When someone listens to music, usually the music is played to accompany the listener while doing other activities such as office/school work or household chores. This means, we are not actively “listening” to music. In fact, music can be a great sedative and healer to “escape” from the stresses of everyday life. To really enjoy music of various genres and get a calming effect, we have to actually listen to the music that is playing. If the steps in this article are followed exactly, you will have an improved experience in listening to music. In this way, the music that is listened to becomes more “colorful”.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Finding New Music
Step 1. If you don't know where to start, ask trusted friends or family members to recommend music for you
If you're not a big fan of music, the wide variety of genres and styles of music can certainly overwhelm you. Therefore, instead of diving into random genres or styles of music, ask a friend with a musical taste you admire to provide information about a genre of music you can try listening to. Everyone has different tastes. However, people who know you very well can help find or find some musicians whose work you can try listening to.
- Ask questions when you hear a song you like. Look up the title and singer's name to begin shaping personal musical preferences.
- Ask yourself what kind of music you like. If you can tell your friends some of the songs or musicians you like, it will be easier for them to recommend similar musicians.
Step 2. Enter the name of your favorite musician into an internet application that can search for similar music
For example, Pandora allows you to create unique radio stations based on your musical preferences. Google Music can search for songs based on the mood or activity the user is engaged in. Meanwhile, Spotify offers a variety of song recommendations based on the previous song's playback history. The amount of code written to help people find new music is overwhelming. This makes it easier for people to find new song recommendations. You just need to add some song titles, names of musicians or genres you like to the app to get recommendations.
There are also many other music player programs that offer music recommendation services, such as iTunes. On iTunes, this service can be used through the “Genius” setting
Step 3. Watch live bands or musicians, and try to find out and listen to the music performed by the opening band
Live music shows are often the best way for lesser-known musicians to gain new fans. Of course, coming to such live shows can be an exciting way to expand your music library and knowledge. In addition, you can also usually meet with musicians or buy items (such as memorabilia) related to the musician. By watching musical performances, you can experience the music live, as well as get to know great up-and-coming musicians with information or works that are (perhaps) very difficult to find on the internet.
Step 4. Get to know the places to get music for free
Today, there are many sources that can be visited to get music for free, of course as long as you know the source or place. For example, apps and sites like Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, SoundCloud, and several other sites offer free options and allow you to listen to music without paying (usually interspersed with ads). Tech-savvy music lovers can try visiting torrent sites to download music, as long as the legal risks are known and understood.
- If you don't have an internet connection or proper equipment, try visiting your local library (or national radio agency like RRI) and listening to the music collection available there.
- Exchanging music with friends, whether via Dropbox, mixed music CDs, or external hard drives, just got easier in this digital age. You just need to copy the song files into the directory “My Music” → “Automatically Add to iTunes “, or a similar directory for the program you are using.
Step 5. Listen to genres of music that you've never heard of before, or that you want to dive into
Try listening to light opera (or show tunes) accompanied by an orchestra or just the piano. Don't think about other things. This is the time for you to listen, enjoy music, and relax. This way, you can try to map music, and the mapping will extend to the various genres of music available.
All genres of music have elements from different genres. You'd be surprised how many influences from different genres come together in one genre, from rock opera and classic hip-hop beats to reggae or lovechild punk (known as ska music)
Step 6. Stick to music genres that suit your personal preferences and stick to your favorite music listening habits
Music is subjective. If you like a song, that's more than enough. Oftentimes, people feel “uncomfortable” when they don't listen to a certain song or musician, or try to join a band they (actually) don't like. Try to stick to personal taste; if you like musicians you really like, keep listening to the songs.
Method 2 of 2: Listening and Discussing Music Carefully
Step 1. Recognize and listen for repetition and variation in a song
In songs, new sections or elements very often appear towards the end of the song. Find a section that you find interesting. Decide if the section is a repetition, variation, or new section in the song. If the part is a form of variation, can you find out what elements are varied? Most importantly, why do some parts experience repetition? Is the passage repeated because of the beautiful melody, or to accentuate the lyrics of the song?
- Melody is a series of notes that are played, such as the piano strains at the beginning of the song "Stay In the Soul" or vocal notes repeated in the chorus. The melody that catches the eye is usually the key that determines whether the song is catchy or not.
- Harmony is a collection of notes played simultaneously. Some people visualize the arrangement of harmonies vertically, and the arrangement of melodies horizontally. Notice how the various voices, instruments, and notes come together to form harmony, or stand out from one another.
Step 2. Think carefully about the tone, mood, and feeling of the song you are listening to
What kind of feelings does the song give rise to? Or, to make it easier for you to think about it, ask yourself if the song is a happy one or a sad one. Does the instrument you play sound upbeat and vibrant, or is it sad and deep? Imagine what kind of atmosphere or setting the song describes (e.g. rainy, sunny, cheerful, deep feelings, heartbreak, etc.). There are a few terms you need to remember:
-
Color:
Seeing color in music or sound may not be an easy thing to do, but try to close your eyes. Imagine the song is played in a movie scene. Think about the dominant mood or color featured in the scene.
-
Balance:
Think about how many instruments are being played simultaneously. Does the musical arrangement you hear sound light (with a small number of instruments), such as the opening part of the song “All About Us”? Or does the arrangement sound heavy, thick, and loud, like in the chorus and end of the song “Laskar Cinta”?
