Ask YC: What music do you listen to when programming?
62 comments
Rain. It's probably strange, but ambient rain sounds are quite relaxing.
If anyone is interested in this, go here: http://www.hypnosishealthcare.com/rainsounds.html
Choose "Rain MP3 Download". Twelve bucks gets you an hour of rain without any background noise at all.
Note that you'll need to play with Winamp's equalizer a bit to make it sound great through headphones. The Full Bass preset is perfect.
If anyone is interested in this, go here: http://www.hypnosishealthcare.com/rainsounds.html
Choose "Rain MP3 Download". Twelve bucks gets you an hour of rain without any background noise at all.
Note that you'll need to play with Winamp's equalizer a bit to make it sound great through headphones. The Full Bass preset is perfect.
There's also a free program that does that, along with various other background noises:
http://www.peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html (Aire Freshener)
http://www.peterhirschberg.com/mysoftware.html (Aire Freshener)
Awesome! Thank you. That program is really fantastic.
None. Interferes with my concentration.
Try DragonForce.
I will. Just in general - not for programming.
Part of my problem with music and programming is - that I like distracting and complex music.
Part of my problem with music and programming is - that I like distracting and complex music.
I usually listen to only one track in repeat (for about an hour), one that I'm very familiar with, so i don't get distracted by it (it may or not have vocals)
I've notice that by doing so i stay in the same mind frame all the time.
Also, it is good to choose a track that puts you in the right mind frame, examples: "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens puts me in an optimistic and somehow upbeat state, "A Warm Place" by Nine Inch Niles puts me in a more introverted-deep thinking state
I've notice that by doing so i stay in the same mind frame all the time.
Also, it is good to choose a track that puts you in the right mind frame, examples: "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens puts me in an optimistic and somehow upbeat state, "A Warm Place" by Nine Inch Niles puts me in a more introverted-deep thinking state
On another note, do you guys wear headphones/earbuds or use external speakers? For me, I really find external speakers distracting, while headphones suck me into the code.
Headphones, but mainly because part of the use of me listening to music is to block out other sounds.
Speakers. I don't want anything "touching" me when I'm doing my thing.
I alternate between classical (I like Mozart and Beethoven and some others) and electronic/techno dance music. I can't have vocals; it breaks my flow.
I'm exactly the same way but I've found that sighs j-pop fits in this as well. If I can't understand the words then it doesn't break my flow. German techno also seems to work.
I hear you on the vocals; your brain might work like mine...I never forget a conversation and I can't tune them out no matter how trivial.
I've scientifically confirmed that The Talking Heads made the best hacking music known to man.
Aside from that, I listen to a lot of Of Montreal, other indie pop, some electronic and movie soundtracks (There Will Be Blood and The Fountain OSTs are both great).
Aside from that, I listen to a lot of Of Montreal, other indie pop, some electronic and movie soundtracks (There Will Be Blood and The Fountain OSTs are both great).
I find my collection of Punk/Hardcore suits me best for programming. It keeps my mind alert, and works even better than caffeine in some cases.
I prefer to enjoy the silence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd7y6A-5uTY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd7y6A-5uTY
Groove Salad: http://somafm.com/
Cliqhop (also somaFM) if the problems are complex.
Cliqhop (also somaFM) if the problems are complex.
I'm fairly partial to the drone of a tanpura/tambura/tamboura (a bit like a sitar, only fretless). I visited with this swami for for a bit, and he gave me a recording as a background for Japa practice - it's incredibly powerful concentration music.
Usually I listen to stuff that allows me to think... some chilled out stuff like Stereolab, Free Design, Telepopmusik, Thief, Portishead, Jazzanova, Forss, Yesterdays New Quintet, Wahoo, and more stuff like that.
Silence! The voices tell me what to type.
Well, I write rather than program (well, technically I do both, but I suck pretty badly at the latter) but I like Mahler, especially as conducted by Bernstein.
