The Four Levels Of Listening

Today I would like to introduce you my theory of the four levels of listening. I believe different songs appeal to us at different levels. Context is an important factor in our experience of music. A wise artist can target a specific level of listening to construct a piece more suited for a desirable context.
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• Passive Listening
• Blended-Passive Listening
• Blended-Active Listening
• Active Listening

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Each Of These Levels Demands A Different Amount Of Focus From The Listener

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• Passive Listening is most often electronic and simplistic. Beat-focused music with no melody or hooks falls into this category. It requires no mental focus from the listener. Instead, theses songs provide a positive flow of energy for the room. All who hear this music have their moods elevated even when they are not focusing on the music. We often hear this music in malls or at other social functions.

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• Blended-Passive Listening happens with music that can be enjoyed passively, but nudges at our conscious attention from time to time. It usually contains a catchy hook, or a suspenseful musical moment that is so much fun we just have to open up and let it in to our attention. But this attention is fleeting, we give it for a moment, and then we return our focus to something else. Blended Passive Listening allows us to tune into or out of the music at will.

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• Blended-Active is the opposite of Blended Passive. When we listen to music in a Blended-Active state, we are mostly tuned into it with our conscious attention. We are listening in a Blended-Active state when we know some, but not all, of the words to a song. The music pulls at us. We enjoy the music and we want to focus our attention on it, but we are still able to carry a conversation and focus on other things.

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• Active listening is being completely engaged in the music. We cannot carry a conversation. We cannot process tasks such as homework or folding clothes. Every part of our attention is focusing on the music. We save this listening for our very favorite songs. Any other music that requires all of our attention to appreciate its nuance falls into this category

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Legendary Bands Appeal To Multiple Levels

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The most popular music does not make demands of its listeners. Globally popular music can always be enjoyed in a blended-passive state. Usually this music wins our hearts over time because we are most receptive to first-impressions of music at this level. This allows us to feel a rush of excitement when we discover more nuance waiting for us at the blended-active level later, after we have become initially acquainted with a new piece of music energetically.

I believe the Beatles' music appeals to all levels simultaneously. I think this is part of the reason their music is timeless.

You can always tune into a Beatles song at any level. Leave it on the background and it gives you energy, inviting you to focus on it without demanding your attention. However, the moment you decide to focus your attention deeper you can always find something interesting. It may be John’s perceptive lyrics, Paul’s clever basslines, Ringo’s perfect choice of personality-inducing backbeat, or George’s tasteful guitar. There is always something to focus on with the Beatles. In this way their music is appealing to the Active listener, the Passive listener, and any blend of the two. All of us transition fluidly between these states throughout our day.

Shouldn't our music be just as fluid?

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This is an original post by @CosmicVibration for Steemit on 19 February 2018