I did at one time listen to music while programming, but the last few years I'm more productive when I don't. When I did, any lyrics of any kind would be too distracting. It would have to be really mellow (any genre really).
Music for Programming
231–240 of 448 posts
Re: Music for Programming
#232Does anyone know of any actual conclusive studies in this area? Like most here, I have my own rules and preferences. The main rule seems to be it must be familiar, in fact it's best if I've heard it a thousand times already. But there are only three kinds of music that work for me:- 1. Music I first got into during my teenage years when I was sitting up all night coding assembler (OK, I admit it, Pink Floyd) works we…
"A certain kind of loud, wall-of-sound rock music which is very heavy on distortion with subdued vocals..." Sounds like you're describing My Bloody Valentine...
Certainly MBV is one of my favourites in that genre, yes. Slowdive, Lush, Mazzy Star... that kind of thing is my "night programming" playlist.
Re: Music for Programming
#233Does anyone know of any actual conclusive studies in this area? Like most here, I have my own rules and preferences. The main rule seems to be it must be familiar, in fact it's best if I've heard it a thousand times already. But there are only three kinds of music that work for me:- 1. Music I first got into during my teenage years when I was sitting up all night coding assembler (OK, I admit it, Pink Floyd) works we…
I have to clarify: in which of the possible meanings do you use tge term "EDM" here? The Skrillex type of post-brostep, pop deep house inspired top40 bangers, all electronic club-friendly dance music or all electronic music in general? Like "techno" or "dubstep", this word can mean very different things for different people.
Yes, I find the sub-genres hard to describe. Future Sound of London. Burial. Four Tet. Boards of Canada. Some DJ Shadow. Suggestions welcome, actually, it's all a newish field for me...
Re: Music for Programming
#234I've listened to Brain.fm since this past February, and it is truly amazing. They have Focus, Relax, and Sleep, but I've only ever listened to Focus. It's like this steady stream of some kind of electronically generated music that changes each 30 minutes. I set it to 2 hours, and then I usually take a small break when it ends. I'll turn it on and literally get into the zone immediately; writing line after line of cod…
Do they have any examples of what it sounds like that I can hear without creating an account?
Re: Music for Programming
#235[deleted]
Re: Music for Programming
#236Solar Fields, the group that made the music for the video game Mirror's Edge, is one of my favorite groups for programming.
I've been listening to Mirror's Edge OST while programming for weeks now, never thought to look for who created that sound track. Thanks!
Re: Music for Programming
#237Does anyone know of any actual conclusive studies in this area? Like most here, I have my own rules and preferences. The main rule seems to be it must be familiar, in fact it's best if I've heard it a thousand times already. But there are only three kinds of music that work for me:- 1. Music I first got into during my teenage years when I was sitting up all night coding assembler (OK, I admit it, Pink Floyd) works we…
Some recommendations for you sir.
EDM) Menno de Jong
https://soundcloud.com/mennodejong/menno-de-jong-live-at-luc... https://soundcloud.com/mennodejong/menno-de-jong-cloudcast-0...
Like other continuously mixed, mostly-ambient EDM but favors minor mode and affected arps that keep my brain occupied in it just enough to avoid distraction.
Japanese Drums) The Ondekoza, or any competent group
https://www.amazon.com/Haru-Ichiban/dp/B003P5RMBM
Pure rhythmic impulse, monotonic yet with remarkable complexity.
Classical) Glenn Gould's Bach, Mozart
https://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Gould-plays-Bach-Chromatic/dp/B...
Julian Bream, Bach, Lute http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/julian-bream-plays-j-s-bach-...
Jonas Nordberg, de Visee et al, Theorbo https://itunes.apple.com/es/album/jonas-nordberg-visee-weiss...
Perhaps too much for deep flow sessions but extremely stimulating for more inspirational, breaking-down-the-problem "aha" moments.
When it comes to `classical` music, keep in mind that the term encompasses hundreds of years of evolution and dozens of genres or utilities that the music was composed to serve. For our purposes, we may want to stick to "salon" style solo or small ensemble compositions which were made by the masters with the express purpose of stimulating the logical and emotional mind. Church music and large symphonies for example are a completely different animal, but get unfortunately rolled in under this catch-all term.
Re: Music for Programming
#238you guys killed it :(
Re: Music for Programming
#239I have two rules when I’m listening to music while programming: 1. My favourite genres are K-Pop and Industrial – it helps that they are also very energetic genres — and my rule is that I can only listen to them while programming. Helps to really put me in the “you’re working now” space (thanks to Julian Shapiro for this tip) 2. I pick one song and repeat it for the entire day, sometimes for several days in a row. I’…
Number 2 sounds like hell
The only song I can do this with is "My Favourite Game" by the Cardigans. Spent too much time as a kid playing long races on Gran Turismo 2, and it was always my favorite track.
I think it's because there are really only about 2-3 parts to the song. It doesn't really build up or down... it's a bit flat. And given that it's flat, you almost don't notice when it loops.
Re: Music for Programming
#240When programming I need music to be something I know already, but it can be any style - just enough to keep my overactive brain in check! I'm a DJ too [1], so I have plenty of long sets of music (no iterruptions, no gaps), that can really help when I need to plough through a difficult chunk of work. Currently on rotation (and has been for a while) is the Tekkonkinkreet soundtrack [2]. So beautiful, but also hypnotic…
Thanks so much for introducing me to this artist!