Music in the Workshop

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Hello folks,

I'm one of those who like to have ClassicFM burbling away in the background when in the workshop, and have noticed a change these last few months, indeed ClassicFM themselves are trumpeting that they have cut down on the chit-chat and upped the music. Great, I like it, although it does concern me a little bit about the costs of providing such a service without ads to pay for it. They have even started playing music without announcing it first, but I think they have always done that to a limited extent.

Anyway, yesterday, they surpassed themselves. About 16:20, they started playing Beethoven's 6th Symphony, The Pastoral, and they didn't finish until a little before 17:00 hours. Superb, the full symphony, uncluttered with extraneous unneeded comments, no ads, no break at 16:30, as the saying goes, The Full Monty. Absolutely wonderful to have such fine music filling the workshop. Thanks ClassicFM.

There is, for me anyway, a downside in that I find my attention drifting from the work in hand whilst I listen to the music which obviously delays completion of the project, but I wonder, do other people have this problem or is it just me?

There is, of course, some so-called clasical music which I do not like, eg Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue which I absolutely detest – it leaves me shaky, so much so that now I switch off the radio as soon as iI hear the introductory notes. I also find that some of this so-called English music, eg George Butterworth's Banks of Green Willows just boring, on the other hand Mozart cannot do any wrong.

What do other people think about classical music, pet hates & dislikes, and likes. Over to you.

Peter G. Shaw

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I always listen to Radio 3. You don't get the interruptions and the music is better than the usual pop classics on Classic FM

Nothing wrong with Butterworth's Banks of green willow. If he hadn't been killed on the Somme I suspect that he would have produced music on a par with Elgar or even better.

As for Mozart "can do no wrong", well all I can say is that you have been very selective in the choice of his music. With such a vast catalogue, I can assure you that there are a good number of which are substandard.

Oh and I cannot stand Opera in any shape or form.

Andrew.

Edited By Andrew Tinsley on 02/08/2020 11:33:06

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

The Anvil Chorus? The variable cost of the Classic FM service is minimal really, it's all played out by a computer, they only need an announcer at home with an internet link.

[Phil PParticipant @philp]

My wife has Classic FM on constantly in the house and insists having it on in the car as well.

I dont mind it too much, but when in the workshop it is usually Pink Floyd / David Gilmour or Supertramp.

Phil

[GreensandsParticipant @greensands]

The only radio 'interference' permitted in the workshop can only be TMS as far as I am concerned and I am the boss in my workshop!

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

What annoys me on all radio staions is the small playlist. Evein when they say they have hundreds it seems like the same thing comes on more than once a day, and I've even heard somone play a tune at the end of their shift only to have the next DJ play the same thing at the beginning of their run. Then with CFM they play only one version of a classic or just one song from a singer over and over. I suppose that is why you are supposed to buy the record (CD etc)

I agree with much of Peter's initial comments and am not keen on Gershwin or opera but can't be forever turning off as the radio is piped around the house from the living room. CFM does do 'full works concerts' most evenigs just not normally in the day.

A similar thread last month introduced me to Scala radio, just more difficult to get to without a preselect button.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

I'll second TMS, and I'll go on to say it gets better when it's raining.

regards Martin

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I've recently invested in a subscription to iDagio – excellent.

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

When building a vintage '40's model aircraft with a spark ignition Ohlssen .23 it seemed appropriate to play "Glenn Miller's Greatest Hits" in the workshop. It got me 'In The Mood"

* Danny M *

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Machine tool cutting is the best music in a workshop, definate no no to have a radio on.

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

I was once a Radio 1 listener, then the local independent station, now the local BBC station, a nice balance of chat and music. But, as Bazyle says, a limited playlist.

Having said that, its just in the background, listening with one ear, just occasionally something will interest me sufficiently to stop and listen properly!

John

[Bob StevensonParticipant @bobstevenson13909]

Interesting……

I greatly dislike nearly all singing…opera is a 'no-no' for me at all times……Having said that, I like 15thcentury church singing when cutting parts out with the piercing saw, my fave is Vespers Of 1610…….particularly nice when the rain is hitting the roof over the bench. For machine work I like Mahler…it's nice when you stop the lathe and the music drifts over the lathe…..

…….for 50 years I was in brass bands and have many CD's, vinyl and tapes etc…they are never in the workshop as they 'stop play' instantly!….But, I use Black Dyke playing Shostakovich 'Festival Overture' when something has gone badly, and 'Entry of The Gladiators' when it's been a disaster!

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

I,m with Kwil on this one; definitely no music or any other artificial sounds.

Brian

[SandgrounderParticipant @sandgrounder]

Posted by KWIL on 02/08/2020 12:11:29:

Machine tool cutting is the best music in a workshop, definate no no to have a radio on.

I'm exactly the same, with the exception of a car radio I don't listen to anything.

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

I used to listen to Radio 6 in the workshop to break away from listening to what I already knew but found too many of the same songs repeating through the day. I now use a music streaming service on my phone with a bluetooth speaker.

