Newish LA Times story: The lost art of deep listening: Choose an album. Lose the phone.....
Forums:
I really enjoyed this read and the accompanying music tracks... found something different to listen to! It's pretty easy to listen to multiple albums these days...
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-03-17/corona...
Excerpt > The late experimental composer and teacher Pauline Oliveros coined the phrase “deep listening” for just this practice. Defining it as a kind of “radical attentiveness,” she wrote, “I differentiate to hear and to listen. To hear is the physical means that enables perception. To listen is to give attention to what is perceived both acoustically and psychologically.”
A Stravinsky ballet caused a riot. The least you can do is commit to deeply listening to three full albums.
- Log in to post comments
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace
There are so many albums to
There are so many albums to listen too in their entirety and not just the obvious concept/rock operas like Sgt. Pepper's,Tommy , Quadrophenia, DSOTM, Pet Sounds, etc
Here's a start:
Joe's Garage
The Wall
Sandinista
Days of Future Passed
A Love Supreme
Zep IV
Thriller
Terrapin
Surrealistic Pillow
Ziggy Stardust
Court of the Crimson King
Kind of Blue
What you got?...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
Instead of listing some
Instead of listing some classics, here's what i've actually been playing a lot the last 3 weeks
The 2 Attention Deficit albums
Michael Manning - Thonk
Freddy Roach - the Soul Book
and a bunch of McCoy Tyner
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
Sandinista, Love Supreme,
Sandinista, Love Supreme, Tyner, Roach and Stardust? Love these picks.
This inspires me to dig in some crates in the basement, thanks.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
After Bathing at Baxter's.
After Bathing at Baxter's.
Abraxas.
Live Dead
Of course, I always play all albums all the way through.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
I always listen to entire albums/shows.
However, I listen to music when driving, or at a show, otherwise music is just background noise.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _
Did anyone actually read the article / want to talk about Pauline Oliveros, and what the OP means by "deep listening?"
Or are we just going to do another classic rock albums circle-jerk?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _
>> music is just background
>> music is just background noise.
Always breaks my heart to hear people say that. I get it, sort of, I guess. But... brutal, just brutal.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Music is never just
Music is never just background noise if I put it on.
Sometimes other people's "music" is just background noise.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _
Abraxas. Lol.
>>Abraxas
https://youtu.be/3tfI9tTzlI0
lol
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _
Most Zoners' musical tastes
Most Zoners' musical tastes is nothing more than the Columbia Records "Monthly Main" selection.
lol
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
Ateix, in order to listen, I need to concentrate. I find that the only environment which offers me this opportunity is when I drive, or am attending a show. Otherwise, I am busy with the task at hand, and cannot concentrate on the music... I hear it, but I'm not really listening.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _
I recommend silence.
In those instances, I'd recommend silence.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
^Why?
^Why?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
For about an hour every
For about an hour every couple of days I just sit down and listen to an album.
Or sometime dance around the room if it's a mover.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
Eh, Ateix?
Why is silence better than background music?
Often a particular song or phrase will catch my ear and I'll be sure to give it a listen later.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Blue Rose Task Force
I love listening to music
I love listening to music when I'm cooking.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
^I get that. I'm not that great of a cook, I have to think too much about the process.
Listening to music is a solitary activity for me.
Ateix, deep listening is how I've always listened to music.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank
Face it, Lumber, you listen
Face it, Lumber, you listen to music wrong.
I, personally, won't hold it against you though.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _
Busy morning tlach but I subscribe to the belief that silence is simply a more natural, more pleasant, and more rich (enriching) stimuli than the static / white noise you described turning music into.
Its not ‘wrong’ like TrollK just said. Just, we agree to disagree. You do you, and I’ll do me.
But let me posit you (sure, and TrollK) a question and ask your feelings on Pauline Oliveros? You listen to them much, or read any of their stuff at all??
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
No worries, Ateix, but I'd don't find background music to be static white noise. Like I wrote, I often will hear something that causes me to give a listen when I am able.
Hearing vs listening, isn't that the point of the article?
No, Ateix, I do not.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call"
I will listen to some music
I will listen to some music today.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
I play-test over 90% of the
I play-test over 90% of the lp's and 7" I sell. I am listening for the condition and flaws as well as the inherent qualities of the music itself. Doing this often forces me out of my comfort zone. I listen to artists and genres of music that I never would choose to in ordinary circumstances.
