
Music is in the background, and we hear it, but we are not listening to it.

The illustration below best describes the differences between hearing and listening as it applies to music.

As you read on, you will find there are distinct differences between these two words. In other words, hearing is through the ears, but listening is through the mind. Listening takes what you hear and organizes it through the brain for you to make sense of it. It did take a while for it to sink in though. How many times have you heard someone say “Are You Listening To Me”? I remember my mom and teachers saying that to me for years. For us, the sound is natural, automatic, and inevitable.įirst of all, hearing is the perception of sound through our ears.

Yet, we take for granted the function our ears provide. It was a “late bloomer“ and was preceded by the more developed senses of vision, touch, taste, and smell. Hearing, it seems, was a sense that was slow to develop in the evolution of man. This means that, at zero cost to you, this site may earn an affiliate commission if you click through and finalize a purchase. Some of the links below are affiliate links.
