Beautiful Music Radio

[BigJon@Work]

I have a theory. That theory is that Beautiful Music Radio killed off classical appreciation in the US. In another thread I was discussing what classical music I enjoyed as a child. I got to thinking about the total body revulsion I felt whenever I heard Beautiful Music on my parent’s radio. Could 101 Strings have killed off whatever enjoyment the un-classy-cal crowd might find in orchestral based music?

[barfle]

I don't know if that's quite the case, although I can recall believing that "beautiful" music and "classical" music were synonymous.

The "beautiful" genre (aka elevator music) is really intended to mask ambient noises that would distract you from a task at hand. It is NOT intended to be listened to and enjoyed. I can't imagine anyone using a Brandenburg Concerto, William Tell Overture, or La Donna e Mobile as something to help them concentrate on balancing the books.

I've remarked about the size of my music collection before, and it does include a fair amount of what I refer to as "couch and fireplace." It's intended as background for romantic situations, for which it has served me well over the past four decades. It's not classical - when I play classical, I'm listening to it, immersed in it, paying attention to it. It's something I do with a lot of music, even Percy Faith's Theme From "A Summer Place".

[NateBrei]

Originally posted by barfle:
I can't imagine anyone using a Brandenburg Concerto, William Tell Overture, or La Donna e Mobile as something to help them concentrate on balancing the books.

I don't generally balance books for a job, but I do listen to classical music (b.com) all day. I find I concentrate better with music. I will admit that vocal selections tend to intrude on my consciousness a bit more & make it harder for me to concentrate. That's exactly the reason I can't/don't listen to oldies/classic rock. They have words & I start thinking about them instead of my work.

Nate

[jamiebk]

I am with you. I would go nuts working at my desk without B.com (or at least some classical music station. I too find that it really helps me speed through the day. And it DOES help with concentration. Yeah...I occassionally drift into listening to a particular favorite or a very good rendition of something, but sometimes its those little breaks that help us "process" information.

[analog]

I can concentrate best in silence.

But when working on the car, something with short subjects like the Brandenburgs or Gaieties Parisienne is a wonderful preventive against frustration.

Maybe you're a rouge-neck if....?

[DavidS]

I work the same way as NateBrei and JamieBk.
My nerves just couldn't take traffic conditions and some other drivers' behaviour if I didn't have decent music in the background while driving.

[dai bread]

One thing I keep meaning to try on long trips, and keep forgetting about when the time comes, is talking books. They're available in the library, and I think you can buy them, though I don't recall seeing any in shops. They're not just for the blind.

I find the varying dynamics of much classical music makes it unsuitable for listening to over the roar of tyres on chip seal unless the volume is turned way up, and I don't like doing that for several reasons to do with monitoring my car and the surrounding traffic.

[barfle]

I still have a record that I credit for finally getting me through college. It's a "wind in the trees" record, about thirty minutes long, and I would put it on my record player, which I set for "repeat."

The neighborhood sounds went away, and my homework would get done. I believe it made all the difference. I'm thinking about turning it into an mp3 for work, although there are other distractions there (like the BBB). How it lasted through several hundred playings, I'm not sure, but it's still in decent shape. Of course, it's almost pink noise anyway, so if the grooves got a bit scratchy, I don't think anyone would notice.

[piqaboo]

I can concentrate best in silence.

That might be true for me, but I have never experienced it in a work or study environment. I cant listen to radio if I am trying to solve or learn something challenging, because the DJ's voice can wipe my mind completely blank. Instrumental music works well, tho I'm pretty good at ignoring 'ambient' noise. If I had the Environments "Rain" recording, I'd probably listen to it endlessly. Oddly, I can put the original Men without Hats recording on loop, and not be distracted or annoyed regardless of number of repeats.

[Jane]

I like to work with instrumental music on, because it gives me just enough distraction to keep me sane. But when I study I like silence because I'll pay more attention to the music (it's generally more interesting...)

