Music + Studying?

[JourneyToMD]

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Hello all.
Though I'm usually the type of person who likes absolute silence when studying, I've noticed that I tend to drift off to sleep because it's just too quiet. I was wondering what kind of music is good for studying? Any recommendations on song/song types without words would be extra helpful. Thanks!

 

[vgirl712]

I grew up playing violin, so I really like listening to orchestral music when I study.

Some of my favorites:
Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Mozart's violin concertos
Brandenburg concertos
anything by Itzakh Perlman (he is amazing!)

But I like pretty much any classical music.

 

[SomeDoc]

I do the same- I've got a bunch of classical music, of which one of my favorites happens to be four seasons 🙂

I listen to the same album for pretty much every study session- it helps keep my mind engaged, esp for long study sessions.

 

[Soleil9]

I obsessively listen to one album over and over. The more I listen to it, the less I hear it and it just fades into the background. My album is by Sigur Ros, a band from Iceland. They basicly play really etherial moody music and thy don't sing in English, which would be distracting. The album is called "()". I don't think I would really like the album if I weren't studying.

 

[OrnotMajestic]

I have a hard time studying WITHOUT music now. I use my iPod so much, I have to charge it every two days (currently on 12 hour days studying for Step 1. That will do it to you.)

As for music, I have broad tastes and it depends on my mood. I am, however, obsessed with movie soundtracks. Simple and catchy melodies that aren't very complicated, so they aren't much of a distraction. If I'm falling asleep, I enjoy good techno or instrumental/prog rock.

Some of my favorites:
-Halo 2 Soundtrack (never played the game, but the music keeps my blood moving)
-Magik 5-7 by DJ Tiesto
-Great Wall by Paul Oakenfold'
-Crystal Planet by Joe Satriani
-Change of Seasons by Dream Theatre
-Master and Commander: Far side of the world soundtrack
-Kingdom of Heaven Soundtrack
-Gladiator Soundtrack
-Black Hawk Down Soundtrack
-Matrix Trilogy Soundtrack

Other recommended for techno: Aphex Twin, Crystal Method, and Thievery Corporation.

Also, as Soleil9 has said, if you listen to an album over and over you stop being distracted by it if you study to it. I have LOTS of albums like that:
-Gravity by Our Lady Peace
-Happiness is not a fish you can catch by Our Lady Peace
-Before the Robots by Better than Ezra

 

[soeagerun2or]

Techno

Hands down the best study music ever. Good beat to keep you going, not many words to distract you, and the song never ends.

 

[OrnotMajestic]

Techno

Hands down the best study music ever. Good beat to keep you going, not many words to distract you, and the song never ends.

Good to see another techno person on here. Most people I talk to look like they are about to puke if they were forced to listen to it. What are your favorites? I'm always looking for more!

 

[justin334]

www.BEETHOVEN.com

"the WORLD'S classical station"

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

I obsessively listen to one album over and over. The more I listen to it, the less I hear it and it just fades into the background. My album is by Sigur Ros, a band from Iceland. They basicly play really etherial moody music and thy don't sing in English, which would be distracting. The album is called "()". I don't think I would really like the album if I weren't studying.

Thanks for suggesting this band, it's exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for 😀

 

[pballa24]

Good to see another techno person on here. Most people I talk to look like they are about to puke if they were forced to listen to it. What are your favorites? I'm always looking for more!

Yeah seriously, I'm more of a trance guy myslelf (slightly different from techno). I recommend listening to some of the ITunes radio stations. Trance.fm is pretty good. Anything Global Underground puts out is gonna be great to study to. Look up Sasha and Steve Lawler, they've also done some really good stuff.

Also, I noticed you put Black Hawk Down on there. Excellent choice. Basically any movie soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is great study music...Batman Begins, Last Samurai, Gladiator, Tears of the Sun..the list goes on.

 

[soeagerun2or]

My favs:

Paul Van Dyk, Tiesto, Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten, Stephane Pompougnac.

