Active Listening
Listening to music is not just hearing sounds. It is an ACTIVE skill that gets better with practice. Active listening means paying close attention to what you hear and thinking about it.
When you listen to a piece of music, ask yourself these questions:
What instruments do I hear? Can I name them?
Is the music fast or slow? Is it getting faster or slower?
Is it loud or soft? Is it getting louder or softer?
Is the melody going up or going down?
How does this music make me FEEL? Happy? Sad? Excited? Scared? Peaceful?
If this music were a character, what would it look like?
If this music were a color, what color would it be?
If this music were weather, what weather would it be?
These questions help you go beyond just hearing and start UNDERSTANDING music. Every piece of music is trying to tell you something, to make you feel something. When you listen actively, you receive that message!