# How many hours per week do you listen -- just listen?



## rspader (May 14, 2014)

There has been a recent ongoing thread about how many hours per day we listen to classical music. Most of the responses would be like mine in that I have classical music playing whenever I can -- in the car, in the kitchen, on my iPod, etc. But, I got to questioning myself as to how much time I spent listening to classical music the way the composer probably thought I would listen, that is sitting quietly and paying attention to the music and only the music. Listening intentionally and attentively. Not reading, driving, cooking, cleaning, riding the metro/tube/underground -- just listening.

So, that's my question: How many hours per week do you just sit and listen?

For me, it is about 5-6 hours per week. It used to be more when I could crank up the stereo a bit but we are in an apartment until we move back to our house in July so the stereo is kept at a much lower volume and that has decreased my enjoyment somewhat. I just purchased some Sennheiser HD-598 headphones, though, so my listening time is increasing again. How about you?


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

That's what I call my "deep listens." It's usually about 2 hours per week.


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## Gondur (May 17, 2014)

I can't say I'm able to count the hours I listen to music because the music is so beautiful that I lose all track of time; though I cannot listen to music and do math at the same time. This may be because music is the antithesis of Math as one is derived from logic and the other creativity? Possibly but it's most likely subjective and varies from listener to listener and depends on their cognitive disposition. I do however, know people who can listen to Mozart while doing Math/Science and so I think it depends entirely on the kind of music you're listening to. For me though, any Baroque music I listen to I have to listen to by itself. I cannot multitask while listening, except for walking/exercise.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Seriously, about 15 hours a week.


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

I usually have about two hours of undistracted music listening a night, when feasible. Sometime four or five times a week, more often at the end of the week, or when I'm on holiday. This usually invoves me sitting in my big leather "listening" chair, with the liights lowered and with a half glass of Oban or Lagavulin at hand.


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## Guest (May 21, 2014)

What about listening and smoking a cigarette? My statistic goes up a decent bit if that's allowed for your thread's purposes...


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## rspader (May 14, 2014)

Antiquarian said:


> I usually have about two hours of undistracted music listening a night, when feasible. Sometime four or five times a week, more often at the end of the week, or when I'm on holiday. This usually invoves me sitting in my big leather "listening" chair, with the liights lowered and with a half glass of Oban or Lagavulin at hand.


Two hours a night, Lagavulin at hand. Antiquarian, you are my hero!


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## rspader (May 14, 2014)

arcaneholocaust said:


> What about listening and smoking a cigarette? My statistic goes up a decent bit if that's allowed for your thread's purposes...


Not a smoker myself so don't know how distracting that may be but I often have some amber liquid in a glass while I listen so, sure, how much time while smoking?


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

Antiquarian said:


> I usually have about two hours of undistracted music listening a night, when feasible. Sometime four or five times a week, more often at the end of the week, or when I'm on holiday. This usually invoves me sitting in my big leather "listening" chair, with the liights lowered and with a half glass of Oban or Lagavulin at hand.


If your drinking Lagavulin, why on earth would you limit yourself to "half" a glass. Try some Ardbeg. It's a fantastic dram.

Now onto the subject at hand: It all varies. If I'm on a job where the homeowner is not home or if it's outside work, I almost always have pop music on because it's constantly interrupted by power tools going on and off people asking me questions, going back and forth to the truck for supplies, etc, etc, so it's basically background music.

But I try to listen to classical music a few hours a week: ie: No distractions, almost always at night with an adult beverage in hand. Sometimes it's only 2 hours, sometimes it's 8 hours a week. Unfortunately it's usually on the lower end of that scale.

I bought 8 classical CD's a month ago. I've managed to listen to three of them. I don't like to listen to classical music I'm not thoroughly familiar with or a recording of a performer(s) I haven't heard yet unless I can concentrate on it.

V


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

arcaneholocaust said:


> What about listening and smoking a cigarette? My statistic goes up a decent bit if that's allowed for your thread's purposes...


I don't smoke cigarettes (those things will kill ya), but during the summer (now) I sometimes sit outside with headphones on while smoking a cigar. Cigars force you to stop, relax, and meditate because they can last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and a half (of course with an adult beverage in hand).

V


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

About 45 minutes a day right before bed so a little over 5 hours a week of "pure" listening. It's not for lack of time during the day that I don't do it more but I just have a hard time sitting still during the day listening to music and doing NOTHING else. I feel like if I listen while doing something else, I still give the music 75% of my focus but I can also feel productive doing something else and enjoy other things at the same time. For instance, a lot of times I'll watch sports with my headphones on.