I've learned that the time of day and setting in the store (the patrons, the staff, the noise coming through the window from construction, concert-goers, and people in the street and on the sidewalk) all impact my ability to deeply listen. When I am all alone and there are no distractions from outside, this is easiest. Right now, with my store closed and not much happening outside, there are plenty of opportunities for this.
It's a challenge to filter everything else out and surrender to the music completely. Thoughts of other things compete for my conscious attention. Business matters, family matters, personal matters. When I can temporarily suspend my focus on them is when I have the best opportunity to listen to music thoroughly. Sometimes it takes a conscious effort to create that setting.
By the end of my day, having often listened to 10 or so hours of music, I turn to silence regularly when I go back to my apartment. Usually, I use this time to read, or to pick up a guitar and try to make my own music.
On a tangential note, with my store being forced to close under our governor's decree in response to the COVID-19 dilemma, I am taking long, regular walks. I notice that many others, especially the joggers and bicyclists, are listening to music. It's probably a good time for more focused listening for these folks, although I wonder if the music is at times a hindrance from fully being in the moment of what they are doing. I prefer just walking without earbuds or headphones, trying to take in what is going on around me. Most disconcerting are the people on their blue-tooth devices, talking with someone as they go jogging by. I am sorry for them that they feel so compelled to multi-task that they are missing so much of what is going on around them.
Thanks for th me thread Llollo, look forward to reading the link later.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
You're welcome Herbal -- I
You're welcome Herbal -- I just knew this would cause a good discussion!
I like your comments about making a conscious effort to find the right conditions for deep listening.....When I take walks, I too, like to hear all the sounds around me..... and your comments about how people are constantly plugged in and not being present...even in times of the Walkman (LOL)... when other people did that, especially while traveling on trains overseas, it annoyed me, as I always wanted to make friends and talk with people!
It's evident in all kinds of environments -- people's general listening skills are challenged these days, and deep listening requires even more effort. But I know that my brain is happier when I focus on the course that one album takes.
As for Oliveros' quote in my first post -- I support it -- so many music fans out there just listen to random commercial noise.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
previously i've found if i
previously i've found if i really want to hear a piece of music, the car is a great sealed in listening tube where you can pay attention.
i reallly need to get my speakers re-foamed and setup for vinyl...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
Turtle -- what does it mean
Turtle -- what does it mean to setup speakers for vinyl? cars as listening tubes - love that -- maybe that's why I enjoy long road trips so much.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
i have a killer high-end 70's
i have a killer high-end 70's system but the speakers need work...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: nebulous nelly
For instance, just now Boubacar Traoré- Hona was playing, but I was emptying the dishwasher. Could I really concentrate on the song over the sound of sorting silverware? The pots and pans? The music is background. I'll probably listen to his album M'Balimaou, but I'll wait until I am able. I do sometimes listen to music early in the morning, before the family wakes up.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Be Here Now, be it in nature
Be Here Now, be it in nature - no music for me here, please - listening to music in the movable tube or person-cave, or at a live show -hopefully someday soon.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
I love music. But we had a
I love music. But we had a guy bring his XM radio solar powered stuff on the river.
Floating down listening to Pink Floyd bounce off the canyon walls? Nah, I was looking for a more peaceful experience in NATURE.
I do have friends that do a disco on the beach thing in camp. Maybe for "Formal Night", but once a trip would be enough for me. I go there to GET AWAY.
This is more my style.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call"
It's after 8. Can you be
It's after 8. Can you be quiet and continue talking in the morning after morning quiet hours.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
>>>>>we had a guy bring his
>>>>>we had a guy bring his XM radio solar powered stuff on the river.
A little "accident" would be easy enough to arrange - wink wink/nod nod.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: smiley
Great article.
Great article.
Gonna listen to Fishscale tonight!
I've been slowly putting together a big boy audio system for our new addition, doing a deep dive into audiophile minutae and listening to a lot of differnt systems/ components over the last year.
One of the coolest things Ive run across in my studies is the existence of audiophile listening bars that seem to have their roots in Japan but have been expanding all over the globe. They seem to get the "deep listening" concept discussed here.
Japan
https://youtu.be/vs2KF6a7Duw
Barcelona
https://youtu.be/USkpGTtXS68
...where music isnt "background"
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _________
I Plowed Through Some Rare
I Plowed Through Some Rare Beatles Albums I Have = So Great
great thread THX all.