「spotifyじゃなくて、CD聴きたいの？かけるね。」って僕
「いいね、CDはなんとなくロマンティックだ」って彼女

I never thought of it specifically like that. With Spotify, youtube, or iTunes, we can choose any song, musician or genre we’d like and get results instantly. Not just online, but everywhere else we go, our ears are exposed to so many sounds, it’s rare that we choose exactly what to listen to. Even these streaming services automatically change to some suggested music the moment our selection ends.

Availability and convenience seem to trump everything else. I’m constantly confronted with skip buttons, fast passes, autofill, swipe left, swipe right. In a world used to this, I can understand why many people would avoid Listening to a CD. It’s a process!

First, select the CD you’d like to listen to. Keep in mind that setting up the player, inserting the CD, and starting it are all going to take some time. Also, CDs typically range from 10 minutes to over an hour depending on whether they are a single, an EP, or a full album.

Second, take the CD out of its case without damaging it. As many of my CDs can attest to, especially those from my high school days, they do not like to be scratched. And make sure you don’t lose the case! It’s vital for the protection of these discs. They also house the CD pamphlets, which are usually filled with track lists, lyrics, band bios, pictures, and more.

Last, hit play and listen.

Sitting there and listening may seem like a daunting task. You might ask, “what if I want to skip to my favorite song?” Well, you’re going to have to press the ‘skip’ button on the player. But why hurry? The artists put the songs in this order for a reason.

Music is fun, but don’t take it lightly. Committing yourself to a physical CD is a big responsibility. Not only is it a manifestation of the musician’s art, but also think of how hard it and the player are working together to read and produce the sound you want to hear.

Given the time and energy put into these steps, let alone the storage and care for the CDs and the player, it’s no wonder she thinks listening to a CD is romantic. The action is deliberate, physical, and time consuming. But it’s real. Evidence of the music is there. No skipping to another playlist, no closing the tab, and no swiping left.

#音楽 #CD #music #ロマンティック