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How Many Times Do You Have To Listen To Understand A Piece Of Music?

Speaking solely about popular music, broadly speaking, it takes 2 to 3 listens to figure out if I like something.  Roughly meaning do I want to hear it again.  To get to the point where I think I understand the piece can take dozens of listens.  A big factor in how digestible a piece is whether it's a genre, artist or song I'm already familiar with.  At least for me truly new music is harder to get into.

Just curious as to how others experience new music.

onhwy61

Showing 2 responses by stuartk

stuartk
3,288 posts
 

Once, to know whether it’s something I want to listen to any further. Maybe two to three more times to figure out if I like it enough to buy it.

 

stuartk
3,288 posts
 

@wolf_garcia

I don’t think you have to objectively "understand" a piece of music to absolutely enjoy it right away, from complex jazz or classical to a simple tune.

+1

@tony1954

If I don’t want to listen to the entire song, then it has almost zero chance of getting a second chance.

 

+1

@michaellent

it is not meant to be understood by you. It has meaning to the artist. Not necessarily to you

Granted, art must first please the artist. It can stop there or, by incorporating the universal within the personal, can reach/touch many more people. Depends upon your intent. art vs Art. 

 

 

 

 

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