You haven’t actually listened to an album unless
- Thread starter Raising Heel
- Start date
I picked disagree. I have no justification other than it makes no sense to say you have to listen to it a certain way. If this is a sound quality issue, then vinyl is the best way to listen.
Headphones provide a pure, undistorted listening experience by allowing each ear to experience the sound precisely the way it was produced and meant to be heard.
Bullshit. Bangin' it out in the car with the windows down and the system up is just as critical a listening experience.
I agree with tarheel0910. If it's an album, it's gotta be vinyl. I don't care if there are headphones or not.
Sure, everyone enjoys doing that, but I would argue you're actually listening less closely in that scenario.
Sure, but I would argue it's not just about listening closely, it's about the feeling it gives you. For some music close scrutiny of every nuance is key to the experience; for other music I want to live it, not study it.
This thread has taken an interesting turn, with @tarheel0910 talking about fidelity* and you talking about the visceral aspect of music. I don't necessarily disagree with either of you.
The nuance you mention is what I was actually trying to ask about. What you're suggesting is that some music is worth hearing even if it isn't worth listening to (italics battle!). Ask yourself, how much value does music actually have if it doesn't stand up to scrutiny? You sound like you have some examples where this might be the case, so fire away. I'm willing to listen even though I'm obviously biased.
* I think most people would agree that vinyl is the best format to listen to music. My question was supposed to be about the medium for listening but this was a good wrinkle.
It just occurred to me that even though "Baby Shark" is a musical POS, it might hold value because it's the kind of song a young person will always associate with their childhood and maybe a loved one as well.
You roll the windows down and rock out to Baby Shark, don't you @JuleZ '02 HEEL ? That's what this is about, isn't it?
You roll the windows down and rock out to Baby Shark, don't you @JuleZ '02 HEEL ? That's what this is about, isn't it?
Unpopular opinion - Music Edition
I don't give a crap about vinyl.
I'm sure it's special, especially for you oldheads who grew up listening to all that hissing, popping and crackling (and hipsters who like to pose like they "get it"). I do dig the idea of it being more of a true recording of the sound without the processing. But I'm not willing to go to the trouble and expense and I don't consider the sound better, just different.
I don't give a crap about vinyl.
I'm sure it's special, especially for you oldheads who grew up listening to all that hissing, popping and crackling (and hipsters who like to pose like they "get it"). I do dig the idea of it being more of a true recording of the sound without the processing. But I'm not willing to go to the trouble and expense and I don't consider the sound better, just different.
I'm mostly the same. I only brought it up because I was thinking @Raising Heel was talking about sound quality. The sound is definitely better. It has something to do with analog picking up more of the sound waves.
Honestly most of what any of us listens to falls into that category. Very few albums are produced with the sound quality and balance to where you really need to hear it in your headphones in a dark room with no other distractions to truly appreciate the artistry. Green Day's Dookie ain't the NY Philharmonic playing Vivaldi - it's three chords and a bunch of nonsense lyrics. But that shit's a masterpiece in its own right. (Doesn't rank among my personal favorites but it's a great example of music that's more about experiencing than scrutinizing.)
Just for fun, a couple of examples of really well produced albums where the sound quality and balance really does do justice to what the music's about and what the artist intended: Audioslave (self-titled), Dr. Dre - Chronic 2001.
I disagree. And my reasoning is that I have listened to albums without headphones on... so I'm proof that it is indeed possible to do so.
So to me, I like vinyl for two reasons:
1. The record scratch just does something for me. I don't know, can't explain it.
more importantly...
2. It forces you to not skip songs. Growing up in the CD generation, there are very few albums I'd listen to from front to back because I could easily skip. Can't do that with a record.
I discovered The Eagles' On the Border album's incredible "filler" songs because I bought it on vinyl and was "forced" to listen to them. It's now in my top 5 favorite albums.
It’s because of digital compression. Converting from analog to digital compresses the soundwaves, which can eliminate some of the harmonic resonance that makes certain recordings sound so magical. It also makes the recording less dynamic.
Yup. Digital compression is about convenience but it has some unfortunate consequences.
Since vinyl would only hold about 20-25 minutes per side, most artists put ~10 songs on an album, and that would obviously be the best material they had at the time. But CD’s would hold 74(?) minutes - and digital releases are unlimited - so nowadays it’s too easy to put too much material in a album release. Which means the listeners get stuck with way too much filler. It weakens the album.
Beatles didn't even put Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane on Pepper. Imagine that album with them instead of Kite and Lovely Rita.
Neil Young led a company (Ponos?) that was selling a High Def digital music player, so that listeners could hear the music as the artists intended. I don’t think the player was overly expensive, but I think the albums were about $20-$25 each, and the company has gone under.
Yep. Along those lines, The Stones released some remastered versions of Exile and Some Girls a few years back; that contained some previously unreleased tunes. As a Stones fan, I enjoyed hearing them but had they been on those albums when they were originally released, those albums wouldn’t be as highly regarded.
Also, if you’re a Beatles fan, check out the remastered version of the White Album that came out a few months ago. It’s got a ton of songs on it, but what makes it great are the Esher Demo versions. They were some of the early acoustic demo versions where the fabs are at George’s house; it’s very relaxed and sounding like they are having fun.
Wife bought me the remaster on vinyl for Xmas. It's outstanding.
You have to look at the cover art and liner notes while listening!
And boo to how nobody puts lyrics in there anymore.
Today's music has no use for lyric sheets.
Work, work, work, work, work, work
You see me I be work, work, work, work, work, work
You see me do me dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt
There's something 'bout that work, work, work, work, work, work
When you a gon' learn, learn, learn, learn, learn, learn
Me na care if me tired, tired, tired, tired, tired, tired
“Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Saturday to Sunday.”
"She made us drinks to drink, we drunk em, got drunk"
Yeah, I'm good without those.
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