I've come across quite a dilemma recently. A couple weeks ago I asked about the value of writing a string quartet before attempting a larger arrangement. Through a series of replies I learned about the greatness of part writing. Which really changed my approach to writing in a tremendous way (I am by nature an autodidact and haved vowed to stay away from institutions for as long as possible, hence my ignorance on such seemingly common ideas.) But now when I listen to a piece of music, I find myself trying to separate the parts, which instruments are playing what and so on. The problem I have with this is, it is DESTROYING my ability to listen to music the way I used to.
Before, I would hear a piece of music and I either liked it or I didn't. I never had too much of an idea why, and I never cared to find out. I felt that it might ruin the experience if I thought about it too much and broke it down into little puzzle pieces. To me, art should be a visceral experience. When I hear a piece of music that I connect with, it can border on being in a state of euphoric (or melancholy) meditation. And I find that I'm starting to lose that, because my newly developed instict is to figure out what and how the composer did what they did.
So my question is, do any of you have this same problem? If so, how did you remedy it? Do you guys have two sets of ears, one for the composer and one for the listener?
Thanks in advance,
-BW
Before, I would hear a piece of music and I either liked it or I didn't. I never had too much of an idea why, and I never cared to find out. I felt that it might ruin the experience if I thought about it too much and broke it down into little puzzle pieces. To me, art should be a visceral experience. When I hear a piece of music that I connect with, it can border on being in a state of euphoric (or melancholy) meditation. And I find that I'm starting to lose that, because my newly developed instict is to figure out what and how the composer did what they did.
So my question is, do any of you have this same problem? If so, how did you remedy it? Do you guys have two sets of ears, one for the composer and one for the listener?
Thanks in advance,
-BW