The listener's "sweet spot"
I like to listen to whole albums -I have radio streaming for when I don't-. I like the way an album works as a unit, as a little "country" full of regions, as a movie with scenes, as a house with rooms, all different but with a connecting feeling of unity. There is also the convenience of knowing you've "solved" what you're going to listen to in the upcoming 40-60 minutes. I like to pick my moods and moments, and with the randomness/algorithms of streaming... well, you never know. It can go right or be "one of those days".
Perhaps the best moment when you're listening to an album you enjoy and keep coming back to, is that "sweet spot" where the music is no longer brand new for you, you start to be able to recognize passages or hum parts of melodies, but it still hasn't all sunk in as familiar. Depending on the style and intricacy of the album, it can take 3 or 10 listenings, but when you get there it is usually a very recognizable moment; you look forward to listening "that part that has that particular vibe"...; then, while listening, maybe it strikes you "omg, that other song I didn't remember... fits perfect here".
In my case what follows after that listening can become fatigue after a few listenings... But if the album is good you'll always want to go back to it at some point in the future, perhaps even to be amazed in a different way; if the music is well made you'll get new aha and wow moments, because the person who's listening is different, and with a different focus, moods...
One experiment I want to try is using this "sweet spot" for long travels. When I have a few hours of transport in perspective, I like to load on albums and other listening stuff in my devices. I used to choose new albums, to be listened for the first time during the journey. But I've found that the novelty of the music plus the incidences of the traveling make the whole experience a bit blurry. What I'm going to do next time is give those new albums 3 or 4 listenings before the trip day, so that I have them ready for me in that "just familiar enough" state. I'm sure it will be a good trip.
Perhaps the best moment when you're listening to an album you enjoy and keep coming back to, is that "sweet spot" where the music is no longer brand new for you, you start to be able to recognize passages or hum parts of melodies, but it still hasn't all sunk in as familiar. Depending on the style and intricacy of the album, it can take 3 or 10 listenings, but when you get there it is usually a very recognizable moment; you look forward to listening "that part that has that particular vibe"...; then, while listening, maybe it strikes you "omg, that other song I didn't remember... fits perfect here".
In my case what follows after that listening can become fatigue after a few listenings... But if the album is good you'll always want to go back to it at some point in the future, perhaps even to be amazed in a different way; if the music is well made you'll get new aha and wow moments, because the person who's listening is different, and with a different focus, moods...
One experiment I want to try is using this "sweet spot" for long travels. When I have a few hours of transport in perspective, I like to load on albums and other listening stuff in my devices. I used to choose new albums, to be listened for the first time during the journey. But I've found that the novelty of the music plus the incidences of the traveling make the whole experience a bit blurry. What I'm going to do next time is give those new albums 3 or 4 listenings before the trip day, so that I have them ready for me in that "just familiar enough" state. I'm sure it will be a good trip.
