Critical listening and altered states


Ok, this is not a question about relaxing, but about listening to evaluate how the system (or a piece of gear is sounding).

What, in your experience, are the pluses and minuses of altering your state of mind for listening? This can include anything you've used to affect your everyday state of mind, from coffee, beer, scotch, tobacco, to much stronger — and psychoactive, dissociative — additives.

What do you gain by altering your consciousness in terms of what you notice, attend to, linger on, etc?
What causes more details to emerge?
What allows you to stick with a thread or, alternately, make new connections?

Or perhaps you like to keep all those things *out* of your listening; if that's you, please say a bit about why.

hilde45

Showing 1 response by searchingforthesound

See lots of takes here and I get all sides, keeping clear mind no need for altering etc...  Someone mentioned clearing the mind "Wuji"  Being and old school Dead Head I have done my share of experimentation.  I do not partake in much of what I had done in the past but occasional Gummy and occasional smoke.  That being said nothing creates the oneness with the music like some solid smoke.  A single note can send a chill down the spine as you meld with the music and become enveloped.   This may be some of my Dead Head seeping in as that is kind of what all Dead Heads do.  Probably why many do not get it as they cannot let go and truly get feedback from the music in the body and soul.  If you can't become one with the music you are just listening at an auditory level and music is much more than that, there is whole other level of experiencing music. This is why Dead Heads dance so crazy, the feedback of energy comes from within, and some good old THC will lock you in.   

I may sound like a crazy hippie but if you met me you wouldn't think that at all.  Someone asked a question, and the answer led me down this path.  Actually, told me I need to smoke more and listen to more music.