Listening habits

[Clintuplet]

Hi all,

When listening to a new album for the first time what are your listening habits?
Do you focus on a particular instrument or listen to the band as a whole?
Do you make mental notes about technical aspects of the music.(i.e. nice lick)
Do you try to determine song forms early in your listening. I'm just curious. I tend to have, what I consider, odd listening habits. I've been trying very hard lately to break with old habits and pay particular attention to anything but the drums on my first few listens. I feel like I understand better, what the drummer's role in the music is. Comments?

[woodshed]

I typically will try and listen to everything as though I didn?t play an instrument. It?s hard when the drummer does something incredible I then start to zoom in and focus on the drummer.

But usually I can listen and take it all in and try to get absorbed and feel the dynamics of the music on all aspects. It?s helpful that I also play bass and some guitar I can hear those parts and it makes it easier dissect.

Relax Grasshopper and breath in and breath out and become one with the music.. [img]wink.gif[/img]

Cheers

[latim]

I concur with woodshed on this issue of listening. The best method of hearing out any new album is to hear it like you're hearing for the the first time out of the womb. Don't analyze it, don't critique it, and don't listen to the beats. Just let your ears be the conduit for the emotions and feelings each song impressed into your mind and heart. Then get out of that mode to perform as much surgery as needed to own the song you need to shed before performing it at your next jam or gig.

Your question did not shed light on whether the new album is instrumental or vocal. This determines how you can approach the analysis portion of the tunes.

Once again, I agree with woodshed on hearing the tune for the sake of the music aside from the beats. The most successful drummers from past to present are those who recognize melodies, harmonies, modal, progression, and other musical changes as a barometer to guide them into shaping and supporting each song. This way, we don't carry the stereotype of drummer and the musicians.

From the womb, every baby is hard-wired an avid and eager pulse to dance to the beat of a drummer. The very first forms of music were percussive in nature. I guess you're just following your natural instinct! There is no harm or judgment in that.

[img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[woodshed]

Originally posted by latim:

The most successful drummers from past to present are those who recognize melodies, harmonies, modal, progression, and other musical changes as a barometer to guide them into shaping and supporting each song.
[img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Nicely said.. [img]cool.gif[/img]

[Tom Hipskind]

This is a great thread, and you guys bring up some wonderful points! Listening is SO important. I think that as drummers as opposed to players of other instruments it's a little too easy to be insular and just focus on what (only) drummers do and forget about the rest of the music! Maybe it's just because musicality isn't something that can be immediately discussed in a forum like this? I don't know. I DO know that someone like Mr. Erskoman could touch on this, as he's one of the most musical drummers you'll ever hear, IMHO.

One thing I like to do is listen to a favorite recording (for example, a Miles '60s quintet rec.) all the way through, say, from the pianist's perspective. So, in this case, I'll kind of focus on Herbie and what he's doing, how he's reacting, interacting, etc...It really gives me a fresh perspective and causes me to think through the music in different ways. Or, maybe in a Steely Dan recording, I'll focus on a rhythm guitar part or horn arrangement and notice how it fits with the music. It not only helps my drumming, but gives me production ideas. Many great musicians are also great producers. Steve Rodby, the bassist in the Pat Metheny Group, does a lot of producing. He's the kind of guy whom you can tell hears the entire musical picture when you play with him. He's probably the most supportive musician I've played with in that regard, and very insightful.

Another point entirely, re: listening. As Peter has also said, it's not just the notes, but also the spaces between the notes to which we should pay attention. We should hear and feel rests as well as notes! So many musicians don't give silence the proper respect it deserves. One thing I like to do as a creative practice is work on soloing and creating space, even lots of it at times. Not an easy thing to do, if you're used to looking for ways to fill it up, like I am!

Great thread guys. Keep the ideas coming!
-Tom

[diddle]

Yep, good topic
Hmmm, I visualize allot. I imagine myself on the drums and try to imitate or play off of
what I'm hearing. It?s actually a great way to learn new tunes. I think I naturally listen to
all music, new and old, as a whole. I try and take in the vibe but if it?s something
particularly unique, I will tune into it.

[sean b. tinio]

posted by latim

The most successful drummers from past to present are those who recognize melodies, harmonies, modal, progression, and other musical changes as a barometer to guide them into shaping and supporting each song. This way, we don't carry the stereotype of drummer and the musicians.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">it's great someone brought this up... i too may also have listening problems!

I'm thinking that I'm a drummer and should be listening to what the drummer is doing... the thing is, I focus from one instrument to another... like my attention gets caught to whoever's doing something mind blowing, my brain tend to analyze and it gives me headache shifting back and forth...

I hope you understand what I mean...