[nathanm]

This post from the VMPS circle reminded me of something.  In summation the poster wanted to sell his 2-channel speakers and get a home theater setup.

I can understand Tirade's trade off.  He's in the time of life where a hobby that may have an isolating affect is less desirable than unselfishly spending his resources on something from which they all can benefit. (emphasis mine-NM)  And besides, someone is going to become very happy with his speakers.  It's probably going to create good long-term audio karma.

(note: this is all merely a philosophical question directed at anyone, not a challenge towards ohenry's post per se)

So the assumption is that the owner only benefits from the stereo speakers whereas the whole family benefits from surround\TV.

So why is this the case? Why is listening to music a solitary activity and watching a movie a social\family thing?  Why don't friends get together to listen to music?  You always hear about people watching movies together but rarely music.  Why is that I wonder?  Why is music so much more seemingly personal than film?  Outside of an audiophile gathering where the emphasis is on equipment and technical matters, has anyone ever socially listened to music with other people?  You know, like have people over for dinner and then listen to music instead of watching a movie?  It isn't anything I've ever heard of, but maybe others have.

[Tweaker]

Music is very personal. Not likely everyone in a family will share the same tastes. Not hard to find movies everyone can enjoy,however. Plus movies go beyond just listening, it engages more senses.
 And not everyone can sit and truly listen to music. Most people I know listen because they can't stand quiet. How many people do you know who can sit still and not talk or otherwise distract themselves for any length of time. It's part of the reason cell phones are so (goddamned) popular. When I listen that is all I do, I'm not also reading a paper or book or talking, or watching tv, etc. It's rare my wife will join me when I do, and when she does she often will spoil the experience by chit-chatting the while. I love my wife, I tolerate it, but it spoils the experience.

[maxwalrath]

I have some friends that are into accapella and mess around with a few instruments...guitars, keyboards and hand percussion instruments. This is very cool at some times (other times the spontaneous song singing can drive me %*&#^ nuts   ), and those guys are sometimes ready to listen to tunes. They're attention span for it is definitely shorter than mine though.

Another guy I know grew up going to concerts and jazz shows all his life. He'll come over and be completely entertained for hours playing CD's on my system.

[John Ashman]

So why is this the case? Why is listening to music a solitary activity and watching a movie a social\family thing?

Sweetspot for one.  HT has a big sweetspot, music does not.  Music is about personal taste and mood.  Movies are "events".  Each movie is something new and anticipated.  Imagine trying to round up the kids to hear Rush 2112 because that's what *you* are in the mood to hear.  

Why don't friends get together to listen to music?

Because music is a personal, mood-related experience.  Friends get together to listen to *stereo systems*, but rarely to experience music.  You might as well ask why friends don't call each other up for an orgy.  There are probably more orgies every day than music sessions

You always hear about people watching movies together but rarely music. Why is that I wonder?

There is anticipation to a movie.  I suppose there *could* be to a new CD, but for every movie, there must be 100 CDs.  Music is a more personal thing.  It often that the first time you hear a CD, it is not as enjoyable as the 10th or 20th time you hear it.  But with movies, the first time is the best time (unless it's Monty Python).  

Why is music so much more seemingly personal than film?

Because it's all about emotion.  Film is a story.  

Outside of an audiophile gathering where the emphasis is on equipment and technical matters, has anyone ever socially listened to music with other people? You know, like have people over for dinner and then listen to music instead of watching a movie?

Not really!  But how many people are in a [old] Marillion mood at any given time?

[warnerwh]

I can enjoy the music the most with the least distractions.  I've enjoyed music with others in the room but it's not nearly as intense.  Also as mentioned before most people can't sit down and just listen to music which makes us a somewhat unique bunch I guess.  My fiance said she asked a coworker, also an audiophile, if he could just sit and listen to music for hours. His answer: "yup".  Apparently she thought it odd what I do, which makes us even.

[jules]

Nathanm,

Great Post!

If solitary is less desirable than social then maybe we have to burn all the books [not again, sigh].

Maybe a sub-set to your question is "why is audiophillia a male domain"? In some ways I think this has already been answered by the idea of "listening to systems" rather than music. The "mine's bigger than your's" element is somtimes embarrasingly present.

