Productivity-boosting Music

[Doran]

I'm thinking of refreshing my music library to include more 'productive' tracks - i.e. good motivating tracks to listen to while you are doing work.

Can you guys suggest any?

[Serpentine]

Depends on what you're doing. Classical is good for studying - something interesting to listen to, but no distracting lyrics and it doesn't get stuck in your head (annoying in exams).
If it's something you have to think about, I'd avoid anything with lyrics, or at least lyrics you'd tend to pay attention to.
If it's physical, upbeat, fast music tends to make you move faster.
And you've just reminded me to put on Triple J (which violates the first two suggestions, above).

[Krade]

Whenever me an' my brother decide to actually do some work around the house we generally put on some SoaD.

Other than that, Don't Stop Me Now by Queen always makes me feel energized.

[Serpentine]

My mum can't listen to Bohemian Rhapsody when she's driving. She ends up going over the speed limit.

[Sneak]

Constructive Summer by The Hold Steady works, IMO, although it's better for pre-working than during-working.

[Krade]

My mum can't listen to Bohemian Rhapsody when she's driving. She ends up going over the speed limit.

That. Is. AWESOME!!!:smallbiggrin:

[13_CBS]

Depends on what you're doing. Classical is good for studying - something interesting to listen to, but no distracting lyrics and it doesn't get stuck in your head (annoying in exams).


It depends, actually; I often get distracted if, say, I listen to Mendelssohn's Octet, 1st Mov. since the piece is very emotional, dynamic, and energetic. Likewise for similarly energetic pieces.

I find that Gregorian Chant is good productivity music, unless you can fluently understand church Latin. It's nice to listen to, it's soothing, and it's relatively stoic and restrained, so no distracting upwellings of emotion.

[Zocelot]

Don't listen to anything new while you're working, otherwise you start associating work with that artist, although that can be a good thing if you designate that as your "working artist". To this day, I have bands I associate with the various branches of science, and one for accounting.

[Kris Strife]

My mum can't listen to Bohemian Rhapsody when she's driving. She ends up going over the speed limit.

I have a friend who has the same problem with Black Betty.

I use metal for my work, just to help keep myself awake and pumped up without huge amounts of caffiene.

[Bob_the_Mighty]

Don't listen to anything new while you're working, otherwise you start associating work with that artist, although that can be a good thing if you designate that as your "working artist". To this day, I have bands I associate with the various branches of science, and one for accounting.Actually, I tend to get distracted by music that I already know. You get the lyrics running in your head along with the song, or start singing under your breath.

As for music that keeps you working, Fialure By Design by Brand New is the song I usually listen to when I'm trying to get homework done. Other than that, something that gets you pumped is best if you have a lot of easy work to do, something mellow if it's something frustrating. Also, music without lyrics tends to be less distracting.

[YorickBrown]

good music for me to study to:

Brian Eno (ambient)
Sound Tribe Sector 9 (electronic jam)
Chopin (classical)

[smellie_hippie]

For any given situation, there is an appropriate song by Pink Floyd.

[valadil]

For me it depends on what I'm doing. I found VNV Nation (industrial techno) was awesome for writing code. In college I even gave my different programming classes their own VNV albums. Linguistics somehow ended up with Jethro Tull. I'm not totally sure how that worked.

Does anyone have suggestions for creative writing? I never did enough of that to find out what helps that particular muse. I'm having trouble writing my next game session and wondering if maybe I just haven't found the right tunes for it yet.

[Serpentine]

Valadil: Movie soundtracks! =D So long as you don't start writing whatever movie the track's from...

[valadil]

Valadil: Movie soundtracks! =D So long as you don't start writing whatever movie the track's from...

Hmm. The Gladiator soundtrack came up on random shuffle when I read that. Maybe it's a sign...

[Tirian]

My mum can't listen to Bohemian Rhapsody when she's driving. She ends up going over the speed limit.

She'd probably set a land speed record if you played Paradise by the Dashboard Light.

[Doran]

Thanks for the advice, guys!

[Vaynor]

I agree with classical music, some of my favorite composers are Rossini and Offenbach and I oftenbach (you see what I did there?) listen to them while studying/doing homework.

[Finn Solomon]

The band I turn to in my time of sleep-deprived, exhausted need is AC/DC. Shoot to Thrill, Thunderstruck, Back in Black, Hell's Bells - much, much better than a shot of coffee.

[Platinum_Mongoose]

Instrumental soundtracks of movies and TV shows I love do it for me, which is to say Pirates of the Caribbean, Lord of the Rings, 3:10 to Yuma, Serenity, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Avatar, The Lion King (the Hans Zimmer instrumental tracks, not the songs), and Doctor Who. I toss those all into my iTunes shuffle and get to work. :)