Anyone obsessed with music?

[goodiesguy]

Is there anyone here who is obsessed with music?

I'm into Oldies (50's and 60's), a bit of 70's, and New Wave 80's. (ocasional 90's tracks too).

I'm also very sensitive hearing wise, and would be considered what is called an "Audiophile". An audiophile example (instead of trying to explain it):>> I don't like Mp3's as they colorize the high frequencies and add compression artifacts which are unplesant. Now most people here will have absolutely no idea what I'm going on about.

 

[Csutelan]

I listen to Florence and the Machine and Pearl Jam over and over and over again....

 

[Arashi222]

Mostly I enjoy Jrock/Jpop, Musicals (RENT, American Idiot). But I mostly like to listen to X-Japan, Malice Mizer, Mois Dix Moi (I never spell their name right). I also really like Wiccan music so Blackmore's Night, Sarah Tucker.

 

[skk123]

I usually get on new bands and songs, but I end up having to listen to their songs over and over until I'm sick of It and never want to hear it again.

As for the technical aspect, I used to have a graphic equalizer as part of my stereo system in my car. I'd sit forever with the music cranked and play with the levels until they were just perfect. It was a sad day when it stopped working.

 

[King_Oni]

Actually I do have clue what you're talking about, it just doesn't bother me that much I dabble into music production myself so I'm well aware of aural spectrums and all, and how mp3's kinda mess with that.

I don't know if it's "obsessed"... but I used to listen to music a lot in my teens. It went beyond putting a cd on. I read on about it, looked into composition, was in a few bands in the past, play instruments myself, so music is a part of my life and who I am, even if it's a personal creative outlet. Currently I'm not really too thrilled about music... might have by off phase right now.

Music, and especially "loud" music is the sole reason I go to (goth)raves. I enjoy listening to it really loud (as in feeling the bass in my body), and as such I don't interact with anyone, and just indulge on the music.

Regarding music styles I've had my share of styles I went into. Mostly it's a "broader" spectrum of rock and metal music, a fair share of electronic music, ambient, drum and bass, dubstep and whatever you have. The "classics" I can appreciate, but I have to be in a mood for those... and the same goes for time specific music... last week I had a small New wave mood and listened to nothing but that kind of music for 2 days, then I was like "ok... I heard it, let's go on to something else"... I seem to have heard things "way too fast" (looking at my last.fm page, the one song I played most in the last 2 years since I've been on there, I play 60 times... which isn't nearly as obsessive as some people, who have played it thousands of times)... and to add, I'm more interested in sound design, which synthesizer they used, how they tweaked sound X and stuff like that... and with current media I'm having a blast in understanding sound design since there's a lot of tutorials on it.

I do have a thing for music that doesn't sound right to me. If a song messes up... because I feel the harmony is off, the lyrics are terrible, things like that... the song is on my banlist. I'll never listen to it again.

So... I don't know.. does it qualify as "obsessed"?

 

[smith2267]

I have music playing in my head much of time; sometimes original sometimes not. I can remember music very well, and my memory is almost as good as the real thing. The music I make up in my head might possibly be bits and pieces of things I have heard that I put together in new ways.

 

[LikeyouToMe]

I for sure am obsessed with music. If I like a band, I have to own everything they have ever done and it all has to be filed away in the correct album name folders with the year they were released. Probs got a good 200gb in total

Got a mixture of Metal, Hardcore, Punk, Ska, Pop, Hip Hop, Rock etc etc

 

[wyverary]

I'm also very sensitive hearing wise, and would be considered what is called an "Audiophile". An audiophile example (instead of trying to explain it):>> I don't like Mp3's as they colorize the high frequencies and add compression artifacts which are unplesant. Now most people here will have absolutely no idea what I'm going on about.

I am one of those annoying people who, when left unchecked, will ramble on about DACs and integrated amps and how Sennheisers are overrated and why-doesn't-anyone-pay-for-good-sound-anymore to no one in particular.

I have music playing in my head much of time; sometimes original sometimes not. I can remember music very well, and my memory is almost as good as the real thing. The music I make up in my head might possibly be bits and pieces of things I have heard that I put together in new ways.

People get a little annoyed with me when we're sitting around a bonfire and we start singing a capella (in harmony, of course), and I interject and say "Wait, wait, no, wrong key! 'Yesterday' is supposed to be in F!" It's a curse, really.


I have a strong classical background, so naturally I will dig Mahler or Strauss or Stravinsky. My new thing is period recordings, and a friend of mine in an early music program at a major conservatory is always recommending great recordings to me in that genre.

