How do you listen to........

[BloodOfTheZodiac]

....an album for the first time??

I don't do the whole download/torrent/leak stuff. Never have and never will. For bands that I'm not a HUGE fan of but do like or am interested in, I will listen to the first single and watch the video prior to buying the album. But with bands I adore, I won't even bother with any of that, unless I cave in and can't help control myself, which happens from time to time.

So what I do is....I wait for the release, buy the fucker, and at about 3 or 4am(considering I get off work at 2am), I will smoke a joint(always making sure I have a gram when buying a new album), then I will lay in bed with my lights off, with my kick ass headphones plugged into my cd player which is beside my bed, and I will lay on my back with my hands on my chest, eyes closed, and listen to the album in it's entirety from start to finish.

Some albums have absolutely mezmorized me. Some albums put you in a trance and take you away to a whole new world. Devin Townsend's Ocean Machine, made me feel like I was in a bubble, while hovering 2 feet above an ocean and while travelling at about 20km/h, for example.

Death metal albums are a great assault on the senses, but sometimes overwhelms me when listening to it for the first time the way I do.

Opeth just make me smile and feel heavenly. It's a great feeling.

June 3rd(or shall I say 4th considering it will be the 4th when I get off work) will be a great day. Really looking forward to it. This week coming up I will have 'The Formation Of Damnation' from Testament

So.....how do you listen to an album for the first time??

 

[rrjii2000]

I typically Import the entire CD into a pro-tools project, spark one up and listen. Once I have it in my DAW, I can EQ and pan sections as needed. Not that the song typically needs it, but sometimes it helps me hear more details. I also have a professionally calibrated EQ plug I run on my master fader that corrects for my listening space. This allows me to hear it as was in the studio, or pretty close to.

Turn off the lights
Light a few candles
Relax and enjoy!!!

Edit: Usually after 3 or 4 complete listens, I'll start listing in my car. I had a critical listening class at Berklee and they stressed that new material should be learned in the best "controlled environment" you have. This helps you hear what's actually there and not what your mind wants to hear. Have you ever mis-interpreted a part, then tried to learn the song days or even months later? It's a real pain in the ass once it gets stuck in there wrong. A good pair of head phones works great here too.

 

[Andrew Park]

on my mp3 player while walking through the woods to the university in the mid morning.

 

[Requiem960]

It really depends on the album for me. If it's something that I'm interested in, and not a favorite band... It'll go on the iPod which I will listen to anywhere. If the album is by someone like Metallica, Opeth, Dream Theater or Porcupine Tree, I take a more interested approach. I'll listen to the album in my home theater room with nothing else going on. That way I can focus on the music at hand without distractions!

 

[Jester-Race]

eat some mdma pills

then youll be like HOLY FUCK

yeah. fun times.

 

[Hybrid_Child]

It really depends on the album for me. If it's something that I'm interested in, and not a favorite band... It'll go on the iPod which I will listen to anywhere. If the album is by someone like Metallica, Opeth, Dream Theater or Porcupine Tree, I take a more interested approach. I'll listen to the album in my home theater room with nothing else going on. That way I can focus on the music at hand without distractions!

Same for me. Although I don't have a home theatre.

 

[kendoji]

I like to listen to albums on my stereo

 

[Alex78]

sitting on my sofa, reading the booklet, without drugs.

 

[soa_bass]

I listen to albums sometimes with the lights off and my eyes closed at my computer. I feel cutting off your sight gets rid of a lot of distractions.

 

[Lachybob]

I usually listen to an album 3 or 4 times in a row the first time i get it. Read the booklet, lyrics and what not as well.

 

[Carta's]

Headphone on, I read any shit on the internet. If the album is good enough to hook me, I play it in the headphones again but laid down on the bed (or sofa) with my eyes closed. With Opeth I skip the first part.

 

[Kristopher]

Usually first listen to a new CD when I'm playing on my Playstation,or alternatively listening them through headphones on the computer.

 

[ronenklo]

I don't have money to buy albums. I just smoke enough stuff (chairs,boards Opeth members) and imagine the album. so opeth is a relaxing pop band right?

 

[DarkBarrage99]

....an album for the first time??

I don't do the whole download/torrent/leak stuff. Never have and never will. For bands that I'm not a HUGE fan of but do like or am interested in, I will listen to the first single and watch the video prior to buying the album. But with bands I adore, I won't even bother with any of that, unless I cave in and can't help control myself, which happens from time to time.

So what I do is....I wait for the release, buy the fucker, and at about 3 or 4am(considering I get off work at 2am), I will smoke a joint(always making sure I have a gram when buying a new album), then I will lay in bed with my lights off, with my kick ass headphones plugged into my cd player which is beside my bed, and I will lay on my back with my hands on my chest, eyes closed, and listen to the album in it's entirety from start to finish.

Some albums have absolutely mezmorized me. Some albums put you in a trance and take you away to a whole new world. Devin Townsend's Ocean Machine, made me feel like I was in a bubble, while hovering 2 feet above an ocean and while travelling at about 20km/h, for example.

Death metal albums are a great assault on the senses, but sometimes overwhelms me when listening to it for the first time the way I do.

Opeth just make me smile and feel heavenly. It's a great feeling.

June 3rd(or shall I say 4th considering it will be the 4th when I get off work) will be a great day. Really looking forward to it. This week coming up I will have 'The Formation Of Damnation' from Testament

So.....how do you listen to an album for the first time??

pretty much the same but i don't smoke

Edit: Usually after 3 or 4 complete listens, I'll start listing in my car. I had a critical listening class at Berklee and they stressed that new material should be learned in the best "controlled environment" you have. This helps you hear what's actually there and not what your mind wants to hear. Have you ever mis-interpreted a part, then tried to learn the song days or even months later? It's a real pain in the ass once it gets stuck in there wrong. A good pair of head phones works great here too.

I mis-interpreted the beginning of benighted so i always play it wrong, so i know what you mean, it sucks. need to relearn that song.

 

[Luann]

I just put play.
Today at work listened 133123 times to the cd, the sister of my boss came and I didn't care, I just wanted to hear the album.

 

[worldwide_suicide]

1st time sitting reading the lyrics and enjoying the artwork. 2nd time before going to sleep, a beer, a pack of smokes and listening with my eyes closed (sometimes i open them up to light anohter cigarrete)

 

[Slayer101]

I like to go drive around while listening to the cd, I don't know why but I just seem to enjoy music more when I'm driving.

 

[Iki-ilkkuja]

Stereos, sofa and booklet.

 

[Obtuse]

With a band I love I like to sit down in a quiet area, listen to the disc with headphones,
and follow along with the lyrics in the booklet. Kinda helps me remember the whole song
better. But I haven't had a favourite band release a CD since '06 (Matter of Life & Death,
Christ Illusion), so... might have to start a new routine on June 3!

 

[nox-Hand]

It depends highly on the music. Opeth, for listening to the entire album Watershed upon release, I will wait till I am alone home, crank up the volume on my stereo, and then I shall just sit/jump in my room depending on the song, and just take it all in from start to finish. Then I will likely start playing my favouite songs a few times, then play the whole thing again.


If it was something like Ayreons Rock Opera's, I generally listen to the whole thing whilst driving somewhere, as I can listen to the whole thing without thinking about anything else (perhaps driving a little).

As said, depends on the music!