# Your level of concentration while listening to music



## tgtr0660 (Jan 29, 2010)

I wanted to ask people around here how do you listen to your music in terms of the attention they give to it and the level of concentration you are usually at while hearing it. The thing is, I always try to be entirely concentrated in the music, I don't really like using music as just background, but sometimes I do, and sometimes even when I'm concentrated and trying to appreciate all the elements and thematic developments I can suddenly get lost thinking on other things and it's like for a few seconds/minutes I get disconnected from the piece and it might even make a little less sense. I think this is specially important in more complex music like symphonic works. What about you people?


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

tgtr0660 said:


> I wanted to ask people around here how do you listen to your music in terms of the attention they give to it and the level of concentration you are usually at while hearing it. The thing is, I always try to be entirely concentrated in the music, I don't really like using music as just background, but sometimes I do, and sometimes even when I'm concentrated and trying to appreciate all the elements and thematic developments I can suddenly get lost thinking on other things and it's like for a few seconds/minutes I get disconnected from the piece and it might even make a little less sense. I think this is specially important in more complex music like symphonic works. What about you people?


I wouldn't have put it any other way than you just did. Sometimes I get into these weird moods where I feel like I could keep total concentration forever. I love those moments.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I'd love to do more focused, concentrated listening like you do, but between my job in the medical field and being the mom of a toddler, it's hard to get the opportunity. I get a free lunch period a couple times per week, and I always bring my iPod. At least once on a weekend during my son's nap I'll try to do some focused listening.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I generally try to concentrate on the music, but I'm not overly strict about it. I have found often times I will get insights into pieces if I hear them in a certain way, in relation to other activities...so I find its a balance. For myself if I was 100% concentrated on the music at all times I would miss certain elements of a piece that can somehow be heightened if listened to while in the midst of doing something else, and/or in a more relaxed/passive state than fully concentrated. Sometimes I'll walk into a room just while a certain section of a piece is playing and I'll hear it in a completely different way than I've ever heard it before, I like when that happens. For those reasons I like to mix up my concentrated and passive listening.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

tdc said:


> I generally try to concentrate on the music, but I'm not overly strict about it. I have found often times I will get insights into pieces if I hear them in a certain way, in relation to other activities...so I find its a balance. For myself if I was 100% concentrated on the music at all times I would miss certain elements of a piece that can somehow be heightened if listened to while in the midst of doing something else, and/or in a more relaxed/passive state than fully concentrated. Sometimes I'll walk into a room just while a certain section of a piece is playing and I'll hear it in a completely different way than I've ever heard it before, I like when that happens. For those reasons I like to mix up my concentrated and passive listening.


That's a great observation, and true for myself as well.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

tdc said:


> I generally try to concentrate on the music, but I'm not overly strict about it. I have found often times I will get insights into pieces if I hear them in a certain way, in relation to other activities...so I find its a balance. For myself if I was 100% concentrated on the music at all times I would miss certain elements of a piece that can somehow be heightened if listened to while in the midst of doing something else, and/or in a more relaxed/passive state than fully concentrated. Sometimes I'll walk into a room just while a certain section of a piece is playing and I'll hear it in a completely different way than I've ever heard it before, I like when that happens. For those reasons I like to mix up my concentrated and passive listening.


For me is the same! .


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

For big works, i.e. operas and symphonies, I like to listen to passively first, say on a commute or while doing work. Then, enjoy them fully later with a glass/bottle of wine.


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## opus55 (Nov 9, 2010)

I can be most focused in music if I use head phone or earbuds at bed time or commuter train. I get well focused listening for about ten minutes then ..zzzzz


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## Moira (Apr 1, 2012)

I attend a lot of live concerts which are obviously focused listening. 
At home I tend to be doing other things while listening to music, but get moments when I can concentrate on the music.


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

I generally only listen to music whilst giving it my full attention. I don't like using it as background noise.


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## Moira (Apr 1, 2012)

jalex said:


> I generally only listen to music whilst giving it my full attention. I don't like using it as background noise.


I agree. I don't use it as background noise. But I can listen to it, albeit without full concentration, while doing 'non-thinking' things like bathing and other personal tasks like manicures and pedicures, tidying and dusting, cleaning the cat box, filing etc.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Moira said:


> I attend a lot of live concerts which are obviously focused listening.
> At home I tend to be doing other things while listening to music, but get moments when I can concentrate on the music.


A live concert setting is actually where I have the most trouble focusing on listening.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

^Too busy looking for the cute girls in the string section?

I think passive listening is the best way to approach music at first, after a few listens there are usually some key points of interest that open up and then I can fill in the blanks with more dedicated listening.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

With classical, I tend to do concentrated listening. With non-classical, I tend to be more relaxed, I listen to that for different purposes. But even with classical, there is music that has little or no thematic development, so it's no big deal to listen to more freely (eg. I've found this with Satie's _Cabaret Songs_, which I love).


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## Moira (Apr 1, 2012)

violadude said:


> A live concert setting is actually where I have the most trouble focusing on listening.


I'm curious about this, violadude. Why is this?

I have been attending symphony concerts regularly since 1977 (and occasionally before that).


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Moira said:


> I'm curious about this, violadude. Why is this?
> 
> I have been attending symphony concerts regularly since 1977 (and occasionally before that).


I don't know. Too much exterior stimulation? When I listen to music on my computer I am usually listening in the dark and don't have much to look at.


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

violadude said:


> I don't know. Too much exterior stimulation? When I listen to music on my computer I am usually listening in the dark and don't have much to look at.


Close your eyes at concerts? I usually do that. The frequently OTT movements and facial expressions of conductors and musicians irritate me.


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## Dowd (Jan 15, 2012)

I think the composer plays a big role in my concentration skills. Though considered similar in style, I can attentively focus on Tartini and Corelli, but have the hardest time with Vivaldi. I even go out of my way to plan special Vivaldi listening sessions, but as much as I enjoy his many concertos, I don't feel the same as I do for the 2 aforementioned composers. But I keep trying.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

jalex said:


> Close your eyes at concerts? I usually do that. The frequently OTT movements and facial expressions of conductors and musicians irritates me.


Hm I've tried that and then I get the urge to open them again.


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## Conor71 (Feb 19, 2009)

Yes, I like a mixture of concentrated and passive listening depending on mood. I like having Music as a background which i can tune in and out of as i do other stuff like reading or daydreaming.
My ultimate aim with any Music is to get to know it well - I think that with enough listens, even on a passive level my mind will fill in the blanks


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## alandc (Apr 22, 2012)

On a similar note - I've always been interested in "how" people listen to music. Do they passively listen to the sequence of notes, meditatively turn off conscious thought and let the music be their consciousness, replay/predict what the music is doing and hear the notes in context (mentally play along with the music).... ?


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

For me it depends. Sometimes I will play music purely as background noise, and other times I'll focus every ounce of my consciousness into listening to it lol. When I'm doing something like working or studying I'll often just put on some relaxing music in the background to help me concentrate and ward off boredom. I also always have music on when I'm driving, it helps keep my mind occupied while I'm getting from point A to B...I put as much focus into it as I can without being unsafe. But when I really want to get in to it, I'll concentrate pretty heavily on the music to the extent of ignoring everything else for a brief time.


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