iPod Impatience

Comments

1. Cody Johnson says

   March 14, 2011 at 10:47 am

   I agree for the most part…however, we tend to look through “rose colored glasses” when looking at the past.  Although there is obviously less patience in music listening, there has always been a tendency to skip forward in one way or

   another to the “hook.”  So many folks know and remember only the choruses/refrains of songs from as far back as the 30’s 40’s and 50’s.

   For example, many folks don’t know “While the storm clouds gather…” but they can sing “God bless America.”  Or, if I sing  “If you listen I’ll sing you a sweet little song…” people in retirement homes just stare blankly at me, but

   if I get to the chorus (“My wild Irish rose…”) they join right in!  

    

   I do strongly agree that live performance is suffering.  I’ve been at outdoor/casual concerts watching great musicians (of varying genres), and seen kids sitting under a tree staring into space listening to their ipods 

   and ignoring the virtuosity going on just a few feet away!  

    

   Also, technology is a mixed blessing.  Although kids don’t have to buy music as a “package” deal, they are also not at the mercy of the radio DJ anymore.  They don’t have to call and request songs and sit there waiting

   to record them off of the radio with a cassette tape!  Youth can now go to internet radio, YouTube, I-tunes, etc. and listen to underground bands that are great musicians that don’t ever get radio play.  They can also 

   access older videos and music from Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock to Mario Lanza’s great performances.

    

   It’s a new world, that’s for sure!

    

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2. Lucy Hudson Stembridge says

   March 14, 2011 at 7:28 am

   Quite true.  

   I remember, after listening to whole albums, liking some of the “non-hit” songs better than the ones promoted by the radio.

   Sometimes music needs to be received as a “package deal”  rather than “a la carte” 🙂

   We promote new music most appropriately by programming it. 

   Also, I noticed when I taught H. S. Chorus the last 5 years, that they don’t really know the songs – even the ones they “love” – because they can change too often?

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