Ask Lemmy

It's the best way to analyze a track or just let my brain juices flow and just think or plan or just drift into the aether.

I quite rarely listen to music but sometimes I just want to hear one or two songs and then I often just sit and listen.

Thanks for the replies, all. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who does this! I find it very therapeutic, and I enjoy being able to really focus on the lyrics and the music itself. My high school band teacher taught us that music is not a spectator sport - if you're only hearing sounds, you're missing out on half the experience. :)

I love music so much I have it on almost all of the time, but I admit, I'm almost always doing something else too.

People experience music differently. If I'm going to listen to music, I have to sit there and actively listen to it. If music is playing when I'm trying to work on something, I have to turn it off, it's too distracting.

I need something to engage my hands and eyes. If I want to just sit and listen to music, or an audiobook, or podcast I usually play Tetris. It's a really low engagement task that keeps me from zoning out. Starting to get tired it though so I'm open to recommendations for similar games.

edit: typos

I dance and/or sing while listening to music because I'm not dead. 👍

I can't, because of adhd. If I want to listen to a whole album I put it on headphones and go for a walk.

I can't. Music just doesn't interact with enough senses to be a standalone activity for me.

My brother though, could spend the whole day doing nothing but listening to music.

Depends. If it's "normal" music, I'm doing something else while it plays in the background. If it's some avante garde prog concept album, I can just sit and focus on the music and experience the complex subtleties.

If its on a bus or train I like to ponder while listening to music. I should probably be doing something better with my time, but I like it.

I listen to a lot of music while I'm doing things as background, but when I get a moment for it focused listening is a great experience. I don't listen to the same type of music for both, though there's definitely some overlap. But I'm not listening to funeral doom at work or Lightning Bolt sitting in bed before I go to sleep. I think both experiences are equally valid ways to enjoy and appreciate music.

The gym has given me an interesting middle ground as it is something that requires some planning and thinking at times, but at some point my body knows the movements well enough to do it more or less on its own. So the music I listen to ends up being the most diverse. It can either fade into the background while I'm setting up, making notes, etc. or be the main thing I'm focusing on toward the last reps of a movement I know well.

I think it's not as common as it used to be. Now there are endless forms of distractions through small screens, and I think most use music as background entertainment while doing something else.
I can listen to music while doing other things, but I prefer to actually listen while not distracted so I can fully take in the phonics and arrangements. Otherwise it's merely hearing and not listening. I find that this distinction is more common with musically inclined people.

Most people I know that enjoy music do it this way. Taking time to just relax, listen to music, maybe have a drink along with it.

I can't sit and listen to music like that for long periods of time (like, maybe 2 songs), but I always figured I was the weird one for it.

You're perfectly fine. Do what makes you happy and enjoy music however you want!

I like to take my Bluetooth speaker outside and lounge in the hammock while I build playlists.

The Offspring recommended this method for listening to Smash

Ah, it's time to relax You know what that means A glass of wine, your favorite easy chair And of course, this compact disc Playing on your home stereo So, go on, and indulge yourself That's right, kick off your shoes Put your feet up Lean back and just enjoy the melodies After all, music soothes even the savage beast

I love doing that from time to time. It's not something I'll do daily, but probably once or twice in a week, especially if I've found a new song or artist that I really like.

Very rarely do I just listen to music, typically only when I'm driving.

I don't think its wierd to do that but I rarely even watch video as a stand alone activity.

I wish I could do this, but I need something for my eyes and/or hands to be doing. and eyes usually means reading, which requires attention and language processing, so it has to be instrumental music, otherwise the lyrics get distracting

It definitely depends, but sometimes! Especially if it's a fairly musically complicated thing or if I'm trying to learn to play a song. When the new Sleep Token album came out (and the new Angine de Poitrine album) I just put them on, alone, straight through