Do you listen to the whole soundtrack?

[welshslider 2]

So as a self confessed Soundtrack fan I have a good soundtrack collection. Personally I dont listen to the whole soundtrack of each CD. Sometimes I must confess I will listen to the opening and closing credits of some film scores.

Just curious really if you are the same or listen to the whole thing?

[Quintus 5,399]

It depends on the overall quality of the score. If I like every cue (rare), I'll listen to everything. If not, I just listen to the cues I enjoy.

[Marian Schedenig 8,261]

Sometimes I pick highlights, when I'm not in the mood to listen to something for more than a few minutes or can't decide what to play or don't have enough time. But usually I listen to the whole thing; after all, I normally wouldn't listen to just the middle 5 minutes of a symphony either.

[Wojo 2,453]

But as symphonies go, sometimes I enjoy a particular movement more than another. Usually the first movement or the finale, which would be akin to enjoying the opening and closing credits more than the bulk of the score. By not being limited to trying to match onscreen action, a composer can flesh out concert arrangements of the major themes presented during the film. Williams and Goldsmith scores often have their most interesting or most necessary music in the opening and closing credits, which are what casual fans go for.

I sometimes skip over source cues, concert arrangements, or alternate takes when listening. Return of the Jedi, Superman, Star Trek V, Dead Man's Chest, Doctor Zhivago, and Ben-Hur all present at least one or two tracks that are worth skipping over or omitting entirely from a listening experience.

[Olivier 5]

It does depend a lot; I guess I play most of my CDs entirely, though I may stop before a song or some such thing.

Computers have evolved to such a point that listening to music has become a lot easier.

If I only want one specific track, whether I'm in the mood for this one only and/or have time for this one only, or several tracks in a certain genre (action, quiet, ...), I can play the tracks I have copied onto my hard drive-- which makes things infinitely easier when you want to play a series of tracks from different scores.

I have a few ready-ot-play playlists, as a matter of fact.

On CD, whenever I am not interested in playing the full CD because it features uninteresting songs at the very beginning or end or even right in the middle, I burn a new copy.

I suppose you were more concerned with the actual scores.

In some cases, I may indeed want to burn a copy that omits a few score tracks (source cues or that horrible "knight bus" track from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). It's not very frequent, though, compared to the number of CDs I have.

[Wojo 2,453]

And if you listen to a vast amount of music on shuffle, listening to the whole CD/soundtrack becomes a moot point, unless you rip entire discs as one track, which is silly.

Although if two or more tracks do run together on disc, I'll rip them as a single track so they don't get separated by shuffle or have that split-second gap caused by many MP3 CD players.

[Marian Schedenig 8,261]

But as symphonies go, sometimes I enjoy a particular movement more than another.

Yes. But even then, I usually play the whole thing. It's a more balanced experience, and if you really wanted to listen to just highlights all day long, why stop at cue boundaries, you could just pick your favourite 20 seconds out of each cue and loop those.

But also, just because I like some parts of a work more than others doesn't mean that's necessarily the final outcome. For example, at first I only really liked the big thematic cues in Jurassic Park, whereas after many listens, I suddenly started appreciating the action writing, which I now rate just as highly as the rest of the score.

[Wojo 2,453]

Hahaha. Editing a track to get to only the couple seconds you like more than others sounds like a whole lot of work.

Next you're gonna tell me to edit it down to the note I like best and just loop that.

Oh wait. Joker's new theme. My, that Hans Zimmer is so clever and crafty to think of doing that first.

[Marian Schedenig 8,261]

Although if two or more tracks do run together on disc, I'll rip them as a single track so they don't get separated by shuffle or have that split-second gap caused by many MP3 CD players.

Caused by the MP3 format, actually. All players can do is guess and eliminate any silence at the start and end of tracks. Just now, there was a big razzia at a German radio show where they confiscated unlicensed MP3 players. The industry is seriously f*cked up if they still keep producing hardware (and software) that only supports patented, limited formats when the better solutions are available for free.

[Marian Schedenig 8,261]

Right. Sometimes the more often you listen to something, it grows on you. Or you grow tired of it.

Tastes change over time.

I'd go even further and say: I still rank Williams among my favourite composers, and I still count Star Wars & co among my favourite scores - but I rarely listen to them these days. I've played them so often that even though I like them just as well as I used to, I don't usually feel like listening to them right now. When I put on a Williams score, these days it's usually stuff like Amistad.

[Luke Skywalker 1,813]

i always hear complete CDs

[Richard Penna 3,782]

I rarely listen to a complete OST. Usually clumps of tracks or there might be a specific one I want to listen to.

[welshslider 2]

The reason I asked this question is recently I have attempted to organize my MP3 player which holds all my soundtrack collection amongst others.

