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I Hardly Listen to Music Anymore

I've been a frequent observer to Audiogon, but this is the first thread I've started.

I find that I rarely listen to music anymore. (Once every couple of weeks). Let me explain.

I've been into audio for about 35 years. When I first got started listening to music and got involved in audio, in the late 60's, music was not a background pastime. When the new Dylan, Band, Allman, James Taylor, Santana, etc., album came out I'd listen to it in a dark room, in the sweet spot, eyes closed, alone or with friends, for hours on end, to great satisfaction. Since then, that's how I've always listend to music and I still enjoy listening like that for hours on end when I can.

As I grew older, I was never able to listen to music as background, because I can't concentrate on work or anything else when music plays. Consequently, as time goes on, and I have less and less time for serious listening sessions, I find I listen to music less and less. I don't play music at work and do not put the big rig on when I'm just hanging around at home in another room.

Other friends/coworkers constantly have jam boxes, walkmen, ipods etc playing as filler. So the people who care about music less listen to it more and people who care about music more listen less. I also am not as exposed to new music as people who constantly listen as background.

One of life's little ironies, I guess. Anyone else have this experience?

PS- It's not that my stereo is fatiguing. When I have time to listen for an hour or two I fall in love with my system(Wadia 21, ML-335, Wilson Sophia, Transparent cable) all over again. I've finally gotten it to the point where it is detailed yet smooth, and effortless at all volumes. So its not listner fatigue.
mitchell
pragmatist
336 posts
 
Yeah,I get it. The best,most eloquent explanation(that I know of) of what you describe is by Aaron Copeland in "What to Listen For in Music"-a good read. He described listening to music on a musical plane,an expressive plane,and a musical plane-with the three overlapping.

Most of my musical plane listening is when I'm driving.
newbee
4,093 posts
 
Well, old dogs can learn new tricks, so long as its not walking tight ropes! Much can be gained by letting the music in on a more subsconscious level. Much of the music I hear I hear in conjunction with other activities - some time it diverts me, sometimes not, but I always enjoy it as background (and its not elevator music). The typical compliant I hear is about those who can't get out of the sweet spot any longer because of their focus on stereo artifacts as opposed to the music. Perhaps its less that you can't listen anymore, its that your bored with the music you have. Maybe its time to broaden your horizons. :-)
french_fries
735 posts
 
i hesitate to admit it, but, while i like to listen to music fairly often, because of the length of most cds, i'll listen to one classical and one jazz/popular cd per session, after
which, 100 minutes later, i'm ready to do something else.
plus, often times, like with mr.mozart, i am so astounded by his compositional skills, that i just have to walk away and think about what i've just heard for awhile. it's really overwhelming sometimes, and then to have to perform that stuff effortlessly... i'm convinced that i've just witnessed the impossible- again. or am i just too emotional...
clbeanz
192 posts
 
I also am not as exposed to new music as people who constantly listen as background

I think that's the key statement here.I have cycled through almost all the phases written of above.What gets me fired up is exiting new music,something not previously heard which reaches out and snatches me up.XM or Sirius is a reasonably cheap way to be exposed to exiting new music.I have trouble "backgrounding" via standard FM broadcast due DJ's lack of reporting artist and title.A local listener supported KVMR is good at giving this info but most others are not,hence sattelite subscription which has playlist readout.This allows me freedom to casually listen and let a tune "grab me",I can make a mental note to check what played when more convenient.I jot down a 'get these'list and find I look foward to extended weekend listening sessions.Tip;put all music that interests you on a list in your wallet,so you can look through used and cutout bins.A nice stack of fresh music draws you to listen whenever schedule allows.
celtic66
990 posts
 
Nobody mentioned live music. Can one live from recorded only performance? I think not. A balance should be struck with live music feeding the urge for reliving the experience with recorded and recorded feeding the desire to find the artist live.
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