Music on the trail

[Christoph]

That didn't come out right and I can't edit. What I meant to say is I got stuck on the same songs in my head day after day. Having a few on my phone probably would have solved this, but I'd rather go without. I didn't drive me crazy'r than I already am.

[llittle_llama]

That didn't come out right and I can't edit. What I meant to say is I got stuck on the same songs in my head day after day. Having a few on my phone probably would have solved this, but I'd rather go without. I didn't drive me crazy'r than I already am.

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This is how I am. It's the ONLY reason I'm going to be listening to music on the trail If I could clear my head it would be great, but I have problems with stress. I have to have distractions to keep myself able to concentrate on other things fully.

[Dogwood]

I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.

Howya gonna hear the RATTLE, or just wait tillya feel it...just sayin

This, absolutely. This music is the reason I hike.

Just because someone listens to music made at the hands of man doesn't mean they need to do it all the time. There can be a combination of listening to Nature for many hrs and listening to tunes from man for a couple of hrs that inspires and encourages too.

I've since switched to earphones that don't totally block out Nature's sounds for reasons like this. I used to zone out now and then getting into that typical gotta go gotta go go go the-hiker fast and light make those miles zone and almost stepped on rattlesnakes, copperheads, and gila monsters by doing that. I now use earphones that don't block out all outside noise of ear hook design or I don't insert earphones fully so that this happens. FWIW, it's not just noise of dangerous things like rattlesnakes that should clue us in on where they might likely occur or when we'd likely experience these beartiful creatures but also typical habitats, brush lined to overgrown trail, rocky ledges, etc

[Engine]

I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.

90% of the time, same here. But when it's raining all day and all I can't hear anything else, music is nice. It's also good on those days when, for whatever reason, the trail has been filled with an overabundance of adversity.

[Traveler]

Originally Posted by Sandy of PA
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.

90% of the time, same here. But when it's raining all day and all I can't hear anything else, music is nice. It's also good on those days when, for whatever reason, the trail has been filled with an overabundance of adversity.

Adversity on the trail, a good catch-all for stuff that can be very annoying that others may not see or interpret that way. Some people can be oblivious to the volume (and content) of their conversations or not understand the bear bell on their pack or dog is slowly driving those unfortunate enough to be downwind of that incessant racket for miles, mad.

Nature does indeed have the best music, provided those near you have a sense of place and are able to stop making continual noise that covers it up. For those occasions, I have music at the ready.

[LongBlaze2019]

I don't listen to music while hiking but I do in my tent at times. Always use earbuds. No one wants to listen to my music and I don't want to listen to theirs.

Sent from my N9519 using Tapatalk

[PhoenixFire]

90% of the time, same here. But when it's raining all day and all I can't hear anything else, music is nice. It's also good on those days when, for whatever reason, the trail has been filled with an overabundance of adversity.

I'd have to go with this. I am normally just enjoying the sounds of the world around me until it rains and then that is nice for a while...but only a while. Not an extended period of time. Also the overabundance of loud conversations can be quite annoying.

[H I T C H]

I am surprised that there were so many replies about WiFi options being used.

I would think that WiFi would be a larger battery drain, not to mention the data usage.

I took everything off of my old phone and use that as a dedicated Mp3 player /streaming device at home and at the office.

I got tired of having to turn off the music to take a call or answer a message and the old phone seemed to be a good solution.

Hitch

[jekerdud]

I am surprised that there were so many replies about WiFi options being used.

I would think that WiFi would be a larger battery drain, not to mention the data usage.

I took everything off of my old phone and use that as a dedicated Mp3 player /streaming device at home and at the office.

I got tired of having to turn off the music to take a call or answer a message and the old phone seemed to be a good solution.

Hitch

Your statements about WIFI are the exact opposite of how it works. There's a difference between WIFI and Cellular data.

WIFI is wireless internet, being run off a hard-wired connection at a home or a business, and is not run through your cell service provider.

Cellular data, while it is technically WIFI, is channeled through your cell service provider.

When your phone is attached to WIFI at a home or business, most phones will prefer WIFI over cellular data. This is due to using WIFI at home or a business not using your cellular data (and thus, not counting on your bill or towards your usage limit if you have one). It's also easier on the battery.

