When you listen to your favorite music, what parts do you listen to closely? For me, I’m a heavy metal fanatic, so sometimes I like to listen to the bassline or the drums, but I also enjoy the rapid guitar shreds and other elements. I don’t really listen to the vocals, especially if they are not presented as clean singing, but as Cookie-monster-esque grunting. Since I also enjoy progressive rock I enjoy listening to the complex rhythms and song structures. Sometimes the organ used in early Genesis, ELP and Yes music grabs me, and sometimes I listen to the lyrics more closely. In any case, with any music, I am apt to note the key in which it is played, being that I have perfect pitch. Metallica is heavy on E tunings, whereas a lot of bands that detune tend to play in C.
- Lyrics.
- Guitar solos. Fast does not impress me, though.
- Bass line (alas, with iPods, this is often impossible)
- Drums (if I can’t hear the bass).