Listen Up And Listen Good

We've all heard of speed reading. Maybe you've even learned how to speed read. At the very least, you likely have thought it was a good idea. Reading is an important business skill -- many business leaders even pride themselves on their reading speed and comprehension.

Wouldn't it be great if we could take a ‘speed listening’ course, one that would teach us to hear 'faster'? That way we’d be able to catch just about any turn in the road and respond immediately. Alas, there is no comparable speed-up program for listening skills. But do not despair. While there doesn't appear to be a body of resources on speed listening, we can apply some of the principles of speed reading to our listening habits.

Just the Facts
Speed reading begins by examining the material with a focus on picking out the highlights while passing over the minor details -- articles, adjectives, filler, etc. That way you're only spending effort on the most meaningful bits. Done well, this can increase both reading speed and comprehension. 

Music too has important bits and less important bits. The lesser bits will usually take care of themselves. That leaves you free to concentrate on the more important parts: structure, chord changes, phrasing, unique or repeated lines, dynamics, energy levels, changes in direction, other musicians' contribution.

Focus on Focus
If you try to focus on everything, you'll be overloaded and will miss out on a lot. Instead, work with the 'gestalt' -- those features that rise above the milieu. That will make it easier to respond to the more interesting things when they happen. If the guitarist is wailing, you can direct your energy to supporting that and almost ignore the bass player for a bit.

Listen Actively
Practice moving your attention from instrument to instrument. Listen to see how each band member contributes to the whole. A simple exercise is to simply name the orchestration --  which instruments are playing? And don't forget to listen to yourself.

Do It Full Time
... not just on the band stand or during rehearsal. Actively listening to the house music at a busy coffee shop or shopping mall is an interesting exercise.

Use the Available Tools
Charts and lead sheets can help you identify what sort of things to listen for: melodic lines, sections, figures, etc. Listen to and analyze good music as much as you can. Take notes to help lock your observations into memory.

Will your improved listening skills turn you into The Flash -- dominating your drum set and responding in a microsecond? Likely not, but you’ll be better prepared to hear the things you need to hear when you need to hear them, and sometimes even before you hear them!