good study music

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drmota

drmota

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wanted some suggestions from you guys. i'm not looking for a response like "classical music" but something more specific that is very conducive to getting work done...
my major suggestion to all of you is Sigur Ros, this icelandic group that creates amazing ambient sounds with all sorts of instruments and then sing over it in no language, just making sounds. i find it very relaxing and ideal study music cuz it has no words... you guys got anything?
-mota
 
I listen to Yanni and Andre Rieu..calm and cool although I will look up Sigur Ros right now, sounds like something I'd enjoy 🙂
 
DaMota said:
wanted some suggestions from you guys. i'm not looking for a response like "classical music" but something more specific that is very conducive to getting work done...
my major suggestion to all of you is Sigur Ros, this icelandic group that creates amazing ambient sounds with all sorts of instruments and then sing over it in no language, just making sounds. i find it very relaxing and ideal study music cuz it has no words... you guys got anything?
-mota
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There are lots of published psychology studies out there which suggest that people who study without music demonstrate better comprehension in tests than those who study with music. But if you have to study with music make sure its something without words, so you don't feel inclined to sing along or think about lyrics. Some of the seemingly endless Brian Eno instrumental albums and other similar "newage" stuff from the 80s probably would work.
 
Law2Doc said:
There are lots of published psychology studies out there which suggest that people who study without music demonstrate better comprehension in tests than those who study with music. But if you have to study with music make sure its something without words, so you don't feel inclined to sing along or think about lyrics. Some of the seemingly endless Brian Eno instrumental albums and other similar "newage" stuff from the 80s probably would work.
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interesting, i've heard in the past that there's no real difference between studying with/without music and I just kind of took that as fact. I should probably look into that more. I find i get less distracted, take less breaks when i study with music. i guess to each his own.
-mota
 
Anything by Dido or Coldplay. I used to type papers in high school while listening to Googoosh, a Persian singer. Somehow her music made me think better. The Titanic soundtrack is good too; it has sort of an Enya sound.
 
DaMota said:
wanted some suggestions from you guys. i'm not looking for a response like "classical music" but something more specific that is very conducive to getting work done...
my major suggestion to all of you is Sigur Ros, this icelandic group that creates amazing ambient sounds with all sorts of instruments and then sing over it in no language, just making sounds. i find it very relaxing and ideal study music cuz it has no words... you guys got anything?
-mota
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Metallica... helps me sleep too.
 
i really like the garden state soundtrack for studying. some other mellow bands include coldplay, jack johnson, and the postal service.
 
radiohead (more of their obscure wordless songs)
sigur ros (find their movie soundtrack album S, bit of a sleeper, but it's good for those burnin the midnight oil)
edan (rap that's not stupid enough that you can predict the lyrics)

but still in the end, i study best with no music at all.
 
chaeymaey said:
Anything by Dido or Coldplay. I used to type papers in high school while listening to Googoosh, a Persian singer. Somehow her music made me think better. The Titanic soundtrack is good too; it has sort of an Enya sound.
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hahaha- i've seen googoosh in concert. she rocked the boat. can you cook ghormeh sabzee?
-mota
 
jtank said:
i really like the garden state soundtrack for studying. some other mellow bands include coldplay, jack johnson, and the postal service.
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woah that's EXACTLY what i listen to! also sufjan stevens, death cab, and iron and wine. sweet
 
radioh3ad said:
radiohead (more of their obscure wordless songs)
sigur ros (find their movie soundtrack album S, bit of a sleeper, but it's good for those burnin the midnight oil)
edan (rap that's not stupid enough that you can predict the lyrics)

but still in the end, i study best with no music at all.
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i must say you have some pretty immaculate taste in music, my friend. if you like edan i'm guessing you know atmosphere. if not, pick up felt 2-murs and slug. its pretty ill.
-mota
 
DaMota said:
i must say you have some pretty immaculate taste in music, my friend. if you like edan i'm guessing you know atmosphere. if not, pick up felt 2-murs and slug. its pretty ill.
-mota
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i'll definitely have to check those out.
oh and how could i forget common/mos def/kweli?

