After a decade of serving as a reviewer for multiple music journals and dissertation committees in higher music education in Thailand, I have observed that musical analysis writing often relies heavily on conventional music theory and score reading. This approach, while valuable and necessary, frequently overlooks a crucial element of music: sound itself. Listening is not just a passive activity but an active, important component of musical understanding–one that must be learned and practiced. In this paper, I want to argue that the sensory experience of listening is vital for musical analysis and one that should not be neglected, particularly in today’s diverse musical landscape.

The conventional method of musical analysis, deeply rooted in the European classical music tradition, tends to prioritize visual and intellectual engagement over auditory and sensory experience. This focus on visual representation through score analysis can easily lead to a disconnection of sound from the reader. Moreover, with the prevalence of other non-classical genres such as electroacoustic music, new music, folk music, popular music, and so on, they present challenges to conventional analysis method. These music often defy traditional music theory’s principles, rendering score-based analysis inadequate or even irrelevant. In such cases, listening becomes not only significant but essential for a holistic understanding of music.

Drawing from my previous experience as a teaching assistant for the Music Now course at UC Berkeley, this paper also addresses a practical implication for adopting listening as a core methodology in musical analysis, especially for the previously mentioned music but also applicable to classical music. Using Denis Smalley’s concept of spectromorphology and technologically assisted tools as starting points, it proposes strategies for neutral, unbiased sonic and listening analysis. Furthermore, I aim to advance this discussion by incorporating Ken Ueno’s concept of non-classical music paradigm of listening, including his application of somaesthetics, to argue that listening alone is sufficient and can be a methodology in musical analysis by itself.

In conclusion, this paper advocates for recognizing listening as a valid and essential methodology in musical analysis. As the musical landscape continues to evolve, so must our methods of engaging with it. Embracing listening as a primary analytical tool offers a path to a richer, more nuanced understanding of diverse music, one that fully honors the sensory experience of sounds. I also hope that educators in higher music education in Thailand will consider this proposal and explore ways to integrate listening as methodology into their curricula in the future.