The music’s the thing but....


Yes, the music is the thing.  But before we became engrossed in this crazy hobby, it was the ONLY thing.  Now, I can’t listen to music on my system without the SOUND entering into the equation.  Unless it’s a patently historic recording, or mono, my enjoyment of the music is tempered by what the sound is like.  That was never the case before.  I can’t seem to enjoy the music if the sound isn’t right.  What a pity that is.
The music should come first, but unfortunately, it doesn’t.
 If I’m listening on a car radio or something, the problem doesn’t exist.
 Zoom, right to the music!
Such is the nature of our obsession.
128x128rvpiano
This is like trying to "unknow" a fact that you found out.  Once you learn to listen to the sound, however much you concentrate on the music, however involving the music is, you mind will be there somewhere in the background monitoring the sound.  Dulling down the monitoring function (conversation with other people in the room, alcohol, etc.) is about the best you can do.
bdp24 ,

Yes right you are !Thank you for correcting my ignorance . Still as a Christian I am much closer to  to Bach's version . But  I imagine God is pleased with all Christians that do not hate .
bdp24, your posts are usually extremely thoughtful, but I am surprised at your “for the love of it” comment. Perhaps (I hope) I misinterpret the comment, but you seem to be suggesting that for (relatively) well paid symphony musicians (and others) there is necessarily a lower level of “love for the music” than for those who are not well paid. It is simply not so. It is easy to romanticize the artistic ethos of the starving artist or the idealistic iconoclast; but I don’t think it is fair, nor accurate, to do it at the expense of the more successful or the more forward looking. As always, thanks for the great posts.
What he said lead me to think he was thinking of "garage bands" whose sole purpose is usually money and/or women ,
I can’t imagine someone as intelligent as bdp24 thinking of symphonic musicians . From what I saw in the "family" of the Berlin R.I.A.S orchestra someone just looking for money would have been weeded out long
before they could even audition !
Its a lot harder to be a competent symphonic player than a doctor who makes 3 times what they do .