Comments on: Music in the background

By: John Hawkins

John Hawkins — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:32:34 +0000

I agree that you can use an album you love to help you get through a task that is less than fun. Seriously, I think that's why radios first showed up in cars. If you have to drive a long distance, the radio makes it less of a chore.

By: John Hawkins

John Hawkins — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:29:30 +0000

At work lately I've been doing something similar. I have my ipod there and I put it on "artist" and I've listened to the 3 albums by Micky and the Motorcars over and over and over again. Since I don't do a lot of writing at the office, the lyrics don't bother me. I could not do the same at home.

By: todd

todd — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:28:36 +0000

I have a certain type of CD I listen to while working. It can't have lyrics I have to listen to (So Weird Al is out) and it can't be slow. The Sounds, Postal Service, Bad Religion ("All Ages" and "Suffer"), Rodrigo y Gabriela, Amadou et Mariam and Evanescence have all been work albums. When I put them on I put them on on repeat and listen to that single album until I pretty much can't stand it anymore. By then it's a month later and I find something else. That's the great thing about music, there's just so much of it.

By: Grygorius

Grygorius — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:02:02 +0000

Right now, I am kind of a remedial (or advanced, however you want to look at it) background music listener: I open WMP and click "play" – whatever comes up (randomly) out of my library, I hear! Sometimes I do have to "click away – baby, click away" from a song that grabs my "eewwww" nerve and won't let go. However, I don't delete the file, since I know another time I will probably appreciate the song (which is why it’s in my library in the first place) – but, I guess it is in that moment that my ulterior thought process is not jiving with the alpha waves that particular piece of music is creating in my brain.Sometimes I find that just a low beat or music hardly-recognizable-as-music (at such a low volume) will be the teat my mind needs suckle to be lucid – especially when the work done on the computer is under a tight schedule for completion.Being a former classical and jazz musician, I can understand that one grows into appreciating styles of, any type, or even just music itself – it becomes a part of you that you can listen to blindfolded (or is it “deaffolded”?).I think the same applies whenever you are practicing your trade or love: music can be listened to without having to consciously understand it, especially if you are already familiar with the tune(s). The attempt at listening to your new album (which I understand is off the beaten path where style is concerned for GNR) and working on something that is new and/or near-and-dear to your heart (your passion) is a huge undertaking and challenge. Some people are just blessed with the ability to multi-task – not me. I'd have to listen to the new album while doing housework or something which I am not at all in love with. :SWhat do you think musicians listen to as background music when they are creating music? Or, rather, what do they hear in their head when they are creating music? Probably the historical influences of "their" artists they always talk about as to their style or genre.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:48:53 +0000

Supertramp rules!And I'm totally with you. I've got a set I use that is mostly Four Tet while I'm working. Same IDT/House type feel as Blue Man Group. You gotta go with what you know or you can't tune it out.