PDA

View Full Version : Music on the trail



jekerdud
01-19-2017, 02:10
What are you guys doing for music? I am part way through creating a gigantic spotify playlist that I will keep on my phone. For those curious, spotify has a 10,000 song limit in playlists. That's TONS of room. At this point, I am adding the discography of most artists I like, and then trimming out live versions and duplicates, and songs I don't like all that much. I find it easier to add them en mass then remove the singles I don't want. For a few bands/artists, I have added only the songs I like. I'm up to 106 hours (1500 songs) so far.

Since battery charge is most likely to be asked: I have an android phone, and I figure with a few tweaks, the battery can last for quite a while (aside from just using airplane mode). Listening to music usually isn't a huge drain in itself. I am also carrying a 10,000 mAH Anker charger for when I am between towns.

I figure the trail will be a good place to catch up on albums I haven't listened to but have been meaning to :banana

Oventoasted
01-19-2017, 02:36
Im actually going to keep my spotify subscription going myself as well! Didnt know about the 10k song limit though. dont think i could fill that even if i wanted to, haha.

im building a small list right now but im sure ill add to it as im hiking. need to also save some room on the phone for photos and videos too! that app can chew up some space.

Engine
01-19-2017, 06:38
In order to save phone battery we're carrying the iPod Shuffle with about 12-15 hours of music on it. I only listen to music while hiking every few days at the most though...

greensleep
01-19-2017, 08:45
I carry 2 ipod shuffles (less than 2 0z), one for podcasts, one for music. Keep my phone on airplane mode all day.

llittle_llama
01-19-2017, 09:18
Pandora here. I only hike the VA area and we have AMAZING coverage so I have not once lost service. I assume this will be an issue though once I hit other parts of the trail so maybe a spotify is in order... I can listen to my stations "off line" with my pandora plus account though...

Starchild
01-19-2017, 09:18
To all those who are carrying a iPod, is it weight efficient over adding that weight to a larger battery for the main phone?

On the AT in '13 I had the ability to recharge my iPhone 2-3x, I had no problem using it for music and audiobooks (and lots of other stuff), even streaming music such as Pandora mostly in NJ>CT where you are almost always in cell tower range. 5 days is the max I when without a recharge, and still had a reserve of power, even the time when I messed up and let a fully charged iPhone drain overnight as I forgot to turn airplane mode back on.

Gambit McCrae
01-19-2017, 09:25
I listen to music 99% of the time ( with 2 ear buds in), I listen to a mix of Pandora and iTunes. I have the Pandora subscription, 50 bucks a year and I can listen to my top 3 stations offline. Saves a good bit of data over a week of hiking etc.

Battery Life: I can listen all day to my phone, take pics, use Guthooks, internet when needed, text...phone lasts for 2.5 days. I carry a mophie 12000 mah that can supposedly charge my phone 6 times (baloney).

jekerdud
01-19-2017, 12:05
Im actually going to keep my spotify subscription going myself as well! Didnt know about the 10k song limit though. dont think i could fill that even if i wanted to, haha.

im building a small list right now but im sure ill add to it as im hiking. need to also save some room on the phone for photos and videos too! that app can chew up some space.

I think I could fill a list that large, but I think storage room would end up being an issue. I think I have a new plan, make a list of albums I want to check out (that I haven't yet) and when I can access wifi, save a few of them offline and listen to them a few times. Next wifi stop, switch out with something else.

Huli
01-19-2017, 12:05
Whatever you choose, please keep it in your ears. Last year we had a group of hikers blasting their music through a portable speaker. Had to listen to their disagreeable playlist for an hour. They were going the opposite direction as we were. Would have been worse if they were going the same.

I think music on the trail is part of hike your own hike and should not be forced onto others.

Oventoasted
01-19-2017, 12:42
Whatever you choose, please keep it in your ears. Last year we had a group of hikers blasting their music through a portable speaker. Had to listen to their disagreeable playlist for an hour. They were going the opposite direction as we were. Would have been worse if they were going the same.

I think music on the trail is part of hike your own hike and should not be forced onto others.

+1 to this!

