It is not uncommon for people to listen to music not actively, but in the background while they are busy doing other things (such as work or household chores). Music is a great stress reliever; it can help you relax and calm down. To enjoy quality music of any genre and to relax, it is important to listen to music actively. If done right, you will learn to experience music in a new way that is comparable to experiencing sounds in color.
Tip 1
Learn to recognize repetitions and variations and listen to them. Very often some new element will appear at the end of a song. Pay attention to the parts that give you special pleasure. Are they repetitions, variations, or new elements? If they are variations, can you understand what is being varied now? But it is even more important to understand why this fragment is being repeated. Is it because of a great melody or because of an emphasis on the lyrics?
A melody is the consistent sound of several notes (like the beginning of a Seven Nation Army song or any chorus). A catchy melody usually makes a song a hit.
A consonance is the simultaneous sound of several notes. Many people define consonance as a vertical arrangement of notes and melody as a horizontal arrangement of notes. How do multiple voices, instruments, and notes come together? Why do they sound so good together?
Tip 2
Analyze the character, mood of the song, and the feel of the music. What emotions does the song evoke? Simply put, is the song sad or happy? Evaluate the mood: do the instruments sound upbeat and bright, or wistful and sad? What do you imagine when you hear this music: a rainy day, sunny weather, joy, brooding, heartbreak? Try to analyze the music in terms of several concepts:
Colors. Not everyone can see music in colors, but you should try closing your eyes and imagining this song being played in a movie. What would be the mood and colors of that scene?
The combination of instruments. How many instruments are being played at the same time? Are there few (like at the beginning of “Hey Jude”) or are there many and they create a very dense sound (like at the end of “Hey Jude”)?
Character. The guitar can sound rough or melodic, and the trumpet solo can be harsh or soft. Most often it depends on the rhythm: is the melody long, smooth, and calm, or sharp, jerky, and jagged?
Tip 3
Listen to individual instruments. Listen to how the parts of different instruments combine to form an overall sound. Analyze the sound of the bass and notice interesting or meaningful passages. Listen for changes in the sound that appear at a moment you particularly like. Do exotic notes appear in the melody? Does the change in rhythm make the song more interesting? Does the rising hum turn into a clash of sounds and noise?
Tip 4
Analyze the progression of the melody. Does the song end just as it began, or in a similar way? Or does it slowly unfold and tell a story in which the performer changes toward the end? Both are used by composers, but they give different impressions. If the song changes toward the end, consider what means the musicians and singer(s) used. At what point does the song begin to change?
For example, the song “Hey Jude” contains one of the most famous transitions in pop music. The song changes from somber and brooding to joyful and upbeat.
Tip 5
Look for important information about the context of the song. Songs are not written randomly, and often diving into the context gives a song new meaning.
Tip 6
Learn to listen carefully to long pieces. Jazz, classical music, prog rock, and other genres of music where the songs last more than 10 minutes may be too difficult for the untrained listener. Don’t worry if you get bored or distracted at first – it’s normal. Don’t force yourself to concentrate on a single fragment or re-listen to parts. The composition has such a length for a reason – the composer is trying to say something with every second of the piece. The composer may not always be able to hold the listener’s attention all the time, but you should try to focus on the composition as a whole piece. You may discover little fragments that will be easy to remember.
Try listening to Duke Ellington’s “Diminuendo In Blue” for starters. It’s a long, but very energetic and interesting piece from beginning to end, with repeating motifs and melodies.