On my mp3 player I can rate up to 5 stars for each track. I am rating each track from 5 stars - AMAZING TRACK to 1 star - DELETE from mp3 player

I kind of feel a bit guilty if I delete a few tracks from an album thinking I may miss the whole picture but then I guess I will be left with an mp3 player with all tracks I want to listen to. Heres an example using Jurassic Park Album.

1. Opening Titles - KEEP

2. Theme From Jurassic Park - KEEP

3. Incident at Isla Nublar - KEEP

4. Journey to the Island - KEEP - 5 Stars

5. The Raptor Attack Possible Delete

6. Hatching Baby Raptor Possible Delete

7. Welcome to Jurassic Park - KEEP 5 Stars

8. My Friend, The Brachiosaurus - KEEP

9. Dennis Steals the Embryos Possible Delete

10. A Tree for My Bed - KEEP

11. High-Wire Stunts Possible Delete

12. Remembering Petticoat Lane Possible Delete

13. Jurassic Park Gate - KEEP

14. Eye to Eye Possible Delete

15. T-Rex Rescue and Finale - KEEP

16. End Credits - KEEP 5 Stars

Some albums I may purge down to the opening and closing credits so could end up worse than above.

[King Mark 3,631]

i depends on individual scores. Lots of Goldsmith are of the "Main Title -Main Set Piece-Finale-End Credits " variety

I NEVER delete tracks from my library

[Trent B 337]

I generally listen to a score all the way through. Though sometimes I will only listen to certain tracks.

[Richard Penna 3,782]

Possibly deleting tracks 5 and 12? Are you mad? They're two of the most beautiful cues on the album IMO.

I frequently delete individual cues from a playlist if I don't like them and they're not too important to the overall experience of the score.

[Red 75]

I always give a soundtrack one full run-through, but after that I tend only to listen to my favorite tracks (most of the time after I've put it into my computer). It would be foolish not to hear it all the way through at least once.

Rabbit--also never deletes tracks

[Richard Penna 3,782]

Well obviously yes. I tend to listen through once, and if there's any cue I listen to and either don't feel anything, or is just boring, I delete it there and then. If only one cue out of a 30 track album is dull though (doesn't happen very often), I would keep it for completism unless it was a source cue/song.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Listen to once, then re-listen to the highlight cues, which go into a playlist. However, there is an occasional score that I will or have to listen to all the way through, because I love all the tracks. Ex. Prisoner Of Azkaban, Michael Clayton, The Assassination Of Jesse James..., etc.

[welshslider 2]

Possibly deleting tracks 5 and 12? Are you mad? They're two of the most beautiful cues on the album IMO.

I frequently delete individual cues from a playlist if I don't like them and they're not too important to the overall experience of the score.

Right. Off to listen to those tracks.

[welshslider 2]

Keeping Petticoat lane. Track 12

[Red 75]

Deleting that many tracks from a score that size (and good) isn't very admirable.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Is he deleting them from his library or from his playlist? Two very different things.

[welshslider 2]

Only from my mp3 player. Not from my collection. I own the CDs but for lack of gigabyte space I have to do this and feel that an mp3 player with the ones I like wll be more enjoyable for me. Saying that when listening to the CD I do skip some tracks which is why I was curious to what peoples listening habits are

[Quintus 5,399]

11. High-Wire Stunts. Possible Delete

Wow, I love that cue. The brass flourishes alone are worth a place on any JW fan's hard drive.

EDIT: You added specifics just before I posted, in which case it is perfectly fine to pick and choose what to have on your mp3 player.

[welshslider 2]

11. High-Wire Stunts. Possible Delete

Wow, I love that cue. The brass flourishes alone are worth a place on any JW fan's hard drive.

I should do this more. It seems when someone points out a track they think is good I listen to it again. Maybe its because we are discussing the album I dont know but I have to agree with you. Thats two tracks now. Actually you are right that cue is superb.

[John Crichton 4]

I always listen to whole scores proper, but I'll occasionally skip bonus tracks (alternates, source, etc) depending on my mood.

[Marian Schedenig 8,261]

I should do this more. It seems when someone points out a track they think is good I listen to it again. Maybe its because we are discussing the album I dont know but I have to agree with you. Thats two tracks now. Actually you are right that cue is superb.

It's one of Williams' best cues from the 90s.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

How one can contemplate deleting anything from Jurassic Park eludes me.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,784]

I often listen to the whole thing, but highlights when I want to.

[Olivier 5]

- Marian -

I have the same "problem" with such scores as Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and all my other 30 or so first CDs, which got played multiple endlessly for some time, until the collection started growing a bit more regularly.

I am so familiar with these scores that I hardly listen to them, though I do think once in a while of playing them but eventually often do not. On the other hand, it has now been so long since I listened to the whole (first three) Star Wars that it will be a very refreshing experience to play them again.

- Welshslider -

I did exactly that with many scores; I picked my favorite tracks to copy them onto my laptop's hard drive. In some cases, I eventually added some more, sometimes completing the album. Drive space is a serious issue.

