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Write Now: Music Snobs Sometimes Condescend

By Michael Zabrodsky

mzabrodsky@post-journal.com

You have probably been somewhere and overheard a conversation between someone who likes music and a music snob.

Because the music snob was polite, you thought you were overhearing a good-hearted talk.

Not really.

You see, the role of the music snob is to find out what music or band one likes and then tell the other, politely of course, why for him it is the wrong choice. Both may even like the same band, and same music as the snob, but it doesn’t matter because the snob will think the other’s reasons for liking the band or music genre are inferior to his.

Music snobs sometimes really irk me, and I have no time for them. They think their reasons are superior, and they also like to try to condescend.

That’s what rubs me the wrong way — the condescension.

Condescension is what makes a music snob a music snob.

The conversation you overheard may have sounded something like this:

Listener: “I like Led Zeppelin because I like the sound of the drums.”

Music Snob: “You like the sound of the drums? What sound do you like?”

Listener: “I don’t know. It’s just how the drums sound with all of the instruments.”

Music Snob: “So you like how the drums stand out in the mix. You like how John Bonham tuned his drums. You like how his snare drum cuts through. He was a great player.”

Listener: “Yeah, I guess so. I just like the music. It moves me. I don’t know too much about the tuning aspect, but I just know the drums sound real good or I probably wouldn’t like the band.”

Music Snob: “Is that so.”

In that scenario, the music snob walks away from the conversation showing a slight fiendish grin because he thinks you are a simpleton who just likes music for different reasons than are the reasons he likes music or that band. And the listener stands there thinking what a jerk he is for trying to make the listener sound (no pun intended) stupid. And yes, the listener may feel slightly inferior because the music snob knew something the listener did not know.

The music snob should want to impart information, but rather the music snob feels comfortable talking down to someone “not in the know.”

The conversation should have gone this way:

Listener: “I like Led Zeppelin because I like the sound of the drums.”

Music Snob: “You like the sound of the drums? What sound do you like? Is it how Bonham’s snare drum sounds or how how he tuned the bottom head real tight, and then tuned the batter (top) side head just a little less tight, so the drum would ring. When you listen again, you will hear how he didn’t choke his snares. When he hit other drums, sometimes the snares rattle. On occasion, the snares rattle when the bassist plays a note that resonates the head. Note that he also chose not to muffle the drum, but to give it an open voice.”

Listener: “I guess so. I am not that technical, but what you just said makes sense. I have been to live music venues where I have heard that snare rattle, but it didn’t get in the way of the song.”

Music Snob: “Yes. And that’s the point. The way he tuned his drums, some people would say, is what gave the band energy and its groove. Led Zeppelin was powerful, and that is one of its hooks. Another hook is that each musician is great. Jimmy Page is a great guitarist, and John Paul Jones is a great bassist and keyboardist while Robert Plant can really sing. And Bonham, well you already know about him.”

Listener: “I guess I just liked listening to the songs. I did not know any of the names of the members. How do you know all this stuff?”

Music Snob: “I read and listen — a lot.”

What if the music snob was a teacher or professor? Would you treat him differently? I hope not because the teacher should be helping students learn new material. And if the teacher really cares, the teacher will try to connect the material to the students’ lives.

Conversations are best where people can share ideas, and opinions and be respected after the conversation is finished.

No one needs condescension.

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