First, follow the rhythm

Choose an authorised recording and listen once without taking notes. On a second pass, notice when the main pulse enters, changes or drops away. Write down the moment in your own words rather than quoting the lyrics.

Then follow the layers

Listen for a repeated sequence, a sustained texture and the way the voice sits among them. Describe what you hear without assuming which instrument or production process created it. An unfamiliar sound can remain an interesting question.

Compare one detail

Choose a second track and compare a single feature: density, pace or the space around the voice. Avoid turning a personal listening impression into an objective ranking. The notebook is useful because it records your attention.