Hearing live music is one of the most pleasurable experiences available to human beings. The music sounds great. It feels great, and you get to watch the musicians as they play it. No matter what kind of music you love, try listening to it live.

This guide focuses on classical music, a tradition that originated before recordings, radio, and the Internet, back when all music was live music. In those days live human beings performed for other live human beings, with everybody together in the same room. When heard in this way, classical music can have a special excitement. Hearing classical music in a concert can leave you feeling refreshed and energized. It can be fun. It can be romantic. It can be spiritual.

Classical music concerts can seem like snobby(高傲的)affairs full of foreign terms and unusual behavior. It can be hard to understand what's going on. It can be hard to know how to act. But don't worry. Concerts are no stranger than any other amusements, and the rules of behavior are much simpler and easier to understand than the stock market, football, or system software programs.

If you haven't been to a live concert before, or if you've been confused by concerts, this guide will explain, so you can relax and enjoy the music.