Do you have any tips on the most efficient ways of listening to music: when is perception the best? What conditions are needed to "get into" a particular album? Do you listen to music in the dark? Do you think some music should be blasted through speakers while other should be listened exclusively through headphones?

How do you think (the quality of) equipment influences your perception of music?

Do you think music perception depends on the mood?

Do you think different genres need different conditions and/or moods?

Do you ever rest from music?

Here I will tell about something I sometimes do myself: music fasting. I am experimenting with not listening to music for "extensive" periods: three to seven days. I am not sure if there really is an effect, but I would expect that one's ears become sharper or "hungrier" and, after such period of rest, more perceptive and attentive. I have not done this enough, so no results yet.


So tell me how much the factors mentioned above influence your listening experience, and share some of your own recommendations.

My best recommendation is to follow your heart on listening, Though trying to avoid overkilling individual songs and albums is a good idea for long term appreciation. Perhaps playing albums from start to finish is one way of doing this. Some bands suit headphones as it is better for hearing subtle intricacies in music. But speakers are usually more relaxing and give a greater sense of being immersed in the sound.

Equipment? - It depends on the music, complex music certainly requires better equipment for greater appreciation.
Mood? - Music certain does require certain moods for true appreciation, while still others have the capacity to affect mood. It depends what your looking for.
Genre's/Moods? - The above answer probably adequately fits this question. But some genres have to capacity to educe an adrenaline rush in the right mood, ie Slayer. Other are uplifting in the right mood, ie Power. Others are soothing and calming, others are comforting when your down. While others inspire.
Rest? - Again follow your heart, but it is not essential i don't think, at least not for me, but i do sometime take a couple of days away from music. It often allows for greater appreciation later.

Sometimes I take a day or two off, when I get back I really feel like listening to music again.

I mostly do it this way, when I get an album and listen first time to it, I always read the lyrics within the booklet just to get known whats it all about (especially by new bands I yet dont know). Then I listen to it several other times...

But I have one great tip for you when you like Black Metal. When you go to bed and are already tired, put in some of it via a mp3 player (could be 'unusual' BM like CoF also, I prefer Taake for its the best atmospheric BM band) and enjoy, then switch it out only when you are totally tired so you fall asleep at once. Or maybe still listen to it so you already sleep but get sometimes awake again by the music, so you humble between sleep and awake... Thats the essence of BM for me

For your other questions:
equipment: yes definetely, its not enjoyable when you must listen precisely to get the riffs.
mood: Actually no, to me its the other way round, the music defines my mood lol.
genres: yeah compare Death with Black metal.
rest: i dont listen 24/7, but there are hardly a few days I dont listen to any metal... cant think of such days haha.

I recommend getting drunk and stoned. I'm not a black metal fan by any means, but Emperor's Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk was awesome when I was completely fucked up.

I also wear headphones.

I prefer to listen to stuff in the dark, or while i am at the office, but i appreciated more in the dark at my bed

I don't usually listen to the entire album (Esspessially concept albums) at once. I save that kind of stuff for long car or airplane rides. Gives you something to pass the time. Live albums are good for this, too.

Everyone listens to music in a different way. I don't think there is a way of listening to music that might be considered more efficient than another way. Personally, I'm the type of person who listens to music when I am doing something. Sometimes I listen to music for the sake of just listening to music and I do absolutely nothing else...but for me this is rare. Usually, I listen to music when I'm surfing the internet or just reading. When I was in school, I listened to music while studying if I was studying alone. When I was able to, I would listen to music at work (when it was a desk job, I would listen to music while working...when it was retail, I would listen to music on my break, assuming I wasn't talking on the phone or with a co-worker or anything like that). If I have to take a bus or train alone, I'll listen to music. If I'm driving, I'll sometimes listen to music but not all the time. Also, I am not the type of person who listens to a certain type of music while I am studying or doing something in particular...and also the type of music I listen to doesn't really depend on my mood.

Most of the time, I listen to music using headphones. I have speakers at home, but they're not very good compared to my headphones. I have 2 pairs of headphones that cost me $450 Canadian for the both of them. They're high quality compared to my $50 surround sound speakers. Although I still plug everything straight into my laptop, which doesn't have the greatest sound card. Personally, I find it much more enjoyable listening to music through good headphones or speakers compared to cheap/crappy quality headphones that you can simply buy anywhere. Better headphones may not make me like a band more or less than if I listened to them through cheap headphones. I find that it helps me appreciate the work that went into creating the album more. Plus it also allows me to better hear all the little details and nuances of an album.

I think some people might perceive music differently depending on their mood. I think it also depends on the kind of music. For example...a band like Alestorm, I don't perceive any differently if I'm in a good or bad mood. Something like death metal, on the other hand I might perceive differently if I'm angry. I've never really payed attention to this. Also, I don't think different genre's need certain conditions or moods in order for them to be enjoyed. However, for some people...they might enjoy listening to a certain genre more when they're feeling a certain way...but not everyone like I said. At the moment, I'm in a good, happy mood (just came back from a camping trip, it was a kick ass weekend) but I'm listening to death metal. My dad, on the other hand, believes that people listen to certain music depending on their mood. I let my Dad (classical music lover, although he can respect anything that has melody and something he can remember) listened to a song from the latest Decapitated album...and while he had great respect for their talent...he felt the anger in it and he thinks that I was listening to it because I was feeling angry at that moment. While that may be the case for some people...I don't think it's the case for me.

And last but not least...yeah I take a rest every once in a while. It happens randomly. I may take a day or 2 or even 3 from really listening to music. I may listen to a song or 2, but I won't listen to a full album like I normally do.

