So I'm working on an essay... on MusicBanter. I could use your help!
 

Yeah, you read that right. I'm working on an ethnographic essay for my English 102 class right now. We had to choose a social group or community to observe, take notes on, and try to ask questions of members of the group. I thought about it and realized that I have a plethora of information right here. So here I am.

The paper will technically be about "music lovers," people that I classify as active listeners to music, rather than just passive listeners. People that enjoy more than what is just on the radio, and who actually care about what they listen to, get information on what they enjoy, and can discuss it in an in-depth way. That's the loose idea, anyway. My professor is letting us have a bit of room on this one, so my definition may change as I work on this through the week.

Anyway, I have some questions, and it would be awesome if some of you lovely people answer at least a few for me. Or tell me anything that you think may be good. I'll work with whatever.

Thanks in advance. I hate to be the guy that goes to an online forum for school help, but this is way easier than some of the alternatives... which I will probably pursue anyway.

The questions:

1. What is your favorite genre of music?

2. Who are your favorite artists (at least at the moment).

3. How important is music in your life? How often do you listen to it?

4. Why are you a member of Music Banter?

5. What does this community mean to you?

6. Does your opinion of someone get better if you find that they enjoy the same music that you do?

7. Do you find yourself drawn to music that is less well known? Why or why not?

8. Do you enjoy searching for new music/music you have never heard before? Is the act of searching for music as enjoyable as the music itself?

9. Do your friends outside this community listen to similar music that you do?

10. Would you consider yourself a music snob, an elitist, or even, dare I say, a hipster?

11. What does music mean to you?

I may have some follow up questions later. Thanks again (if anyone cares enough to answer a few, anyway).

If I had to pick a single genre, I gravitate towards Metal more than anything.

Right now, I’m into Living Colour, Devon Townsend, and Buckethead.

Music has saved my life at times, and has always been a part of who I perceive myself to be. I listen to music constantly.

To enrich my knowledge of the synergistically growing music culture.

Music Banter is a wealth of knowledge for old, as well as new bands and artists, so it means as much to me as a community encyclopedia (wiki), except with MB, I can interact with the people that are involved in it.

No. Someone elses taste in music is their own personal stamp, and I always respect that.

Yes, I like being on the path less traveled, it’s more scenic, and has less billboards.

Sometimes. It depends on where it takes me… if I search for something, and am disappointed in what I find then no, but if I discover something wonderful, then I’m elated.

Mostly, no. I only have a handful of friends that can/will listen to Schubert one minute, then Napalm Death the next.

Musical snobbery is just someones manifestation of not having enough self esteem, and to me, is quite annoying. (See #6)

Music can evoke emotions/feelings/awareness/other-worldly likeness’, that are otherwise dormant, or non-existent at times. Even a note not played can have a meaningful impact on the listener, given the right context. Music heard, music felt, is life.

Avant-garde.

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, Zu, Albert Ayler, This Heat, and Marc Ribot.

Music is crucial to my life. Almost everything I do has some form of music involved in it, be it listening or playing, or just thinking about it. I listen to music as often as I can, and pretty much turn it off when it's not allowed or when I'm spending time with my family. I even sleep to music, it makes my dreams nice.

I'm a member of Music Banter because most people here have decent taste in music and it's pretty laid back.

It's made up of nice people, for the most part, and most of the forum discussions feel like a group of friends talking, or maybe a very strange family. I guess I see the community like that, an eccentric family or possibly even a cult centred around music.

Ja, most definitely. My closest friends have very similar music tastes to me, and if they don't at first and I like them a lot, I can usually weirdify their music tastes over the course of a year. I've taken on three students thus far, and two of them are in my band now.

I don't think that it matters how well known an artist is, I really just look for good music. However, I do like it when I find an underground gem that I can share with people. So I guess that I'm drawn to it somewhat for that reason, spreading what could be the next big thing (probably not based off of my tastes, though) to those interested.

Of course I do. It's always a great feeling to find something fantastic that you'ven't heard before. I guess that searching for new music is exciting in itself, because there's a possibility that you're going to be finding one of your new favourite bands. I wouldn't say that it's more enjoyable than the music itself, but it certainly comes somewhat close.

Yes, as stated in my answer for question 6. I do have several more casual friends that make bad faces when I play something like Captain Beefheart for them, but I've got a close knit circle of avant-gardists that I'd say are my best friends.

I'm probably a music snob and elitist, I can tell by my sister's attitude toward my music recommendations and her reaction when I ask her if she ever listens to anything but [x]. Currently it's The Red Hot Chili Peppers' new album. My music and film taste is similar to that of a hipster, but apart from that I fit the description.