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## clara s (Jan 6, 2014)

just before I go to sleep

2-3 times a week for 30-60 minutes

dim light, camomile or Asti Martini (it depends on the mood)

and for tonight it will be Brahms violin concerto


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

This is quite interesting. Reminds me of how I got in this world of classical.
I see two different approaches.
First, if you get used to background music it is easier in my opinion to realize the major differences between two performances. I remember a long time ago when I started in this classical music world that a friend suggested me the following: put on "repeat all" the 15 min of Moonlight sonata. Just let it play all day long. Do your work. Sit, think, work and let it play. The same 15 min all again... Then, on a second try (different day) change the perfomer/orchestra/... And let it play. The same piece, but different performance. It is impressive how can you feel, and this is the exact word, feel what played different. Too fast? Too slow? Bad harmony? And after that I could tell that I understand why I enjoy Arrau and Barenboim and dislike others. The others sound weird from what I got used. This doesn't work for opera in my opinion. It works better for strings concerts, piano solos and easy orchestration symphonies.
Second, is the deep listening that someone mentioned. Feel the nuances. The detail. Each note. And unfortunately, I can do that only 3 hours per week nowdays. This kind of approach let you go deep in each work. And takes you to higher understanding level of the piece.
Anyway, just doing some reflexion. Nice thread tough.


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## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

About 4 or 5 hours a week, apparently.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

It varies.

Sometimes, I will look up from the book I am reading and become engrossed in the music, to the point of needing to set the book aside. This can happen from time to time, maybe not every day, but often enough. I couldn't estimate the time.

Sometimes, I'm washing dishes or cooking and I really am listening to the music while doing so. I couldn't estimate the time.

I go through spells of listening to music before going to sleep, usually a full CD. I couldn't estimate the time.

Sometimes, I really do just set everything aside and _intentionally_ just listen. This probably only happens about one hour a week. I really would like to set aside some more time, but things always seem to get in the way 

Similar to something that shadowdancer mentioned: I tend to leave a CD (actually 5 CDs) in my player and let it just go round and round and round until I feel I have heard them all, changing each one only after it seems to have sunk in. This is a non-ideal compromise, but it seems to work for me.


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## Richannes Wrahms (Jan 6, 2014)

If I really want to give a chance to a piece I listen to it at night, when everybody is asleep and there is overall silence, in the sofa or in my bed with my eyes closed. I do that about once a week, whatever the length of the piece in question. For 'following with the score' listening I, on average, perhaps spend 4h or so. For the rest, probably 2h. If I'm on vacations you can expect me to double or triple those numbers.


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## Frei aber froh (Feb 22, 2013)

I listen to recordings for 1-2 hours weekly. I include jamming and playing for fun in my practice routine – to keep me inspired, motivated, and reminded of what I love about my instrument – and that totals to 2-3 hours per week. In my head? Oh God, I constantly listen to music... I swear, some days, specific pieces or composers refuse to leave me alone.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

clara s said:


> just before I go to sleep
> 
> 2-3 times a week for 30-60 minutes
> 
> ...


Can you make it a little lower in there? Not all of us like to go to sleep at 2 AM!!! :tiphat:


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

Hours upon hours. I have the privilege to be able to jam while I work, so I pretty much breath music.


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## Maritta (Apr 18, 2014)

I listen quite a lot, because I listen while travelling to work by train, which takes two hours per day, so I can concentrate to the listening. What is more, I try to visit concerts at least twice weekly. But normally I listen to classical music also while reading.


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

In the evening about 2 hours of intens listening (not a big fan of television)
Sometimes a stringquartet in the morning, just after my walk with the dogs; if work permits, I'd love to do that every day.

Cheers,
Jos


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## flylooper (Dec 6, 2011)

I listen, probably, about 2-3 hours a day, usually when I get up and get myself ready for the day: coffee, breakfast, shower, shaving, etc. 

What has changed for me is that since buying an Ipod Classic (160 GB), I have virtually my entire music collection with me wherever I go. So I can just slip on a good set of headphones and lose myself in music anywhere in the house or doing my daily walk or play music through the car radio. That little device has changed everything for me in terms of ability to access the music I feel like listening to at any given time. 

In fact, as I type this I'm listening to Alicia de la Rocha play Granados' "Goyescas" suite. Wonderful.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

My answer is simply not enough 

I listen for a half hour each way in the car daily but don't really consider that listening so much as hearing. I sometimes post my drivetime selection on here but lately something has affected my webcam so most of my pictures are rubbish.

In the evenings I listen for a couple of hours most days but three at most.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

Maritta said:


> I listen quite a lot, because I listen while travelling to work by train, which takes two hours per day, so I can concentrate to the listening. What is more, I try to visit concerts at least twice weekly. But normally I listen to classical music also while reading.


And I thought my commute was bad at just an hour but at least by train you're more likely to listen than hear unlike me. I wish I was able to go to concerts that often


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## atmplayspiano (Apr 12, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Seriously, about 15 hours a week.


Just about the same here.


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## Crystal (Aug 8, 2017)

About 7 hours a week.


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