Are Listeners Leaders or Followers?

I believe that most people have experience actively listening, experience with those moments when you devote your best energy and focus into taking in the music and its message. But does active listening make you a follower or a leader? Does active listening restrict you to simply following wherever the music leads?

Real active listening, as defined by the four filters framework, unlocks music's potential by allowing you to be both a leader and a follower. Many listeners who are not performing musicians don't consider themselves as "leading" the music, but I believe that you lead your listening when you choose how to listen. In other words, when you choose which listening filter to apply in the moment, you are creating a new listening experience. You are leading your own musical experience. As you intentionally choose your listening experience, you also get to follow the music. Just like feeling and thinking, leading and following work together, complementing each other to create a beautiful whole.

Listening easily stagnates when we restrict ourselves to either following or leading. While it’s easier for performing musicians to understand their role as a leader, I think it is important for listeners to know and be confident in their role as well. One of the fundamental ideas of Approaches to Listening is that choice is a determining factor in what you get out of music. For example, when you choose to listen with the critical filter you’re choosing a certain outcome from your listening experience. If you choose to only follow the music, then similarly your takeaway is wholly determined by the performance. Only when both aspects are at play can you find a more complete and meaningful music experience.

It might seem strange to consider yourself a leader when listening to music, whether it’s live, on Spotify, or on YouTube, but I ask myself, what is the alternative? As I see it, any alternative restricts your opportunity to take away as much as you want from your music. It is far better to embrace your joint roles as leader and follower. 

To learn more about our unique approach to music listening, check out the Approaches to Listening podcast. Every other week we take a deep dive into why listening matters and how to improve your own listening, whether you're a professional musician, student, or just a music lover.