Guided Listening Project

Overview
As a musician, listening is as important as practicing. No matter what your goal is as a musician,
be it playing chords and singing, shredding a solo on a Van Halen song, or playing over
complex jazz harmonies, the best way to develop your sound is by listening and absorbing
styles from the musicians you listen to. Focused, active listening is a necessary skill you should
always be working on. In this project, you have picked an album that you are legitimately
interested in. You will listen to this album 3 times in a setting that is free of any distractions and
where you can focus on the music and just the music.

Outcome
You will:
● Develop a deeper understanding of an extended body of music.
● Develop your ability to hear music past the surface level.
● Be able to better articulate the artist’s intent behind the music.

What to Avoid
● Listen to an album that you have a legitimate interest in! If you are picking an album
because you think it’s funny, you won’t benefit.
● Free yourself from distractions -- you may be surprised how difficult it is to resist the
temptation of checking your phone or iPad, or opening your laptop, or playing a video
game while you are just listening.
● Give yourself something to specifically focus on each listen through, like the guitar part,
the lyrics, the bass and drums, etc. It will be easier to focus when you have something to
listen for.
● Find the meaning behind each song or piece you are listening to. What is the story
behind each song? Is there an obvious story? Is it more ambiguous? Up for
interpretation?
● One earbud in -- If you are walking around with only one headphone on, your other ear
is open to receiving other distracting information. You are not really actively listening!

Settings to listen to Music

● The easiest option (in my opinion) is lying in bed before you go to sleep. If you fall
asleep, pick back up from the last song your remember hearing the next day.
● On a long car ride, especially if you are not driving. Put on a pair of good headphones,
stare out the window, and focus on the music!
● Go for a walk or run -- but don’t listen while doing an overly physical activity. If you are at
the gym lifting weights, you’re probably more focused on what comes next. Same with
an agility work out, or a sports practice. Walking and running can be a fairly mindless
activity, so engage yourself with music!

LISTENING GUIDE
Before you start listening:

1. What is the name of the artist or group you are listening to and what is the album
you are listening to?

2. Who are the other musicians on the album? Please name all of them and what
they play. Album credit information can be found on the album itself, or on
websites like Wikipedia or Allmusic.com

3. What year was the album released? What genre of music does this album fall
under?

4. How long is the album (hours/minutes)? How many tracks are on the album?

5. Which tracks from this album were released as singles, either before or after the
release of the album? Again, this is information you can find on Wikipedia or
Allmusic.

1st Listen Through

 1. What is your initial impression of the album? Is it something you enjoyed? What
feel/vibe/emotion does this music evoke? Include any general comments or
thoughts you want to share.

2. After the first listen, is there a favorite song that you have? Is there more than
one?

3. What was your least favorite track on the album?

4. Was your perception of this artist and their music changed on the first listen
through? Are your surprised by anything (their sound, style, message, etc.) that
you may not have realized or noticed before? This may be especially applicable if
you are listening to an artist who you have only heard one or two of their songs.

2nd Listen Through

 1. How did your focus change from the first listen through? Did you listen to
anything differently this time around? Did you focus more on another instrument,
lyrics, or parts?

2. What is something you noticed in the music that you didn't notice in the first listen
through? This could be something in a specific song, or throughout the album.
Was there an instrument that you didn’t notice before? Or maybe a background
harmony, or a groove that you hadn’t heard the first time. It can be something that
small.

3. Did any of the songs that didn’t really catch your attention the first time or you
didn’t like as much the first time sound any different to you the second time? If so,
what changed for you?

3rd Listen Through

1. How did your focus change from the first and second listen through? Did you
listen to anything differently this time around? Did you focus more on another
instrument, lyrics, or parts?

2. After your 3rd listen through, did your favorite songs remain the same? Did your
favorite songs from the first two listen throughs sound as good the third time?

3. Did any other songs grow on you after listening to them for the 3rd time? What do
you think changed on the third listen?

4. After 3 listens, did your enjoyment of the album grow or diminish? Do you think
you will go back to this album again or have you had enough?