playlists of music to use for various occasions as well as casual listening. I try to put some serious effort into the track choices in order to create the best possible listening experience. A lot of this is based on intuition, but tempo, vibe and tonal center can play into it. Regardless, I try to listen to good variety of music as much as I can.
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