Do you listen to music while you work/think?

by Dexx
31 replies
I'm thinking of downloading some classic music to help "inspire" my brain while I'm working on projects etc.

I tried listening to my regular music, but found songs with lyrics tended to distract me into listening along with my song rather than the work at hand.

Anyone else have "background" noise that helps them think?

Any suggestions for great music to listen to for such a task?

~Dexx
#listen #music #work or think
  • Profile picture of the author Matt Bard
    I know this will sound pretty airy-fairy for some but there are New Age instrumental tunes that are designed for specific moods and enhance things like relaxation, inspiration, self-motivation, energy...

    Do a search for New Age music and you will find a ton of stuff to look through.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dexx
    Cool, I'll have to take a look, thanks!

    ~Dexx
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    • Profile picture of the author Matt Morgan
      I listen to relaxing music somtimes, at a low volume. Anything heavy and loud would distract me too much.

      But what might not work for me, might work for others.

      Music can be relaxing to the mind.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kevin Marshall
      It depends on what I am doing.

      If I am writing, I won't always listen to music. I find it gets distracting, or I start singing with the music!

      If I am building links through SENuke X or other software where I don't have to think too much, I will listen to music or even talk shows on the radio.

      If I think I can get away with listening to music without getting distracted, then I like to have something playing in the background.
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      • Profile picture of the author Matt Bard
        Originally Posted by Kevin Marshall View Post

        ...or I start singing with the music!
        I heard that you distract the neighboring dogs from their normal howling

        j/k

        Matt
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  • Profile picture of the author Brian Cashins
    I like to listen to heavy stuff when its HTML or code checking time. That task is so boring to me that the music will help me stay alive while my eyes burn from the lines of code I have to review,lol..
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  • Profile picture of the author funkynassau
    I listen to Stevie Ray Vaughan when I am working, most of the time. If it's blues rock, I'm into it!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jake Gray
    For the most part, I listen to music much too often.

    It is quite easy to forget that your working while listening to music.

    There was a case study done a few years that shows when you listen
    to classical music, productivity improves.
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  • Profile picture of the author Burton Lancaster
    I'm the same way Dexx,

    Songs with lyrics really break my focus, but I love stuff like "Quantic Soul Orchestra, Wax Tailor, RJD2 etc... check those guys out. Quantic Soul Orchestra will get you moving.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom B
      Banned
      I only listen to music while having sex. Sure, the ipod doesn't help the romantic mood but I find the beat helps in other ways. Sometimes I will even sing along.
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      • Profile picture of the author Johnny Nguyen
        Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap View Post

        I only listen to music while having sex. Sure, the ipod doesn't help the romantic mood but I find the beat helps in other ways. Sometimes I will even sing along.
        Is that appropriate in this forum? They let you say that kind of stuff in this forum where people from all over and different age range can see this? Damn...
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        • Profile picture of the author Tom B
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Johnny Nguyen View Post

          Is that appropriate in this forum? They let you say that kind of stuff in this forum where people from all over and different age range can see this? Damn...
          Isn't it past your bedtime anyway? If you don't like the post then report it. I won't lose any sleep over it.
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          • Profile picture of the author Johnny Nguyen
            Originally Posted by Thomas Belknap View Post

            Isn't it past your bedtime anyway? If you don't like the post then report it. I won't lose any sleep over it.
            Hahaha, nah it's summer time dude. I don't do that...
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  • Profile picture of the author Nate Simms
    I always listen to Explosions in the Sky when I'm working online.

    ... they are strictly an instrumental band, but they are incredible.

    Most people know them from doing the Friday Night Lights soundtrack (the movie, not the television show).

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  • Profile picture of the author twood0222
    I live to type in a song or artist on pandora and listen while I work on designs or whatever. I don't find it at all distracting. I really like listening to Apocalyptica or Bond, something with little or no lyrics but a lot driving beat!!!
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    • Profile picture of the author jajo
      I always have live365 free online radio going through my earbuds while I work on my PC. I have noisy neighbors who seem to get together and yammer on their balcony right outside my window till 11:00 at night.

      It was driving me to distraction until I learned about live365. And they have many, many choices. Tonight I had Reggae from London on. But they have lot's of Easy Listening, Classical, whatever if you want more peaceful music.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dexx
        Originally Posted by jajo View Post

        I always have live365 free online radio going through my earbuds while I work on my PC. I have noisy neighbors who seem to get together and yammer on their balcony right outside my window till 11:00 at night.

        It was driving me to distraction until I learned about live365. And they have many, many choices. Tonight I had Reggae from London on. But they have lot's of Easy Listening, Classical, whatever if you want more peaceful music.
        You, sir, are my hero! Great share, I'm all signed up and listening now (soundtrack section)!

