Hearing vs. Listening

 

Music is everywhere. It falls from shop ceilings, jumps out of passing cars, and plays in the background of our favourite television programmes and films. We are never without music. When doing homework, chores, walking to school or sitting on the bus, we can reach into our pockets and hear almost any music which has ever been recorded. Never in history have humans been able to hear so much music! But how much music do you listen to?

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Imagine you are at the beach with a friend. Is music like your friend whose every word you are listening to and understanding? Or is it like the ocean waves — a lovely sound you can hear far off in the background? All music — even music without words — has a story to tell us. Is it a thrilling action-packed story? Or is it very peaceful? Is it frightening, awesome, sad, mysterious, or a mix of things? We can only know by listening, not just hearing.

 

What to listen to

 

Always choose what to listen to. The streaming platforms where we get most of our music  — Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music etc. — make it easy to simply tap on a playlist without thinking about what is playing. What could you search for instead? Who is your favourite musician, band, singer or composer? Are there any albums or pieces by them you have not heard? What music do your friends like? Who wrote the epic soundtrack to the film you watched the other day? Be specific about what you want to hear.

 

Music students must not only listen to their favourites; you should endeavour to become familiar with as many different styles as possible. Start with the composers whose music you are learning in lessons. Say you are learning a piece by Beethoven. What else did Beethoven write? What other instruments did he write for? Look at the title of the piece you are learning. Does the piece come from a bigger piece of music? Look at the subtitle. Maybe it is one movement of a Sonata, or just one piece in a big collection. What do the other pieces sound like? Be curious and get know to music other than that which you are playing.

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What to listen for

 

How can music tell us a story if there are no words? Notice the most basic things first: is it loud or soft? Fast or slow? Which instruments are playing? Then you might notice the texture of the music. Is there a melody in the foreground? Are there two melodies at the same time? Is there an accompaniment? Is there a combination of quick notes and slow notes? This is merely the surface; the greatest pieces of music contain an almost infinite number of amazing things to listen to. What else do you hear?

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Once you have reached an intermediate standard (after grade 4), you should be able to broadly identify the main styles of music: Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century.

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Listening to music is an essential part of learning to play music. Aim to listen to at least one short piece every day. Becoming familiar with lots of different styles will improve your own playing and help make sense of how to play a piece of music beyond simply getting the notes and rhythms right. This article has only considered listening to recorded music but the best way to listen is always live. Do keep an eye out on this newsletter to find out about concerts near where you live and central London. Orpington Music Studio also runs an Easter, Summer and Christmas concert every year where you can perform to your peers and listen to them play.

 

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