Still, all of this doesn't seem to lead to selling off your sound system. In my household everyone is enthusiastic about [different forms of] music and what would life be without it?

jules

[maxwalrath]

Jules, to agree with you, I think audiophilia is a male dominated hobby because of our collecting hobbies as kids. Everyone my age was into baseball cards, comic books, video games, cooler bikes and skateboards, etc....meaning a value was placed on newer (or higher performance) stuff.

I really don't know what the ladies were up to when I was 10-12, but I'm pretty sure that (in general) the average girl didn't have any idea about why we were so obsessed with our toys.

[nathanm]

Perhaps if visual information is being offered then more than one person can be involved.  Because at a concert you've got hundreds of people experiencing the mood and emotion of music in a group, but you have the visual of the people playing on stage.  Same thing with movies, you've got sound but also picture.  Apparently if there's nothing to look at we don't want other people involved in the experience.

Perhaps people feel nervous or uncomfortable if they are in a room with others are there's no clear object for their eyes to focus on.  Heck, that can be a factor even when you're alone.  I always like music better when the visuals are addressed.  I can't get too involved if the room itself is cluttered.  A darkened room helps a lot.  A flickering candle in the room can also give a visual focus point.  Then again, a bunch of guys in a candlelit room, tearfully listening to Diana Krall might...well...you know...  Not that there's anything wrong with that!

What about a concert DVD?  Would people watch one of those in a group setting?

[jermmd]

Nathanm,

What a fascinating post and very true IMO. I don't believe the lack of visual input is the reason music is a solitary endeavor. It has more to do with mood and taste as stated above. Music is a little like reading where interpretation, mood, and personal experience all contribute. You can read aloud to people and make it a social thing but mainly you do it alone. Home theater has already been interpreted by the director and requires less intellectual work. It is therefore interesting to a wider group of people.

Joe M.

[Carlman]

Movies grab your attention and hold it.... even if it sucks.  It's the combination of music, words, story, and visual candy that engages people... ALL people.  Movies are the new storyteller.  If there was no television, people would likely tell stories to each other rather than listen to music... even live.

Incorporate music into a story and you have a theatrical performance... which could be recorded... and bam! you have a movie.

Anyway, yes, I think people would likely sit around and watch a concert... especially if it's a commonly experienced one.  You know, like that Kiss concert where they passed around the cup and we all spat in it.. and they drank it! Holy crap, man... that was awesome!

This experience might be considered similar to looking at a photo album.  I think watching movies is a lot like getting to see a photo album in general.  It's all story telling with lots of visual information.  MOST people are visually stimulated... especially men.  So, I find it odd that women aren't more into listening to music... but my guess is that they're not especially auditorily stimulated.

-C

[jermmd]

Quote: Carlman said:
Anyway, yes, I think people would likely sit around and watch a concert... especially if it's a commonly experienced one. You know, like that Kiss concert where they passed around the cup and we all spat in it.. and they drank it! Holy crap, man... that was awesome!


That didn't really happen, did it?

[jules]

Nathan,

Maybe HT isn't social at all. What this totally involving medium allows you to do is to totally ignore the person sitting next to you. I don't deny there's the shared experience factor afterwards and that can lead to interaction. I wonder how often that's the case though.

HT as a family entertainment is primarily going to work when parents and their children watch kids movies together. The reverse doesn't work all that well because adult movies just don't work for kids. There's a sort of "share it with your friends" factor at the moment but this is surely going to weaken as HT infiltrates more homes.

Maybe one point here is that listening to music is a minority activity.

I seriously doubt that women are less interested in music than men. A survey of any concert or live performance doesn't show any sort of imbalance like that. If women are less a part of music in the home then maybe it's time to exorcise the WAF factor with some equipment that has universal appeal. [on this one congratulations to Klaus at Odyssey for his wall panel speakers]. To my eye a lot of audio equipment fits into the rooms it's used in about as well as an high tech washing machine. Involvement at the time of purchase is a good starting point for ongoing interest.

jules

[rmihai0]

Both of them are or are not in equal measure. What is anti-social first of all? Is better to listen music or watch movies or is better to hand in discos or bars?