        Cheers everyone, great responses!

        ~Dexx
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        • Profile picture of the author AprilCT
          I like as much quiet as I can get for writing work. Daytime can be tough--our neighbors take turns mowing their lawns. As soon as one is done mowing, the next one starts while the first one begins the weed whacking work or turns on the hedge clippers. And so on.

          If I'm housecleaning or washing/painting walls, then it's no holds barred with turning on the music. I usually pick an album on CD or a rock station. It's really good to be distracted as housework is totally boring.
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  • Profile picture of the author Johnny Nguyen
    Dude, music is like a everyday thing, I don't know anybody that doesn't listen to music. I mostly listen to love songs, it gets me through the day. Music is what keep me through each day just listening to it, it helps me with my emotion and I have to keep on moving in life.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Yeah Dexx, I like to listen to instrumental music while I work sometimes. New age, epic style movie trailer type music, and guitar music. Here's a song from an all instrumental album titled 11:11. Don't know what you like, music-wise, but I find it stimulates my thinking.


    PS - You might try www.pandora.com too. You basically create your own radio station with a seed song and it will play songs it thinks you'll like based on the the seed song. You vote up or down on the other songs. It doesn't take long at all before you've created a station that is really customized to your liking. If you give it a song a thumbs up or don't rate it you'll hear it again, if you give it a thumbs down you'll never hear it again.
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  • Profile picture of the author magiclouie
    I normally play and listen to my collection of the 90's great songs with my wonderful Logitech speakers.

    These songs can make me feel relax.
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  • Profile picture of the author aaronngoh
    I love soft smoothing music at the background.

    But When I wake up, I play I am alive, you simply the best to "wake" me up

    Take regular break to break the rhythm and it will help in productivity

    I find this work for me.
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    • Profile picture of the author IMWinner
      I prefer to have a quite place and I don't listen to music while working; it can cause distraction and interruption while I'm thinking. I end up singing it instead of just listening. I listen to the music depend on the mood that I have. If I want to be relaxed, I preferred classical (Mozart) it will help to relax my tense muscle, especially during stress time. I also listened to it before bed time; since it has relaxing effect it will truly help to have a good night sleep. I go with heavy and loud when I feel happy or when I'm cleaning my room and closet.
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      • Profile picture of the author HigherPrThanGod
        I like to listen to movie scores, themes when I'm writing screenplays. But when I'm doing websites, I like to listen to music (with words lol) while slaving away at them though.

        Thanks to the guy who got me to 365.. they do have good music. Sounds good quality too.
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  • Profile picture of the author Adnan Firdous
    Musics help me a lot while doing math!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author blillard
    I like to put on Wiz Khalifa or Big sean when I'm doing things. It all depends on the hour of the day and what I'm doing. But for sure music when I work.
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  • Profile picture of the author JustinDupre
    I listen to 90's alternative rock while working. For some reason it helps my creative process.
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  • Profile picture of the author scottmanesis
    Depends on the task. ALWAYS when doing graphics stuff, NEVER when writing content.
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  • Profile picture of the author ephame
    I go for epic music, just search "epic music" in youtube most of what you get in the search results will do just nicely.
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  • Profile picture of the author Targeted Traffic
    I prefer the classic instrumentals like from the Baroque era.

    Yeah well common but the ornate instrumentation and composition of Baroque classical music gets a lot of attention for its possible mind-boosting effects. Eight radiologists were asked to go about their day while listening to Baroque-period tunes. They mostly self-reported better mood and productivity.

    Or perhaps try Mozart for the so-called 'Mozart effect'

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  • Profile picture of the author EricMN
    Music. . . My favourite topic!

    I specialized in neuroscience in university and did quite a bit with music cognition while I was there.

    If you're doing something involving language, be it reading or writing, then music with lyrics of your native tongue will distract you. Music with foreign lyrics will distract you less and obviously instrumentals will distract you the least.

    If you are doing something else involving calculations or coding you can get away with some lyrical music without it getting in the way. But as it's been mentioned, if you know the lyrics it's hard not to wander off into your favourite chorus.

    If you're a musician I wouldn't listen to music of the instrument you play either. If you haven't caught on the trend, don't listen to things related to what you are doing or familiar with, it'll take your mind away from the task.

    Besides that it's up to you. I listen to everything from classical to techno to gangster rap. Some people work better pumped up, others when they are mellowed out. During the day if I've had some coffee the tunes get pretty epic (battle scene orchestral stuff). By the end of the night I usually mellow out to something a little slower. Pick how you like to vibe and the rest is up to you!

    Also for those who have heard of The Mozart Effect, it's a complete myth.
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