Puddlefish
01-19-2017, 13:05
I met two guys on the trail who would try to outdo each other with earworms every time they passed each other.

Traveler
01-19-2017, 13:10
Whatever you choose, please keep it in your ears. Last year we had a group of hikers blasting their music through a portable speaker. Had to listen to their disagreeable playlist for an hour. They were going the opposite direction as we were. Would have been worse if they were going the same.

So that explains the teeny bits of electronic gear with what appeared to be a shredded speaker.....

Hikingjim
01-19-2017, 13:57
So that explains the teeny bits of electronic gear with what appeared to be a shredded speaker..... That's known to happen. When canoe camping with some friends for the weekend, we had to "borrow" a neighbor's speaker on the Saturday night after they blasted 50 cent (I thought I was in the woods, not "da club") and various things at us until 4 am the night before. They got it back Sunday in one piece though.

salsi
01-20-2017, 15:33
Whatever you choose, please keep it in your ears. Last year we had a group of hikers blasting their music through a portable speaker. Had to listen to their disagreeable playlist for an hour. They were going the opposite direction as we were. Would have been worse if they were going the same.

I think music on the trail is part of hike your own hike and should not be forced onto others.

agree so much with this

Sandy of PA
01-20-2017, 19:00
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.

strollin
01-20-2017, 19:45
Howya gonna hear the RATTLE, or just wait tillya feel it...just sayin

Hikes in Rain
01-20-2017, 20:34
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.


This, absolutely. This music is the reason I hike.

Traillium
01-20-2017, 20:44
This, absolutely. This music is the reason I hike.

Yep. The sound of the natural world. ( … says this amateur musician … )

bamboo bob
01-20-2017, 20:49
In days past the trail was a lot noisier with actual radios at shelters. Tough darts to those who didn't like it. Ear buds are a blessing although a lot of them do leak. I am surprised that snake bites are avoided.

Christoph
01-20-2017, 21:44
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.
This! Being a musician it was hard to go without any tunes and I got stuck on the same tunes, day after day. But I agree, the sounds of nature are the best to clear the mind. Tunes are for town days for me.

Christoph
01-20-2017, 21:48
That didn't come out right and I can't edit. What I meant to say is I got stuck on the same songs in my head day after day. Having a few on my phone probably would have solved this, but I'd rather go without. I didn't drive me crazy'r than I already am.

llittle_llama
01-21-2017, 00:28
That didn't come out right and I can't edit. What I meant to say is I got stuck on the same songs in my head day after day. Having a few on my phone probably would have solved this, but I'd rather go without. I didn't drive me crazy'r than I already am.<br>
This is how I am. It's the ONLY reason I'm going to be listening to music on the trail :( If I could clear my head it would be great, but I have problems with stress. I have to have distractions to keep myself able to concentrate on other things fully.

Dogwood
01-21-2017, 01:23
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.


Howya gonna hear the RATTLE, or just wait tillya feel it...just sayin


This, absolutely. This music is the reason I hike.

Just because someone listens to music made at the hands of man doesn't mean they need to do it all the time. There can be a combination of listening to Nature for many hrs and listening to tunes from man for a couple of hrs that inspires and encourages too. :)

I've since switched to earphones that don't totally block out Nature's sounds for reasons like this. I used to zone out now and then getting into that typical gotta go gotta go go go the-hiker fast and light make those miles zone and almost stepped on rattlesnakes, copperheads, and gila monsters by doing that. I now use earphones that don't block out all outside noise of ear hook design or I don't insert earphones fully so that this happens. FWIW, it's not just noise of dangerous things like rattlesnakes that should clue us in on where they might likely occur or when we'd likely experience these beartiful creatures but also typical habitats, brush lined to overgrown trail, rocky ledges, etc ;)

Engine
01-21-2017, 05:12
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen. 90% of the time, same here. But when it's raining all day and all I can't hear anything else, music is nice. It's also good on those days when, for whatever reason, the trail has been filled with an overabundance of adversity.

Traveler
01-21-2017, 07:02
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/miscgreen/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Sandy of PA http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/buttonsgreen/viewpost-right.png (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/122814-Music-on-the-trail/showthread.php?p=2120852#post2120852)
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.






