Music
I don’t often talk about music because it’s so personal and individual. I tend to dislike it when podcast hosts bring up their recommended music because I dislike the assumption that I will enjoy what they like.
Despite that, I want to talk a bit about music today because it’s a big part of any culture and I think can be closely tied to language learning. I hope you’ll find it useful.
In this episode, I begin by sharing some of my favourite bands along with some useful expressions you can use to say you like something. I then go over some vocabulary for parts of a song. We also look at 3 expressions for everyday conversation that originates in the music world. And finally, I share some of my views on learning English using music and songs.
Music I like...
I’m big into heavy metal.
I’m a big fan of Gojira (I love the song “Grind”)
My all-time favourite band is System of a Down. Been listening since I was 14
I’m infatuated with Jinjer’s latest album, Wallflowers.
I’m crazy about The Agonist.
I’ve become fond of Russian pop music
(Don’t listen if you hate metal)
Parts of Music
While thinking about the parts of music, I was listening to the song “Low Lands” by Gojira.
The intro is quite dark and mysterious. The build-up is slow and the drop is sudden, loud and violent.
Intro – The beginning of a song
Outro – The end of the song
Build-up – When a song gets faster and louder until a ‘drop’ and the beat changes
Drop – Common in electronic music, when the music suddenly gets louder and maybe moves into the chorus. This is often the most satisfying part of the song
Chorus – the middle part of a song that’s repeated throughout.
Bridge – Connects the verses to the final chorus
Learning English with Music
There’s always been a debate as to whether learning English with music is a good idea. I think it’s a really good idea! While it’s true that you may not be hearing the language in a natural conversational form, it’s a really fun way to learn! Music also stays in your head for a long time, especially if the music is catchy.
It’s also good for motivation. Whenever you listen to music, you’ll probably feel more motivated and excited to learn English, and perhaps more connected to the culture too.
Vocabulary
- Music to my ears – I like the sound of that (not usually related to music)
- To blow your own trumpet – To say something that is self-congratulatory, boasting about your own achievements
- Play it by ear – Let’s see what happens and plan accordingly
- Subjective – From an individual person’s point of view
- Objective – From a general point of view, general truths
- Fluid – Unstable, changing, flowing
- Lyrics – the words to songs
- To get lost down a rabbit hole – To start a journey of research and forget how you got there (usually used for YouTube when you browse videos for hours – get lost down the YouTube rabbit hole)
- Contemplation – Thinking deeply about something
- Pent-up emotions – Emotions that have built up inside you and need to be released
Share with me your favourite bands! Check the comments for other recommendations.
I’d love to hear music from other countries.
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