Is There a Right Way to Listen to Music?

(Part 2 of The Science & Art of Listening series)

Listen Up!

“Most of us hear music. But truly listening—the kind that makes your skin tingle, the goosebump stuff — that my friend, is an art.” I’ve been in the audio, music and broadcasting space forever. In the Jurassic Park of Indian broadcasting, I suppose I’m the Stegosaurus—chronologically, at least. My taste, however, keeps evolving with every cultural zeitgeist. I’m a walking talking sonic sponge and no artist /band or genre will go unsampled. So yes, I do a lot of listening. Notice I said ‘listening’ not ‘hearing’.

Hearing is casual. Listening is immersive. Hearing music is what happens when you are hanging at your local Café and the playlist blends with your whiffs of Americano or when you hear the snip snip of your barbers’ clippers in sync with his Bollywood playlist.

So, think about it, when was the last time you sat and listened to a song without multitasking?

I Hear But I Ain’t Listening

Here’s an everyday metaphor. A teenager hears their mother say:“Get off your device. Eat at the table. Do your homework. Pick up your socks…”None of it lands. It all becomes background noise.

Until, of course, the volume spikes, the tone sharpens, and consequences are invoked. Suddenly attention is engaged. That shift—when passive sound becomes active signal—is what listening is.

Listening is active. It is voluntary. It requires attention, intention, and often, emotion.

It’s a Science.

When I listen—whether to music, podcasts, or audiobooks—I’m not chasing “audiophile perfection” with crazy expensive gear (though I’ll happily drool over it). Instead, I prize clarity, precision, and intimacy.

That’s why I prefer closed-back headphones. For me, listening is a private ritual, a solitary immersion. Others prefer communal, loud, thumping experiences. Some chase every nuance, others, pure energy. And that’s the point—each brain lights up differently.

Neuroscience shows that active listening lights up the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain that governs focus, memory, and decision-making. The act of paying attention to a piece of sound—whether it’s the microsecond pause in a rapper’s phrasing, the delicate pluck of a sitar string, or the raspy laugh of a podcast host—sharpens perception itself.

And let’s not exclude the new sound frontier: ASMR. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response—those whispers, taps, and brushes that dominate reels and TikTok’s — neurological stimulation that’s been racking up the likes on digital content. Similarly, the rise of micro-listening—30-second reels, music hooks, viral Tik Tok beats—has changed how music is composed and consumed. It’s fast, it’s addictive, and a reminder: the brain responds even to fragments of sound.

Active listening strengthens attention, deepens perception, and even sharpens memory. It literally rewires us to notice more.

How Environment Shapes What You Hear

Back in the analogue days, we’d record a track in the studio, then test it in a car stereo. It was a way of asking: How does this sound in the real world? That taught me a vital lesson—space changes sound.

Acoustics matter. A room with irregular surfaces scatters echoes; a flat, bare one magnifies them. In urban life, background noise is the enemy of detail. Placement matters too—your position relative to speakers can radically alter your experience.

So, if you’re setting up a home system, don’t just think about gear. Think about the room itself. A little trial and error with equipment placement —or, better still, guidance from an audiophile—can transform how your music breathes.

The Role of Equipment

Hardware and software form the ecosystem of your listening experience. Piece of advice - think in systems, not trophies. These might help you decide your optimal audio ecosystem:

• The Source: FLAC (lossless) files preserve every micro-detail; MP3s compress. Do you crave fidelity, or is convenience enough?

• The Player: Smartphones are stellar for streaming, but dedicated digital audio players (DAPs) optimize purely for sound.

• Speakers & Headphones: These are the make-or-break components. They don’t just deliver sound; they shape it. A poor set cannot be redeemed by an expensive amp. Invest wisely here.

Ultimately, the gear should serve the music, not overshadow it.

Keep it Mindful.

Want to practice listening? Try this:

1. Pick a song you love but haven’t dissected before.

2. Sit in a quiet space.

3. Close your eyes. Focus on one element—vocals, bass, percussion.

4. Notice your body’s response. Where do you feel the shifts?

5. Reflect. Did you discover something you’d never heard before?
   

This simple act transforms hearing into listening and listening into experience.

Intentional Listening – Turn On, Tune In

Intentional listening isn’t just about music or sound. It’s a life skill. It fosters empathy, sharpens communication, and deepens relationships. Good listeners become better friends, stronger leaders, and wiser storytellers.

And musically? A single song, heard with attention, can lift a mood, unlock a memory, or inspire action.

So Let’s Experience Differently.

Think of those collective moments: vibing with Swifties at an album launch, or sitting by the Ganges in Rishikesh, hearing the Beatles’ “Now & Then” with industry peers, or stomping to the nasty beats of Hanumankind’s Big Dawg at Lolla India. In those spaces, co listening becomes collective shared experiences!

But also—think smaller. That reel you looped ad nauseum? The 15-second ear worm? That’s listening too, just refracted through digital culture. Our listening experiences can now range from the primordial drum circle to the algorithmic dopamine loop. Both have their place in our current soundscape.

So, there is no single right way to process music. There is however, only one rule: don’t just hear it. Listen.

Next in the Series

Part 3 – Designing the Ideal Home Audio System.

If you’re ready to hear every detail, you’ll need the right setup. Let’s design it together.