If I couldn't have music, my life would absolutely suck. It keeps me going through all the bullshit in life and I couldn't imagine having to live without that. If I had to choose between living without music or living without sex, I'd choose living without sex. Not castration or anything, just a life of abstinence. So I guess that's a pretty good indicator of how meaningful music is to me.

Hope I served some purpose towards your paper.

1. What is your favorite genre of music?
Extreme Metal.
2. Who are your favorite artists (at least at the moment).
Black Witchery, archgoat, david allen coe, kris kristofferson, hank williams, & repulsion
3. How important is music in your life? How often do you listen to it?
Very important, one to two hours a day.
4. Why are you a member of Music Banter?
To find more music I like, to better understand how & why people interact with art.
5. What does this community mean to you?
Not much.
6. Does your opinion of someone get better if you find that they enjoy the same music that you do?
I'm more inclined to trust their judgment in regards to music, but, no, this does not extend beyond music.
7. Do you find yourself drawn to music that is less well known? Why or why not?
To a certain extent due to my general degradation of pop culture.
8. Do you enjoy searching for new music/music you have never heard before? Is the act of searching for music as enjoyable as the music itself?
It's a hobby.
9. Do your friends outside this community listen to similar music that you do?
Yes.
10. Would you consider yourself a music snob, an elitist, or even, dare I say, a hipster?
Yes to the first two.
11. What does music mean to you?
Music at it's best can bring about greater understanding of your own & others life.

1. What is your favorite genre of music?

While I am quite the hip hop and country enthusiast, I will have to probably say Metal is my favourite genre of music, and by that I mean the umbrella term of Metal which encompasses all the various subgenres.

2. Who are your favorite artists (at least at the moment).

Right now it's probably Enslaved. I've been listening to their newest album on repeat for over a week now.

3. How important is music in your life? How often do you listen to it?

It's pretty important, but not as important as it was in 2008/2009 when it was my "thing". I like to think I've broadened my talking points beyond just music and can engage in any conversation pretty easily.

In terms of how often I listen to music, I'd say a good hour of music in the car while driving. Whenever I'm at the gym, and sometimes at work if I'm by myself. I don't do a lot of listening at home anymore, mostly because I like to listen to music loud and I have roommates again so I've made a bit of a compromise.

4. Why are you a member of Music Banter?

I joined in 2009, at the height of music dominating my life. I had lots of music to share, had just started getting into this style called "Gothic Country" and just wanted to be a music guru. I don't think it exactly worked out the way I was hoping, but I'm still happy with the results.

5. What does this community mean to you?

A headache somedays, but like an abused spouse I continually come back. Those are the bad days which are pretty rare. My mod duties definitely sometimes feel like I need to focus more on that than talking about music, and I seem to be doing more long winded analysis' about movies or video games lately. At the end of the day though this community is a lot like a wire where I get to see into the lives and worlds of other people, and get a better idea of the world around me. I also sometimes find good music because of it.

6. Does your opinion of someone get better if you find that they enjoy the same music that you do?

Sometimes, and if I find out somebody likes a lot of the same music as me I might be willing to overlook some other flaws, unless said flaws are so glaring that they make it impossible to look at that person in any other way.

7. Do you find yourself drawn to music that is less well known? Why or why not?

Definitely. I'd be lying if I said that it didn't have anything to do with snobbery, but the truth is passive music listeners don't care if you like some obscure music and it won't win you any friends. One good thing about listening to lesser known music is that ticket prices are usually cheaper, and the bands are more willing to tour smaller towns and venues.

8. Do you enjoy searching for new music/music you have never heard before? Is the act of searching for music as enjoyable as the music itself?

It certainly can be, 2009 was a big year for discovery, although I think more of my fun came from the act of discovery rather than the quality of what I found. There's a lot of stuff I found back then that I have not listened to in a very long time. Over the last two year's I've learned more about quality over quantity, 600 gb of music on your hard drive is impressive but if you don't know much about it then it's kind of hollow.

9. Do your friends outside this community listen to similar music that you do?

A few, many of them actually get their music from me. I'll bring over my hard drive, load them down with stuff I think they'll like, and then let them filter what they want and don't want. I make a point of only doing this if I have reason to believe they'll actually listen to it, cause there's nothing more infuriating than giving people music to not have them listen to it.

10. Would you consider yourself a music snob, an elitist, or even, dare I say, a hipster?

I personally don't think I'm a music snob, but there are certain genres and artists that I do look down upon with contempt that could earn me that status.

11. What does music mean to you?

Expression.

