Listening to music has been relegated to a background activity - discuss

[fordgtlover]

As for me, I listen to music as the backdrop to my life. I can barely do anything without some music either in the background or as part of the activity.


Quote:

Originally Posted by appophylite /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do often listen to music while travelling, or doing chores outside, but the majority of the time I listen to music is still a discrete activity for me. When I am sitting inside, I cannot do anything while listening to music, because I end up putting aside whatever I may be reading or working on to focus entirely on the music.

Occassionally, I just sit down to listen, but more often I listen while surfing the net and then get distracted with the music. I end up lost in the moment, put my feet on my desk and lean back in my chair. Often I find that an hour or so has gone by just listening.

 

[fordgtlover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by webbie64 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Your points are taken, fordgtlover, but when I'm on my ride-on mower (each Saturday it seems at the moment with the weather we're having over here in Australia - rain then hot then rain) I have an hour and a half of music without much focus on 'driving' the mower. Sure, even with the Livewires and ear protection there is still the drone of the mower's background noise (which is why this is ultraportable 320 kbps mp3 territory) but I choose louder music - rock/pop/etc (very little orchestral music here) and simply 'enjoy': this is 'fun', not analytical, music time.

Good point. Of course, for me, the focussed listening doesn't always need to be analytical. It can simply be getting lost in the music, which I guess I find very difficult to do if I am doing something else that requires at least partial focus and concentration.

Quote:

What really shows my age, or perhaps my monty-python-ised (i.e. 'warped') sense of humour, though, is that each time you guys are mentioning listening whilst 'surfing' in this thread I truly am thinking of waterproof IEMs LOL. Now that activity would be a serious distraction if I could be truly 'listening' whilst out on the waves

I love this sort of comedic imagery.

 

[883dave]

Yes things have changed.

In my youth music listening was more of a social occasion. We would hop on the bus and go to the record store in the center of town. Hours were spent looking for that one album that would be the weekly sellection - money was tight. Then we would go back to the house and sit and listen to the weekly and favorite picks for hours.

It was not uncommon several times a week to visit people to listen to music.

Zip to the present. At work I listen to headphone a lot, my computer is generally in front of me so I surf. These times music is a back drop.

At home I have a dedicated listening room (speakers), with nothing else to do but sit and be immersed in listening.

 

[LostOne.TR]

I generally have music playing, if I didn't share a room, I'd probably have music playing alot more and louder on speakers.

I do enjoy it alot though, when I find time to set aside purely for music listening. Also like listening to music, and just music, then drifting off to sleep.