music for brain work

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I like to have music on while I work (web dev), but I've found that most music and in particular just about anything with a vocal causes my train of thought to get supplanted with the bus replacement service of discombobulation.

My favourite album at the moment to help me concentrate is Roger Eno & Brian Eno's 'Mixing Colours Expanded'

I also like Moby's long ambients I & II which have a run time of 7 hours and 43 mins, and are available for free download from his website https://moby.com/la/

Anyone else listen to this kind of thing when doing brain work?

[Nail Soup]

Many years ago I used study my Open University work in the room next to the TV room. To drown out the TV I put on music. But it had to be instrumental, similar to you.

I didn't really have much to choose from.... I think Link Wray got a lot of plays!

[Dad3353]

Mozart has a wide repertoire, or mix it up with Brahms, Liszt, Beethoven, Bach, Holst... The list is long. 

[Drax]

Did 1000's of hours of essays to this 

 

[bartelby]

I have different levels.
If I'm just doing admin style work I can have any music playing and even sing along to some stuff.

If I'm doing some basic programming/data work I'll have instrumental music on. Usually film scores by the likes of Clint Mansell, Mark Korven, Ben Frost.

If I'm deep in debugging/complex programs/methodological work I'll listen to a lot of Merzbow (Japanese noise. No melody, rhythm, lyrics etc. Just noise to obliterate external distractions)

[Bolo]

Maybe not for everyone

 

[bartelby]

2 minutes ago, Bolo said:

Maybe not for everyone

 

Similarly I do listen to this a fair bit at times:

 

 

[Oxnard Montalvo]

Generally instrumental stuff like Russian Circles, Jet Black Crayon, Mogwai...often some Ozrics. For the past couple of days I've been on a bit of a doom/stoner metal jag: Fu Manchu, The Necromancers, Red Fang, that kind of thing.

[Nicko]

I used to have my MP3 player on random most of the time when I was working, but if I was about to go to a meeting I knew was going to be a bit confrontational I would choose music to set my mood.  Sometimes Metallica if I fancied a fight.

[MacDaddy]

Classic FM.

Delightfully anti-elitist.

 

[bassbiscuits]

On 04/11/2020 at 14:55, Dad3353 said:

Mozart has a wide repertoire, or mix it up with Brahms, Liszt, Beethoven, Bach, Holst... The list is long. 

Yes I've got an "Essential Mozart" selection which I've had on this week, and also been giving it some Vivaldi cello concertos. Lovely stuff.

[Barking Spiders]

if it's doing wind load calculations and the like some Biosphere, Carbon Based Lifeforms or Future Sound of London's Environmental albumens chillin' in the background help the old grey matter

[Bassfinger]

When working and I don't fancy the radio I typically order Alexa to bung on some Rick Wakeman or Mike Oldfield, perhaps one of the earlier Tangerine Dream albums.

[BadHands]

If you like binaural beats (and don't suffer with heart issues or seizures) 

 

Aside from that, I like GoGo Penguin. Instrumental post-jazz. Keeps me on edge!

 

[BigRedX]

I find music to be too much of distraction to have on for anything apart from the simplest work.

[stewblack]

When writing I use a lot of trancey stuff. Music I wouldn't usually choose to listen to. 

Always through headphones, always quite loud. 

I find it helps me to leave the 'real' world and immerse myself into my fictional one. 

Bands like Shpongle, Younger Brother and Hallucinogen. The more driving the beat the more rhythmically I write. If its really thumping I hit about 1500 words an hour. 

[stewblack]

On 04/11/2020 at 15:09, bartelby said:

Similarly I do listen to this a fair bit at times:

 

 

Now I want to play Quake

[Bassfinger]

Did a few hours work today and ordered Alexa to play some Robert Plant.  T'was very soothing.  It made reading "Probable Structure of the Brent East Block Below 1150ft" almost bearable.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Bassfinger

[uk_lefty]

Sketches of Spain, Miles Davis, really helps when I've got to get stuck in to a load of spreadsheets. 

[uk_lefty]

On 05/11/2020 at 18:34, Bassfinger said:

When working and I don't fancy the radio I typically order Alexa to bung on some Rick Wakeman or Mike Oldfield, perhaps one of the earlier Tangerine Dream albums.

My late Uncle was a massive Tangerine Dream fan. I'd love to get in to it just to get familiar with it but do t know where to start, any tips? 

[PaulThePlug]

@uk_leftyForce Majeure (album) Thru Metamorphic Rock (track)... 15mins!

I particularly like thier style of 'progressing incidental' film music... Near Dark, Thief, Sorcerer

Edited November 8, 2020 by PaulThePlug

[Bassfinger]

1 hour ago, uk_lefty said:

My late Uncle was a massive Tangerine Dream fan. I'd love to get in to it just to get familiar with it but do t know where to start, any tips? 

I cant say im a massive fan, but I enjoy Stratosfear, Cyclone, and in particular Force Majeure.

[christhammer666]

I concentrate more listening to tech metal, stuff likem Sikth and some ambient tech like Toska

[tinyd]

Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians" works for me - it has a hypnotic, repetitive feel, but it's rhythmically interesting and so doesn't feel bland (I find music that's too shapeless tends to be irritating and so jolts me out of whatever I'm supposed to be concentrating on....)