Musicians and musicologists—those who study, analyze, and interpret music—write about music for themselves or for larger audiences. Your instructor might ask you to keep a journal to record your impressions and ideas about concerts you attend. If you are a music student, you might write personal reflections about works that you are preparing for performance. Other kinds of writing are intended to inform or educate general audiences. They include reviews of performances and press releases that are published in newspapers, blogs, or other publications. More specialized publications are scholarly journals and concert program notes.

If you are a student learning how to write about music, you will need to train yourself to listen actively rather than passively. Passive listening means just enjoying a performance or recording. This kind of listening is certainly a valid way to hear music, but to write about music you must become more aware of what you are hearing. You must intentionally listen for certain qualities in the music. Active listening also involves learning about the background of a composer or musician to deepen your understanding of the music. As an active listener, you can observe how the audience responds during a performance, and you can analyze and critique the performance as you listen. To help you become a more active listener, your instructor might take your class on field trips to concerts so you can experience a variety of performances. You might attend a classical symphony concert, a chamber music performance, a recital showcasing the talents of a single performer, or a concert by a rock band or a jazz ensemble.