What is your study music?

[Kaboose the Moose]

What music or genre do you listen to when studying (assuming you listen to music when hitting the books). I prefer the ones that have no lyrics otherwise it gets too distracting but not ones that are with long-winded instruments either because that puts me to sleep.

My default music is like the following:

 

[Marter]

I listen to anything that is currently playing. I don't really have a specific genre to listen to, as when studying, I tend to tune it out anyways.

 

[zen5887]

U-Ziq, Harmonic 313, Aphex Twin and Daft Punk. Although sometimes I like rockin' the Jazz channel.

 

[AwesomeExpress]

Classical or video game themes. Something without words that I can just have playing as background noise.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Either selected pieces from the Gurren Lagann soundtrack, or various languages of Caramelldansen.

That second one is a very recent development.

 

[DoctorNick]

I don't have a default music, but I am doing homework right now...

Spoiler: ...and this is what I'm listening to.

 

[likalaruku]

A wide variety of video game soundtracks & the Conet Project. Basicly, what relaxes me is the kind of thing that would give a child nightmares.

 

[Regiment]

Silence. I can't study when listening to music.

During National Novel Writing Month, when I had to write 3000 words a day (I started a week late), I listened to power metal. It's good at drowning out thoughts and forcing you to just write without thinking about it.

 

[SonicKoala]

I can't listen to music while studying, as I'll inevitably become bored with the study material and start drumming along to the song that's playing. However, when I have homework which is basically just copying and requires little thought, I'll usually treat myself to something mellow, such as Pink Floyd, Radiohead, or Sigur Ros.

 

[Georgie_Leech]

Silence. I can't study when listening to music.

During National Novel Writing Month, when I had to write 3000 words a day (I started a week late), I listened to power metal. It's good at drowning out thoughts and forcing you to just write without thinking about it.

...No offence, but isn't that a good way to write lousy pieces? Or am I just an idiot about these things?

OT: Various quiet piano pieces. One I'm using fairly often these days is this:


Admittedly, it was originally for something else, but it puts me in an intellectual mood.

 

[Dark Knifer]

Usually some Serj Tankian. It's calming and I usually pay more attention with it on.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

Anything, really. As long as it doesn't lower my intelligence.

 

[SimuLord]

I tend to start with Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" or Johann Strauss' "Tritsch-Tratsch Polka" as sort of a Universal Leader for my brain.

After that I try to match the music to the style of writing (if writing a paper). This could be anything from Anthrax and Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise" or Buckcherry's "Crazy *****" (if I'm looking to write a biting op-ed-style piece) to Mariah Carey (if I'm trying to write sentimental bullshit for idiots).

When trying to drill knowledge into my own head? Mnemonics help...and I don't mean "My Very Energetic Mother..." I mean music that I listen to while I'm studying then play back on my laptop right before class at test time. That could be literally anything, but it helps if the music has distinctive sections that I can tie to parts of the study material---I've used Emerson Lake and Palmer's "Karn Evil 9 First Impression Part 2", Beethoven's 9th, the long version of DragonForce's "Through the Fire and Flames", Weird Al's "Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota"...you get the idea.

 

[Regiment]

During National Novel Writing Month, when I had to write 3000 words a day (I started a week late), I listened to power metal. It's good at drowning out thoughts and forcing you to just write without thinking about it.

...No offence, but isn't that a good way to write lousy pieces? Or am I just an idiot about these things?

Um... a little of both. The idea is to write a first draft in a month. Chris Baty (the founder) points out that the first draft won't be very good, no matter how long you spend writing it. By forcing the author to write the draft in a month, he can get his ideas on paper and have something to edit. The editing takes longer, but you get to your starting position faster. In my case, I wrote a first draft. The story was there, and the plot was good; in editing, I had to change around some details, fix plot holes, and so forth, but I had something to fix. Nobody outputs his masterpiece in a first draft.

 

[splatterguy734]

At the moment I'm doing an essay whilst listening to the shape of punk to come by refused.

 

[leviathanmisha]

I debate between Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace

 

[Keepitclean]

Anything instrumental, I get distracted by lyrics. Drum n Bass and Happy Hardcore are two of my favourite mostly instrumental genres that I can't listen to when studying, I'm sure you can guess why.

When studying I listen to house and classical.

 

[Soxafloppin]

I usually just stick the radio on, Radio 1 normally.

 

[ribonuge]

Aphex Twin's ambient stuff is quite nice to listen to while studying. It doesn't really get in the way and it helps me relax.

 

[Slipped Mind]

Ólafur Arnalds, Sigur Rós, Enya, Joshua Radin, José González, Sufjan Stevens and Nine Inch Nails' Ghosts album.