Rock of all kinds, with a major slant towards progressive rock. Also some metal.
Changes all the time as I discover more, but the ones that I have actively "followed", as in, bought all their albums and then each new one as it came out would be: ELO, Genesis, Springsteen, Waits, Marillion, Bon Jovi, Nanci Griffith, Iron Maiden and a long list of others. As I discover new artistes I like, I'm getting their albums either retrospectively or via discographies. I'd include the likes of Big Big Train, Spock's Beard, Pendragon and Gazpacho among them.
Could not live without music. I don't listen to it all the time, but certainly when doing tasks like washing, making my dinner, cleaning etc, when I go for a walk, on a bus, and of course for reviewing. How often, I'd say probably at least twice or three times a day, though in terms of hours I couldn't say. Might listen to a few tracks while doing the washing up, then again when going for the shopping, then when making my dinner and so on. Of course, I could spend hours at a time listening to it, but due to my home circumstances I need to be able to listen out for my sister calling, so can't really wear headphones and just sink back into music while at home...
Like a lot of people, I came here to promote something, but soon found a lot of interesting, like-minded people. Mind you, first time I was here the perceived sense of superiority and the idea that people looked down on me because I listened to what would be termed "mainstream" music pushed me away from the place. It was only a few years later that I decided to come back, with a fresh approach to people's attitudes (basically, eff them if they didn't like my music; what did they know?) and restarted my journal, which has given me endless hours of enjoyment, even if it is hard work sometimes. I like to be able to share my love of music, and my appreciation of, or disappointment with, the albums I listen to. It's also great to be introduced to new music I would otherwise not have considered trying.
Sad and cliched as this may seem or be, the people here are sort of my only friends. I had to leave my job three years ago to look after my sister, and never had a very active social life. MB is my outlet, my window to the outside world. I've made a lot of friends here, and on the odd occasion they've been instrumental in keeping me sane(ish)...
Not at all. I respect people who have different music tastes to mine, but the important thing is that they don't denigrate my music or try to tell me theirs is better. There's room for all opinions here.
Doesn't matter. I can enjoy music that's well known or music that nobody at all knows (or seems to know). Its fame or lack of it means little to me: the important thing is to enjoy it. I do, however, bemoan the lack of familiarity some of my favourite, more obscure artistes, enjoy, and wish more people knew of them. I try to address that through my journals.
Not really, no. I know that the chances are that if I look for obscure music I may be a long time getting around to listening to it, if ever. My hard drive is bursting with music I've yet to hear. What I do like to do is that once I find a band or genre I like, to try to seek out similar music.
Non sequitur.
I'd have to say something of a snob, not quite an elitist, but it bugs me when people know only one or two songs from an artiste and refuse to look further into their music. I like to know my bands, and I like to if possible have all their basic work --- I'm not into special editions, collections, rarities or even live albums that much. I do however like to know who the bands I listen to are, what they stand for, how long they've been together and so on; their history, if you will. Again, this is information I use in my reviews.
Cliched answer # 15,907: everything. Seriously. If I had no music there would be a huge gap in my life. I've tried playing (keys) but am excruciatingly bad, but I'm happy to listen. I get great enjoyment out of music. It can colour or change my mood, help me relax, or move me to tears or even anger if done correctly. I could not exist in somewhere like Iran, where music is banned.
By all means, fire away! :)

Thanks, guys! Ya'll are awesome. :)

1. What is your favorite genre of music?
Lo-fi indie folk rock

2. Who are your favorite artists (at least at the moment).
The Mountain Goats, Arab Strap, Bowie, Elliott Smith, The Olivia Tremor Control, Tom Waits

3. How important is music in your life? How often do you listen to it?
Music is the only thing that's constant. I listen to music throughout my entire day, I play music, I write music, I think about music. Constantly.

4. Why are you a member of Music Banter?
I came here seeking conversation with people who liked the same kind of music I liked and who appreciated music as deeply as I did. I got what I was looking for and in spite of any lagging that's why I'm still here.

5. What does this community mean to you?
I owe much of my music collection to MB. I've made some great friends and found some amazing bands I likely wouldn't have found on my own. My horizons were broadened in multiple ways.

6. Does your opinion of someone get better if you find that they enjoy the same music that you do?
Not necessarily better, but it's always a nice thing to have in common. And once I know someone likes some of the same music I do, that opens the door for further recommendations and conversations.

7. Do you find yourself drawn to music that is less well known? Why or why not?
Yes and no. Finding a band that isn't well known like finding and reading a book that you've never heard of - it invites you into this world of really good material that for whatever reason hasn't become commercialized or tainted by the gimmicks of promotion and marketing. It feels more genuine and the search makes the listening process that much more interactive.

8. Do you enjoy searching for new music/music you have never heard before? Is the act of searching for music as enjoyable as the music itself?
I haven't sat down with the intention of blindly finding something new in a long time, but I do enjoy getting recommendations from a variety of people. I don't like to limit myself to specific genres and the only way of branching out is to try new things. I would say the search makes the music more enjoyable. It's like a trophy, something you've earned.

