Achtung, baby.

[CD]

I ask because in the past I've felt that listening to classical music on its own, without any distraction, is the only real way to come to any kind of understanding with the music — but lately I've been experimenting with listening while doing activities that call for very little mental exertion (reading websites, walking).

I've found that music that is mainly tonal with clear formal signifiers (sonata form, variation form, etc.) and more-or-less tonal are best for this kind of listening, whereas music that is more free in form and harmony works best with exclusive listening.

What do you think?

[Bogey]

Yup.  You nailed it, Corey.  I can read a book with early Coltrane on in the background, but when it comes to "very late" 'Trane, fuggedaboutit.

[val]

When I am listening to music I never do anything else. In general I listen at night, to be sure that I am not going to be disturbed.

[offbeat]

This is a very interesting question
If im listening to something not heard before i try and concentrate and drop all other distractions
Sadly sometimes if playing something i know well  i tend to listen but do other things too (like looking thru GMG forum) - this is a bad habit but i find listening 100 Percent means a commitment which if im in a certain mood i cant fulfill-Still theres a performance of the Firebird on tv shortly so i will concentrate 100 pct - honest 

[Henk]

I think you always have to get at least the mood of some particular music. And I agree the more complicate the music the more you have to focus on it to get this mood or one want just some chaotic background music (but you won't get the music then). I also agree when you know particular music it's easier to have it as background music.

[marvinbrown]

  I voted 60%-80%! Why? because it's the truth.   Frequently I am reading an opera  libretto while listening! With opera this is essential  !  That said, Wagner, Verdi and Richard Strauss always get my undivided attention  0:).

  marvin

[greg]

I almost never listen to music while doing nothing else at the same time, since I don't have time for that. I listen to most of my music in class, and if not, I'm listening at home while doing something else.

[Opus106]

If im listening to something not heard before i try and concentrate and drop all other distractions
Sadly sometimes if playing something i know well  i tend to listen but do other things too (like looking thru GMG forum) - this is a bad habit but i find listening 100 Percent means a commitment which if im in a certain mood i cant fulfill-Still theres a performance of the Firebird on tv shortly so i will concentrate 100 pct - honest 

And I agree the more complicate the music the more you have to focus on it to get this mood or one want just some chaotic background music (but you won't get the music then). I also agree when you know particular music it's easier to have it as background music.

I'm the exact opposite. If it's new music, I let it take me wherever it would. That does not, however, mean I play it as "background music," it just means I don't listen to it with 100% concentration, limiting the whole world to the music alone. (In my opinion, that is an idealisation.) Sometimes my thoughts tend to wander, listening to new or old music, starting from something I notice about the music or an emotion that it evokes. 

With familiar music, and especially with music that I like, it is often difficult to not pay attention and do something else like reading, for example. (I never read books while listening to music; liner notes, news in the paper/online at the most.) Even if I find myself deeply engrossed in reading about what the artist had for breakfast on the morning of the present recording, sub-consciously I follow the music since I'm familiar with it (and be alert for my favourite parts ).

Oh, and I also tend to get a wee bit restless just sitting and listening to music and doing nothing else. (No, I don't suffer from any disorder. Sometimes a man just needs to satisfy his craving for air-playing/conducting. )

[Carolus]

I used to put a CD and some game of card solitaires on my computer. I can follow the game, and listen at the piece at the same time with similar level of concentration. If I try to listen only, I began to ramble in short time.

[Henk]

I'm the exact opposite. If it's new music, I let it take me wherever it would. That does not, however, mean I play it as "background music," it just means I don't listen to it with 100% concentration, limiting the whole world to the music alone. (In my opinion, that is an idealisation.) Sometimes my thoughts tend to wander, listening to new or old music, starting from something I notice about the music or an emotion that it evokes. 

With familiar music, and especially with music that I like, it is often difficult to not pay attention and do something else like reading, for example. (I never read books while listening to music; liner notes, news in the paper/online at the most.) Even if I find myself deeply engrossed in reading about what the artist had for breakfast on the morning of the present recording, sub-consciously I follow the music since I'm familiar with it (and be alert for my favourite parts ).

Oh, and I also tend to get a wee bit restless just sitting and listening to music and doing nothing else. (No, I don't suffer from any disorder. Sometimes a man just needs to satisfy his craving for air-playing/conducting. )

I always like to wander my thoughts, think about my life and fantasize while listening to music. That is great about music. It's not possible with any other art I think. I think that's the reason I can listen to music for hours, even whole days.

I recognize things you say. Sometimes when I listen to music I want to internet and go internetting. Sometimes when I read the paper I want some music on background. It works both for me. But it's always a shame not paying attention to the music. I think I'm still searching of coping with it. I think when you have to concentrate strong on something, it's not good having music on. The music distracts then. When you can divide your attention on music and an other activity there's no real problem.

Henk

[bhodges]

For better or worse, I have to give pretty much any kind of music my full attention.  Sometimes I can do relatively mindless tasks and have music on, but most of the time I'm unable to focus well on both at once.  At one point in my life I tried to read while listening--an utter disaster.  I ended up reading the same paragraph over and over, not really comprehending, and not really able to grasp the music either.  I'm a terrible multi-tasker...

--Bruce

[CD]

That's been my experience too (re. reading with music.) I also have a problem listening to someone talk when a television is on in the same room.

[offbeat]

I used to put a CD and some game of card solitaires on my computer. I can follow the game, and listen at the piece at the same time with similar level of concentration. If I try to listen only, I began to ramble in short time.

oh i have  not thought of that - must give it a try and see if it blots out distractions - tks

[Cato]

It depends on the composer: it seems almost sacrilegious    0:)  to have Bruckner or Schoenberg as background: in my composing years, I tried to have a score with me for every work I heard.

Some works I can use while "bi-tasking" (e.g. baking bread), but in general I like to "attend" as often as possible.