It is more of a battery drain to rely on cellular data, due to signal strength fading out and the cell phone starting to search for a connection. This is really only a problem in areas where there isn't decent signal (like areas of the AT). So, for a thru hike, the best way to handle everything is to keep your phone in airplane mode while out on the trail (to prevent cellular data usage and to prevent it from searching in weak signal areas, saving the battery). When in town, turn off airplane mode and find a business or hostel that offers free wifi. Attach the phone to the wifi and update your music there. To help with the battery, do this while you are recharging everything. Go back into airplane mode when you leave town to save battery.

I'm seeing lots of people mentioning headphones. I am in agreeance, at least while hiking. I'm one of the group that will probably take turns between no music when hiking and days on end listening to music while hiking.

When hiking, keep it low enough others can't hear it (the statement about earbuds leaking is true!), and you can still hear sounds outside your headphones. At camp, I am of the opinion that a speaker is ok, but it must be a unanimous agreement between all who can hear it, and keep it low in volume. I would suggest keeping it low enough to where if you walk 20 feet away, you can barely hear it. If you want loud music, stop at a bar in town during a resupply and work the jukebox

[H I T C H]

Yes you seem to be agreeing with what I was getting at...

Playing music not stored on your phone (via WiFi or cellular data) will use more battery than playing mp3s that are stored on your phone.

Additionally the mp3s are free from data charges that streaming music has.

Hitch

[jekerdud]

That's true, but you don't have to stream it. Spotify has an option that allows you to download songs for offline use, which means it can be used when your phone is in airplane mode. It's just recommended you do that when you are using WIFI so you don't use your cellular data. That's what I meant when I said "Attach the phone to the wifi and update your music there." The only downside is you have to pay an $11 per month subscription to allow the ability to download the playlists, but you get access to millions of songs.

[rocketsocks]

Do the artists get paid from sites like Spotify?

[RockDoc]

So now you arrive at a camp or shelter and the other hikers all have earbuds, listening to some noise recorded in LA. Plugged into the city. Why don't they stay in the city?

[FlyPaper]

I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.

+1

I take no music neither for walking nor sleeping.

[Oventoasted]

So now you arrive at a camp or shelter and the other hikers all have earbuds, listening to some noise recorded in LA. Plugged into the city. Why don't they stay in the city?

Honestly, i listen to music to pass the time because ill start talking to myself like a crazy person if i dont get something to break up the monotony of the day. I love nature and being outside but music can be uplifting and motivating. But i doubt anyone will be "plugged in" all day listening to music 24/7.

[jekerdud]

Do the artists get paid from sites like Spotify?

They do! Although it's very minimal. I am a metalhead, and I listen to a podcast by the vocalist of the band Hatebreed. The podcast is called "The Jasta show." He talks about streaming music constantly. Right now, artists get 8 cents per play of music. Offline does count, once you do back online for a second and the number of times you played a song is taken into account.

Tonight a friend and I were talking about that. He's my "IT guy" watching my Youtube channel while I am on the trail... but we talked about that with the pay on Spotify. I am the type of person to listen to an album 20 times before I move on to something else. Consider the cost of an album these days. $10-$15, unless there is a bonus item? If you are like me, and listen to an album 20 times... let's say the album is 12 songs. After 20 listens, they get $19.20. Consider again, that you buy the album, they don't get the full cost, with ONE listen... or purchase. The publisher gets a cut too. Spotify is good for them, probably better than buying the album.

[Engine]

So now you arrive at a camp or shelter and the other hikers all have earbuds, listening to some noise recorded in LA. Plugged into the city. Why don't they stay in the city?

I think, if memory serves me correctly, that Crosby, Stills, and Nash recorded many of their albums while in LA...just sayin'.

[Traveler]

So now you arrive at a camp or shelter and the other hikers all have earbuds, listening to some noise recorded in LA. Plugged into the city. Why don't they stay in the city?

There are equally bad if not worse noises recorded in places like Chicago, Seattle, Nashville, New York, London, and Brussels. For that reason I really don't care what people listen to or do on their hike as long as it doesn't impact what I am doing or my health.

[Offshore]

Howya gonna hear the RATTLE, or just wait tillya feel it...just sayin

Excellent point. Despite the AT being a well travelled trail, it still is a wilderness trail and not Main St. USA in Disney World. Situational awareness is key.

[lwhikerchris]

I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.

Agreed. Music was fine at first but ended up being more of a distraction than anything else.