90% of the time, same here. But when it's raining all day and all I can't hear anything else, music is nice. It's also good on those days when, for whatever reason, the trail has been filled with an overabundance of adversity.

Adversity on the trail, a good catch-all for stuff that can be very annoying that others may not see or interpret that way. Some people can be oblivious to the volume (and content) of their conversations or not understand the bear bell on their pack or dog is slowly driving those unfortunate enough to be downwind of that incessant racket for miles, mad.

Nature does indeed have the best music, provided those near you have a sense of place and are able to stop making continual noise that covers it up. For those occasions, I have music at the ready.

LongBlaze2019
01-21-2017, 09:22
I don't listen to music while hiking but I do in my tent at times. Always use earbuds. No one wants to listen to my music and I don't want to listen to theirs.

Sent from my N9519 using Tapatalk

PhoenixFire
01-21-2017, 10:32
90% of the time, same here. But when it's raining all day and all I can't hear anything else, music is nice. It's also good on those days when, for whatever reason, the trail has been filled with an overabundance of adversity.

I'd have to go with this. I am normally just enjoying the sounds of the world around me until it rains and then that is nice for a while...but only a while. Not an extended period of time. Also the overabundance of loud conversations can be quite annoying.

H I T C H
01-21-2017, 11:25
I am surprised that there were so many replies about WiFi options being used.

I would think that WiFi would be a larger battery drain, not to mention the data usage.

I took everything off of my old phone and use that as a dedicated Mp3 player /streaming device at home and at the office.

I got tired of having to turn off the music to take a call or answer a message and the old phone seemed to be a good solution.

Hitch

jekerdud
01-21-2017, 13:14
I am surprised that there were so many replies about WiFi options being used.

I would think that WiFi would be a larger battery drain, not to mention the data usage.

I took everything off of my old phone and use that as a dedicated Mp3 player /streaming device at home and at the office.

I got tired of having to turn off the music to take a call or answer a message and the old phone seemed to be a good solution.

Hitch

Your statements about WIFI are the exact opposite of how it works. There's a difference between WIFI and Cellular data.

WIFI is wireless internet, being run off a hard-wired connection at a home or a business, and is not run through your cell service provider.

Cellular data, while it is technically WIFI, is channeled through your cell service provider.

When your phone is attached to WIFI at a home or business, most phones will prefer WIFI over cellular data. This is due to using WIFI at home or a business not using your cellular data (and thus, not counting on your bill or towards your usage limit if you have one). It's also easier on the battery.

It is more of a battery drain to rely on cellular data, due to signal strength fading out and the cell phone starting to search for a connection. This is really only a problem in areas where there isn't decent signal (like areas of the AT). So, for a thru hike, the best way to handle everything is to keep your phone in airplane mode while out on the trail (to prevent cellular data usage and to prevent it from searching in weak signal areas, saving the battery). When in town, turn off airplane mode and find a business or hostel that offers free wifi. Attach the phone to the wifi and update your music there. To help with the battery, do this while you are recharging everything. Go back into airplane mode when you leave town to save battery.

I'm seeing lots of people mentioning headphones. I am in agreeance, at least while hiking. I'm one of the group that will probably take turns between no music when hiking and days on end listening to music while hiking.

When hiking, keep it low enough others can't hear it (the statement about earbuds leaking is true!), and you can still hear sounds outside your headphones. At camp, I am of the opinion that a speaker is ok, but it must be a unanimous agreement between all who can hear it, and keep it low in volume. I would suggest keeping it low enough to where if you walk 20 feet away, you can barely hear it. If you want loud music, stop at a bar in town during a resupply and work the jukebox :D

H I T C H
01-24-2017, 22:17
Yes you seem to be agreeing with what I was getting at...

Playing music not stored on your phone (via WiFi or cellular data) will use more battery than playing mp3s that are stored on your phone.

Additionally the mp3s are free from data charges that streaming music has.

