Music Vs Workflow
First of all, my disclaimer. Music is quite a personal thing. Everyone has their own favorites, what music helps them get through their workload. This article aims to contribute to your choices to possibly improve productivity through your music choices.
iTunes has loaded and we’re going to start work. What album do you play? Does it really affect your performance in front of the computer? I think it does. Let’s take a non-work related example first:
Music Helps You Sleep
Last year a Taiwanese research group studied the affects of music on 60 elderly people with sleeping problems.
The music group were able to choose from six tapes that featured soft, slow music – around 60-80 beats per minute – such as jazz, folk or orchestral pieces.
Note the slow BPM [beats per minute]. Researchers found that the music lowered heart and respiratory rates, aiding in a more peaceful sleep. The group reported a 35% improvement in sleep, including a better and longer night’s sleep with less ‘dysfunction’ during the day.
Lower BPM lowers heart rate and breathing, and so calms you into a better sleep.
Let’s look at what you could call the opposite: music with an upbeat tempo.
Increase the BPM
You instantly have more energy, right? Plus faster tunes are, generally, more upbeat in feeling as well. They are lighter and get you happy in what you’re doing. It’s common knowledge that a happy song will make you feel happy as well.
If you’re working, how about an instant lift?
So let’s take an example. When I started my work today, I was playing The Arcade Fire’s new album, Neon Bible. As good an LP as it is, it was completely wrong for working at the computer [for me]. Here’s why:
Firstly is the aforementioned tempo. It’s not particularly upbeat and has not so much uplifting sequences [in comparison to their previous album]. But there’s another problem with my choice.
Have I heard this before?
It’s new, I just picked it up and was breaking it in. Personally, I can’t listen to something new without really listening to it. Every so often I ask myself, ‘Do I like this? Why isn’t it like their other stuff? etc etc
So I’m distracted. And that’s a continuous 40 minute distraction that comes in and out of my head. It’s like no air conditioner on a hot day, I’m regularly interrupted by discomfort.
Album No.2 is The Red Chord’s first album. I know this one very well and it’s fast. It has energy that should get me going. It’s a fun album for me so I can enjoy myself while I work. So what’s the problem this time?
Too many changes. It’s a fairly very erratic record. I can’t get in a groove with this! I may be enjoying myself, but I’m constantly stopping to listen. We need a change.
Before we do that, though, let’s look at classical music.
I’m a fan. A casual but regular listener. So I have that option. But why classical?
Have you heard of the Mozart Effect? Scientists have generally disproven the significance of this phenomenon but we will humor it here, particular because this author believes there is some merit to it.
The term was coined by Alfred A. Tomatis, a French Ear, Nose and Throat specialist, whose experiments playing the music of Mozart to 3 yr olds found increase in brain development. That old chestnut about playing your unborn child classical music has scientific foundation.
It apparently increases spatial-temporal reasoning. Various studies using college students have shown improvements in test results as a result of listening to 10 minutes of Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major.
However, spatial reasoning is the brain’s ability to orientate shapes in space – relevant to higher mathematics, architecture, engineering, drawing and chess. Sadly, whether you’re working with shapes or not is irrelevant to this article. We’re looking at music for productivity.
Worth mentioning is how classical music can, in general, be calming and, because it generally involves slow phrasing, can aid with keeping you moving on your work tasks. This refers to that ‘groove’ I mentioned earlier.
Also there are, unless you’re listening to an opera, no lyrics. Words are distracting, especially when writing! But is this enough? Classical pieces can have sudden rises and many variations in feeling and tempo, so that distractionless groove I’m looking for is interrupted.
So I put on Brian Eno’s Discreet Music. The title track is 30 minutes of ambient-esque classical phrases. I’m not distracted and I become very peaceful. I can work well under this spell for a little while, but I usually become too calm to continue work for a descent period of time.
My solution, Shpongle. I’ll confess, it’s psy-trance; but I’m not a hippie!
Again, I’ll reiterate that musical choice is based on your tastes. Everyone is different. Take this explanation of why I put trance music on while writing, and relate it to something that you like which has similar characteristics. I’ll have examples at the end.
As you know, trance has a continuous beat. “Doof Doof,” as they say here. It’s a groove, and because it is very up tempo it works really well with getting my energy level up and keeping it there. Many trance songs have lyrics, although minimal, it may help choosing albums with very little to none – usually LPs from the mid-nineties.
