How to Take Better Notes at a Music Festival or Concert

If you're a music journalist, or if you just love keeping track of your concert activities, you'll want to take notes during concerts and music festivals so you can write more detailed, immersive pieces later on. But what's the best way to take accurate notes while you're also trying to enjoy the experience?

Invest in Better Note Taking Software

It's possible to use a basic note app on your phone or even rely on old-school pencil and paper, but if you want to take better notes consistently, it's a good idea to upgrade to better note taking software. The right note taking software will help you:

• Take notes on any device. You can easily take notes on a smartphone or any mobile device, making your note taking system even more portable.

• Take notes in different ways. With the right software, you can take notes in a variety of innovative ways. Instead of just writing down words and phrases, you can form bulleted lists, create idea maps, or even draw small diagrams. It pays to have that kind of flexibility so you can capture information in multiple ways.

• Collaborate with others. If you're working with other journalists, an editor, or just a friend who's at the same show, it's important to be able to collaborate. With the right note taking software, you'll be able to share your notes with other people – and look at their additions as well.

• Share notes between devices. You might want to take notes on a smartphone, but consolidate and expand on those notes on a laptop or another device. If that's the case, you'll want to make sure your note taking app can easily share notes across multiple devices.

• Keep your notes secure. You may also be concerned about security – especially if you're taking notes on a high-profile event. A good note taking app will have security features to give you confidence your writing will be kept private.

Make Both Written and Verbal Notes

If possible, try to take both written and verbal notes.

Written notes give you a chance to formally articulate your thoughts. They also tend to be easier to decipher later on, and are easier to share with other people, since they take less time to review. However, taking the time to write out notes may distract you from the event – and you won't take advantage of your stream of consciousness.

Conversely, verbal notes tend to be quicker and easier. They allow you to narrate your surroundings in a more natural, easygoing manner. But they can take a lot of time to review, and they may not be easy to decipher – especially with loud music in the background.

Capture the Entire Scene

If you want to write a compelling review or an impressive journalistic piece, it's important for you to try and capture the entire scene. What's it like to be in this environment?

Consider:

• The music. Obviously, you'll need to think about the music, including the musicians playing. But try to go beyond the obvious here. How is the music projected? What other noises and sounds are interfering with it? What makes this sound distinctive compared to other bands or other venues?

• The sights. What do you see around you? Is there a bright flashing lightshow, or is the venue kept as dimly lit as possible? What vibes did you get when walking into the venue for the first time?

• The people. What kinds of people are in attendance? What are they wearing, and how are they acting? Are they friendly to you? Are they into the music?

• The smells. What do you smell? How does that smell change over the course of the night?

• The amenities. Are there places to sit down or convenient bathrooms? What other amenities are available? These may be small details in your finished piece, but they're worth mentioning if they make your writing more immersive.

Talk to Other People

You can take detailed notes about your own experience, but no matter how thorough you are, you're still only going to capture your own experience. If you want to write a broader, more universally appealing piece, it's a good idea to capture the experiences of others – at least slightly. Consider talking to some of the people you meet at the venue and get their thoughts (taking full quotes where appropriate). You might be able to write about them or use their perspective to complement yours.

With more thorough, interesting notes, you'll be able to write better, more immersive pieces – and capture more of what the full experience was like. The more practice you get, the better you'll be at this all-important step of the process.