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Scheduling Your Listening

RickyC6

Infuriate the frog-men
I have a real problem with working out what to listen to. Mainly because the hours needed to listen to the hours of music I've got do not match anything like. I've recently got hold of more 'software' than at any time in my life but perversely have less listening time than ever. Additionally I don't enjoy listening on headphones or earpieces (so iPods etc are out) and I hate listening in the car as the volume I need it at to be able to hear above the noise at motorway speeds gives me headache after about half a CD.

So....I've thought about putting together playlists based on my newest purchases with a few oldies mixed in but the time it would take to draw it up would be self-defeating and I just know I wouldn't follow it. So I continue picking at LPs listening to a side cos I suddenly get a burning desire to play.....the latest Proclaimers album for example.....and basically its not working.......I need some sort of structure here but can't figure out how the feck to do it.

Anyone else in a similar plight - or with a bright idea for resolving this situation?

Rich

PS I know....not spending so much time shopping for records would help on both sides of the equation!
 
You can't hear everything. Even though it sometimes feels like I'm trying to acquire every decent record ever made, I know quite a few of them will never get a proper listen.

What I like about having too many records is that I'm never, ever, stuck for choice, regardless of mood, level of sobriety, nature of the company, etc.

I think what I'm trying to say is don't worry about it, just listen to what you want to, new or old, it's not a giant quiz after all, no-one's going to ask you to take a test to prove you've listened to everything properly...

On no account whatsoever stop buying records. That would be bad. There'll be plenty of time when you're dead for lounging around rather than record shopping.

-- Ian
 
Rich, know the problem well. It's like being a kid in a candy store sometimes.

Of all the ideas, the one that works best for me time and time again is simply grab a stack of vinyl and thumb through it. Somehow actually looking at the albums rather than the spines fires the mind more. I find myself pulling a few out this way and get spinning.

I always go off course as I then have an impulse to listen to something that springs to mind but find it the audio equivalent of the unplanned drive where it just takes you as the mood unfolds.

Paul
 
I choose a few (say 10) from the pile (pile 1 located at other end of the room in no particular order) and put them in the play pile next to my TT, I then play them according to mood but forcing myself to listen to all 10 (if I can't face one it goes to to a seperate section of pile 1 (pile 1a if you like) , if I can't bear to take one off the spinner it gets added to pile 2 (between the TT and Pile 1 aka regular listening current faves). The others (ie those I have listened to and don't fall into the must have or can't face categories) just go back to the bottom of the main pile.

Well you did ask for suggestions!!!

Darren
 
Thanks guys - I will definitely never stop buying records so I guess I have got to admit to myself that I will always be behind. Ian - I'm not concerned about pressure of being quizzed by anyone else - its more my own curiosity and 'the completist' in me (in terms of buying and listening) when i get into a new artist that is the problem.

Darren - not sure the 'piles' will work for me - and pulling them off the racks just makes me even more confused. I need structure......and 3 months off work!

Still its a great problem to have innit

:D

I actually decded I would work my way through chronologically starting today - so i picked up Please Please Me (year zero for me in a rough way) ended up playing it twice cos it sounded so good and then played The Primitives - Lovely and Joy Divison - Unknown Pleasures. Now what was all that about?

Rich
 
Rich,

Whenever I try to structure my listening to get through a backlog of records I find I rarely enjoy the experience.

Simply treat listening as an adventure. Pick up whatever takes your fancy and give it a spin, by the time you've finished listening you'll probably have an idea of what should come next - find it, spin it and keep going.

It can be fascinating (or odd and confusing) to look back at the end of an evening see where you've been - worked out what got you from Beatles to Joy Division yet?

Regards,

Stuart.
 
Originally posted by Stuart Mason
worked out what got you from Beatles to Joy Division yet?


Apart from the M62 - nope :rolleyes:

Guess I should stop worrying - but what about that Bowie wekend I promised myself? and the Tom Waits CDs off sideshowbob that remain unplayed (yes that long ago Ian!); and my plan to ease myself into jazz cos I love the sound of Kind Of Blue but haven't had time to get into anything else; and for my Patti Smith weekend I managed 1 listen to Horses only and then the bloody Primitives came along again (great little band by the way - a lot going on aside from the la-la-la-li-la-la-la-la-li-la-la's of Crash)

Rich
 
Hi Rich

I'm in the same boat, especially as s/h prices are like kids pocket money; it really is like being a kid in a sweetshop.

What I have done for the last 6 months is keep new (to me) albums by the TT. All the others are in the rack. When I'm in the mood for music of no particular nature, I'll play those. Sometimes that leads me elsewhere in the collection and if they really gel at that moment, they get left by the TT as well. When I find I've skipped over one that's by the TT a few times, that goes into the rack. That way I get to listen to my new stuff but bring in the old when the mood takes me. It seems to work and doesn't get out of hand. I have about 20 by the TT at the moment.

Mick
 


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