[mikeg]

With members owning hundreds, or even thousands, of records and CDs, how do you decide what to listen to each day? Anyone have any sort of process or system?

 

[strohmie]

I don't know about everyone else, but I go through "phases." I've got CDs from tons of different genres, and about 300 CDs total. But I find that I usually listen mainly to only a couple specific genres in any period of time. Right now, for instance, I'm going through a rock/postrock phase, so I've been listening to groups like Radiohead, Amon Tobin, Tortoise, Stereolab, Do Make Say Think, Mogwai...etc along with some rock-based anime music. This changes every week or two though, so I'm sure I'll be listening to something else next time someone asks. ^_^

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

This is what love about having thousands of hours of audio at my fingertips at the PC, I can select anything instantly, and change just as quickly. I really don't have any set patter, I just scroll through my playlist (of all the songs I have) until I see an artist that catches my eye, and toss it on for a while, until I feel like listening to something else.

 

[KR...]

Pretty much whatever I am in the mood for. I do not plan anything out. Some of my listening sessions are all over the place genre wise.

 

[Trounce]

This is life's perennial dilemma.

Help me solve it, Jebus!

 

[LargeSock]

About half the time, I just set Foobar on random over my entire library of music. The other half I'll switch between listening to particular albums or just choosing a genre and doing random within it.

I like well-organized and well-tagged music.

 

[FalconP]

Don't have a system: try to make an effort to clear the large piles of stuff that I never even touched since I bought them, but usually ended up listening to some old stuff instead -- perhaps I have a subconscious desire to "save" those unlistened stuff, still in their wraps, for the proverbial rainy day...

 

[Bill Ward]

Good question.

I've been working on my CD database for the past couple of months, weeding the collection and updating. I printed a catalog as a working resource and was immediately surprised by how many recordings I can't even recall buying, much less playing. What I settled on was to start through my holdings by composer, comparing different versions of the same composition. Generally, I go through phases--listening to a particular genre, to the chamber music of a given composer, to performances by a given soloist. I wish I'd made notes over the years on why I bought a particular recording. I think I'd have a better understanding of my music collection.

BW

 

[UberNewb]

I just grab whatever I'm in the mood for... but I've been on an alt-country kick lately with lots of Son Volt and Wilco in particular.

Last night, however, I listened to the Doors Greatest Hits CD 2.

 

[eyeteeth]

I'll usually listen to a few recordings of whichever artist I am possessed by for weeks on end. Sometimes I'll listen to a single song for 3 hours. If that sounds odd don't blame me, I showed up as is.

If drunk I choose 'RANDOM' by tossing a bottle cap at he CD rack and track what was struck, as best I can.

 

[mikeg]

What I've done is to buy a book called "The Classical Music Experience" by Julius H. Jacobson II, M.D., and to use it as a guide. It's written by a medical doctor who loves and understands classical music, and he covers in laymans' language, classical music from the 16th century, to the present time. He briefly discusses about 50 composers, and names some of their best works, and included in the book are two CDs. These CDs provide excerpts from the named compositions. What I've decided to do is to buy all of the named compositions of these composers, and to listen to them in conjuction with reading the book. So far it's introduced me to new composers and music; e.g., multiple-voiced church music (without instrumental accompaniment) by Giovanni da Palestrina.

 

[eyeteeth]

Quote:

Originally posted by mikeg What I've done is to buy a book called "The Classical Music Experience" by Julius H. Jacobson II, M.D

I once had something like that by Aaron Copland-ages ago.

 

[stuartr]

Quote:

Originally posted by Iron_Dreamer This is what love about having thousands of hours of audio at my fingertips at the PC, I can select anything instantly, and change just as quickly. I really don't have any set patter, I just scroll through my playlist (of all the songs I have) until I see an artist that catches my eye, and toss it on for a while, until I feel like listening to something else.

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't really have a problem with knowing what is in my catalog or finding it -- I have a couple hundred cd's, and I know where they all are....it does not really take me any time to pick something out.
Like strohmie, I am pretty much a phase person, but on occasion I will completely buck the trend and just randomly grab something. I too am on sort of an alt county and/or blues kick -- Chris Whitley, Kelly Joe Phelps, American Analog Set...
I am an album listener though -- I will listen to an entire album on most occasions -- I will not skip certain things. A mix cd is one thing, but I will not play a song or two, change cds, then play a song or two more...I pretty much stick with what I chose in the first place.

 

[Mr.PD]

I have a hard time chosing one to play.
I'll stand at the rack and stare at it for 5 minutes or more sometimes.

My biggest problem lately has been that so many of my "classic rock" CDs are greatest hits types. I am getting away from these compilations, because of the lack of cohesion in them. I usually end up grabbing something from a different genre.

Sometimes I just can't decide, and I end up playing nothing.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally posted by stuartr I am an album listener though -- I will listen to an entire album on most occasions -- I will not skip certain things. A mix cd is one thing, but I will not play a song or two, change cds, then play a song or two more...I pretty much stick with what I chose in the first place.

THis is one thing I love about PC listening, I don't have to feel like I should keep listeing to an album just because it is the one in the play, I can change at any moment, or let an entire album flow by if it is clicking and feels right. E.g. today I went to listen to Dream Theater's "Overture 1928," but ended up listening to the entire SFAM album. The counter is that I went from listening to a Zimmer film socre (to The Rock), to an Iron Maiden song, to Tchaikovsky's 1912, to a Motorhead song.