How do you listen to music

[Vivek Batra]

Hi FMs

This question may sound bit stupid but still I would like to have your views. So far I have been feeling that I am not enjoying the music on my system, not in the sense that something is missing at hardware front but the way I am listening to. My only source of music is streaming , as soon as I play something, rahter than listening to the current song/track, I start looking for next song or try to find some better sounding tracks on my system.

I have realization that the systems that we own are not meant to try the best sonuding tracks on them rather to enjoy the music we like the most no matter how bad they sound on our systems.

I have tried creating my favorite playlists, but I never go over them very often. I am just adding and adding songs to my playlists and not revisting those playlists. I want to go slow on finding new music or better sounding tracks and want to enjoy what I used to like in the past. I still remember my old days when I used to play cassattes , that was very good time. I used to listen both sides without skipping tracks. May be its easier to skip nowdays and the itch is always there.

So now why this has been posted, I would like to know how do you listen to music, I mean at what time of the day you enjoy the most, Are you having similar issues when streaming? Or do you play from CDs. Do you listen dedicately (no other task just in fromt of the system).

For me, I enjoy the most when I am doing something, like reading news paper say between 7 to 8 in the morning, cooking during day time/evenings, drinking (not very often though) etc and I love listening to FM. Why FM becuase I just tune to my favorite station and do not jump to any other station. Its been months I have not changed the FM station. I like the surprises from FM its a great mix of all genre , not able to switch the tracks is something I actually like

So may be you guys can share your listening behaviour, I may try to mould myself and learn something from you and try to be bit more patient while listening on my mainn system.

Thanks.
Vivek

 

[Ashenden]

Vivek, like you, I too started listening to music through cassettes and later switched to CDs and now streaming. I play CDs (sometimes) and streaming (most of the time). I rarely listen to music in the background, even while using headphones and prefer to have a dedicated hour or more for it.

I prefer listening when the outside distractions are minimal, which is usually early morning or late at night. As I had started with cassettes, with no option to skip, even when I switched to CD/streaming I usually play from the first to last track in an album, without skipping . For playlists, like the algo-generated ones on Spotify, I might skip some tracks which I find bad, but try to stay on course if I'm liking most of what I hear. However, I have noticed that for any playlist in which I'm skipping a lot, the likelihood of listening to a good song (which comes after several skips) and enjoying it, is very low. So, I feel the key for better appreciation is having lesser skips, and to accept the good and the not so good ones and listen to most of what is present in the queue

Since you like the radio way of listening to music, why not start a radio station from your favorite artist on your streaming service and throw the remote/smartphone away

 

[Vivek Batra]

Vivek, like you, I too started listening to music through cassettes and later switched to CDs and now streaming. I play CDs (sometimes) and streaming (most of the time). I rarely listen to music in the background, even while using headphones and prefer to have a dedicated hour or more for it.

I prefer listening when the outside distractions are minimal, which is usually early morning or late at night. As I had started with cassettes, with no option to skip, even when I switched to CD/streaming I usually play from the first to last track in an album, without skipping . For playlists, like the algo-generated ones on Spotify, I might skip some tracks which I find bad, but try to stay on course if I'm liking most of what I hear. However, I have noticed that for any playlist in which I'm skipping a lot, the likelihood of listening to a good song (which comes after several skips) and enjoying it, is very low. So, I feel the key for better appreciation is having lesser skips, and to accept the good and the not so good ones and listen to most of what is present in the queue

Since you like the radio way of listening to music, why not start a radio station from your favorite artist on your streaming service and throw the remote/smartphone away

HI Sandeep

Thanks for your inputs. I think the key is to say calm and at least listen to something new if it comes your way. Yea I do like radio a lot. Specially a shown on retro western classical, country songs and in between few old hindi songs.

I guess I should either try random play lists or an artist a day.

Happy listening.

 

[robin3989]

I remember old days listening to cassette tapes where skipping a track was not easy. However it was just a tape recorder with inbuilt speakers, I just enjoyed the songs, didn't bother how well they did sound. Even CDs are great in that aspect as the distraction is less. But when you have a hifi setup with streaming capabilities, what to do about it?

