HOW do you listen to music?

Oliwerko · Mon 04/08/2008 18:57:30

Hello there guys!

Recently, I've had a discussion with a friend of mine, which was criticizing my music.
This person said, that when he listens to music, the music creates an image of a situation in his head, some kind of situational atmosphere, or something like that. He talked about one song - when he listens to it, he imagines himself driving a car on a highway during a night with his GF seated next to him, and he feels good. Thus he likes the song, because it evokes a nice situation in him. He simply likes all music that evoke comfortable situations, and, comfortable feelings in him.

The funny thing is that I completely miss this approach to the whole thing. When I listen to music, I listen to sounds. I enjoy the sound at its basis, I enjoy the many many sounds played together. It doesn't make an image of a situation, or a specific feeling in me. I just like some kinds of sounds and some combinations of them. As I said, I feel/hear/enjoy the sound as its basis.

This comparison kind of boosted my interest in this matter.
What do you feel when you listen to music? Can you describe it? Can you tell why you listen to a particular music genre?

Discuss.

Paper Carnival · Mon 04/08/2008 19:10:38

Well, this is an interesting question, one that has actually bothered me before. Sometimes I don't even notice the music I listen to, some other times I focus on it completely. When I focus, I try to listen to all the harmonies, distinguish every single instrument, etc.

Some other times, when I'm a bit sleepy, I do have images in my head. I don't get the same images every time though. One I remember, for example, was the image of some kind of fortress and a wisp floating around. It's very weird when it happens, and I like it when it does. It's almost like I'm dreaming about those images, so whenever I catch myself seeing those it most likely all stops.

What's amazing is that it's far from just an "image", it's an actual situation. When this happens, I sometimes even hear the lyrics changed to fit that situation. Like, I hear the singing, but it means something totally different in my head.

Does anyone else have this weird experience?

Babar · Mon 04/08/2008 19:20:59

Sometimes when listening to a certain song, I just weirdly break out into a grin. It's interesting how a certain song, without meaning to be funny (either in lyrics or in music) can get you laughing.

About images...'Everything You want' by Vertical Horizon always gives me an image of speedy car-driving. And 'Time After Time' gives me an image of playing the SNES Legend of Zelda.

Ghost · Mon 04/08/2008 19:31:56

I often have "images" in my head when listening to music- whole movies when the tune's right, and I really enjoy taking them and refining them, until I have a tiny flick that follows the music. Sometimes the connections are extremely odd too- "All the small things" makes me see dragons chasing.

LimpingFish · Mon 04/08/2008 20:55:00

I'm similar to Ghost. I make up little movies to go along with the music I'm listening to. I particularly make up little opening or closing sequences to movies and/or games, when a song seems to be suited to the job.

I don't think anybody can listen to music without visualizing something, random or otherwise.

hedgefield · Mon 04/08/2008 22:47:47

Exactly, I think it depends on what kind of person you are for what you take away from listening to music. For me it's mostly about feeling and visualisation. I too can come up with entire movies when I listen to a song, like "oh this song would be perfect for a scene like ...". or just feel transported to a different place.

Oliwerko · Tue 05/08/2008 08:53:03

Quote from: LimpingFish on Mon 04/08/2008 20:55:00
I don't think anybody can listen to music without visualizing something, random or otherwise.

I can, most of the time I do. OK, some songs make me think about speedy driving, or a sunrise, but normally, I just listen to the sounds. Maybe there are some very very little image pointers, but it's definitely not something that I consciously know.
It's not really visualizing. And it works only with some songs.

voh · Tue 05/08/2008 11:44:49

I link music to actions I'm involved in when I listen to them a lot. System of a Down - System of a Down is linked to the Gabriel Knight book, so when I listen to the album, I want to read the book and vice versa.

There's a couple of albums that have a similar connection, and I even have specific music I like to listen to while I'm scripting PHP

But I don't get images like you mentioned. I just look for music that fits my mood (or, in some situations, contrasts it), because it's almost always background music anyway.

vict0r · Tue 05/08/2008 12:43:45

I do imagine these "situations" every now and then, but it's actually very rare in my case. Defininitely not every time like LimpingFish says.