Hitch

jekerdud
01-25-2017, 10:05
That's true, but you don't have to stream it. Spotify has an option that allows you to download songs for offline use, which means it can be used when your phone is in airplane mode. It's just recommended you do that when you are using WIFI so you don't use your cellular data. That's what I meant when I said "Attach the phone to the wifi and update your music there." The only downside is you have to pay an $11 per month subscription to allow the ability to download the playlists, but you get access to millions of songs.

rocketsocks
01-25-2017, 13:16
Do the artists get paid from sites like Spotify?

RockDoc
01-25-2017, 13:20
So now you arrive at a camp or shelter and the other hikers all have earbuds, listening to some noise recorded in LA. Plugged into the city. Why don't they stay in the city?

FlyPaper
01-25-2017, 13:26
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.

+1

I take no music neither for walking nor sleeping.

Oventoasted
01-25-2017, 13:30
So now you arrive at a camp or shelter and the other hikers all have earbuds, listening to some noise recorded in LA. Plugged into the city. Why don't they stay in the city?

Honestly, i listen to music to pass the time because ill start talking to myself like a crazy person if i dont get something to break up the monotony of the day. I love nature and being outside but music can be uplifting and motivating. But i doubt anyone will be "plugged in" all day listening to music 24/7.

jekerdud
01-26-2017, 00:56
Do the artists get paid from sites like Spotify?

They do! Although it's very minimal. I am a metalhead, and I listen to a podcast by the vocalist of the band Hatebreed. The podcast is called "The Jasta show." He talks about streaming music constantly. Right now, artists get 8 cents per play of music. Offline does count, once you do back online for a second and the number of times you played a song is taken into account.

Tonight a friend and I were talking about that. He's my "IT guy" watching my Youtube channel while I am on the trail... but we talked about that with the pay on Spotify. I am the type of person to listen to an album 20 times before I move on to something else. Consider the cost of an album these days. $10-$15, unless there is a bonus item? If you are like me, and listen to an album 20 times... let's say the album is 12 songs. After 20 listens, they get $19.20. Consider again, that you buy the album, they don't get the full cost, with ONE listen... or purchase. The publisher gets a cut too. Spotify is good for them, probably better than buying the album.

Engine
01-26-2017, 06:45
So now you arrive at a camp or shelter and the other hikers all have earbuds, listening to some noise recorded in LA. Plugged into the city. Why don't they stay in the city?

I think, if memory serves me correctly, that Crosby, Stills, and Nash recorded many of their albums while in LA...just sayin'. :p

Traveler
01-26-2017, 08:48
So now you arrive at a camp or shelter and the other hikers all have earbuds, listening to some noise recorded in LA. Plugged into the city. Why don't they stay in the city?

There are equally bad if not worse noises recorded in places like Chicago, Seattle, Nashville, New York, London, and Brussels. For that reason I really don't care what people listen to or do on their hike as long as it doesn't impact what I am doing or my health.

Offshore
01-27-2017, 12:11
Howya gonna hear the RATTLE, or just wait tillya feel it...just sayin

Excellent point. Despite the AT being a well travelled trail, it still is a wilderness trail and not Main St. USA in Disney World. Situational awareness is key.

lwhikerchris
01-29-2017, 17:38
I listen to birds, creeks, chippies, squirrels, the wind in the trees and grass. Nature has the best music if you turn off the noise and listen.

Agreed. Music was fine at first but ended up being more of a distraction than anything else.

Fxdgear23
02-01-2017, 15:43
If you download the frostwire app on your phone, youll get 85% of what your searching for. Theres a trick......after youve downloaded your songs, if you remove the app you will loose all the music. But, if you transfer the torrent data to another device......you can keep it all. The uninstall the app and tranfer the databack. Now youhave a permanent playlist.

tahoejim
02-19-2017, 01:36
i'm taking a sansa clip+ 8gb with a 32gb SD card. weighs .8oz, gets ~20hrs playback per charge, with a 300mAh battery.

Hoofit
02-19-2017, 09:00
Nothing beats the sounds of nature for me...but as a solo hiker, I carry a tiny radio/earbuds from Wallyworld, ten bucks I think it was, weighs less than three ounces.
I don't bother with it during the day but I find it really satisfying to listen to at night sometimes in my tent as it picks up the local stations along the trail and sometimes gives me a 'heads up' on the local weather.