[BigJon@Work]

Originally posted by piqaboo:
[b]Men without Hats[/b]

LYRICS FOR SAFETY DANCE
We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance
and if they don't dance
Well they're, no friends of mine
Say, we can go where we want to
A place where they will never find
And we can act like we come
from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind
And we can dance, "dansez"
We can go when we want to
Night is young and so am I
And we can dress real neat from
our hats to our feet
And surprise them with a victory cry
Say, we can act if we want to
If we don't nobody will
And you can act real rude
and totally removed
And I can act like an imbecile,
and say
We can dance, we can dance
Everything's out of control
We can dance, we can dance
We're doing it from pole to pole
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody look at your hands
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody's taking the chance
Safe to dance
Oh well its safe to dance
Yes it safe to dance
We can dance if we want to
We've got all your life and mine
As long as we abuse it,
never going to lose it
Everything will work out right
I say, We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance,
and if they don't dance
Well they're no friends of mine
I say, we can dance, we can dance
Everything's out of control
We can dance, we can dance
We're doing it from pole to pole
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody look at your hands
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody's taking the chance
Well it's safe to dance
Yes it's safe to dance
Well it's safe to dance
Well it's safe to dance
Yes it's safe to dance
Well it's safe to dance
Well it's safe to dance
It's a Safety Dance
Well it's a Safety Dance
Oh it's a Safety Dance
Oh it's a Safety Dance
Well it's a Safety Dance


Or as we used to sing:

We can dance, we can dance
Everybody look in your pants

[barfle]

Originally posted by piqaboo:
If I had the Environments "Rain" recording, I'd probably listen to it endlessly.

One of my "projects" is to digitize a bunch of my records so they are a bit more portable (didn't I make cassettes of them just a few years ago?). Since my work requires a fair amount of concentration, I intend to digitize some of my Environments records as well, so I can play them on my computer at work just to improve my concentration.

File sharing, anyone?

[NateBrei]

Originally posted by barfle:
One of my "projects" is to digitize a bunch of my records so they are a bit more portable.

File sharing, anyone?

I have a pretty large number of LP's (as opposed to a couple dozen CD's). I'd like to transfer my LP's to CD's & I've thought about doing it a number of times. But, I'd need really easy to use software (and I'd like good sound quality). Anyone have any ideas/suggestions on software & techniques for accomplishing this?

Nate

<small>[ 11-29-2005, 09:16 AM: Message edited by: NateBrei ]</small>

[barfle]

I use Goldwave. It's a US$50 download, with a free trial, and although it takes a bit of getting used to, it has a lot of tools for cleaning up noisy recordings, changing levels, and other editing tasks.

I first used it to transfer an LP cut by my high school graduating class to CD for the reunion last August. All the reviews I got back were positive, some quite positive.

[piqaboo]

I'll take you up on that, thanks.
Less see, whadvIgot that you might want to listen to? mmmmmmm..... :confused:

[barfle]

OT's favorite Bolero recording?

<small>[ 11-30-2005, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: barfle ]</small>

[OperaTenor]

Originally posted by barfle:
OT's favorite Bolero recording?

That would be either the one recorded in the style of Cage's 4' 33", or the one that has three subsequent performances spliced together so it's long enough.



I like to listen to background music when I'm doing mechanical work, but when it's desk work(i.e., concentrating, trying to glean information, etc.), I prefer silence.

How do you get music off the record and into the computer?

My parents listened almost exclusively to "beautiful music" while I was growing up. :puke: I think it has the appropriate acronym of "BM".

<small>[ 11-30-2005, 03:24 PM: Message edited by: OperaTenor ]</small>

[BigJon@Work]

Originally posted by OperaTenor:
or the one that has three subsequent performances spliced together so it's long enough.

How about 5?

Originally posted by OperaTenor:
My parents listened almost exclusively to "beautiful music" while I was growing up. :puke: I think it has the appropriate acronym of "BM".

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for bringing this thread back on topic. That's a rarity for you, isn't it?

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Originally posted by dai bread:
One thing I keep meaning to try on long trips, and keep forgetting about when the time comes, is talking books. They're available in the library, and I think you can buy them, though I don't recall seeing any in shops. They're not just for the blind.

I listened to "Anansi Boys" on the way to Denver, and "Rage" and "Snowcrash" on the way back. Talking books are wonderful for long drives.

Re the "Classical while working", the music doesn't particularly help me to concentrate. It does help the poor folk in the near cubicles. When I'm entirely engaged in something - anything - I emit noise. Have done so all my life. When there is music playing, the emitted noise tends to follow it and is less objectionable to others. So, you see, B.com is performing a social service! (Marlon, the Deans, and Chris are grateful. Donn and Eric wish I'd listen to country.)

[barfle]

Originally posted by OperaTenor:
How do you get music off the record and into the computer?

My sound card has a stereo audio input. Goldwave allows you to take an incoming analog signal and store it as a .wav file, and probably several other ways.

I actually transfer the vinyl to a hi-fi VCR tape, which allows me to transfer a large amount of data to the computer. I end up with one humongous file, which I can then edit down into individual songs or audio clips. I might one day have a direct connection between my audio system and my computer, but for the time being, moving a VCR from the media room to the computer room is a lot easier than moving a record player and preamp.