Critical listening and altered states

Sigh. Wrong again. Ok, I give up.

Instead, a koan:

The words all flow,
Yet meaning hides in the prose,
Mind in tangled knot.

And a limerick:

There once was a poster online,
Whose temper was awfully inclined
To flare at a tweet,
Then stomp tiny feet,
And call his profundity divine.
 

Yes, you were wrong again...

Because you insinuated  that i had claimed that my system was without defects nor limitations..

I explained why this is false...

 Acoustics do not replace  high end gear...

it only optimized  piece of gear this is why the concept of acoustic balance matter over price...You cannot replace acoustics basics with more costly gear upgrade... Design of gear and acoustics are 2 different matter... It is common place fact...Suggesting that i claimed the opposite is "bad faith"...You cannot replace better designed gear improvement by acoustics improvement...

To save your face now you throw me sarcasms and innuendos as usual..

I called that  "petty mind"...

A poem for you  :

Now if we forgot sarcasms and  ad hominem attacks in poetical form or not,

 We can say using science that "critical state" of listening in audio and music is determined by evaluation of "timbre" micro-dynamics and meanings...

 It is why my point about acoustics and "altered states"  is not just  about beers and pot...

 Here an interesting article about that...

https://www.mcgill.ca/mpcl/files/mpcl/wang_2021_frontpsychol.pdf

«Timbre is one of the psychophysical cues that has a great impact on affect perception, although, it has not been the subject of much cross-cultural research. Our aim is to investigate the influence of timbre on the perception of affect conveyed by Western and Chinese classical music using a cross-cultural approach...

 The
results show that the important acoustic features for valence and energy arousal are similar, which are related mostly to spectral variation, the shape of the temporal envelope,and the dynamic range. The important acoustic features for tension arousal describe the shape of the spectral envelope, noisiness, and the shape of the temporal envelope. The explanation for the similarity of perceived affect ratings between instruments is the similar acoustic features that were caused by the physical characteristics of specific instruments and performing techniques.»

 What is called in this article "tension arousal" perception is an "altered states" of perception of music  in which we can reach a level of ectasy.

This is why "timbre" perception parameters in a system /room matter so much in audio and music.

 But i can take a beer or a bit of pot time to time...

The goal with a good acoustics condition and a beer is to eliminate the unwanted "critical listenings" attitude when listening music to immerse ourselves in it...

An interesting deep scientific discovery about "timbre" meaning for music evaluation and perception :

«The mathematical rules for creating musical harmony may be more malleable than thought.

Western music theory traditionally holds that chords sound most pleasant when they contain notes separated by certain intervals (SN: 5/9/23). Namely, intervals where the notes’ frequencies have simple ratios — like 2:1 (an octave) or 3:2 (a fifth).

But new research reveals that people’s actual preferred harmonies depend on the timbre of the notes. Timbre is the distinct flavor of sound produced by specific instruments — the reason that the same note played at the same volume sounds different on the piano, guitar or gong.»

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/timbre-harmony-music-scales-culture

 All this demonstrate how much acoustics perception of timbre determine the way we will lived through the musical performance a positive "altered states" or a negative "altered states" of experience. Critical listening instead of ecstasy.

I forgot to say to our "text sarcastic corrector" that this poem:

Instead, a koan:

The words all flow,
Yet meaning hides in the prose,
Mind in tangled knot.

 This poem Is not a Koan, because a koan in zen practice is always a "non sensical question"  given by the master to the pupil to remove the mind from his habitual limits or ratio...

Our friend here has written a "hai-ku", a traditional 3 lines poem determined by a syllabes count,  which he conflated with a koan in his hurry to mock my post about acoustics and answer my koan by a bad poetry of his own...

 But what i wrote myself  above is an acoustic Koan :

What is the sound of a bell ringing in a cage with no air ?

A koan is often a question impossible to answer...

The bad haiku written above is only a sarcasm directed to me...

 The "corrector" is then corrected....

I just asked Generative AI for more information on Musical Absorption. This is what it came up with.

Musical absorption refers to a state of heightened attention and altered consciousness where individuals become deeply immersed in music, experiencing a sense of being moved and transformed. This state can involve both intense focus and a sense of detachment from external reality.

Here’s a more detailed look:

Key Characteristics of Musical Absorption:
    Intense Focus:
    Listeners become intensely focused on the music, often to the exclusion of other stimuli.

Sense of Alteration:
There’s a subjective experience of being affected or changed by the music, potentially leading to emotional responses like awe, connectedness, or feeling moved.

Loss of Self-Consciousness:
Some individuals report a temporary loss of self-consciousness or a sense of being "lost in the music," according to research on the topic.

Time Distortion:
The perception of time can be altered, with minutes feeling like seconds or vice versa.

Positive Transformation:
Many individuals report experiencing a sense of positive transformation or a feeling of being moved by the music.

How it relates to altered states of consciousness:
    Not a single state:
    Musical absorption can encompass a range of experiences, from focused listening to more intense states where self-awareness is diminished.

Connection to neural entrainment:
Some studies suggest that the rhythmic nature of music can influence brainwave activity, potentially leading to altered states.

Distinct from mind-wandering:
Musical absorption is distinct from mind-wandering, where attention drifts away from the task at hand.

Potential for therapeutic applications:
Understanding the effects of musical absorption could lead to new therapeutic approaches for managing stress, anxiety, and other conditions.

In essence, musical absorption is a fascinating phenomenon where music can profoundly alter an individual’s state of consciousness, creating a unique blend of heightened attention, emotional response, and a sense of being transported to another realm.

I am thinking that musical absorption is better description of what we audiophiles do than critical listening.