Do people need to learn how to listen?

xj4094dg

To music!


Two different perspectives... over at the Society of Sound:


http://blog.bowers-wilkins.com/music/discussing-sound-quality/debate-do-people-need-to-learn-how-to-listen/?hq_e=el&hq_m=940586&hq_l=12&hq_v=04b84ac232

Interesting.

txcoastal1

You don't have to but it can be alot more compelling. I am an infant for listening skills but trying to learn....the lessons can be a double edged sword, one can be content others may become obcessed...I am in the middle if there is one...but I like it...can be damaging to the wallet though

Tony M

txcoastal1 wrote: »

You don't have to but it can be alot more compelling. I am an infant for listening skills but trying to learn....the lessons can be a double edged sword, one can be content others may become obcessed...I am in the middle if there is one...but I like it...can be damaging to the wallet though

I think it helps alot for some to have a seasoned music listener tell them what they should hear in the details.
Now whether or not the person will care is another story. You don't need fine detailing equipment to reproduce RAP. RAP soundstage...who cares.
Hip-Hop depth....does it have it?

You have to like the right music to even consider high end, detail extracting gear and speakers.

And then the obcession can set in. But as long it's a hobby, don't spend into deep debt.

txcoastal1

Tony you are correct that people need help to understand, I am a commercial integrator now but have sold installed home theater and automation for over 20 years and up till recently is was up to the customers and my and their bottom line. Anyway as you start to listen and even from the internet, friends, good salesmen, or other resources you can research what you are trying to listen to....but I am telling you once you start to understand the definitions and terms of the "Audiophile", and get your ears on good equipment wether it be $1 or a million you should quickly get the idea of

Sources, 3-Dimensional, soundstage, ("airy and impact" see previous threads)

Moral to the story if you don't understand ask, research, and most importantly go listen

headrott

I agree with Dr. John Dibb and say "Yes". I believe if you are going to take the time to have a system that you have picked out certain pieces of equipment to have synergy. Then, modified them to get the most out of them that you can. And finally, are taking the time to "listen" to music. That's whtat you should be doing; listening. What does that mean?

I always liked the comparison between "hearing' the music, and "listening" to the music. "Hearing" the music is simply having the music on in the background while you are distracted doing other tasks. Sometimes this is OK and you don't necessarily always have to critically "listen" to music. I do believe there are appropriate times when critical listening is not warrented. However, as stated before, if you spent a lot of time buying gear, etc., etc. and are only or mostly or even a lot of the time simply "hearing" the music, then what's the point of having nice equipment. If you spent all the time to put a sound system together, you should be "listening" to the music coming out of it, not "hearing" it as background noise while being distracted by other more important matters. I have had many people ask, "Why do you close your eyes when you are listening?" I laways reply the same, "You don't need your eyes to listen to music". So, what do I mean by "listening" to music?

"Listening" invloves as Dr. Dibb stated in the article, consciously sitting down and being aware of what you are doing. You are there to "listen" to the music, not have the music be a distraction or other tasks be a distraction from the music. I think the things that Dr. Dibbs lists are pretty spot on to how conscious listening should be done. Make sure the system is at it's maximum potential, relax and clear your mind (this means concentrating without thinking (as much as possible) and close your eyes. All good points that Dr. Dibbs made (IMO). When you have done these things, then you are listening to the music. The ways listed above for "listening" to music are the way I do it about 99.9% of the time. Great topic!

Greg

quadzilla

The following was my response posted in the comments.

I would argue that Mr. Lewry completely misses the point. While a false equivalence, I'll take his example of the recipe card being presented with the meal to illustrate why. By being presented with the recipe, it may cause the eater to notice some nuance of flavor in the food that they'd previously missed, thus increasing their enjoyment of the meal. Nor does it remove any of the mystery or appreication for the artistry that went into the actual preperation of the food, or even how the chef originally came up with that exact blend of ingrediants prepared in just that way.

Now, to use a more relevant example, some time back, I was listening to a Beatles record on my first non-lo-fi system. During the song that was playing, I noticed I could hear one of the Beatles yelling something in the middle of a fairly busy passage. I felt so close to them at that point, like I was there in the studio with them. And for me, that's the entire point of of the hobby of hi-fi equipment and learning to listen; the feeling that I'm there with the musicians. Amidst all that wonderful music that stirs my soul, I can hear all the little human sounds too. The intake of breath and the snap of saliva in a singer's mouth, the sound of a guitar players fingers moving across the strings, all of it. It all makes the music sound that much more real and human and alive, something Mr. Lawry is likely missing amidst his gyrations and furniture destruction.

So while Mr. Lawry's friend, the Malmsteen "fan", seemed to miss the point, the plural of andecdote is not evidence, and so he does those of us with both a technical appreciation, as well as an emotional appreciation, for music a great disservice by assuming that everyone that enjoys the reproduction side of this hobby is here to simply perform an analysis of the sounds. Nor do I feel he should be trying to tell me what I do, or do not, enjoy. And I'm quite certain of two things. First, that music does stir my soul. And two, I enjoy getting as close to the music as I can. So on some days you may find me dancing around the room while listening to something that makes me want to move, but other days, I'm sitting quitely in appreciation of the artistry of an entire symphony. And that's what makes me happy.

scottyboy76

What?

madmax

I had to learn how to listen and what to listen for. Previously I could only hear music.

amulford

See what you were missing all that time? You pathetic Neanderthal....

madmax

Yeah, I was missing a BIG portion of it!

20hz

yes people do need to be taught to listen , the subtle differances are very important and a seasoned listener can hear them much quicker .
Some things dont matter much (alarm clock , factory tv sound ) but quality audio is a passion for many people .
Great audio to a audiophile brings a warm glow from the inside better than any ?drug? that is undescribable , most wives think there hubbies are nuts when we upgrade but its a hobby and it makes us happy

madmax

I often lay there for an hour analyzing my alarm clock beep. Sometimes I'm even late for work because of it.

mhardy6647

http://xkcd.com/915/

mantis

You don't have to learn how to listen. It's something either you got or not. If you care about quality of sound , you listen, if you just like to listen , you listen. If your passing by you have heard.

dorokusai

The more adjectives used to describe audio, the bigger the audio ****.

tonyb

Do people need to learn to listen ? Nope....you just have to understand that most really don't care about the little differences in music quality. Hence the MP3 crowd. Probably the same people who don't listen when your talking to them too.
It's just a matter of what an individual deems important to them. I kinda find it funny in the sense that some can't hear music like we do, but can tell you they can hear that grass grow a quarter of an inch, or a certain bird chirp a block away. Whatever your brain focuses on,it will hear. Not everyone is as focused on music as we nutjobs are.

20hz

tonyb wrote: »

Do people need to learn to listen ? Nope....you just have to understand that most really don't care about the little differences in music quality. Whatever your brain focuses on,it will hear. Not everyone is as focused on music as we nutjobs are.

bottom line is your 100% right !
Sometimes I try to educate a person on the finer points of audio listening .
and I find myself talking to a wall .
kinda like a battle of wits with a anarmed person .
Now I just say "does it sound good to you , if so great" .
I they notice it lacks something I gladely help .

stangman67

I say no. I am in the if it sounds good to me, that is all that matters crowd. I don't personally see the need to critically listen to every piece of music that I play. I like to sit back and enjoy the music, without thinking too much about it.

20hz

stangman67 wrote: »

I like to sit back and enjoy the music, without thinking too much about it.

thats true music cant be enjoyed if everything is picked apart , I have a handfull of stuff I use a referance .