I'm currently on a Frank Zappa marathon, listening to all his albums in chronological order. 62 albums release in his lifetime and another 50 posthumously…

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Martin Kyte on 02/08/2020 11:51:26:

I'll second TMS, and I'll go on to say it gets better when it's raining.

regards Martin

From the BBC Radio 5-Live Extra schedule: 'A TMS listener explains why he got Alastair Cook's batting average as his first tattoo. '

(BBC Radio 5-Live specialises in Sports and TMS is 'Test Match Special', providing continuous live commentary on Test Cricket matches lasting up to 5 days. The commentary continues through 'Rain Stopped Play' and other interruptions, leading to humorous discussions about Seagulls, Cake, and outbreaks of hysteria. Here's an example. I guess it's the most difficult broadcasting challenge in the world. They aren't reading a TelePrompter! )

Dave

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

More likely to hear Jimi Hendrix or Joe Cocker in my shed thanks to Spotify streaming through wifi to my phone to a giant stereo  rescued from the scrap heap. Beautiful sound those big old speakers.

Edited By Hopper on 03/08/2020 10:23:25

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Any radio station that plays unusual / challenging music gets my vote. If it sees fit to air Penguin Cafe Orchestra or organ music by Lefebure Wely for instance I'm hooked. So goodbye Classic FM and hello to Scala Radio. I really needed to kick Classic FM into touch because of its moronic adverts (particularly the LV example) which has the same effect on me as as that hypocritical Lloyds bank TV advert –"By your side" . I'd prefer to have a large pile of steaming ordure by my side rather than THAT lot.

Rik (By gum I do feel better for that!)

[R Johns 1Participant @rjohns1]

For the last few months I have been turning away to Vera Lynn, other wartime music and Churchill's speeches.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Both my Shops have radios pretty much permanently tuned to Classic FM – but I'm afraid that I don't consciously listen to the music really. It's more a background thing – plus an occasional reminder of the time (which can fly by unnoticed – leading to trouble with management)

I don't have the volume turned up and quite a lot of the time the machine noise will be drowning the radio out (especially when I put ear protectors on of course). More a habit I guess…

IanT

[MikelkieParticipant @mikelkie]

Posted by Peter G. Shaw on 02/08/2020 11:15:13:

Hello folks,

I'm one of those who like to have ClassicFM burbling away in the background when in the workshop, and have noticed a change these last few months, indeed ClassicFM themselves are trumpeting that they have cut down on the chit-chat and upped the music. Great, I like it, although it does concern me a little bit about the costs of providing such a service without ads to pay for it. They have even started playing music without announcing it first, but I think they have always done that to a limited extent.

Anyway, yesterday, they surpassed themselves. About 16:20, they started playing Beethoven's 6th Symphony, The Pastoral, and they didn't finish until a little before 17:00 hours. Superb, the full symphony, uncluttered with extraneous unneeded comments, no ads, no break at 16:30, as the saying goes, The Full Monty. Absolutely wonderful to have such fine music filling the workshop. Thanks ClassicFM.

There is, for me anyway, a downside in that I find my attention drifting from the work in hand whilst I listen to the music which obviously delays completion of the project, but I wonder, do other people have this problem or is it just me?

There is, of course, some so-called clasical music which I do not like, eg Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue which I absolutely detest – it leaves me shaky, so much so that now I switch off the radio as soon as iI hear the introductory notes. I also find that some of this so-called English music, eg George Butterworth's Banks of Green Willows just boring, on the other hand Mozart cannot do any wrong.

What do other people think about classical music, pet hates & dislikes, and likes. Over to you.

Peter G. Shaw

I listened to classics all my live (my doggies too) I the occasional rubbish comes on i can at the push of a button turn on Mantovani or Hooked on classics or the like. In comparison modern stuff in abrasive to my mind and soul.

Well said Peter

[Steve PaveyParticipant @stevepavey65865]

Pink Floyd. Not a fan of classical stuff (yes I know, philistine). Like Bob Stephenson, opera is banned, along with musicals. When Floyd has been exhausted then Genesis, Queen, the Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Mayer and a long list of similar – all on the iPod so no talk and no adverts. Very occasionally R4 gets an airing for programs such as More or Less.

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

One of the problems I now have is how to access these stations being mentioned above, and, for that matter, what all the TLA's mean. EG, TMS, which I now understand to be Test Match Special. But what about CFM? I suppose given my initial post, it refers to ClassicFM, but unfortunately, up here where I live, CFM actually refers to a local radio station, Cumbria FM, which "serves Cumbria & SW Scotland".

But, in the workshop I only have an old, or maybe that should be ancient, analogue cassette/radio which has MW/LW/VHF radio bands, none of your digital broadcasting here. So the likes of Scala Radio, iDagio etc are unavailable to me, and no, I'm not going to scrap a perfectly good VHF/FM radio for the supposed advantages of digital. Incidently, the workshop is more or less the only place I can indulge in classical music since herself doesn't like it.

Some of the other stuff mentioned I'm afraid I won't even give the time of day to – I left pop music behind 50 or more years ago, and as for cricket, well, words fail me, never have a seen a more boring, useless, uninteresting and dangerous game. So there!

I do agree though, that there is a lot more pleasant music than purely classical, G&S (Gilbert & Sullivan) for example, some country music (Everly Bros anyone?) and yes, there is some dire stuff in the classical repertoire which is really why I like ClassicFM – because it plays the best bits.

Cheers & happy listening,

Peter G. Shaw

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Out here in the wilds of Wales OH ditched the digital radio I bought 'cos it couldn't pick anything much up. I ran some Cat6 down to my shed and another cheap router so internet radio is available but personally I prefer having a conversation with the other chap in my head and use the web for lookups on feeds or drill sizes…

pgk

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