It depends. If it is something that is monotonous, then music helps keep me focused. If it requires deep thought, then it can be distracting. Picking the right music for either option can also help.
(I specify this because this is apparently somewhat uncommon, apparently many people … just generally don’t have one.)
Music with lyrics tends to make it more difficult for me to focus on my own thoughts, whereas music without lyrics tends to be much more effective at helping me focus on my own thoughts.
Of course, some music without lyrics is… just too jarring or loud in some way… but whenever a song has lyrics, those lyrics are basically taking up the same … memory channel, bandwidth lane, as my own thought process.
Same with any background conversation, actual people, TV, whatever, doesn’t matter.
Human voices throw off, to some extent, my ability to literally think through a complex process.
Unfortunately no, I don’t have a playlist that I could share or recommend in good faith, not at the moment.
But if you mean more generally, just, what do I listen to, to help concentrate?
Hrm.
Various chiptuny, melodic beep bloopy music… sometimes things with rolling or constant bass or drum lines or something… ‘Conga Fury’ by Juno Reactor, ‘One of These Days’ by Pink Floyd, or ‘Tick of the Clock’ by the Chromatics…
But, sometimes much more laid back and chill stuff, lounge background music type stuff, throw some hip-hop stylings and you end up with something like Nujabes, or maybe RJD2 (though he often uses so many vocal samples that those songs can be distracting), ambient electronica, Boards of Canada type stuff…
Sometimes various classical songs.
Sometimes literally Mongolian throat singing, which I guess does not register to my brain as speech.
It depends on my mood, lol.
And also the … level of instensity of what I’m trying to do, whether or not its very physical, very mental, or both.
Going even further, a decade ago now, I actually tried to see if I could find some kind of actual… threshold, where my brain, or I, whatever, can’t really decide if its ‘vocals’ or not, in terms of ‘does this mess with my ability to concentrate.’
And that is how I ended up finding TOBACCO / Black Moth Super Rainbow.
… Nobody really sounds like them.
The way they make their sounds, you’d think its digital, but apparently its all analogue… they have a very strange way of … making, and then using, some kind of vocoder.
… I would basically describe the music as what a good LSD trip … sounds like.
The music for me can vary, i find music without lyrics is easier to concentrate with. Stuff that sounds classical or instrumental rock/metal is what i tend to play for concentration
Try film scores. That’s what I use when studying for certification exams. I listen to Jóhann Jóhannsson, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Thomas Newman, Nick Cave, Nico Muhly, Max Richter, and of course some Hans Zimmer as well.
For instrumental rock I like Nick Johnston’s work, IAH is also pretty good. Listened to a lot more artists when i was studying in college but have forgotten many of them.
Justin Johnson is an instrumental blues/country/rock guitarist with a pretty wide range of sounds.
For more classical style music I’ll often just find a playlist but the album that got me into that style was the Child of Light soundtrack by Couer de Pirate. Actually many video game soundtracks and artists are great instrumental music, work from Jeremy Soule is often relaxing and fantasy driven, Marty O’Donnell is known for his work on the Halo soundtracks and has some great instrumental/orchestral rock tracks.
Sometimes I’ll wear headphones and listen to music to concentrate. Sometimes I’ll take my headphones off to concentrate.
It depends. If it is something that is monotonous, then music helps keep me focused. If it requires deep thought, then it can be distracting. Picking the right music for either option can also help.
I have an internal monologue.
(I specify this because this is apparently somewhat uncommon, apparently many people … just generally don’t have one.)
Music with lyrics tends to make it more difficult for me to focus on my own thoughts, whereas music without lyrics tends to be much more effective at helping me focus on my own thoughts.
Of course, some music without lyrics is… just too jarring or loud in some way… but whenever a song has lyrics, those lyrics are basically taking up the same … memory channel, bandwidth lane, as my own thought process.
Same with any background conversation, actual people, TV, whatever, doesn’t matter.
Human voices throw off, to some extent, my ability to literally think through a complex process.
This makes sense. I notoriously don’t pay attention to lyrics in songs normally, so that doesn’t interfere with my concentration.
You got any playlist that help you concentrate?
Lindsey Stirling, lofi girl
Unfortunately no, I don’t have a playlist that I could share or recommend in good faith, not at the moment.
But if you mean more generally, just, what do I listen to, to help concentrate?
Hrm.
Various chiptuny, melodic beep bloopy music… sometimes things with rolling or constant bass or drum lines or something… ‘Conga Fury’ by Juno Reactor, ‘One of These Days’ by Pink Floyd, or ‘Tick of the Clock’ by the Chromatics…
But, sometimes much more laid back and chill stuff, lounge background music type stuff, throw some hip-hop stylings and you end up with something like Nujabes, or maybe RJD2 (though he often uses so many vocal samples that those songs can be distracting), ambient electronica, Boards of Canada type stuff…
Sometimes various classical songs.
Sometimes literally Mongolian throat singing, which I guess does not register to my brain as speech.
It depends on my mood, lol.
And also the … level of instensity of what I’m trying to do, whether or not its very physical, very mental, or both.
Going even further, a decade ago now, I actually tried to see if I could find some kind of actual… threshold, where my brain, or I, whatever, can’t really decide if its ‘vocals’ or not, in terms of ‘does this mess with my ability to concentrate.’
And that is how I ended up finding TOBACCO / Black Moth Super Rainbow.
… Nobody really sounds like them.
The way they make their sounds, you’d think its digital, but apparently its all analogue… they have a very strange way of … making, and then using, some kind of vocoder.
… I would basically describe the music as what a good LSD trip … sounds like.
Thanks, I’ve got some homework now!
Hope you find something you fancy!
I can’t work to music I just find it too distracting. But watching 2 different episodes of American dad, whilst working? Not a problem
The music for me can vary, i find music without lyrics is easier to concentrate with. Stuff that sounds classical or instrumental rock/metal is what i tend to play for concentration
If you’ve got any tracks you can lay on me my fedbrother, it’d be much appreciated
Try film scores. That’s what I use when studying for certification exams. I listen to Jóhann Jóhannsson, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Thomas Newman, Nick Cave, Nico Muhly, Max Richter, and of course some Hans Zimmer as well.
Not OP, but instrumental metal for working: Karma To Burn, Red Sparowes, Pelican (Pelican can feel a little souless but that’s my opinion).
For instrumental rock I like Nick Johnston’s work, IAH is also pretty good. Listened to a lot more artists when i was studying in college but have forgotten many of them.
Justin Johnson is an instrumental blues/country/rock guitarist with a pretty wide range of sounds.
For more classical style music I’ll often just find a playlist but the album that got me into that style was the Child of Light soundtrack by Couer de Pirate. Actually many video game soundtracks and artists are great instrumental music, work from Jeremy Soule is often relaxing and fantasy driven, Marty O’Donnell is known for his work on the Halo soundtracks and has some great instrumental/orchestral rock tracks.
Check out Bantha Rider.
+1