hey i had a thread about this already 😛
 
I listen to trance and i am not sure if it will work for you...hahah...for example -

Tilt - The World Doesn't Know
Iio - Rapture (Riva remix)
Chicane - Salt water
smith and pledger - forever (aspekt vocal mix)
 
"The Hum" by Crappy-PC-I-Threw-Together-for-300-Bucks
 
I guess it depends what I am studying for. For instance physiology goes really well with upbeat celtic music. I subscribe to live365 and I always find something that works well with what I am studying at the moment. My roommate hates when I listen to Chopin. He says that Chopin is too "manic."
 
jtank said:
i really like the garden state soundtrack for studying. some other mellow bands include coldplay, jack johnson, and the postal service.
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second the garden state soundtrack and jack johnson. if i'm starting to fade, i crank up jimmy eat world and dynamite hack
 
Any Baroque "classical music" - by this I mean Vivaldi, Handel, Albinoni, Purcell, Marcello, Pachelbel, Telemann, Bach, Corelli, Couperin etc. The pieces tend to be on the lighter side (except Bach who is quite heavy), and engage you more intellectually rather than emotionally, so they aren't a problem when you are intellectually focused on something else.

I would stay away from Romantic "classical music" - by this I mean Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Dvorak, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Liszt, Grieg, etc. The pieces tend to be much heavier and engage you at a more emotional and primal level, so they get through to you even when you are intellectually focused on your studies, and actually impede you in your work.
 
Oh, and I forgot to mention that any vocal or choral music from any era is always bad for studying. Stay away from voices and stick with instruments.
 
Pft. Obviously Mercapto's never heard deVictoria's Ave Maria. By far the best Ave Maria ever composed.

And besides, if they're singing in latin and you don't have much of a vocal background (this is where I get into trouble) then it's pretty tough to let the words distract you.
 
this year i am trying something new, not listnening to music while studying. I lisented to music last year so we will see how things turn out.....
 
dsh said:
According to a verbal passage in Kaplan Test 2, light, soft-rock, w/o vocal music (think muzak) has been clinically shown to improve performance.
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if i remember correctly, that passage was about workplace performance, though...not studying. wow, what has become of me to have remembered that.
-mota
 
It all depends on what I'm studying. Sometimes, I'll need absolute quiet, especially if what I'm studying requires lots of reading and less demonstration. Besides light jazz and classical music, I've found Rufus Wainwright, and Death Cab for Cutie, along with some random indie songs to help set my studying atmosphere. I love all kinds of music, but I can't concentrate when the music is heavy in rhythm and lyrical intensity.
 
Antonio Carlos Jobim - The Composer Of Desafinado, Plays
nice mellow instrumental bossanova, great for studying or trying to get to sleep
 
jtank said:
i really like the garden state soundtrack for studying. some other mellow bands include coldplay, jack johnson, and the postal service.
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Jack Johnson's new album (3rd time today) is on right now while I'm in the microscope room. For hardcore studying I usually put on a movie soundtrack, because usually they dont have words (braveheart, lord of the rings, etc) Classical music is far too distracting and anything with a chorus is ADD inducing. I usually dont put music on while studying anyway, unless I need to sit still for 3+ hours and study.
 
just looked through my itunes, and i'll throw in a plug for radiohead, rufus wainwright, the shins, ben folds, moby, portishead, and josh ritter (check out the album "hello starling" - it's great). as far as classical, i find piano music to be fairly good for concentration. try bach's goldberg variations or the two and three part inventions (i love the glenn gould recordings), or the chopin nocturnes. in terms of jazz, look for brad mehldau -- great jazz pianist and fairly mellow. i'm also in complete disagreement with mercapto (surprise) and would advise looking into faure's requiem (unless, of course, you've done it in choir, in which case you'll just be singing along for the entire thing!) and something like missa pape marcelli by palestrina.
 
nickel creek - 'cuz they have both instrumental only and with vocals. some songs are really mellow, others are so energetic. i like to switch it up, and just listening to their music keeps me going!
 
