Listening

I decided to focus on the listening aspect of music. Much like the exercise where I sat outside and didn't talk, I put on the first part of Love Supreme, closed my eyes, and made sure there were no other sounds. My goal was to really hear the music. At first, it was tough to pick out the instruments, but it quickly became easy and a short while later I felt like I was in the music. I could easily pick out each instruments and concentrate on its own rhythm. Cooler still, based on the pitch of the instrument I was listening to, I could perceive the other sounds spacially - when concentraing on the bass, for example, I felt that the tenor sax was somehow above me. It's an odd phenomenon to describe, but that is exactly how I felt. Each part became magnified when I'd focus on it but would fade into the background when I wasn't. I realized how much was going on and couldn't believe I had been almost literally not hearing all that went on in the song. Despite the limited number of instruments, so many things are happening at any moment of the song that it is impossible to hear all of them the first time through. Overall, truly listening to Coltrane's masterpiece was an awesome experience and one I intend to do again.