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How do you choose what to play?

deebster

deebster

Half Man Half Biscuit
The scene: PFMer goes to vinyl rack to pick out something to play

Time passes as he/she (though I suspect more he) looks at album spine after album spine, softly muttering to his/herself

More time passes...

Surely I'm not the only one?

To help with this vinyl procrastination I've started asking my 12 yo daughter to pick a year, then sometimes a section of the record rack. Results in some albums being played that otherwise may have sat there another few years. Last night was 1985.

Interested to hear other fishys' tactics
 
For me listening starts with knowing what the first album or track will be and unfolds from there.
On the very rare occasion I want to listen to something, just because. I'll use Spotify or YouTube to get the ball rolling.
Those who have everything on computerised storage could simply use a random selector of their own collection. Depending their own library ( filing ) practises the random play could work within parameters.
 
Quite often an "ear worm' makes the choice for me - if I don't have a listen, the piece of music will keep on repeating in my mind for a day :eek:

Other wise, I am similar to you - "looks at album spine after album spine, softly muttering to his/herself"
 
Never been able to get on with genres, beyond the crudest distinctions such as classical, maybe heavy metal and er…

… which I guess illustrates the point. I mean, not that I'm a massive fan but given his wide-ranging output what camp would you put Bowie in?

Does my head in when I look at music retail sites such as Dodax and can only seem to sort by genre or date added. An A to Z artist list? Don't be daft mate.
 
I never turn the system on until something triggers an impulse to hear a certain record. Often this is futile for me, because by the time I look in the cupboard
either of the following can happen
I forget the Artists name and as in alphabetical order, no chance or I see another record whilst attempting to find the original thought, and play that instead

Bloss
.
 
How do I choose what to play?
Good question.

I have no idea, it is a feeling thing. Emotions and all that jazz. (or reggae?)

I always have a pile of records to listen to and grade for Discogs, but that is not the same as what I want to hear.

Time of day, whether alcohol has been consumed, there are many variables...
 
When miss S was small I let her choose something.

These days I do as per the OP,
or I might be inspired by a track played on my FiiO while out for a walk
or maybe something someone said triggers a memory of lyric
or someone mentions a word from a band or album name
or I read a thread on here or the SH forum
or a piece of music overheard somewhere
or I'll pick a letter and start from there
or I'll clean another batch of records and play some of them
or sometimes I'm in the right mood for a particular artist or type of music
or maybe I'll just play something by Peter Hammill
 
An audophile's music collection's is like the food in his/her fridge.
You're hungry,you open the fridge and stare at the shelves for a minute or two deciding. What mood are you in? Do you want something quick and easy to consume or something a bit more sophisticated that needs some time and work? Hot or cold? Bland, mild, savoury or spicy? Is there something you forgot about tucked away at the back? Or don't you care and chose whatever's at the front (as long as it hasn't gone-off!) and hope it satisfies your craving soul ...
 
All of the above. Of course and all-digital collection makes genres, artist etc easy to slice, dice and rotate fir selection purposes.
 
Sometimes I don't pick anything. I generally browse the rack until something just jumps out at me, and yes, sometimes that means I just go back and sit down without picking anything because I don't feel like listening to anything at that time.
 
For me streaming poses the problem of endless choice, so I rarely use my streamer, that and I can only get itunes, which is shite. So, choosing cds or vinyls, often comes down to what's easiest on the ear, and whether i need to concentrate or not. So ambient Eno goes on if I'm reading. Quite often its stuff like Al greene, softer jazz, for bad moods Beefhearts 'Trout mask replica' gets a rare outing. Can't listen so much to more raucous music these days as next door have a baby, and they are always bloody in.
 
when you play a cd, album mark it so you can not play it again that way you get through ALL your stuff, or take it out the rack when played them all put them back in, this means you are not playing the same old stuff over and over, and you will realise what great music you have but never play, remember you bought them because you liked them im playing Django Reinhardt at the moment not pink floyd , for a change
there is a lot of fishers out there only playing a half of their collection at most

shame on you
 
I have an Apple Music account so I can stream music easily to my CarPlay enabled unit in the car. So all I need to say is “Play Miles Davis” for example, and it plays. Magic, but often I can’t think of what to ask to be played. I know the possibilities are virtually endless and that leads to indecision. As Satre said it’s “The tyranny of choice.”
 
I pick one track consciously.
I usually then use a “stream of consciousness” approach that somehow links what I am listening to something else.
Often my first choice is something I heard on TV.

For instance last night it went
The Story of an Artist Daniel Johnson
When You Leave Loudon Wainwright
All About You Rolling Stones
Talk to Me of Mendocino Kate and Anna McGarrigle
You Want it Darker Leonard Cohen
Streets of Edinburgh The Proclaimers
L’Elisir D’Amore Donizetti

For the life of me I don’t know what makes go from one to the other.
 
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