I have a lot of live sets or rare tracks. If I have a long study block (hours and hours) I'll cue all 5 In Search of Sunrise albums or several Magik. That seems to get the job done.

 

[OrnotMajestic]

Yeah seriously, I'm more of a trance guy myslelf (slightly different from techno). I recommend listening to some of the ITunes radio stations. Trance.fm is pretty good. Anything Global Underground puts out is gonna be great to study to. Look up Sasha and Steve Lawler, they've also done some really good stuff.

Also, I noticed you put Black Hawk Down on there. Excellent choice. Basically any movie soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is great study music...Batman Begins, Last Samurai, Gladiator, Tears of the Sun..the list goes on.

I said "techno" as a general since if I put trance, most people won't have any idea what I'm talking about. 🙂 I absolutely LOVE Sasha (Fundacion is one of my favorites, plus I love his work with Digiweed). I'll look up Global Underground and Steve Lawler.

Hans Zimmer is the man. I got 'Broken Arrow' from a friend recommendation, and I love it. Quite different, but very study-worthy. 10 gigs of my iPod is soundtracks.

 

[OrnotMajestic]

My favs:

Paul Van Dyk, Tiesto, Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten, Stephane Pompougnac.

I have a lot of live sets or rare tracks. If I have a long study block (hours and hours) I'll cue all 5 In Search of Sunrise albums or several Magik. That seems to get the job done.

In Search of Sunrise 3 and Magik 6 & 7 are my favorites of Tiesto.

 

[DragonWell]

Thievery Coorporation, Classical.

 

[Hayden2102]

Haven't researches discovered that listening to music that has a fast beat will put your brain into waves that are counterproductive for memory and learning?

 

[Top Gun]

Hello all.
Though I'm usually the type of person who likes absolute silence when studying, I've noticed that I tend to drift off to sleep because it's just too quiet. I was wondering what kind of music is good for studying? Any recommendations on song/song types without words would be extra helpful. Thanks!

I always liked Beethoven or Mozart when I was studying.

 

[dannylee718]

sigur ros is certainly a nice suggestion.

i know of a few files you can download online they call "white noise". i've never heard it myself, but its supposed to be a fuzzy sounding thing that drowns out the rest of the world... 😕

I definately can't study with music on, even if there are no lyrics. I get too engaged in the arrangement. I like to study in 2 hr spurts and I take 10-20 minute breaks in between (enough time for me to watch an episode of Family Guy or the Simpsons. lol.) 👍

 

[ghsieh]

Elliott Smith, Rocky Votolato, or Sigur Ros sometimes work for me. They are all sort of slowish and it takes concentrating on the music to really separate it out from the background. Mostly I also can't stand studying to music. I have a similar problem where I am completely awake, but then feel overwhelmingly tired as soon as I start reading or studying. I just take a nap and force myself to add the time spent napping to the end of my studying.

As a general comment, I don't think that playing music would help because I would guess that over time you would adapt to having music and drift off in the same fashion, but anything is worth a shot if you think it would help you study.

 

[somnolent]

80's music is the only choice. I'm currently listening to Eddie Murphy - Party All the Time.....😉

 

[Kris1]

Avenged Sevenfold works pretty good for me.

 

[EBI831]

i hate music when studying but i've found that the people i can tolerate to keep me awake without overkill and causing me to break out in dance are moody, lilting, ballading artists like Elliot Smith, Tegan and Sarah, Howie Day (sometimes), Jenny Lewis, Rilo Kiley, and the silversun pickups(can have louder choruses tho).

 

[ruefr]

Pink Floyd's "Animals" is probably in my "study music hall of fame" along w/ "Wish You Were Here".

As for other stuff, it totally depends on my mood.

 

[Doc4God]

I obsessively listen to one album over and over. The more I listen to it, the less I hear it and it just fades into the background. My album is by Sigur Ros, a band from Iceland. They basicly play really etherial moody music and thy don't sing in English, which would be distracting. The album is called "()". I don't think I would really like the album if I weren't studying.