Of course, I love lots of other music as well. When I discover someone new that catches my ear, I listen to them nonstop until either I get bored with them or they snuggle into a permanent little alcove in my heart. The two that have really stuck with me over the years are Joanna Newsom and Tom Waits. I grew up on Tom Waits, actually, and I knew the words to "Pasties and a G-String" long before I knew what they really meant.

I also love live music. If a band I like turns out to not be particularly good live, then my opinion of them is generally drive down a notch. And I think there are bands that need to be seen live, like tune-yards and Andrew Bird and Ani DiFranco and every jam band ever. I attended a big festival this year and I try to make it to Nashville at least a few times a year to catch good bands that come through.

As for the technical aspect, I used to have a graphic equalizer as part of my stereo system in my car. I'd sit forever with the music cranked and play with the levels until they were just perfect. It was a sad day when it stopped working.

I hate car stereos. No matter how "good" they claim to be, I can never manage to get a tonal balance that works well with the awkward placement and the rumbling noises from the car.


Final note...is anyone else into no-expectations music making? (Can't word that very well.) I gave up on oboe (long story) but I still play recorders and I recently acquired a ukulele. I figure, it's perfect because nobody takes those instruments seriously.

 

[King_Oni]

Final note...is anyone else into no-expectations music making? (Can't word that very well.) I gave up on oboe (long story) but I still play recorders and I recently acquired a ukulele. I figure, it's perfect because nobody takes those instruments seriously.

No expectations... as in; just because you like to do so, but don't neccesarily expect to be professional at it? Keep it a bit hobby level?

If so... I think I qualify for that definition. I'm not as driven to record music as most people... every now and then I just want to record something, pick up my guitar and do stuff. I put it out for free as well... no real intentions to make money of it, so to say.

I should however add that currently with my artproject I will include music as part of it, but even then... aside from it probably ending up really experimental, there's no aspirations to it in terms of doing it "professionaly".

 

[Loomis]

My aspie son started to play violin when he was 3. He is 16 now and I am blown away by his skill. I am so happy for him that he can do something almost none of his peers is able to do.

 

[wyverary]

No expectations... as in; just because you like to do so, but don't neccesarily expect to be professional at it? Keep it a bit hobby level?

If so... I think I qualify for that definition. I'm not as driven to record music as most people... every now and then I just want to record something, pick up my guitar and do stuff. I put it out for free as well... no real intentions to make money of it, so to say.

I should however add that currently with my artproject I will include music as part of it, but even then... aside from it probably ending up really experimental, there's no aspirations to it in terms of doing it "professionaly".

Yes. After taking an instrument seriously for a long time, studying it college, whatnot, I swore to myself I would only ever make music when I wanted to, where I wanted to, with whom I want to do it, and how I wanted to do it. It's kind of like a rebound from a very bad breakup.

Loomis, I am very happy to hear that your son is an accomplished musician. It takes a lot of skill and an amount of hard work that non-musicians can't (in my experience) even begin to fathom. You should be proud.

 

[Loomis]

Loomis, I am very happy to hear that your son is an accomplished musician. It takes a lot of skill and an amount of hard work that non-musicians can't (in my experience) even begin to fathom. You should be proud.

Thank you, I am but even more i am happy for him. He has been bullied but his skill gives him self confidence because he recognizes he is the best at something. He was judged the best violinist in his school of 2000 even though he was only a sophomore and received a perfect 40/40 at his audition as well as a major letter and several pins. i asked him if he wanted a letter jacket but he said no.

 

[Nolan1971]

My favorites are Classic Rock and Reggae.
My main band obsessions were Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, The Who and David Bowie.
I have a deep interest in Reggae 60's-present. The music ,the culture.
I have never met anyone who knows it as well as me.
For those who collect vinyl Reggae albums and 45's are very rare!

 

[Tarragon]

Reading the first post brought a smile to my face

I have been a musician for most of my working life, and so being obsessed with sound is something I most definitely am. I play
music, I used to listen to it (don't much once you start playing and recording, or maybe that's just me!), and I am most definitely
mobsessed by sound. not just music necessarily, but noises!

I can enjoy the hiss of am old tape just because I like the sound! If anyone wants the best echo for a recording, go to the NCP multistorey car park in Blackpool UK, it's got a reverb in the stairwell to beat the best studio anywhere!!

I can talk about this for days, and teaching music helped me do this - but of course, there weren't many pupils willing/obsessed enough to see the same stuff as me!

as for audiophile, I like noises do much I want hiss and crackle on my recordings! it adds a vibe for me, and this is definitely a debate which could bo very intense between someone who wants clean sound and someone like me that gets off on the sound of a tape player whirring in the background! As for compression -optical or good old fashioned type?

