How do you develop taste in music?

[Bob]

Because I think I've just taken in a lot because that's what I'm supposed to know. 

I do have music I like, but it also tends to be simpler.  Song and dance.  A nice melody with rhythm.  There are other things, but I do notice that trend. 

Sometimes I'm thinking, This is "great" music because I've been told it's great.  That's another thread though -- What makes music great -- from a long time ago. 

But how do you develop taste?  And what is good?


My thinking...
Exposure.
Some type of standard about what is good based on the sound or idea.  That automatically means another style is "bad" based on those standards.

[pianochick93]

My thinking...
Exposure.
Some type of standard about what is good based on the sound or idea.  That automatically means another style is "bad" based on those standards.

Agreed with that, but also I think a sort of subconscious thing. If you saw someone being beaten up in the street, and you didn't know whether it was 'good' or 'bad' you would still have this lingering feeling that it wasn't right. That's kind of what it's like with music I suppose, you instinctively like something, for some reason you can't quite explain.

Also someone could like or not likea particular style because it reminded them of something good/bad in their past.

[mattgreenecomposer]

I think most peoples musical tasetes are acquired by the time they are 17-20 yrs old.  I still listen to many of the same things I did at that time in my life.  I just listen DIFFERENTLY than I did before.  Exposure is key I think too...

[indutrial]

I think most peoples musical tasetes are acquired by the time they are 17-20 yrs old.  I still listen to many of the same things I did at that time in my life.  I just listen DIFFERENTLY than I did before.  Exposure is key I think too...

A lot of taste comes to the fore when you start figuring out why you like certain things in music and you become more literate at contextualizing the pieces you listen to - historically, theoretically, etc..

It also doesn't hurt to nurture a measured spirit of adventure and occasionally check out some new stuff that you'd never heard of. These days, it is very easy to do that via cheap used CDs, downloading sites like EMusic, score-sharing forums, score-posting sites like copy-us.com etc.... My taste has been considerably open-ended in the past few years and I've probably discovered more amazing music to check out in the past 12 months then I'd known about in the preceding 12 years.

[Essyne]

Experimentation. Open-mindedness. Just listening and not getting caught up in all of the extraneous b.s. that society loves to sell.

Sometimes I'm thinking, This is "great" music because I've been told it's great.

I think it's funny htat at times I've been labeled a "poser" (whatever THAT means - the glorious realm of hundreds of dysfunctional teenagers packed into one institution  ) because I don't know album names or the year that something came out. I don't know that the lead singer has blonde hair or that his girlfriend died of some unknown overdose the night before. I don't even know if the Music is CONSIDERED "great" or not. Somehow, I am always oblivious to the public's idea of "greatness." It just doesn't parallel with my own ideals. I just know the Music and I know what I like/Love. I can't comprehend anything else; it's like some "learning curve" that I would abhor to have "corrected."

[Petter]

I think itīs much earlier then 17-20, more like 6-10. I remembering listening to ABBA but I felt ashamed so I had to shut the door and turn off the light. I also listened to alot of child music that was really funky with guitars and clavinets and grooves. I never realized this until later but it was the same studio musicans on all those records. And today after listening to Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Parliament and Prince I know why I like it so much.