But then, this may also help make the complete CD experience quite unique and refreshing (just as I noted above) if you alternate between playing a selection of mp3 tracks and the whole CD.

[Trent B 337]

As I said generally I'll listen to a whole score, especially if it's a complete score. If it's an OST sometimes I'll just pick my favorite cues from the OST to listen to. For a complete score I'd rather listen to the whole thing all the way through, it makes the listening experience more enjoyable in my opinion.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Drive space is a serious issue.

An issue that is easy to resolve. Buy an external hard drive.

[ChuckM 1]

The first time I listen to a new score, I always try to listen straight through the whole thing.

Afterward, I normally rearrange the tracks in chronological order and remove the pop songs, but otherwise listen through all of it. Also, it depends on whether I'm deliberately listening to the music, or if I just have it on in the background.

[Richard Penna 3,782]

Perfect example just now. I've had Aliens in my 'new' folder for ages, and finally decided to give it a listen. Decided to delete about 4 cues which just didn't really seem to have anything going on in them.

My general rule is that if I have a complete or substantial score, and there's a cue I always skip, or can listen to without really noticing it, there's no point in having it. I apply this to even my favourite composers as I want a collection that reflects music I enjoy, not music that I feel I have to have for completism or just 'because' it's held in high esteem.

There must be something about the Alien saga because I can't get into Goldsmith's score outside the first few tracks, and I massively trimmed Frizzell''s complete score to Resurrection (well ok, that's different obviously as they're not in the same league).

[Henry B 50]

Alien is so hard to get into but so worth it.

[John Crichton 4]

I was facinated with Alien right from the first listen.

[Henry B 50]

Well, aren't you fancy, Mr. Fancy Pants?

[welshslider 2]

Perfect example just now. I've had Aliens in my 'new' folder for ages, and finally decided to give it a listen. Decided to delete about 4 cues which just didn't really seem to have anything going on in them.

My general rule is that if I have a complete or substantial score, and there's a cue I always skip, or can listen to without really noticing it, there's no point in having it. I apply this to even my favourite composers as I want a collection that reflects music I enjoy, not music that I feel I have to have for completism or just 'because' it's held in high esteem.

There must be something about the Alien saga because I can't get into Goldsmith's score outside the first few tracks, and I massively trimmed Frizzell''s complete score to Resurrection (well ok, that's different obviously as they're not in the same league).

Thank you.

[John Crichton 4]

Well, aren't you fancy, Mr. Fancy Pants?

And swanky, don't forget swanky.

[Olivier 5]

Drive space is a serious issue.

An issue that is easy to resolve. Buy an external hard drive.

I have two: one for general backups, with some music; one exclusively for music, on which I store wav copies of rare/limited CDs.

The computer's drive, however, cannot be expanded; since it's a laptop, it's hard to have as much music as you want.

[Marian Schedenig 8,261]

Depending on the brand, you might be able to replace the laptop's hard drive yourself. 2.5" drives of at least 500GB are perfectly affordable nowadays.

[Richard Penna 3,782]

Replacing a hard drive is just about the easiest thing you can do to a laptop. Mine came new with an 80GB drive and I bought a 250GB one and was able to move all my music onto it.

I haven't seen any bigger than 320GB, so there might be a limit at the moment, but depending on what you have at the moment it could be worth it.

I've also got an external 160GB drive that I keep an exact duplicate of the music section of my internal drive, given that most of my collection is digital only. Plus a third drive which has an image of my Windows configuration, and a third copy of most of my music. I take no chances when it comes to music

[Marian Schedenig 8,261]

There are rather cheap 500GB USB drives by now (2.5"), so at least that capacity should be available.

Marian - who needs one of those, because his 320GB one is bursting with music (and that's with all the Goldsmith moved to the internal disk already).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,267]

500 GB?

That is so last february, 1 TB drives are getting cheaper now.

[Richard Penna 3,782]

Yeah my brother got a 1TB 3.5" drive for about £90 a month ago.

When I buy a new desktop (maybe next year, this laptop isn't annoying me enough yet) I anticipate several TBs

[welshslider 2]

500 GB?

That is so last february, 1 TB drives are getting cheaper now.

1TB? Say 1.5TB on sale the other day. Droooolll!!!!

[Marian Schedenig 8,261]

That is so last february, 1 TB drives are getting cheaper now.

Show me a cheap 2.5" USB drive that holds 1 TB and I'll buy it.

[Richard Penna 3,782]

As far as I know, 2.5" drives are just for laptops - you don't get them connecting via USB (unless you get a USB enclosure), and they don't come close to 1TB yet.

External 1TB desktop USB drives are around though, about £100. Bear in mind that I paid £70 for an internal 80GB drive probably about 3 years back so that's a damn good price already.

[Trent B 337]

Alien is so hard to get into but so worth it.

Truer words have never been spoken.

Edit: Hopefully first of the year I can get a 1 Terabyte external drives. However like most drives even external hard drives can be prone to crashes.