9. Do your friends outside this community listen to similar music that you do?
Not even a little bit. I have a few friends who like Iron & Wine but that's the closest I've gotten.

10. Would you consider yourself a music snob, an elitist, or even, dare I say, a hipster?
Not a day goes by that I am not called a hipster. Whatever, it is what it is. I know what I like. But if one more ****ing person sends me a link to Little Talks saying "omggg, this is totally your kind of music" I will lose it. Go back to your pandora station, you whore.

11. What does music mean to you?
Music means expression means creation mean community means catharsis means emotion means life.

1. What is your favorite genre of music?

Electronica, but I would say I still listen to a wide variety off some stuff.

2. Who are your favorite artists (at least at the moment).

Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike have smashed house recently. Daft Punk is my all time favourite though.

3. How important is music in your life? How often do you listen to it?

I would say music is quite important in my life as I can use it to control my moods. I also exercise 4 times a week and I think the right music is essential for working out.

4. Why are you a member of Music Banter?

I used to post on a local forum for music and I lost my Internet for a year or so, when I got the Internet back the forum was down. So I simply typed in music forum because I wanted somewhere to discover new music, new people and build the same sort of friendships I had before.

5. What does this community mean to you?

I don't really know to be honest. I value the people here and my friends so much but I find I care about the website in itself, less and less. Nothing much goes on anymore, there's no drama or anything else that made the forum exciting. It's too serious and boring. Not to mention the amount of members who don't post in the electronica forums.

6. Does your opinion of someone get better if you find that they enjoy the same music that you do?

Not really, I am surprised when someone likes the same stuff as me, but it doesn't make me like them. I base that decision on personality alone.

7. Do you find yourself drawn to music that is less well known? Why or why not?

Not really, I mean I get pissed if I hear a song I like on the radio because it means I have to suffer it instead of enjoying it. The radio plays the same songs too often.

8. Do you enjoy searching for new music/music you have never heard before? Is the act of searching for music as enjoyable as the music itself?

I don't search so much for albums or artists. Electronica varies so much that I could only like 2 songs from one artist but that is the beauty of it. I find most of my songs through podcasts, live sets, sound cloud and YouTube. Which does me alright.

9. Do your friends outside this community listen to similar music that you do?

Yes, my best friend however is very closed minded and will only listen to trance/house. He doesn't even explore electronica. In my circle of friends were probably all into something different from one another but we willingly listen to each others music.

10. Would you consider yourself a music snob, an elitist, or even, dare I say, a hipster?

Definitely not, I can listen to the radio without having suicidal tendencies.

11. What does music mean to you?

Emotion.

1. What is your favorite genre of music?
i hate this question....i think overall the majority of what i listen to would fall under the generic genre of Rock with a strong leaning towards Noise and Neofolk

2. Who are your favorite artists (at least at the moment).
Kiss The Anus of a Black Cat, Der Blutharsch and the Infinite Church of the Leading Hand, Seven That Spells, Neurosis, Jess and the Ancient Ones, Unsane, Dernière Volonté

3. How important is music in your life? How often do you listen to it?
it is by far the most important thing in my life that does not breathe; i actually drive for a living...so at least 6 hours a day

4. Why are you a member of Music Banter?
i actually came here because for years i posted on an anime forum.....about a year after joining there i came to realization that i....for the most part....can't stand anime and only posted in the "non anime music" threads.....in all honesty i got sick of contributing there and seemingly getting nothing in return.....after about a week of reading here i came to realization that many of the people who post here could offer me new genres and bands....and i think the same from myself

5. What does this community mean to you?
i come here pretty much daily...and i can certainly say that there are some people here i truly hope to meet in the real world....

6. Does your opinion of someone get better if you find that they enjoy the same music that you do?
Yes. It tends to be opening discussion when i meet new people. and i cannot lie when i go to someones house for the first time i immediately head to their music collection

7. Do you find yourself drawn to music that is less well known? Why or why not?
yeah i would say that the majority of what i listen to would be classified as "less well known"....i honestly feel that i could blame Throbbing gristle for this.....hearing them for the first time was absolutely life changing....and changed my mind about what should be "popular" music

8. Do you enjoy searching for new music/music you have never heard before? Is the act of searching for music as enjoyable as the music itself?
absolutely....i love looking for new music; Yes but....not like it was....there really was something ascertaining about looking and looking and looking for that album you heard about and finally finding it in some **** record shop on some off beat street in New York or San Fransisco

9. Do your friends outside this community listen to similar music that you do?
not one....i have several; friends who listen to many of the bands i love but none that listen to all of them....and most hate what i listen to

10. Would you consider yourself a music snob, an elitist, or even, dare I say, a hipster?
100% on the first two

11. What does music mean to you?
i think Hip Hop Bunny Hop put exactly like i feel