-
Texture:
Guitar strains can sound "rough" or "soft". As another example, the trumpet sound on a trumpet solo section can sound “smooth” or loud and “abrasive”. Usually, the texture in music is obtained from the rhythm. Think about whether the rhythm notes are long, held, and softly played, or if they are short, clipped, and distorted.
Step 3. Try listening to specific instruments and notice how each instrument plays together and blends together to form music
Look for bass elements that seem “alive”, have a lot of meaning, or just sound cool. Also pay attention to changes that occur in the part of the song that you like. Does the melody in that part rise to a different accent? Does the new rhythm that emerges add to the sharpness of the music? Did the new “buzz” element suddenly break into noise and excitement?
Step 4. Think about the movement or progress of the song
Does the end of the song sound the same or similar to the beginning? Or, does the song tell a story and experience movement or “change” so that the singer also experiences changes from the beginning of the song to the end? While these two factors are involved in the songwriting process, they tell different stories. If there are changes to the song, ask yourself how the "argument" in the song was told by the singer or musician. Also ask where the change in the overall idea or feel of the music occurred.
For example, the change in the key or basic tone of the song "Persahabatan" by Sherina is one of the most important and well-known movements or changes in the world of pop music, especially children's pop music. In an instant, the atmosphere of the song changed, from a seductive and “contemplative” atmosphere to a cheerful and lively atmosphere
Step 5. Look for an important message or meaning about the song that is outside the context of the lyrics
Every song is not created just like that without a "reason" behind the writing of the song. Sometimes, when we enter into the context of a song, we will understand the meaning or message conveyed by the song. As an example:
- The song “Usah Kau Lara Diri” by Katon Bagaskara and Ruth Sahanaya will feel even more powerful and profound when you know that the song was originally written for people living with HIV/AIDS.
- The song "Tini and Yanti" by Banda Neira is a song originally written by a former political prisoner in 1965 for his wife and children. If you don't understand the background of the song, there's a good chance it will sound foreign or difficult to understand.
Step 6. Develop concentration to listen to longer music
Listening to works of jazz, classical, progressive rock, or other genres and forms of music with a duration of more than 10 minutes certainly sounds scary. However, don't worry if you get distracted at first or you feel bored; it is normal to happen. Try to encourage yourself to focus on each part as you listen to a song over and over again. Remember that composing works like this is taken seriously. The composer wanted to fill every moment with music and bring you to enjoy every second of his work. While lengthy works like that don't always keep you interested, try to focus on listening to the entire song. You may be surprised by the small but interesting elements or the whole piece you listen to.
Not many Indonesian pop songs have a duration of more than 10 minutes. However, if you want to try listening to western or classic pop songs with a long duration. If you like the rock and punk genres, try listening to the song “Jesus of Suburbia” by Green Day. Or, if you're a fan of classical music, try listening to “Piano Concerto in E Minor Opus 11” by Frédéric Chopin. The work has a dynamic feel, as well as several themes and melodies that experience repetition and variation
Tips
- Don't equate music videos with music. Some argue that the best music usually doesn't “need” verbal or visual associations to sound better. However, try to close your eyes (while listening to music) and imagine the colors that accompany the music. Or, try to match the music with a picture of your life (with the appropriate situation, of course). Use your emotional interpretation to understand what the songwriter is trying to convey and try to connect with the author's reality.
- Listen to music emotionally. In this case, allow your feelings and moods to change as the sounds you hear change.
- Listen to Antonio Vivladi's "Four Seasons" without looking at the title first (this work consists of four movements). After that, try to guess the season that each move represents. You will be surprised to learn that music itself can form images or images in your mind, without using words.
- Use headphones if you're with or around people who shouldn't be disturbed (or if you listen to music at night). Don't use headphones when you're driving!
- All music (without exception) is composed based on repetitions, variations and new melodies. Even if you don't really enjoy the music you're listening to, you can always try to see how these principles apply. In this way, the music you listen to may feel "suitable" in the ear.
- Try listening to microtonal music. Microtonality refers to the use of less spaced notations than the usual 12-note spacing system. Music with different notes allows for the delivery of unique emotional effects in a different way than standard bass music (in this case, music made today). YouTube can be a good resource for listening to music with different notation systems.
- Try listening to the CD “What Makes it Great?” from Robert Kapilow. These CDs can be a useful resource when you want to listen to music well.
- If you use headphones, make sure they are of good quality. Low quality headphones make the music played sound worse than it actually is.
- Do not rush. There's no guarantee that the song you just listened to for a while will become your all-time favorite. Listen to the song more often, and if you start to like it, try listening to more similar songs. If you don't notice a difference after listening to the song a few times, it's possible that you don't like the song. If you don't like it, there's nothing else to do.
Warning
- You may not be able to listen to the song carefully at first. However, don't give up! In the end, you can hear the rhythm, melody, and harmony of the song well.
- Don't listen to music too loud. You may be tempted to listen to music at a loud volume and, at times, find it challenging to listen to it at a lower volume. However, listening to music too loudly can and will eventually damage your hearing.
- Sometimes, music makes people obsessed with life and all the emotions it has. Music is also sometimes a very strong passion of life. Therefore, be careful to keep a balance and control the obsession with music.
- Like any other art form, music also has qualities. Keep in mind that not all music is created to the same standards.
- Try to avoid prolonged stress in life. Too much stress in the long term can lead to a deficiency of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that triggers feelings of happiness, leading to anhedonia. Dopamine is a nerve transmitter or neurotransmitter that regulates feelings of happiness or satisfaction with various things. A significant drop in dopamine can reduce your ability to feel emotions from the music you listen to.