F1ak3r · Tue 05/08/2008 14:20:26

Sometimes, when I listen to music, I think about an activity I've often partaken in whilst listening to the music in question. For example, whenever I listen to The Offspring's Conspiracy Of One, I'll think of all the time I spent coding this over-ambitious noob-dream project while listening to it, my only music at the time.

Oliwerko · Tue 05/08/2008 14:58:05

Yeah, this happens to me too, but that's exceptional. Best to test the musical imagination is to listen to something new.

Akatosh · Tue 05/08/2008 16:07:50

I'm usually reminded of games and (sometimes) novels or movies when listening to music. Freedom Call? Baldur's Gate. ASP or System of a Down? Planescape Torment. Napoleon XIV? Southland Tales.

monkey0506 · Tue 05/08/2008 18:35:15

It all depends on the song for me. I listen to a wide variety of music. Some songs do put images in my mind. For example, after watching the music video for "Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse, I always think of taking a roadtrip when I listen to it.

Some songs don't provoke mental images like that, but do provide other feelings...for example there are certain songs that if I hear while I'm driving...I just want to punch the gas...unfortunately this got me pulled over for speeding for the first time in my life...(*cough 25 mph over the speed limit ftw! cough*)...so I don't speed any more. I got off with a warning, but I don't need any citations...

Of course there's one song which I can't remember off the top of my head right now, probably with a techno beat of some sort, which invariably makes me want to breakdance fight a large group of people. Not that I can breakdance or fight...

F1ak3r · Tue 05/08/2008 20:51:02

Oh yeah, forgot one very important example of how music affects me:

Whenever I hear Flo Rider's "Low", I get the urge to hurt people, break things, and ultimately stop that infernal trash that EVERYONE seems to like for some reason.

F1ak3r · Tue 05/08/2008 20:51:24

Whoops, double post, sorry!

vict0r · Wed 06/08/2008 00:56:57

Quote from: monkey_05_06 on Tue 05/08/2008 18:35:15
Some songs don't provoke mental images like that, but do provide other feelings...for example there are certain songs that if I hear while I'm driving...I just want to punch the gas...

Yeah, some music does this to me aswell! I don't really get reckless, I just wanna go fast!

Nikolas · Wed 06/08/2008 07:13:41

Quote from: LimpingFish on Mon 04/08/2008 20:55:00
I don't think anybody can listen to music without visualizing something, random or otherwise.

I beg to differ to this, even if I bellong to the music creation bunch of people.

I can't visualize anything, I very rarely do.

There are two personalities that kick in depending on the situation, and circumstances.

A. The academic/teacher/student kicks in and I start analysing. It sucks but some times I can't help it. Or critisising the playing of a performer, even worst...

B. The searching for a familliar feeling. It feels, usually, like a ride of some sorts. I'm waiting (if the song is right), for fammiliar feelings to make me breathe out all the air I have inside in an attempt to make the moment last. Or something anyways...

I don't visualise anything at all! I do search for the fammiliar and for what will trigger emotions though. Just not visual. When the movie/ or pic/ or situation comes into mind, then we are talking for very specific music and very specific feeling.

Dunno if it helped... $:-\$

Makeout Patrol · Wed 06/08/2008 07:41:15

I'm the same as Nikolas - if I picture anything, which I rarely do, it's people playing the music. It's an emotional or, if it's in a teriffic context, a physical experience for me.

Oliwerko · Wed 06/08/2008 09:27:37

Hmm, interesting, by me it does not create any physical feeling at all. There are "images" rarely, but no physical feeling.
I too tend to analyze the song, sound by sound. I just enjoy some kinds of sounds that hit my ear, that's the feeling I enjoy. But I can't tell it's physical, though.

Tuomas · Wed 06/08/2008 10:06:31

I feel most fo the music flow through me, but I can't really describe it. At the moment I'm listening to Lemur Voice - All of Me, and it kind of makes me want to jam along. The best way of listening to good music is just jamming along, whistling, playing the guitar on it, drumming the table, just grooving about. I can get images of some songs, especially if I've seen the music video, that's why a good music video is really important, and bad one ruins the experiense. But, I don't get these images unless I try to. Anyway, if you spot me table-drumming to a bad song, it doesn't mean I like it, it just means that there's a rythm. If the music is really good, then I get carried away. That has happened a lot of times, especially listening to the solo in Firth of Fifth by Genesis