Well, radio and streamers for casual/non critical listening are very useful to discover new or even forgotten music. So, streamers work better in this area, you have a huge database of music across all genre and its easy to expose yourself to something new. But when you know your favorite tracks, it's better to get them play in CD or TT so you can seriously listen. I haven't used a TT, I'm assuming that the distractions are way lesser than a CD player equipped with a remote control. And whenever you seriously listen, keep the mobile phone away. Or atleast turn off the internet. I have a strange habit of searching for the composer/singer/even lyricist when something strikes hard all of a sudden while listening. I look at their wiki profile, achievements and other notable works. I get lost and forget to realise that all the tracks in the album just finished.

 

[Vivek Batra]

I remember old days listening to cassette tapes where skipping a track was not easy. However it was just a tape recorder with inbuilt speakers, I just enjoyed the songs, didn't bother how well they did sound. Even CDs are great in that aspect as the distraction is less. But when you have a hifi setup with streaming capabilities, what to do about it?

Well, radio and streamers for casual/non critical listening are very useful to discover new or even forgotten music. So, streamers work better in this area, you have a huge database of music across all genre and its easy to expose yourself to something new. But when you know your favorite tracks, it's better to get them play in CD or TT so you can seriously listen. I haven't used a TT, I'm assuming that the distractions are way lesser than a CD player equipped with a remote control. And whenever you seriously listen, keep the mobile phone away. Or atleast turn off the internet. I have a strange habit of searching for the composer/singer/even lyricist when something strikes hard all of a sudden while listening. I look at their wiki profile, achievements and other notable works. I get lost and forget to realise that all the tracks in the album just finished.

True, phone is a big distraction. Turing off the internet would stop everything that's playing

 

[bornfi]

True, phone is a big distraction. Turing off the internet would stop everything that's playing

That is the reason why I installed a touch screen monitor on the wall away from listening position. Also, though I could very easily have, I do not have remote controls for anything in my system, not even for volume. For me these all are distractions.

I may be wrong but what I have realized is that our ears too are like eyes. We all must have experience this with eyes several time that when you come back home after being in bright sunlight for long, for a few minutes you can not see things clearly and your eyes take a few minutes to settle down. So, when you keep jumping from song to song, you do not let your brain to settle down. The fading of current track itself prepares your brain for the next song. The another example could be that of difference between the roller coaster ride vs bumpy rides where I see latter as skipping tracks while the former is rhythmic.

Next time you head to your system, depending on how long you will be listening, decide on the specific tracks you like to listen and then switch it on . If not specific tracks, think of some radio station. Do not even start unless you have something in mind.

 

[Vivek Batra]

That is the reason why I installed a touch screen monitor on the wall away from listening position. Also, though I could very easily have, I do not have remote controls for anything in my system, not even for volume. For me these all are distractions.

I may be wrong but what I have realized is that our ears too are like eyes. We all must have experience this with eyes several time that when you come back home after being in bright sunlight for long, for a few minutes you can not see things clearly and your eyes take a few minutes to settle down. So, when you keep jumping from song to song, you do not let your brain to settle down. The fading of current track itself prepares your brain for the next song. The another example could be that of difference between the roller coaster ride vs bumpy rides where I see latter as skipping tracks while the former is rhythmic.

Next time you head to your system, depending on how long you will be listening, decide on the specific tracks you like to listen and then switch it on . If not specific tracks, think of some radio station. Do not even start unless you have something in mind.

Thank you. I will try to adapt this. I am already on it.

 

[Deleted member 15865]

@Vivek Batra, like many of us. I can relate to your concern.

What helps me is my CD collection of favourite albums and artists. I am in the zone you are looking for when I pop any one of those CDs into my player. And usually that happens early in the morning or late evening (I have stopped beyond 11 pm - not sustainable as you age). It tames my mind into listening to an entire CD. And the feeling at the end of it is like after attending a concert - holistic experience leading to a peaceful, satiated state (even with heavy metal or punk).