Any kinda hindi film music. Especially the songs where I can imagine I'm frolicking in the hills with John Abraham (hottie) and Aishwarya Rai is MY backup dancer. 😛
 
DaMota said:
wanted some suggestions from you guys. i'm not looking for a response like "classical music" but something more specific that is very conducive to getting work done...
my major suggestion to all of you is Sigur Ros, this icelandic group that creates amazing ambient sounds with all sorts of instruments and then sing over it in no language, just making sounds. i find it very relaxing and ideal study music cuz it has no words... you guys got anything?
-mota
Click to expand...

study w/ music-->no focus-->give in to goin out w/ friends-->get drunk-->get even more drunk-->possible vomitting-->regain drunkness-->(hook up w/ drunk fat chick?)-->cramming for exams-->get pissed-->get drunk-->bomb exams-->give prof "I'll do anything" speech-->come on to sdn asking for study music advice

conclusion: try not to study with music
 
Sigur Ros got me through my first year of medical school. I listen to all of their stuff except "Von." And, I am going to see them September 15th at the Boston Opera House.

May I also recommend:
Radiohead
Explosions in the sky
Cancer Conspriacy
Minus the Bear
Garden State Soundtrack

As good study material. But after a few hard hours of studying, its all metal (In Flames, Soilwork, Disarmonia Mundi, Metallica (old stuff ie pre-black album), Shadows Fall, etc.).

Cheers
 
i like trance too. i tend to record sets i spin and listen to them when i study. otherwise, tiesto's in search of sunrise 3 and ISOS 4 disc 1 are great.
 
DaMota said:
hahaha- i've seen googoosh in concert. she rocked the boat. can you cook ghormeh sabzee?
-mota
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That's so cool! Where did you see her, Houston? I have yet to go to her show, but she did play at uncle's wedding back in the day. She's such a goddess. Her Kavir album album somehow made me a very prolific writer. I love ghormeh sabzee (mmm, beans in green sauce...) Are you Persian?
 
I don't know if you guys do this, but I usually listen to one band when studying for an exam...and I end up singing it in my head during the exam. sometimes it triggers something that reminds me of what I am forgetting. Then again, I usually waste a good portion of the exam trying to think of the next verse. 🙁
 
antihero94 said:
Sigur Ros got me through my first year of medical school. I listen to all of their stuff except "Von." And, I am going to see them September 15th at the Boston Opera House.

May I also recommend:
Radiohead
Explosions in the sky
Cancer Conspriacy
Minus the Bear
Garden State Soundtrack

As good study material. But after a few hard hours of studying, its all metal (In Flames, Soilwork, Disarmonia Mundi, Metallica (old stuff ie pre-black album), Shadows Fall, etc.).

Cheers
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right on...i'm seeing them October 1st in Oakland. I also have their new album Takk which doesn't drop til September 13th... it's really...really good. a lot better than their last album.
-mota
 
chaeymaey said:
Are you Persian?
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nope, saw her in LA at the staples center...she actually sold out the place (almost 20,000 seats). persian for life. i eat all them hooloos and tootfarangees daily.
-mota
 
seilienne said:
Pft. Obviously Mercapto's never heard deVictoria's Ave Maria. By far the best Ave Maria ever composed.

And besides, if they're singing in latin and you don't have much of a vocal background (this is where I get into trouble) then it's pretty tough to let the words distract you.
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Um, what is this supposed to mean? Is deVictoria Baroque or something? I've never heard of that composer. In any case, I said that I thought that all vocal/choral music was distracting, regardless of the era. Personally, I find Bach's St. Matthew & St. John Passions to be some of the emotionally most intense music ever written.

Another very moving oratorio is Elijah by Mendelssohn. And I don't know any German, either.
 
penguinophile said:
I don't know if you guys do this, but I usually listen to one band when studying for an exam...and I end up singing it in my head during the exam. sometimes it triggers something that reminds me of what I am forgetting. Then again, I usually waste a good portion of the exam trying to think of the next verse. 🙁
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haha, yeah, i used to think i was real clever when i did that, but the focus lost from listening to the music usually outweighed association effect. great minds think alike, huh? 🙄
 
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