Sweet Jane 61 Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 How could anyone think that, well I was talking to someone who says that is what music is to them, just back ground noise. I was like...no way!! Music finds your soul and touches it, it makes you laugh, smile, cry, dance, feel passion, and fills your day with an awesome gift...music!! They didn't get it, it is just something to have sound on, like the TV...grrrr!! I guess I am going to have to come to terms with the fact that not everyone loves music like us...perish the thought!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxy Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Alot of people I know think of music as background music only, I have tried to have conversations with some colleagues about their favourite music, and they couldn't even tell me some music he liked! Nothing that sprang to mind, not even a song he particularly liked...we had a trip up to Exeter back in October and spent a total of 6 hours in the car, listening to the radio, and just liked the noise, not the song...he just doesn't get it! I couldn't imagine life without music...I am really influenced by music I listen to...and by the song I'm listening to, if you look hard enough, the odds are that you'll find a clue about how I'm feeling at the moment in time...and who wouldn't like the fact that you can quote a song lyric and you don't even have to explain how you're feeling - the songwriters very often have penned about what they've been going through, and thats comforting if you can identify with their lyrics...reminds us we aren't really totally alone...and we're not the first ones to be feeling this way, and certainly won't be the last... The couple of people I work with daily, ask me every morning "what song do you have in your head today", because they know how much I think about music I've been recently listening to. It's kind of a running joke, so they can prepare themselves for me humming or singing obscure lyrics at several points during the day... Today it has mostly been: "Hey yeah you with the sad face, come up to my place, and live it up, you beside the dance floor, what do you cry for, let's live it up"...endless amusement from silly lyrics...the best I find to make people laugh, is singing the lyrics to 'My Coo Ca Choo' by Alvin Stardust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 It seems nearly impossible that there are people that have no reaction to music. They must be out there because the first two posts mention knowing people like that. I can honestly say I don't think I know anybody like that. I might know them, but since the common bond of music isn't there, we never discuss it. I will say that my favorite people in the world, do have a deep love and appreciation for music. I had a friend in high school who seemed like a totally non-musical guy....an outcast in many ways, even he managed to get hooked on Bowie and Queen. Maybe this is a persona for these people, maybe it's real....if it's real...that is very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel2Velvet Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 How could anyone think that, well I was talking to someone who says that is what music is to them, just back ground noise. I was like...no way!! Music finds your soul .... An interesting topic. I, too, like the depth of experience found in music. Music can stir emotions in ways that are incomparable by any other means. However, I feel that having it on all the time, in every situation, can diminish its effectiveness. Kind of like having the TV on when no one is watching it. I could understand where someone categorizing music as noise is coming from, particularly if, on a regular basis, they find themselves in environments where music is being played, over which they have no say or control. For example, we have parties of 30 or so people and my wife insists on having music playing though no one is eager to dance and all seem to be in pleasant conversations. To me, having music playing in that situation (though seemingly correct) is reducing it to a background role. When I am editing photographs on my PC, I do not play CDs because I want to totally concentrate on my work at hand. Music, at that time, would be background in nature and could not be appreciated as it should be. I will even turn the radio off in the car at times (though I totally enjoy music while driving) in order to enjoy the sounds of nature in the country or the ambience of the downtown. I know one of my daughters must have music at all times or the world is tilted the wrong way. lol But I am not convinced that means she likes music more than I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jman14141414 Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 There was a study done recently, where there is a part of the brain that controls how we are affected by music. I'll try to find the site somewhere... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesboy Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 So I wonder how Count Basie or Duke Ellington felt when playing a club like the Copacabana and hearing the low murmur of people conversing throughout their set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonelyday Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 I have a friend who never gets songs in her head, it's really strange to me because I have a song in my head at all times and will usually announce the song and either complain or be happy about it or sing or whatever. It's like my own personal concert in my head. I find a lot of people listen to music to get to sleep, but I can't do that because the music influences my dreams so much that they are hyper-intense, and my dreams are crazy enough. Anyway... we should pity those who don't understand music, and think it's just background noise- they are missing out on so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 It seems nearly impossible that there are people that have no reaction to music. They must be out there because the first two posts mention knowing people like that. I can honestly say I don't think I know anybody like that. I would have posted these very same words... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 doesn't also depend on the kind of music? like "elevator" music? that's definitely background music! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel2Velvet Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 doesn't also depend on the kind of music? like "elevator" music? that's definitely background music! That is also a fascinating subject. Orchestral arrangements are to some "elevator music" while to others, the stuff of visionary dream-weaving. To those of us born in an era where lyrics are stressed as the heart of a musical piece, symphonic arrangements and even big band sans lyrics definitely ARE considered backround music to many. Analogous of the relationship of books to movies for many born in the electronic age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levis Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 I think I used the exact same line somewhere else in this forum. Something about how some people reduce the vslue of music to noise to keep their ears occupied. Most of my friends say they can't study without music. With me it's the other way around. I can't study or work WITH music. Unless what I'm doing is compltely mindless. But even then, I don't pick up a CD I'm very attached to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxy Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 I always thought I worked better with music, but lately I've found myself unable to concentrate if I've taken work home and listen to music at the same time. At school and college I always listened to music when studying and thought it worked well for me, now I'm beginning to think I could have studied better if I hadn't listened to so much music...I guess we'll never know now. I can only try it out when I study in the future. Alot of music I'm listening to lately, I am seeing from a fresh perspective I guess because of personal circumstances, and I find myself concentrating too much on the lyrics, and not enough on my work!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 the only thing I can't do better without music playing is read. Otherwise, I love music, anywhere, anyplace, anytime. However, it's never relegated to background music for me, because I am always ALWAYS aware that it's there and when I hear tunes I particularly like, I find myself drawn back into it, whether or not I was truly paying attention to what was playing. My co-worker likes to listen to talk radio. He's not a music guy. But I can't do that, because listening to someone talk on the radio that way distracts me too much to do my work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Jane 61 Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 It seems nearly impossible that there are people that have no reaction to music. They must be out there because the first two posts mention knowing people like that. The really sad part is this person use to love music. He was so into it, and now he cares nothing about it, he is all about work and making money. Yes it is very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Similar to this...have you know people who have had a drastic change in musical taste because they are now older and in a "respectable" position in life? I know quite a few people who listen to much mellower music, pop schmaltz and things that are acceptable to a certain class of people. I must admit that I do pretty well career-wise and I still crank up the same stuff I loved when i was 15. I still drive around the block to hear the end of a great song. I can't hear my cell phone ring when I'm in my car because the stereo is too loud. I play vicious steering wheel air guitar. I pull up in front of office buildings with my windows vibrating and have people stare me down. Music is an everyday part of my life.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Jane 61 Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Music is an everyday part of my life.. Amen Brother Ron!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Most of my friends say they can't study without music. With me it's the other way around. I can't study or work WITH music. I can´t concentrate on my work if I´m listening to music neither. I worked in many offices dealing with music (press, record companies, tv shows) and we never had the music on... we tried once, and it was really hell... so we just got rid of it in a couple of days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 that's so funny - I can't concentrate on my work without music! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 That is also a fascinating subject. Orchestral arrangements are to some "elevator music" while to others, the stuff of visionary dream-weaving. To those of us born in an era where lyrics are stressed as the heart of a musical piece, symphonic arrangements and even big band sans lyrics definitely ARE considered backround music to many. Analogous of the relationship of books to movies for many born in the electronic age. i wasn't refering to instrumental, i.e no lyrics, i love plenty of music with no lyrics, (i have reccomended a a few in the "music of choice", and i feel they evoke emotions in the same way as music with lyrics). I had a particular genre in mind, which I refer to as elevator music. As for working with music, I want music on when I work in the lab, i guess it's technical work and in theory, I have thought everything out from before so it's not an issue with concentrating (although I have made terrible mistakes in the past). I love music on when doing housework, makes it more fun! however, I can't really read with music, and can only have certainn types of music on when writting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 I had a particular genre in mind, which I refer to as elevator music. This is the "Muzak" music... the really, really awful re-makes of popular songs with just the instrumental part - and done badly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 I guess that is a good definition of it! Perhaps they are not just background noise though, what with being so aweful and all, they get noticed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Well, some music is nothing but ambience, so I guess that can be background noise. Nothing against ambience though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel2Velvet Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 At one time in my life I installed sound systems in offices; those white, round speakers mounted in drop ceiling tiles, automated tuners, etc. The company offered "white noise" as an alternative to standard music tapes (pre-CD) or muzak tapes. "White noise" was a constant whooshing sound similar to a breeze through a grove of trees. Occasionally the pitch would change just a slight increment, as would the volume; but both just ever so slightly as to be almost imperceptible. The volume was very low and the purpose was to mask or subdue the distractions of the conversations of others at a distance. Meant to increase efficiency in cubicle style office environments where the phones are used frequently. Incredibly there was a "library" of these white noise tapes with various titles. My co-installers and I used to joke about, "Gonna pop this latest album in the car tonight to listen to on the way home!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 wow, that's so weird! is that the same thing they have in planes that help you sleep by blocking outside noise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steel2Velvet Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 wow, that's so weird! is that the same thing they have in planes that help you sleep by blocking outside noise? No ... those are called jet engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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