Is this always focused listening? I’d say most of it is. I don’t compel myself to completely avoid other distractions, but I find that the immersion happens on its own. I am tempted to look at the mobile less during this period than at other times. All I do is not move from my sitting position. But I leave it to the music to tie my listening down to it.

On days where I am at home (everyday now) I get another slot - post lunch around 3-5 pm which is very quiet. I usually listen to a favourite radio station or put one of my many Tidal playlists on shuffle mode. The same happens just before going to sleep - but specifically with my playlist of Hindi songs from 50’s and 60’s. Afternoons is a great time to listen to Jazz. Fusion and World music. And also light Indian classical. Mornings for khyal and devotional. Late evenings make great setting for vocal music - ghazals, country, singer-songwriter stuff. Blues and Vocal Jazz go better (just like old Hindi songs) late into the night (post 10 pm). Rock, anytime I want to shake myself up.

Coming to your situation, I think you should I consider building a physical collection - whether CD or Vinyl. Streaming, by its nature, is prone to hopping and skipping from track to track. Keep aside some time for it when you like to explore music. But the joy of listening to an entire album in one sitting is something work developing the habit for. One can argue that one could listen to an entire Tidal album - but try as I may, I can’t do it, while it happens so easily with a CD. I have said this earlier and say it again, streaming is better suited for listening to songs as singles or to playlists, not albums. The entire experience right from approaching your physical storage, deciding on the CD, pulling out the case (and putting a placeholder there like I do ), checking the surface of the CD, inserting it in the CD drawer, settling back in the sofa with the CD cover, spending a couple of minutes gazing at the album art and glancing over the insert before you hit the play button on the remote. The ritual has its own engaging and mood-setting effect. Like @robin3989, sometimes I do browse to read more about the album/artist/band.. usually on Allmusic.com or Wikipedia while the album is playing. I don’t consider it as a distraction - it’s an integral part of the appreciation for me.

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

Nice thread started. I indulged in PC audio quite a bit, but after running through all the experiments I could, I realized that I had forgotten to listen to music. To add to that, i kept changing tracks halfway, hopping endlessly, and did not really ever get to listen to a whole album. Albums tell their own stories, which I was missing.

I then bought a CD Player, which just to be sure, also had a DAC functionality, in case I ever wanted to go back to PC audio.

I have a reasonable collection of CDs, which i am far away from exhausting, and keep buying more.

I also have my old stash of ripped files, SACDs, Hi Res downloads etc. For this I have hit upon a nice solution. I have a 128GB pen drive into which I copy around 50-100 CDs at a time. The CD Player browser is very limited and does not let me fall into the hopping trap. It is similar to playing CDs, in that you have to largely choose the first track using the remote and then let it then run all the way to the end. There is no PC involved anymore. From the pen drive, the sound quality is just magnificent.

The amount of music I am peacefully listening to has jumped significantly, and so has the enjoyment.

 

[Deleted member 15865]

Shouldn’t this thread be in AV Lounge rather than General lounge?

 

[Vivek Batra]

I guess there is another reason behind my impatience. That is my kind of my first hi fi system and everything is new to me. So I am still not done exploring it and still very excited about it. From last 2 -3 days, I am trying to be there without the phone. Its helping. I would try internet radios sometime.

 

[ktks1]

After a long day's work (which is mostly sitting in front of the laptop), sitting back on the couch, listening to some Pink Floyd or Adele through my headphones with eyes closed will declutter the mind and transport me to another place.

On the contrary, while getting some work done, listening to Hanz Zimmer scores, Queen or Random Access Memories (Daft Punk) over my desktop speakers make me more productive

When doing some household chores, good old Hindi melodies will be playing in the background from the kitchen speakers. This makes me get through the most boring chores with ease.

Either way, my ears will be fed with some or the other music for most of the day.

