Does being a musician affect the way you hear/enjoy music?

jackhammer · 09-14-2009, 01:24 PM

There are a few budding musicians on here and I was wondering whether this affects what you listen to. Do you listen to chord progressions, arrangements and general musicianship first? or doesn't it matter at all?

As a non muso I would like to think I can tell good composition from bad but does being a musician benefit you in this?

~~The Unfan~~ · 09-14-2009, 01:27 PM

Not really on a composition level but on a tonal level there are certain things I can pick out as a guitarist that really bug me.

sleepy jack · 09-14-2009, 01:31 PM

Lately, now that I've started seriously making music, I seem to have started mentally deconstruct music way more. It makes simply enjoying music with friends a bit more difficult but when arranging your own stuff the knowledge is helpful because you know what to avoid or what you want to. I've grown to really like melody and weird chord changes lately, which has been nice. I have a better understanding of what in music I look for now.

Grotesque Head · 09-14-2009, 01:31 PM

For me it sort of worked the opposite way. I really used to like listening to technical stuff and trying to pick it all apart - but as soon as I started learning guitar I lost interest in that and just started appreciating songs for the songwriting rather than musicianship.

**Janszoon** · 09-14-2009, 01:37 PM

Not too much I don't think. The better I've become at making music the easier it's become for me to kind of pick apart the pieces of a song but aside from that I still appreciate music for creativity over technique.

BTown · 09-14-2009, 01:42 PM

Definitely, I can easily appreciate certain types of music more which triggers me listening to them a lot more. I doubt I'd ever listen to Porcupine Tree if I had no musical knowledge.

Not saying only people with musical knowledge listen to them, just they are not my style and far from it, so it's just personal.

storymilo · 09-14-2009, 02:01 PM

I've been playing music for a while (piano and just started guitar) and I can't say it has affected me too much in the way of listening. Even if I notice something I wouldn't normally notice it doesn't really effect how I enjoy the music. However, learning an instrument is fun because then you can play your favorite songs yourself.

OceanAndSilence · 09-14-2009, 02:12 PM

i've gone through university, in which we've been taught to predict the patterns of typical music, as well as the emphasis on studio production and fx. now i find myself deconstructing all aspects of music without really thinking about it. however, most of the musicians i've met usually pay more attention to their predominant instruments; i.e. i'm mainly a singer, so i place more importance on melody and especially lyrics , while a drummer would focus more on percussion...etc.

Alfred · 09-14-2009, 03:57 PM

Deconstruct is the word that sleepy jack used and that's what I often do when I listen to music. I like listening to individual parts, especially the drumming.

Arya Stark · 09-14-2009, 04:43 PM

Indirectly. I started studying music theory because I'm a musician.

And then I started analyzing music.

Now I always analyze music. It's a gift and a curse.

09-14-2009, 01:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Does being a musician affect the way you hear/enjoy music? There are a few budding musicians on here and I was wondering whether this affects what you listen to. Do you listen to chord progressions, arrangements and general musicianship first? or doesn't it matter at all? As a non muso I would like to think I can tell good composition from bad but does being a musician benefit you in this? __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

09-14-2009, 01:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
Grotesque Head Music Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: England Posts: 121	For me it sort of worked the opposite way. I really used to like listening to technical stuff and trying to pick it all apart - but as soon as I started learning guitar I lost interest in that and just started appreciating songs for the songwriting rather than musicianship. __________________ Last.FM

09-14-2009, 01:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	Not too much I don't think. The better I've become at making music the easier it's become for me to kind of pick apart the pieces of a song but aside from that I still appreciate music for creativity over technique. __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm

09-14-2009, 01:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
BTown super cool Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 806	Definitely, I can easily appreciate certain types of music more which triggers me listening to them a lot more. I doubt I'd ever listen to Porcupine Tree if I had no musical knowledge. Not saying only people with musical knowledge listen to them, just they are not my style and far from it, so it's just personal. __________________

09-14-2009, 03:57 PM	#9 (permalink)
Alfred one big soul Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 5,096	Deconstruct is the word that sleepy jack used and that's what I often do when I listen to music. I like listening to individual parts, especially the drumming. __________________ LAST.FM / VINYL COLLECTION / RYM

09-14-2009, 01:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
~~The Unfan~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Methville Posts: 2,116	Not really on a composition level but on a tonal level there are certain things I can pick out as a guitarist that really bug me.

09-14-2009, 02:01 PM	#7 (permalink)
storymilo Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,845	I've been playing music for a while (piano and just started guitar) and I can't say it has affected me too much in the way of listening. Even if I notice something I wouldn't normally notice it doesn't really effect how I enjoy the music. However, learning an instrument is fun because then you can play your favorite songs yourself.

09-14-2009, 02:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
OceanAndSilence i write and play stuff Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 239	i've gone through university, in which we've been taught to predict the patterns of typical music, as well as the emphasis on studio production and fx. now i find myself deconstructing all aspects of music without really thinking about it. however, most of the musicians i've met usually pay more attention to their predominant instruments; i.e. i'm mainly a singer, so i place more importance on melody and especially lyrics , while a drummer would focus more on percussion...etc.