I LOVE SIGUR ROS!!!!!!! I'm planning to fill my iPod with all their albums before school starts...it's great studying music, esp since it's not in English!😎

 

[Doc4God]

Haven't researches discovered that listening to music that has a fast beat will put your brain into waves that are counterproductive for memory and learning?

Is this true?? I know that classical is the ideal study music, and I use that...but trance has the ability to keep me awake! Please someone tell me I don't have ti give up my dance music for studying!

hehe...I know how y'all feel about admitting to liking dance music. I get funny looks as well...and my husband teases me. But hey, it gets the job done!

 

[Tiger26]

check out pandora.com. You can use it anywhere, and you just type in whatever band or songs you like, and it plays similar ones. Keeps things from getting boring.

 

[WillFish4Beer]

A band called The Album Leaf.

There's also a cool download that's just a half hour recording of a righteous thunderstorm. Set to repeat and melt into it.

 

[TheRealDrDorian]

check out pandora.com. You can use it anywhere, and you just type in whatever band or songs you like, and it plays similar ones. Keeps things from getting boring.

I second pandora.com. It's awesome.

 

[Cards21aceking]

Been in the Jazz mood of late....specifically the classics: Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane. Also, I've recently discovered Ornette Coleman, but not sure how mainstream he is.

 

[southpawcannon]

Not in med school(yet) but when I'm studying, I like to listen to a variety of rock, depending on my mood before studying. I do love listening to trance, trip-hop, and house-not too hard though. The beats do get kind of monotanous at times, but for the most part there aren't any changes from very loud to soft to very loud as with other types of music.

 

[scrubswannabe]

TUPAC SHAkUR

 

[DocYuki]

Trance is good (Astral Projection, MFG) and hey why not "Sandstorm" while you're at it, too

I listen to lots of Hans Zimmer / Movie soundtracks as well, and though hard-rock always worked in college, I might stick to softer stuff for my upcoming MS1 when I'll actually have to pay attention to material.

Halo 2 OST rocks! I like the movements of the Odyssey.

 

[MadameLULU]

My study music tends to be classical and jazz. <shrug>

 

[Dr.Detroit]

Stereolab

 

[OrnotMajestic]

Stereolab

Dots and Loops

 

[deleted29780]

listening to songs composed in a language i do not understand helps, either that or i just listen to my local ghanaian xylophone tunes.

 

[SB100]

For you Paul Oakenfold listeners, there's better than Great Wall y'know 😛 Check out Global Underground 007 - New York (you may need to order this in stores, I don't think they have it on iTunes). Also check out his Tranceport album (order in stores as well). These are examples of trance the way it should still be before it became so commercialized (1997-1999) and show Oakenfold at his best on album.

If you like live sets, I HIGHLY recommend downloading his Essential Mix World Tour sets from 1999 (there are 12 of them, one for each month). I swear you'll never go back to Darude - Sandstorm once you listen to these 🙂

 

[Blake]

Sasha and Digweed 👍

 

[SB100]

Sasha and Digweed 👍

Damn right! I'm so surprised to find so many electronic music listeners on these forums 😛 PM me if you want links to some sweet live sets 😛

 

[Blake]

Damn right! I'm so surprised to find so many electronic music listeners on these forums 😛 PM me if you want links to some sweet live sets 😛

Well, what can I say, I have taste 😀.

I've been looking for the WMC 2007 set of Sasha and Digweed (march 24th, I think).

 

[SB100]

Well, what can I say, I have taste 😀.

I've been looking for the WMC 2007 set of Sasha and Digweed (march 24th, I think).

They weren't recorded in full. The most I've been able to find were a series of clips on YouTube. Someone tried splicing the audio segments of those videos together, and I know where to get a copy of it, but the sound quality is so bad it isn't even worth it.

