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.
I stopped reading a few pages in, so forgive me if I repeat something someone else said. Chances are you've listened to your system in an unaltered state often enough. Furthermore, I'm almost sure most of us bought it that way. If it sounds extra groovy while you're buzzed, that's a wonderful bonus. The very reason you altered your state. The system didn't change, the music pleases you and you're happy, what's to wonder about?
I've always enjoyed music with good cannabis - used to do psychedelics and 'E' too a few decades ago. Now I hardly even drink anymore, but I always enjoy cannabis! Goes great with music, movies, telly, sports, etc etc.
There is a special place for any music that can give me an adrenaline rush; but, there is a cherished (perhaps even sacred) place for any music that can give me goose bumps, regardless of whatever equipment that I was listening to at the time. However, I tend to be more impressed when those things occur during sober listening, because I don't have to question or debate what caused that response.
Similarly, altered states are good for experiential activity, not for evaluative activity.
If you look back at my posts in this thread, you'll see that I'm not proposing altered states as the default for evaluative activity. They're proposed as being *among* the ways one might expand what is noticed in observation or as a prompt to new connections.
Unless you're saying that the are never helpful for evaluative activity. If that's what you mean, why do you think that?
Speaking for myself, I would never use any altered state that compromises my analytical faculties for evaluative purposes.
For enjoyment? Of course, absolutely.
Others on this thread have already covered the why quite well. The only thing that I might add is that no two altered states - in my experience - are the same, or rather, I cannot recall them as such.
I had quite a few experiences of listening to music while in altered states of mind during my mis-spent youth. While I should have been in College, underground dance music and raves became my priority.
I was a beginner audiophile at age 12, had my life changed by music (and God at the same time) at age 18, and around age 30 started learning about high end audio. With all that said, becoming a critical listener is number 1. Closing your eyes, clearing your mind of everything and just listening is how you will really enjoy this hobby. About 2 weeks ago I had a 5 hour listening session with a neighbor. Both her and her husband could hear how amazing my stereo sounds in the first 30 seconds of listening. She was hooked and we listened for 5 hours. It was so cool to see her mind just being blown. There were even a few songs that she swore were remixes because she was hearing so much more musical information. By the end of our time spent listening, she understood noise floor, attack, decay, dynamic swings, imaging and soundstage and was a pro at picking up micro details. Anyways, my point is, you can get huge amounts of enjoyment out of these high end systems if you just listen. Clear your mind of all thoughts, and concentrate on what you are hearing. Try listening to each individual instrument and then all of them together. Also, in a way, it’s helpful not to get overly critical of what you are hearing. Much of what we listen to is recorded or mastered poorly or even just mastered or mixed in a way that is not or preference. Last thing to think about is the emotional connection. If your system draws you in and grabs ahold of your emotions your on the right track. Theres a few songs that I can play that will bring tears to my eyes no matter what mood Im in. When music, and vocals in particular, can at times become spooky or haunting then your on the right track. Last last thing… I don’t think that Alcohol makes you a better listener. I think it dulls the senses. You’ll listen much louder. You’ll think you are hearing more but your not. Herb may change the way you perceive sounds but I find that I’ll become disinterested in listening. Coffee is good at times. I don’t want to discuss others because I don’t want to promote drug use..
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