I love knowing I'm not a freak, I've just got an obsession because of aspergers!!

 

[Nolan1971]

I agree about being very fussy about sound quality. I agree what you said about MP3's they don't seem to have those nice high's found on vinyl & tapes.
Although out dated now my sound system in 1986 was very good. The amp was 120w per channel with .005% distortion and the speakers had 30-25'000hz 93db
response. I can't stand lousy headphones! I expect 20-20,000hz 100db response.
My favorite way to test how good a stereo was car/home or portable is to play some Boston!

 

[balder]

I for sure am obsessed with music. If I like a band, I have to own everything they have ever done and it all has to be filed away in the correct album name folders with the year they were released. Probs got a good 200gb in total

That's exactly what happens to me. If someone shows me a song I like, next thing I do is look for all the albuns of that band (I have to listen to them in order). I also organize everything in folders by Artist/(Year)Album. Besides that, I also feel a need to put all ID3 tags, including the album image in all musics I store.

 

[wyverary]

I agree about being very fussy about sound quality. I agree what you said about MP3's they don't seem to have those nice high's found on vinyl & tapes.
Although out dated now my sound system in 1986 was very good. The amp was 120w per channel with .005% distortion and the speakers had 30-25'000hz 93db
response. I can't stand lousy headphones! I expect 20-20,000hz 100db response.
My favorite way to test how good a stereo was car/home or portable is to play some Boston!

What kind of equipment did you have (brands etc.)? I can tell you have discerning taste, and we know that good frequency/sensitivity specs do not quality equipment make.

I still don't know how I feel about headphones. I will always take a quality speaker setup over a good headphone rig. My Grados will probably forever be the nicest headphones I will own, but I can definitely understand the appeal.

My current setup is entirely computer-based--bought a decent DAC last year and I will never go back. Wish I had better speakers than my Soundsticks...it will happen eventually. I hate MP3s; I will buy the CDs and rip them to lossless, and convert them to high-bitrate mp3 for my iPod, but I refuse to pay for compressed music, and I hate that so much of the market today is for such a format.

 

[Nolan1971]

The equipment was Optimus (Radio Shack) and it was very good quality! I had a hard time finding that good of specifications anywhere at the time.
The best amp/reciever Radio Shack ever made was a 70's model that had .002% distortion! The average system now has up to 10% distortion at full power.
I even bought the lowest possible hum/hiss turntable I could find something like -70+db. If I cranked it up all the way with the turntable spinning you would walk into
the room and not know it was even on! The speakers I designed myself in 7th grade they were tuned port 3way with 8" woofer, 4.5" midrange and 3.5" super tweeter.
I built them so tuff that I could not resonate the cabinet at full power! I tuned them for 35hz. I used nothing but 12gauge speaker wire and all gold cables.

 

[King_Oni]

I also organize everything in folders by Artist/(Year)Album. Besides that, I also feel a need to put all ID3 tags, including the album image in all musics I store.

No or bad ID tags drive me nuts, so thats one thing I do care for a lot, as well as having it in folders. I used to put all filenames in a specific format as well, but itunes doesnt care for those, so now I just do ID tags. The album images I do care for and annoys me to no end if itunes adds an album cover thats not the right one.(sometimes different artist even)

I can't even stand it if an artist is differently tagged (capitals for on album, no capitals for others) within itunes.

But those things usually just happen if you download music

 

[wyverary]

The equipment was Optimus (Radio Shack) and it was very good quality! I had a hard time finding that good of specifications anywhere at the time.
The best amp/reciever Radio Shack ever made was a 70's model that had .002% distortion! The average system now has up to 10% distortion at full power.
I even bought the lowest possible hum/hiss turntable I could find something like -70+db. If I cranked it up all the way with the turntable spinning you would walk into
the room and not know it was even on! The speakers I designed myself in 7th grade they were tuned port 3way with 8" woofer, 4.5" midrange and 3.5" super tweeter.
I built them so tuff that I could not resonate the cabinet at full power! I tuned them for 35hz. I used nothing but 12gauge speaker wire and all gold cables.
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You designed your own speakers? In seventh grade? I LIKE YOU.

And I wish so much that I could afford a good turntable system! Vinyl really does sound better if the equipment is up to snuff.

And King_Oni, I am with you completely on file tags. I spend hours at a time making sure they're all marked correctly, and consistently with one another. It's a particular challenge with classical recordings, and I have developed my own system with performers, composers, and whatnot - another reason I don't download music is because it's not marked exactly the way I want it to be.