superbadgirl: (salt quote)
superbadgirl ([personal profile] superbadgirl) wrote2007-05-24 09:20 am

Music or noise?

(Bear in mind that while I adore music, I don't really know proper terminology...)

Just had a discussion with D., in which he struggled in vain to understand how I could call what I listen to music. To him, music includes classical composers, a bit of jazz, and very little else (here he admitted to enjoying Linda Ronstadt). What perplexes him about rock, alt, hip hop, country and every other genre on his "do not listen" list is the beat. Once he hears the beat of a song, it appears that is all can hear and to him that is simply noise and irritating. As he put it, it's like someone asking, "How are you doing?" over and over and over. And over. He hears nothing else in the song, just the repetitive background.

I tried to explain to him that I usually really enjoy the beat when it's coupled with a decent melody and preferably cool lyrics. He, naturally, did not agree and said that it was all just noise, noise, noise, noise, noise!

As he left, I cranked up Muse's Supermassive Black Hole which made him say, "Oh dear. Oh dear, I find that greatly distressing" in a voice wholly reminiscent of Milton Waddams and made me laugh at him maniacally.

[identity profile] gategrrl.livejournal.com 2007-05-24 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I was about to say something about sensory issues as well, same as tejas.

It could be he's sound sensitive, or his mind latches onto retitious sounds and can't block them out or shove them into the background, or integrate them into the rest of the sound that's happening.

I can't stand music that's turned up above a certain level, either (like Tejas' friend) - but that's because I get severe ringing in my ears afterward, and I can't hear anything else, either. Again, it's preference and physical overload.