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Critical listening and altered states

Ok, this is not a question about relaxing, but about listening to evaluate how the system (or a piece of gear is sounding).

What, in your experience, are the pluses and minuses of altering your state of mind for listening? This can include anything you've used to affect your everyday state of mind, from coffee, beer, scotch, tobacco, to much stronger — and psychoactive, dissociative — additives.

What do you gain by altering your consciousness in terms of what you notice, attend to, linger on, etc?
What causes more details to emerge?
What allows you to stick with a thread or, alternately, make new connections?

Or perhaps you like to keep all those things *out* of your listening; if that's you, please say a bit about why.

128x128hilde45
dynacohum
645 posts
 
My audio journey was launched sober, but really took off on pot. There was a barrier to listening vs. being “convinced” that pot seemed to help remove. I no longer partake, and my tinnitus prevents me from trusting my judgement on what sounds best, but I can fairly say my best years as an audiophile were spent high.
And nitrous oxide? There’s a barrier buster!
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sgreg1
612 posts
 
I will take this topic to a different point of view. In the past have I enjoyed getting drunk, stoned, or both together yes I have. Have I enjoyed listening to music in that state of mind yes. But now as I have aged and refrained from the mind altering aids in an effort to increase my health I now have the ability to use my system and the music as my “high”. My room my system the music is my get away from the issues that life can toss at me. Every now and then I will think a quick hit of weed would be interesting but then a half hour into a good artist and album quickly gives me the mind altering get away that I am looking for with no weed needed.
Enjoy the music any way you can get it!
streamerdude
54 posts
 
Back in the late sixties-early seventies I thought ( as so many did too) that listening to music required an altered state. It took my mind away from the “ engineering mode” and allowed me to just indulge in the music. It was nice while it lasted.
coys21
62 posts
 
@mikelavigne Thanks! Very generous and much appreciated.
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