I have a friend that doesn't understand qualities of music to well. Let me give some examples.
He believes panning is how imaging in controlled. While that is partially true, you can't just pan in order to redefine imaging. When you try to do that you just make something quieter or louder, a bit unbalanced sounding.
He thinks an equalizer can fix something like a brittle attribute to sound from a piece of equipment. His idea is that you can adjust the frequencies making the brittle sound. We know the truth is that equalizers don't change the quality, the brittle sound, but rather just adjust volume of it in specific ranges. (he also thinks I need to put a rug on my wood floor... whatever, maybe if I had concrete, I'm not a big room treater unless something like a window is interfering with imaging, as I'm not very sensitive to light frequency peaks and dips)
At large I have difficulty talking about the quality of the music not associated with frequency dips and spikes, panning, and stuff like that. The tonal characteristics, separation (accuracy of small detail), etc, are how I think of music sounding good or bad; how engaging it happens to be. But I haven't much an understanding how to explain this to someone who has only been taught super basic concepts. My friends don't know anything about electronics so explaining that amplifiers are made to specific harmonics would be... well forget it.
Maybe a list of terms would help?
Perhaps if I can conquer this, perhaps I can explain why Sgt. Peppers bloody hurts my ears. It isn't the frequencies specifically, it isn't the notes, it isn't the lyrics, it isn't the rhythm, it is the characteristics of the recording and mastering equipment that makes it unlistenable to myself. It hurts my ears. No one ever understands that. It is infuriating to explain "the sound of it hurts my ears" and to have that put into context of the music itself. The music is fine, but the sound, what I physically hear (not what I think about it) hurts. Its like I am a god damn alien when I say that. Just like two other albums make me angry even though I enjoy the lyrics and beats (hip hop album); I just find myself getting upset for no reason but when I turn it off it goes away.
*A funny note. Recently I upgraded capacitors in my phono pre-amp. One friend thinks the sounds isn't as good, the treble is bothersome. I know what happened is it unveiled the flaw in my metal platter with a felt pad on the turntable. This friend thinks I changed something that the person mastering (all albums) intended to be heard like it was with the cheap capacitors. The idea being I revealed too much supposedly. Trying to explain if I went from a 5% capacitor to a 1% capacitor (or whatever) is just going to reveal more, make it closer to what the mastering studio wanted, didn't go well. Conceptually this person thinks that mastering studios master based on where the album will be played. We know that only happens in some extreme circumstances and most don't bother because it sucks even on an Ipod typically. (sounds justifiable but the results always suck)
