If someone had never heard music...

[dbsfgyd1]

If someone had never heard music before, what's the first thing you would get them to listen to?

The first step is something very simple played on a guitar and seeing if they can sing along. This will tell me if they can differentiate between pitch and can understand very basic musical logic. I would do that before exposing them to symphonic pieces

 

[LoTone]

Mozart then Rush!

 

[wysiwyg248]

Johan Sebastian Bach. Brandenburg Concertos No. 1 to 6 (BWV 1046-1051), Freiburger Barockorchestra

 

[the harp unstrung]

 

[pie_man_25]

Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, because it has "Music" in the title.

Seriously, definitely something classical, probs Mozart or Debussy.

I could second Debussy, I'm not much for classical (and I'm aware that Debussy is sort of modernist and not "classical", but you know what I MEAN when I say classical). Maybe Stravinsky... or Hancock.

There's just so much, and the only frame of reference I have is western music, too.

 

[Kenova]

Canibal Corpse

 

[japhy4529]

Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, because it has "Music" in the title.

Seriously, definitely something classical, probs Mozart or Debussy.

..and "Metal."

 

[Feral Feline]

Consider the story of Evelyn Glennie...

I saw her TED-Talk, highly inspiring!

 

[groooooove]

Shostakovich. Why not start with the best?

you mean Bach, right?

well tempered clavier. not a recording, played in person on a quality instrument. there really is nothing quite as "alive" as that. be it brahms, shostakovich, beethoven, mozart, whatever. glenn gould called bach "histories greatest nonconformist." i completely agree.

 

[Chad Michael]

Seems it would be too overwhelming to hear a multi-instrumental song regardless of genre. The ingredients need to be introduced individually first: strings, drums, vocals, keys, wind instruments, etc.

Then, let them hear a song that turns the ingredients into a meal.

 

[WrapRough]

glenn gould called bach "histories greatest nonconformist." i completely agree.

Amazing documentary...

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

This for sure.

 

[InstantEctobass]

Mozart then Rush!

And 2112 first of all! This song was written for Aliens!

 

[Michedelic]

Everything Frank did for Capitol.

 

[HolmeBass]

I would start by singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and then assure them that it gets better.

 

[bolophonic]

This was what I played for my baby boys when I brought them home from the hospital:

 

[drumvsbass]

Mozart
Miles
Meshuggah

 

[lowendrachel]

Michael Jackson or Bruno Mars

 

[justbark]

I would have them watch the episode of "Jack's Big Music Show" where they explain what music is to the "Little Bad Wolf".

"Jack's Big Music Show" Little Bad Wolf (TV Episode 2005) - IMDb
(I wish there was a YouTube link for this. It is adorable and actually does explain "music" to a muppet that has no concept of music.)

 

[teh-slb]

There is a list of "songs considered the worst" somewhere on the Internet. I'd start there since it would only get better.