The act of active listening can be fascinating. In a world where we’re always preoccupied with school, work, our social life, our worries, our dreams, and more, it is important to stop and pay attention. In a world where we are too busy to even think about how busy we are as the world demands more, it is necessary to take a minute and notice the little things. Music can often be a “passive experience” in which we don’t obtain a full understanding as we are too busy with other things (Ableton). As a result, “it’s serving a decorative or soundtrack-like purpose for whatever else we’re doing. Although this is certainly better than not listening to music at all, you can learn more if you spend at least some time engaged in active listening” or focused listening (Ableton). Focused listening is the art of sitting down with some headphones, picking your favorite album or song, and really paying attention. It “requires dedicated time and attention” (Liberty University). You may think you know a song inside out after listening to it on repeat when it first came out, but there’s so much that goes into songwriting and music production. There’s always something new to be discovered in your favorite song, a small detail you somehow missed that will surprise you.
For example, I was recently listening to 5 Seconds of Summer’s album Youngblood. I was trying to find some inspiration for a song I’m recording so I sat down and really listened to every little detail of their song “Lie To Me.” To my surprise, there was much more to the song than I had originally heard. As one article states, “although you listen to a lot of music, you don’t really have a sense that you’re learning from what you listen to” (Ableton). For example, I had never noticed the strings that randomly popped in and out of the second verse, almost emphasizing the lyrics. I never truly listened to the melodic pattern of the bass that hit whenever the drums did. Another example involves their song from the same album, “Moving Along.” I never paid much attention to the sound of the drummer dropping his sticks in the drum breakdown right before the last chorus. It’s these fun little details that make listening to a song you’ve heard a million times just as interesting and exciting as the first time you ever heard it.
That being said, how do we really listen to music?
1. Listen without distractions
We can start by listening without engaging in other activities (Ableton). Close any apps, take a seat, stop doing other things, and really concentrate on the song you have playing. Let that be your focus in the moment. For me, this includes listening to my example song, “Lie To Me,” several times by myself with my headphones on. In this stage, I listen for fun, but I also start to listen for the different layers.
2. Listen to individual parts and layers
For example, in “Lie To Me,” one hears the contrast between an emotional, yet calm sounding verse versus when the drums kick in in the chorus and the lyrics become a bit more regretful with added harmonies in the background. The strings come in on the section right before the prechorus and harmonized “ah’s” add emphasis after the first couple of musical phrases in the beginning of the verse. The snaps on one hook of the song (“you look happy”) turn into claps on the chorus. The harmonies and added bass line on the prechorus are beautiful. The lead vocal switches from falsetto to a strong belt on the second chorus. It also has many hooks (“you look happy,” the guitar in the verse, “lie to me,” the melody of the two lyrical examples, etc.).
Spend time listening to a different section of a song each time you listen to it (Ableton). Listen several times, noticing each individual sound. What instruments are being used? Do any of these ever drop out? What effects are added (reverb, delays, etc.)? What are the harmonies or background vocals doing? Are the same drum patterns or chord progressions being used or do they change throughout? Listen for vocal, lyrical, and instrumental hooks (Liberty University). Are some instruments louder on the chorus than the verse? Are the melody and rhythm free and all over the place or are they tight and consistent? Is there anything that makes the song unique compared to what plays on the radio? Does it provoke a certain feeling (happy, sad, anxious)? Is the song musically diverse (instrumentation, chords used, louder versus softer sections, layers)? Pay attention to the key elements that make the song appealing to the listener and a wider audience on radio, TV, and more (Liberty University).
There is way more that goes into making a song than one realizes. In addition, “if there are specific instrumental or vocal parts that you’d like to understand better, try spending an entire listening pass focusing entirely on only one part” (Ableton). This exercise may even help you to better understand the instrument or production techniques you are trying to learn!
3. Repeat certain sections
After listening to the song several times as a whole, pick sections to play on repeat. A post on Ableton states, “by isolating and looping short durations of music, you can more easily focus on the specific parameters or instruments discussed earlier” (Ableton). Not only does this help you understand what you’re listening to and really analyze what’s going on musically, but this method also helps you memorize by ear. For example, a close listen to the bass and strings in the chorus reveals a downward stepwise motion, a popular pattern that many of us really enjoy in music. You could even listen and identify any mistakes or details that aren’t as pleasing (Liberty University).
One can also look up album reviews. Upon watching Blake McLain’s review of Youngblood, I learned some details I hadn’t noticed before. McLain explains how close the singer must’ve been to the microphone to make the falsetto vocal for “you look happy” so loud and how the harmonies on the chorus “swell” with an added compression (“Producer . . .”). There’s an added call and response with the back and forth of the lead vocal and the background “ah’s” and strings (“Producer . . .”). He also confirms a thought I had that the prechorus to the second chorus feels as if it’s missing something, whether an addition to the hook, a drawn out instrumental, or some other build up (“Producer . . .”).
4. Decide what sounds out emotionally
Decide what makes the song sound “familiar, nostalgic, emotional, etc.” (Ableton). Does it sound like a song you used to listen to? Does it remind you of a certain person, season, etc.? Can you put this feeling into terms musically? For example, maybe the guitar pattern reminds you of a style that was popular when you were a kid. Decide what the “big picture” is as the artist somehow translated a “characteristc feeling into instrumentation” (Liberty University). According to Ableton, “when listening passively, it’s common to have some kind of emotional response. But via active listening, you have a chance to understand what it is, specifically, that causes that response. And once you understand a technique or musical gesture, you’ll be able to adapt it for use in your own music” (Ableton). For me, “Lie To Me” has emotionally provoking lyrics and a chorus that sounds nostalgic with sounds from both my childhood and a few years ago. It reminds me of a different time, different people, and different memories.
Try it out!
The process of focused listening can be relaxing, promote attention to detail, and encourage us to grow musically. It’s a fascinating section of the world of music that not many of us take the time to engage in. Take a moment out of your busy day, pick your favorite song, and really listen to it today.
Bibliography
DeSantis, Dennis. Making Music: 74 Creative Strategies for Electronic Music Producers. Berlin: Ableton AG, 2015. https://makingmusic.ableton.com/active-listening
McLain, Blake. “Producer Reacts to ENTIRE 5SOS Album YoungBlood” (video). April 15, 2020. 16:48-20:35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3utbeiRsAs&t=4275s.
Zwald, Nathan. “Focused Listening.” Lecture, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, 2021.
5 Seconds of Summer. “5 Seconds of Summer – Lie To Me (Official Audio)” (video). June 15, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1raf7jCJSU
5 Seconds of Summer. “5 Seconds of Summer – Moving Along (Official Audio)” (video). June 15, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oe2co7N2HQ
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