Our lives are perpetually assaulted by music. There is hardly a moment that passes in which you are not confronted by music via an ipod, radio, Pandora, commercials, TV shows, movie soundtracks, open car windows, co-workers, ambient background noise in restaurants/bars/shopping malls, and all other means of cultural auditory collisions. This is fact, and we rarely think about the consequences of this lifestyle. One such consequence is that the majority of music listening in which we participate is passive listening. Furthermore, I worry that we have forgotten how to listen, and instead have replaced it with hearing. Just because you hear music, it doesn’t mean you are listening to music.
It was not too long ago that people would have to go out of their way to hear Music. The act of Listening to music used to be a sacred act with accompanying rituals. Whether it was the social aspects brought about by concert attendance, or the mere fact that record players do not have pause, fast forward, or rewind buttons, and will not fit neatly into your pocket. Although this style of listening was less mobile, it occurred in larger chunks of more focused time.
We believe we are hindered by passive listening habits. We have a less developed working memory for retention and absorption, but more importantly, a lesser ability to communicate our feelings about music. If we live in the a culture that perpetually bombards its citizens with music, then it is fair to say that we are a culture of music fans. Nevertheless, ask yourself why it is that you like or dislike a certain song, band, composer, or musician of any nature and see how many different specific examples you can give beyond the typical stock responses. Music is melody, harmony, texture, and rhythm. If we wish to continue the practice of music making and appreciation to the highest degree, then we must further an education of musical understanding to aid communication and deepen appreciation. We are working to Listen more, and hear less.
You dig?
We at TWD hope to deliver music to your ears that isn’t just about the sound and the reputation. While we love and respect current music, good music has no limits on era or genre. Along with the new and hot, we’ll explore the canon which came before and the inspiration and soul behind all the music you love. Finally, The Dig occasionally likes to wax philosophic about music theory and nature of art and music. We’ll keep your brain on it’s toes.
Meet the Digsters:
Dave (@DaveWhoDigs) digs musicianship, theory, and music that goes with craft beer. He writes about music from a classically trained musician’s perspective. He’s currently based in Portland OR.
Steve (@SteveWhoDigs) digs music with strong imagery and emotional resonance and musicians that bring passion to everything they do. He likes to write about music that speaks to him in some way, to explore music’s connections with other creative arts and with place, and to interview artists about their awesome projects. He’s currently based in Brooklyn.
Ivan (@ivaneisenberg) digs everything about music. He is fascinated with the accessibility of music and the ability of everyone on this planet to create it, and writes to help more people appreciate that fact. He is currently based in Milwaukee, WI.
Kent (@asinclarkkent) is a player and appreciator of all kinds of music. He values originality and musical craftsmanship, and prefers small local shows to bigger acts. You can find him playing with Pay the Devil, Whiskey Doubles, and {ELSE} in Milwaukee, WI.