Are you into minimal techno at all? If so I highly recommend getting Sven Vath - Live @ Sunrise Event, Bucharest (05/18/2007). If you want it PM me and I'll send you a link.

👍

 

[Blake]

They weren't recorded in full. The most I've been able to find were a series of clips on YouTube. Someone tried splicing the audio segments of those videos together, and I know where to get a copy of it, but the sound quality is so bad it isn't even worth it.

Are you into minimal techno at all? If so I highly recommend getting Sven Vath - Live @ Sunrise Event, Bucharest (05/18/2007). If you want it PM me and I'll send you a link.

👍

Not even sure what is minimal techno. To be honest, I never bothered about genres/subdivisions of music. I only listen to what sounds good to my ears, whether it's called gangsta rap, classical music, death metal, progressive house, etc.

Hook me with the PM ! 👍

 

[NOCAkid]

I almost constantly listen to music when I'm studying, I can usually listen to about anything that I like, depending on how focused I am that particular day. For good stuff without lyrics, try Explosions in the Sky, Eluvium, the Six Parts Seven, Saxon Shore, Broken Social Scene, and Laura

 

[OrnotMajestic]

For you Paul Oakenfold listeners, there's better than Great Wall y'know 😛

I consider Great Wall to just be an "old standard"! 😛 I have most of his Essential Mixes from the tour (Sydney is one of my favs), and I've got Global Underground. All in all, last time I checked, I've got about 2 gigs of Oakenfold. Though, I will admit, I DO prefer Sasha and Tiesto.

Any Aphex Twin listeners out there? You know, 26 Mixes for Cash? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[OrnotMajestic]

Damn right! I'm so surprised to find so many electronic music listeners on these forums 😛 PM me if you want links to some sweet live sets 😛

I'll send you a PM as well. I'm always looking for more!

 

[SB100]

I consider Great Wall to just be an "old standard"! 😛 I have most of his Essential Mixes from the tour (Sydney is one of my favs), and I've got Global Underground. All in all, last time I checked, I've got about 2 gigs of Oakenfold. Though, I will admit, I DO prefer Sasha and Tiesto.

Any Aphex Twin listeners out there? You know, 26 Mixes for Cash? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Old standard? LOL That was one of his latest works in comparison to the Essential Mix World Tour (and I agree with you on Sydney hehe), but I think after he attempted that artist album Bunkka he went downhill. I'm pissed that car commercials are still using Ready, Steady, Go!

 

[SB100]

Not even sure what is minimal techno. To be honest, I never bothered about genres/subdivisions of music. I only listen to what sounds good to my ears, whether it's called gangsta rap, classical music, death metal, progressive house, etc.

Hook me with the PM ! 👍

If you like progressive house you may like minimal. It's sorta similar except, as the name implies, minimal (uses very basic, but grooving beats, etc.) I'll PM you with a link to Sven's set.

 

[Blake]

Speaking of Oakenfold, it's really a shame I never got a hold of the ''Collateral'' version of ready steady go. I tried every remix out there, but alas. 🙁

 

[SB100]

Speaking of Oakenfold, it's really a shame I never got a hold of the ''Collateral'' version of ready steady go. I tried every remix out there, but alas. 🙁

The only good song off that album in my opinion is Southern Sun. It was remixed to death, but if you ever get ahold of DJ Tiesto's remix it's great. Very energetic but gives chills at the same time 😀

 

[OrnotMajestic]

Old standard? LOL That was one of his latest works in comparison to the Essential Mix World Tour (and I agree with you on Sydney hehe), but I think after he attempted that artist album Bunkka he went downhill. I'm pissed that car commercials are still using Ready, Steady, Go!

Oh I know, hence the "😛" after I said it. It's just that if I mention Oakenfold to anyone, most people know about Great Wall.

I got Bunkka, listened to it once, and haven't touched it since. Just not a fan. I do like his Live at Gatecrasher and Fluro, though.

 

[8o8o8o8]

jazz is hands down my favorite study music (old stuff; basie, tatum, monk, davis etc)