How to Describe a Piece of Music (Continued)

Method 2
Subjective opinion

1. Listen carefully to music. You need to immerse yourself in music more than with formal analysis in order to trigger a complete emotional response. Find a quiet and private place and turn on the selected song. Focus on the mood of the composition. Carefully listen to the lyrics. While listening, try to understand the feelings of the performer at the moment when he created the song. Go to music with all your heart and soul to accurately understand and communicate your personal reaction to the material.


It is preferable to listen to music on headphones; so you get away from external noise and be able to catch the barely noticeable details.

2. Read music reviews. Journalists and observers make their living by describing music in the most figurative and attractive (or unattractive) way. Reviews of music albums are very common in our time, so you will not be difficult to get acquainted with different points of view about the most controversial albums and tracks.

Other people's thoughts will help you more accurately describe your attitude to music. The online magazine “Pitchfork” is quite popular, but not everybody is satisfied with a pompous style of presentation.

Also, thematic and underground publications like “Heathen Harvest Periodical” or “Prog Sphere Magazine” can be cited as examples of visual descriptions of music.

Music reviews are also published in print. Many newspapers have a review heading for new music albums and movies. There are also books about music that describe specific groups, genres, or time periods.

3. Try to visualize the music. So you can match it with an internal plan. If you are interested in describing music, then try to meditate and present the song as musical accompaniment in an imaginary film. Unaccustomed to this idea may seem strange to you, but it is a great way to dive in and appreciate music without tvlechayas.

For example: If the music is sad, then you can imagine the rain or a picture of loss. If the music is lively, then it can be a sports car ride. In the case of calm music, you can think of kittens that fall asleep on a blanket. Erroneous interpretations simply do not exist; if the music has caused you quite specific figurative associations, then there are reasons for this.

4. Use metaphors and poetic language. Music is a deeply personal creative endeavor, the basis of which is already laid poetic nature. It is logical that the description of the music can also be poetic. If a song causes you emotional distress, then it is best to express your feelings with the help of metaphors.

Metaphors and other descriptive poetic techniques (such as comparisons) make it possible to convey the emotional state that occurs when listening to music.

An example of a metaphor: The Paracletus song of the bands Deathspell Omega is a maelstrom of deliberate madness.

Example of comparison: The first symphony of Anton Bruckner seems to take us to the gala evening that takes place in Prussia in the 19th century.

5. Compare the song with others. If you heard a song that made a definite impression on you, then you can certainly compare the sensations from listening with some other song. By comparison, you can come to strong associations and raise specific expectations in the mind of your interlocutor. Music can be compared objectively (genre, tempo, musicians) or subjectively (mood, atmosphere).

For example: “The Song of A Change of Seasons” by the Dream Theater group is a bit like the composition “Close to the Edge” by the Yes band in terms of its seemingly disordered structure, but it sounds a bit harder and a bit more gloomy. "

As an example, two such small completed and published reviews can be cited: "A Sad Waltz, but the Magic Lyrics" and "Life-affirming Background Magic of Science".

The first example describes a beautiful lyrical melody, so it is emotionally saturated and appeals more to the feelings of the listener.

The second is more academic, although, of course, not without a share of emotions. This style of description is due to the nature of the musical work, which most of all implies use in the field of education and commercial use.

Tips

• If you still find it difficult to describe a song that you like, then you can always ask a friend’s opinion. Ask a friend to listen to this song and describe it to you. Someone else's opinion may push you to certain thoughts.
• Understanding music is definitely a skill, and quite important. It includes many advantages, and the ability to describe the music you listen to will certainly help you enjoy it at a completely different level.

Warnings

• It is necessary to understand that some aspects of music are simply impossible to convey with the help of words alone. There are things you need to feel in order to understand. Music is no exception.
• You shouldn't get very upset if you can't describe the song. This may be quite reasonable explanations and reasons. Excessive stress will only prevent you from feeling and understanding the material. If this is the case, take a break and after a while return to the song with a sober head.