I tend to have more respect for people who listen to lots of music rather than musicians that think they know what is what when it comes to music just because they can "play". Maybe it's because I've met too many musicians who don't know shit about real music.

It's a bit like having a sense of humour. You don't need to make jokes often to have a good sense of humour - you can just appreciate other jokes, etc. Similarly, you get people who make jokes constantly who are about as funny as cancer.

I don't listen to music like a consumer, even though I have a pretty big and varied collection of recorded music. I have to be very selective to what I listen to, because my time for that is very limited. Mostly, I can only listen to music when I'm in the car. Also as a musician I choose to be selective and listen only to music that I find makes me want to play and create music. Sometimes listening to nothing is better than listening to uninspired crap.

As for live music, I have little time or desire to see much live music now. I'm painfully finicky about live music. I hate crowds, I have auditory "issues," and I dislike most music venues. I'll only go to the symphony on occasion, or to other choice things - things I think would be adventurous and stimulating. I rarely go out to see a rock band of any sort.

When I was in college and studying jazz, listening to other jazz musicians was a necessity. I spent hours in the music library listening to records, because my opportunities to see good jazz live were very limited. I can agree that listening to music is a very critical part in developing one's musicianship. But there's a fine line here, as listening is no substitute for actually playing, and you need to put in a lot time doing both.

Rodabod wrote:I tend to have more respect for people who listen to lots of music rather than musicians that think they know what is what when it comes to music just because they can "play". Maybe it's because I've met too many musicians who don't know shit about real music.

It's a bit like having a sense of humour. You don't need to make jokes often to have a good sense of humour - you can just appreciate other jokes, etc. Similarly, you get people who make jokes constantly who are about as funny as cancer.

And a bit like why I sighed in chagrined amusement upon reading your remarks, as I regrettably know that type of "musician" as well.

Suffice to say, to do anything well demands experience, and this results in skill. To do anything excellently demands broad and varied experience, and this results in expertise. Self-confidence without such skill and expertise is really just self-importance and therefore buffoonery.

russ wrote:

syntaxfree07 wrote:Steve said that he doesn't "have time" to listen to much music anymore. Sorry if i misquoted... but that's about what he said.

On the other hand, compared to most people, steve listens to music all day, everyday.

A very good point. He says he doesn't really have time for it, recreationally.

the whole idea of being a musician to me is building off of your influences as you progress, I can't imagine just picking up the guitar when I started and playing this or that. I'd have absolutely no direction.

though, when I listen to music I tend to only listen to what strikes me as really interesting, creative or inspiring. something that grabs me. I'm not partial to music anymore. I've become pickier about music, but not the genre.

I read a Neil Young interview the other day, and he said he hardly listens to any music, and I can understand that.

As a musician, I jjust think that if you're writing music a lot, you don't really have time to listen to other stuff too. I guess because you can only really listen to/think about one song at a time, so if you're writing a track/recording stuff all day, you're not gonna listen to other stuff at the same time, are you?

But then when I'm in a non-creative mood I'm always listening to (a big collection of ) music, so I guess it balances out in the end.

in my opinion, the best record i've done was after swearing off listening to other music for like 3 months.

I consider listening to music as a luxury... like how I feel about reading. I wish I had more time to do both. I love both things and would hate to swear off either. I think it is common for people that make a lot of music (like Neil Young and like Steve) to not listen to much beyond what they do when they are 'working'.... though probably it ebbs and flows I would imagine. I love hearing old favorites and finding new music that inspires me as a music maker and otherwise. I don't have an Ipod as I do not think I need to fill every free moment with music just to keep up. That seems to make it a chore rather than a pleasure.

seaneldon wrote:in my opinion, the best record i've done was after swearing off listening to other music for like 3 months.

I tried that for a week and was unproductive and twitchy.

i can understand that. i kind of went a little batty. fittingly enough, the album is really chaotic mathrock.