ABSTRACT
In listening to jazz, it is very important to hone one's active listening skills. We have become a society of passive listeners, whether it is the way in which background music influences our shopping and eating habits or even the need some feel to have music in the background while doing other tasks (such as studying). Active listening involves noticing different details of a recording (the bass, the ride cymbal, the piano, etc.) during numerous listenings of the performance, as opposed to attempting to absorb all the details of the performance simply by listening to the composite sound (everything at once).
Although it is possible for any instrument to be used in a jazz setting, some instruments (such as saxophone, flugelhorn, and drum set) are often associated with jazz, whereas others (such as violin, bassoon, and French horn) are more commonly associated with a symphony orchestra. In jazz, the way an instrument is played is much more important than the specific instrument being played. It is common for jazz artists to use techniques often foreign to the classical tradition. This may include such devices as growls, smears, and falls.
