Ideas on how to concentrate/not get lost when listening to a song for transcription/understanding purposes
I am learning to listen analytically to music (listening to try and figure out what is going on) but I tend to get lost in the music quite easily.
For example, when I start counting in my head, at some point I'll lose track (I try to count the beats and sometimes also try and count the bars and phrase lengths). I'm also trying to figure out the chords and rhythms.
I'm probably trying to do too much at once and that is the problem. But I also tend to have distracting thoughts (such as what time it is, what I have to do tomorrow, etc... you know, useless stuff that modern society forces on us).
If there isn't a good answer (since it is probably pretty vague), what is the best thing to work on first? Counting so much that it becomes innate, which would then make learning all the rest of the stuff easier? (since you then know where everything is at)
Also, is counting bars useful? I tend to think that counting them might be a bad idea, because if I get out of sync then I have to start the song over to make sure I don't associate wrong numbers with specifics in a song (e.g., chorus starts at bar 37 but I counted it wrong at 38... Then I think the chorus is at bar 38 and next time I count I get confused because I'm unsure of myself). Or are these mistakes just part of learning?
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I vote up what Shevliaskovic says counting the beats that the first that you need to be proficient. Then maybe bar numbers. But for bars to know where something comes in, you have the score or get the score and teach yourself where everything comes in or goes out. That's my experience.
As far as the distracting thoughts, it happens to a lot of people. It happens to me as well. One way that has helped me concentrate is to have some to tell me to. Let's say I am at my lesson with my teacher and he sees that I am getting a bit distracted, he will tell me to focus. This is something that has helped me and now I don't get that much distracted.
what is the best thing to work on first?
Well, for starters you can start counting the beats of the time signature. Then you can start counting bars and see how many bars each section has. For instance, the intro has 12, the main chorus 24 etc. This will be easier rather than saying 'bridge is on bar 342' or something.
is counting bars useful? I tend to think that counting them might be a bad idea
I wouldn't call it a bad idea, but it isn't something I do very often. It is good to be able to count bars, but don't get hang up on it.
And of course all these mistakes, like getting one or two bars wrong and getting distracted and getting mixed up are part of your learning. With practice you'll be able to get it without all these.
As Shev. says, counting bars isn't that helpful, or something done a lot (unless you're percussionist in an orchestra...) but a good move is to actually write stuff down as you listen. Once the metre thus time sig. has been established, make some boxes on paper, usually 4 per line works, and put in maybe the word or chord or thing that happens, say, at the start of each line. Maybe a word sung, a cymbal crash, etc. If the timing is 4/4, then count each box - which equates to each bar- so you know when the next 'event' comes. Mark that in, too. Leave a space (paragraph) where the verse and chorus, maybe, are separated. Like most things, the more you do, the better it gets, hopefully.
EDIT: you ask if counting bars is useful. As above, but it will depend an awful lot on what kind of music you're trying to analyse. If it's pop songs, there is little point, as one verse is very similar to another, and also the same with the chorus. Words may differ, but structure and length are pretty constant. If it's a serious classical piece, then it's very different, although knowing that a particular bar is bar 38 will only really be of use when you are playing it with the rest of the orchestra. It would be good for you to mix with other musos, and discuss all this with them. Failing that have a session with a teacher, who will probably reiterate all that's been said here.
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