Rhapsody has a phenomenal classical selection.
Rhapsody has a phenomenal classical selection.
Any music that my brain doesn't try to process. Preserves concentration while keeping out noise.
I'm currently listening to Nujabes - Modal Soul. It's a mix of hiphop/jazz and mostly instrumental.
I'm currently listening to Nujabes - Modal Soul. It's a mix of hiphop/jazz and mostly instrumental.
Half the time I listen to nothing... the other half involves NIN, Tool, Deftones, Massive Attack, Glassjaw, Ska-P, and other music roughly like that.
Recently, a lot of movie soundtracks and instrumentals; lyrics divert my attention. BSG, 28 Weeks, moody/epic stuff. Not sure why, but it works.
Lyrics really break my concentration too. I like electronica for that reason -- it doesn't have vocals and it's got a nice motivating beat.
Try Aphex Twin for some really good stuff.
Try Aphex Twin for some really good stuff.
I really like Hans Zimmer's soundtracks: "The Thin Red Line" and "Gladiator" are both particularly good.
Yes, Gladiator... I meant to include that as well.
For classicals I find light-hearted sonatas and chamber music good for concentration. Symphonies are usually too distracting.
Other times I like the "ambient" channel on www.pandora.com. A while ago when I was hooked on Flight Simulator I had a Boeing 747 running in the background while I worked. The engine sound + distant radio chatters produce a calm atmosphere.
Other times I like the "ambient" channel on www.pandora.com. A while ago when I was hooked on Flight Simulator I had a Boeing 747 running in the background while I worked. The engine sound + distant radio chatters produce a calm atmosphere.
Lots of things, but predominantly hip-hop and rock. If I'm in "discovery mode," I'll use Songza or Last.FM.
I think I learned more about music on this thread than by listening to radio on the last year. I will try some of the artists mentioned here later on. I usually listen to internet radio. Music doesn't really bother me, but silence does. Silence makes any noise seem like a thunder to me.
I use Sennheiser inner ear headphones and Itunes tells me that I mostly listen to:
Punk and music between the 70's and 90's.
Punk and music between the 70's and 90's.
Explosions in the Sky
I don't listen to anything while I'm coding. It's too distracting. Actually, I blacklisted the sound drivers on my work laptop to eliminate any possibility of a random program making noise while I'm trying to work.
Though, that does limit the utility of YouTube.
Though, that does limit the utility of YouTube.
Stuff I've heard a lot before, so that I'm not paying much attention to it. Fishbone!
Depends.
Planning/Thoughts stage: Classical, Jazz
Implementation Stage with Nothing to Explore: RnB, Rock
Exploratory: nothing, flow issues
Planning/Thoughts stage: Classical, Jazz
Implementation Stage with Nothing to Explore: RnB, Rock
Exploratory: nothing, flow issues
If you're into ambient/chillout, you might want to try jon hopkins or blue states. Kind of "elevator music", still, it works for me ;-) I'm also a big fan of last.fm in discovery mode for that matter.
Mostly classical (especially Bach) and jazz (Dave Brubeck, Pat Metheny, Abraham Laboriel, Miles Davis, et al)
Very rarely anything with lyrics, as it tends to disrupt my concentration.
Very rarely anything with lyrics, as it tends to disrupt my concentration.
Motorhead, Accept, Iron Maiden -- dedicated to programmers :)
Not everyone listens to their usual genres when coding.
headphones, mostly everything, but especially daft punk, Tiesto, lots of blues and stuff too.
Explosions in the Sky
Cliqhop at somafm.com
[deleted]
Jamiroquai
Soulja Boy Tell 'Em.
http://myplaylist.biz :-)
I made this lol
I made this lol
I'll start us off:
Mashups: http://bootiesf.com http://djearworm.com http://partyben.com
Also all manner of classical: Bach, Mozart, Strauss, Beethoven, Debussy
And last but not least, some excellent indie radio: http://www.bagelradio.com/blog/index.html