 

[Vivek Batra]

After a long day's work (which is mostly sitting in front of the laptop), sitting back on the couch, listening to some Pink Floyd or Adele through my headphones with eyes closed will declutter the mind and transport me to another place.

On the contrary, while getting some work done, listening to Hanz Zimmer scores, Queen or Random Access Memories (Daft Punk) over my desktop speakers make me more productive


Either way, my ears will be fed with some or the other music for most of the day.



When doing some household chores, good old Hindi melodies will be playing in the background from the kitchen speakers. This makes me get through the most boring chores with ease.

This is what I mostly love.

 

[Vivek Batra]

To add to this, I am doing constant self evaluation where I am going wrong and realised that when I or may be others too get very analytical when listening to the main system. This happens with me for sure.

When I listen to FM in the background, I am fully engrossed in the music without judging how it's sounding and that's what I love.

When I am in front of my setup, I play something and skip in a hope to find something better sounding. I think one should learn to accept what you own and enjoy the music rather than being critical and analytical every time. There is no harm in experimenting but up to a limit.

So my suggestion to all who are experiencing the same issue is, play the music you like to listen not the one that sounds best on your system. This will give you more pleasure over listening something you compromise with just to get better dynamics.

I am trying to ignore now how bad or good my taste of music sounds on my system, just stick to it most of the time.

There is no setup in the world that can sound equally good for all kind of music.

Happy listening.

Regards
Vivek

 

[OM_2K19]

I am mostly hooked to Spotify. Their playlist is simply amazing. Off late I am getting my hands dirty with Tidal Hi-Fi.

 

[smdeep64]

Hi Vivek,

I am new to the forum but your post resonated with me. I am now 56. I got my first Hi-Fi a Sonodyne amp, tape deck and Spectrum 5000 speakers. I have always been more or less a jumpy listener. Not really used to listen to a complete album on a cassette. So me and a friend of mine used to make cassettes with favourtie tracks from various albums. Then in '98 got a CD player, a Sony Discman, which made it easier to listen to particular track of an album.

I cannot listen to music while doing something. I have to concentrate and listen to music. Nowdays I have a Koss Portra with a Raspberry Pi and Boss Allo DAC, so I can sort of listen to music undisturbed generally. But I do tend to jump around looking for tracks. I dont have a premium Spotify account yet so not into much streaming. Still listening to the old '70, '80s music.

This is a great forum!

 

[devdutta]

I use spotify and tidal through audiolab 6000n streamer.

 

[balavignesh002]

I use CD or SACD only to listen to music in home. I don't have patience to browse through files and folders. Never want to try streaming. I don't do any other thing than listening music, but some time enjoy a drink.

 

[superczar]

I'm a passive listener.
The most attention I pay to music , and also probably where I listen to music the most is while driving.

One thing that has really helped me explore and enjoy new music is Siri on carplay - If I find a track on an auto generated playlist that I like, I ask the phone to generate a new playlist / station based on the current track

At home, I tend to use spotify more and Spotify auto generated playlists are a close second to Carplay Siri

 

[nphutane]

Hi Vivek,

Thanks for starting this interesting thread.
For me listening to music has kind of come a full circle. Started off with Cassettes in the 80s, transitioned to CDs in the 90s and later to MP3 on USB/Laptop for most of the 21st century, followed by streaming using Apple Music/Spotify for the last couple of years.
Having gone through the above cycle, and listening to few of the dedicated systems playing via physical media last year at my friends places, I was drawn back again towards the lure of the physical formats.

Hence I started putting together a preowned system for LPs/CDs/Cassettes once again as a result of which, now I have got back to enjoying listening to the music being played via these physical media formats. This has also transitioned my listening preference to hear out the complete album rather than jumping across numbers which was more because of the convenience that the online streaming provided.

Since I do have a limited set of the physical media, I do continue to listen to online streaming too, due to their ability to create nicely curated playlists.
On weekends as I have free time on my hand, I prefer to listen to the physical media when I can sit back and relax, but during weekends, while I am working, in the evenings I prefer streaming. This way I feel I am getting the best of both worlds.