Live concerts.... concerts........ and more concerts!!

I listen to music in one of a few ways. All my CDs go onto iTunes, then onto my ipod. Sadly, it is full and I have to make compromises and put different things on at different times. I keep my favourites like Megadeth always on there. Anyways, I usually listen to entire albums with headphones before I go to sleep. 2-4 albums. I find lying down in the silence it is easy to listen to full albums, and a good experience.

The other way with my ipod is on the go. This is more or less everywhere. I take it with me all kinds of places. Listening to it like this, I usually pick and choose songs. An example of this is last night I listened to the whole album Omnivium by Obscura, whereas on the go I would probably only listen to the first two tracks then switch.


The other thing I have is vinyls. I will either play them out loud if nobody is around, or use headphones if there's people around. When I play them on the speakers, I will either watch TV or play video games while listening to them. It's pretty awesome.

I find everyone has their own little ways to listen to music, and you should just do whatever you like best.

I can't go more than about an hour without music, unless I;m watching a movie or something. I constantly need a beat or rhythm to move a long to.

Full albums are the way to go. I generally stick out what ever I put on. Unless say I'm walking somewhere and I have like 1 song until my destination, then I'll choose a wicked song to get me there.

I'm not sure if there it is mood = music or music = mood or a combination of both. Just whatever I feel like at any given time. Some days are packed full with death metal while others are ska and punk days.

Equipment makes a big difference. My portable set up has to be really good, I have my head phones on a lot. At home, everything is run out of my bass amp.

As people have said, do what suits you best.

I listen daily and dont prefer headphones just cause of that only I gotta 9 warnings in my flat to disturb others. Every Metal album should blast like a fuck and headbang around like a metalhead and enjoy the music. Thats my recommendation.

1) new bands,new songs, new tinks, I go true, also enw album I go true but if I like all enw thinks I listen it there no way, simply take it play whit tennis ball, swinging chain be in my room and listen , take some beer, if its eve I use those what you put on ears if its enar PC I also look at net, spamm here, generaly I listen all what i liek, mood cante xplain how it changes, but mood is important

2) werry much I have seen many metalheads has simply cd player, c mon its crap , I need sterio good sound sythem whit loadspeeker , I have use my fathers often good quality vintage , ok now when Im moved to Swe, I have smolpyer connected whit PC and CD player, when I move out I will buy my own, conneceted whit TV, PC and CD, Vinly player, beck in Lv all sythem was connected whit TV, lil weeker and not so good whit PC. I never used normal so called radio where ppl mosutly play, ok we have in kitchen but I listen there LR1 national radio news and bla bla bullshiut talks , never muisc, maybe rare when eating, general was at living room and it will be, for me quality is important

3)YES

4)YES

5)No need, only when sleep, go out and so but free day in winter can be 5-10h of muisc

So how much does the sound quality depend on the headphones used or a particular mp3 player you have, like is IPod better than Transcend or iRiver or Sony..? Also how much difference does the computer's sound card do?

I find that small, quality speakers are better than a huge stereo for the more raw genres (like raw BM and a lot of doom). This way you can distinguish sounds much better.
Thrash is better when you're blasting it as loud as possible.

Written by Mattybu on 26.07.2011 at 23:19

I listen to music in one of a few ways. All my CDs go onto iTunes, then onto my ipod. Sadly, it is full and I have to make compromises and put different things on at different times.

Maybe you can get an Ipod with a bigger memory?

Written by kpu27 on 26.07.2011 at 01:27

I prefer to listen to stuff in the dark, or while i am at the office, but i appreciated more in the dark at my bed

Black metal in the dark = Epic Win

Written by Guest on 18.08.2011 at 16:33

Written by kpu27 on 26.07.2011 at 01:27

I prefer to listen to stuff in the dark, or while i am at the office, but i appreciated more in the dark at my bed

Black metal at the office = Epic Win

Fixed.

Written by Koen Smits on 18.08.2011 at 09:19

Written by Mattybu on 26.07.2011 at 23:19

I listen to music in one of a few ways. All my CDs go onto iTunes, then onto my ipod. Sadly, it is full and I have to make compromises and put different things on at different times.

Maybe you can get an Ipod with a bigger memory?

The only problems are that 1: It is an older iPod and preferably I would want the same kind, although that's not really a big problem. 2: The ones with more memory are pretty expensive and I don't really have the money at the moment. As it stands I'm okay with just syncing up to different songs if I really want to. Really the only time I'll do that is when I go to pick something and it's like shit, it's not there, so I'll put that back on and take off the stuff I don't listen to very often. Not a perfect solution but it works.

"Different genres need different moods" that work for me.

Written by Guest on 19.08.2011 at 02:47

"Different genres need different moods" that work for me.

That's usually the same idea for me as well. It works though. Works well.

I'd usually blast heavy, thrash and power if I'm at the gym and need something full of adrenaline and fast tempo. I'd love to go on a nighttime car journey at wintertime down some country roads while listening to some really atmospheric black metal. Prog metal and stoner metal I often enjoy listening to at chill get-togethers/house parties with friends.

Dark... quiet...horizontal

Written by Guest on 19.08.2011 at 06:06

Written by Guest on 19.08.2011 at 02:47

"Different genres need different moods" that work for me.

That's usually the same idea for me as well. It works though. Works well.

+1 Don't try listening to power metal when you're angry, it can kill you.

I love to listen to music in the car because i have good speakers there, and i can realy focus on listening. i think smoking weed make the listening experience much better, even though i sometimes prefer not to smoke when listening to music. Even to have been under the influence only a couple of times when listening to music makes listening to music when not under the influence different than before.. at least it's like that for me.