..You life be like without music, dear members. Or, at the very least, no radio, cd's, or ways of listening to outside sources of music?

Music keeps me sane at night. I go to sleep listening to avoid thinking.

So, what you are saying is you implant the thoughts and ideals of others into your brain, so as not to live as a sentient, intelligent human being?

sounds miserable

I mean that I listen to music to avoid thinking of my problems in the darkness. I'm a happy person until I'm alone with nothing but my thoughts.

I see. I suppose I feel ya there. But this could be a fantastic opportunity to fight off that darkness, without just trying to replace it.

Myself, I could probably go without music for a very long time. I am very rarely listening to music becaue I want to, and recently, it is usually something to reinforce good things. I listen to music I used to love, like Disturbed and Mindless Self Indulgence, and I just cringe.

I could go without music. I wouldn't like, and I would probably find another tool to escape reality... I used to read a lot more at night (I still like to read, just not so much at night, as I used to just read until my eyes were strained and sore before I'd go to sleep - now I just put the iPod on a sleep timer).

As for Disturbed and MSI... I've never viewed music as something that really leaves an impression on me like that. I don't know if that means I'm not taking it for more than face value, but if someone accused me of being "evil" or "ill-mannered" or "mentally unbalanced" because of the music I listen to, I would accuse them of being shallow and possibly stupid.

I view music in a very soulful and deep sense. Lately, the more music I listen to, the more I just feel the whole thing I could do without, but at the same time, I love music so much, and I like to just listen to it, why, in fact, I have my itunes playing Green Day right now.

I wouldn't accuse you of "evil" for the music you listen to, by the way.

Do we listen to what our soul likes or does our soul change based on what we listen to? It's been argued for centuries.

I still love all the old stuff i used to listen to. I've just found stuff i like better. I used to be big into Nelly and Ludacris because that's what my dad listened to, and that's what i was exposed to. I still like that and a lot of other rap music, but i feel music like Korn or Mushroomhead is more 'me'. But i've found that, when i looked the actual lyrics to songs up, they were relevant to stuff that'd happened in my life. Did i subconsciously pick up on the song meanings? Did my subconscious alter itself based on these songs? Who knows.

I don't know what Dance Gavin Dance is screaming about half the time, but i just like the overall aural bouquet of the music. I can pick out noises in the background that no one else probably hears (especially on my cheapass earphones).

I won't say i couldn't live without music, but i think life is better because of it. Honestly, without music i'd probably get more done. Honestly, i'm probably what some would call addicted to music.
I'm not making a very good case for myself.

Why don't i simply give up music for a week and give my thoughts?

I think that is an idea right there. Giving up music for a time, to see how that is. Really, when you go somewhere in town, or are driving (and your radio works), you are constantly bombarded with sound. And how much of that music is seeping into your subconscious? Who knows.

I listen now to a lot of mello stuff, a lot of folk rock and acoustic things. I suppose I have always listen to that, but I feel better hearing this. Is it that that music is somehow better, or is it just the drug I need?

@The Host

Oh, I wasn't in no way implying (or at least not trying to if I did) that you would. The mention of you cringing at your old favorites just made me think of some of the people my best friend often surrounds himself with at his church...
Uggh...
I don't like hardcore Christians. When I say hardcore, I mean the ones that think any and everything that doesn't have a direct praise to God in it is wrong. Like my music.

Well, as I stated in the genre thread, I listen all across the spectrum.
I have classic rock (say, some old Aerosmith), followed by some techno (Scooter, maybe), then some Lady Gaga, then some Beatles, then some Christian rock (Relient K or Skillet or something), then Atreyu, etc.

BUT... I don't have things like the Beatles and Christian rock songs on there because I feel I need to have some "cleaner" music on there to counteract all the "bad".
I simply like the songs. I listen to (and these are distinct categories, not things that are all necessary in EACH song) songs with a good beat, lyrics that speak to me, awesome guitar, or things that make me remember things and smile.

@The Host

Then that's what i'll do. I shall live for one week without:
Listening to my mp3 player
Listening to radio
Listening to music on YouTube or Project Playlist or GrooveShark
Purposely going to where music is playing

I shall keep a journal of my mental state and anything i feel is pertinent.

I will inform the Forum of my findings Monday, Jan 25. I encourage all other The Midnight members to engage in their own music-based experiments.

The Loquacity wrote:

No one cares what you think about listening to music.

Yes, that must be why this topic was made.

Oh, wait...

@The Loquacity

I care.

Kaoswin.

Good luck Infamy. You are a brave soul to do such a thing. I'm not even trying to be sarcastic or cute or something. I honestly couldn't do it. I would end up cheating because none of you would know any better. Whenever I don't have to listen and I'm not reading I am listenting to music. I don't know why but it just makes everything better when you listen to music that you enjoy.

Well, this is the beginning of Day 4 and still no intentional music-listening. Of course there is constant music exposure through television and movies and video games, but i've been limiting even these. The only noticeable change is that i feel like i'm developing ADHD. I guess i'm just used to being bombarded with visual and audio media. Perhaps i will extend it another week or implement limited media exposure (which would include this forum, sadly) into my daily life.

Because i'm really kinda tweaky at the moment.

Noticing more and smaller sounds without the constant (or even frequent) sound of music... I guess that makes sense. I bet the next time you wear headphones, you won't need to turn the volume nearly as high.

I'm thinking of getting some -good- earphones for when this spiel is over, too. Anybody know of some (cheap) good ones?

My favorite phones are made of a black, rubbery material that hooks around your ear. They're semi-flexible, and I find them very comfortable, and with good sound quality. I'll let you see em' if you manage to catch me on Monday.

EDIT: Oh, they're about $10. They're only downside: they seem to get hooked and caught on everything!

Yeah, i actually use that kind mostly.
I think the best set i ever had came with my old mp3 player. I'm thinking of using Lady Gaga's brand. Oprah seemed to like them.

That sounds totally awesome. I want a pair >_>

Miss Courtnah wrote:

That sounds totally awesome. I want a pair >_>

The ones I described, or the Gaga brand?

Gaga! But, yours sound pretty comfortable.
I hate mine... they kill my ears Dx
This weekend I must buy new ones.