Also trance music has gradual climaxes and anti-climaxes. This is great for writing. You begin typing while the track gets started, and while it builds, you begin writing more profusely and with conviction. That epic feel in trance music helps you from dropping out and procrastinating. This work I’m doing is important!
Finally I would also like to mention that trance albums are generally on the long side, with tracks running at around 2-3 times longer than ‘regular’ songs. Sometimes the end of a song can feel like an interruption. If the songs are longer, you have more time of straight work.
When choosing music that you want to help you work, try thinking of these points:
- 1. The groove. Upbeat tempos will help with your energy and, like a jogger, keep you going.
- 2. Familiarity. This helps you fall into your work without thinking about the music.
- 3. Continuity. Something with gradual or subtle changes will keep distractions at bay. Familiarity with the music helps in this instance also.
- 4. Length. A long song means you have more time. Think of that 10 minutes of solid work you want to knock out. If you have a song that spans that time without interruption, all the better.
Now let’s look at some more examples, that I can think of, of artists who may work as well.
Slower, relaxing: Lee Perry, Horace Andy and other dub artists.
Slower, heavy: Graves At Sea, Jesu and other sludge bands.
Faster, heavy: Slayer, Nile and other thrash or grind bands.
Faster, electronic: Goldie, Ram Trilogy and other drum’n'bass without lyrics.
Continuous, older: Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
Continuous, newer: Meshuggah’s Catch 33.
Naturally, there is so much music out there that could improve your workflow. Why not think about what might be better than you’re regular listening habits? Maybe completely ambient tracks work for you, or talk radio is perfect, but thinking about your choices can immediately benefit your output.
What works for you?
Other tips:
- Wear headphones. It’s better audio and privacy rolled into one. You are less likely to be disturbed by others if you’re wearing cans.
- Don’t listen to records. I love my vinyl, but getting up to flip sides and change records every 15 minutes is a big workflow interrupter. Make a playlist on your computer that reflects your schedule. Same goes for CDs.
- If you must, download music while you’re away from the computer. The temptation is too great to check download status, and if complete, listen to your new gems.
The Mozart Effect – [TheSketpicsDictionary]
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Comments
heri says on February 20th, 2007 at 9:32 am
great post!
concerning music for work, i like the pandora website. I have many web stations radio setup, but use the classical/opera with “upbeat songs” for work. The music is then familiar, continuous (some of them span 15 minutes) . They might be not so groovy (compared to hip/hop, latino or other music i listened to) but it is the only music i can work with
Dimitry Z says on February 20th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Loving the post.
I could not get through a day unless I had my headphones on (sometimes even with no music playing).
My choices are:
* Madonna: Confessions on a Dance Floor
* Infected Mushroom: BP Empire
Cheers
Ken Sheppardson says on February 20th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
I’m in the same boat with respect to new music. It takes my attention away. Two more tips:
* Find some “going to sleep” music. We learn this as kids, but somewhere along the line we lose the habit. If you play the same music each night when you’re on your normal sleep schedule, you can throw the same music on when your pattern is disrupted to help you get back to normal.
* Sign up for a subscription music service. I use Yahoo’s service or Real Rhapsody, but Napster offers a similar service. It’s a flat rate per month to listen to whatever you want to listen to. You don’t have to copy tracks back and forth between work and home machines, wait for music to download, or invest in albums. You can try out new music for free without having to buy the album. Just be sure you don’t run afoul of your IT department by streaming music at work.
Ben says on February 20th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
I like to listen to a variety of things but agree with the post that ambient or electronic works best for me. Bands like Chicane, DJ Sammy (for something a little more upbeat), Asian Dub Foundation, and Thievery Corporation are weekly favorites.
I tried listening to audio books for a while, that was a complete disaster. I would either start focusing on the audio book too much and lose focus on work, or I would tune the audio book out while focusing on work and have to continually rewind to get the whole story.
Rick says on February 20th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Psy-trance/Goa is the only way I can stay up late and code all night. The hypnotic, fast beats make my brain happy and keep my eyes open.
Oddly enough there are some other types of music that seem to have a similar effect but are completely opposite. Iron and Wine is all acoustic guitar and folky but I get into such a groove when I put them on. Maybe it somehow falls into the uplifting category.
Anyway, great post. I would add to wearing headphones, that you should wear really good headphones, not little earbuds. Get something that covers the whole ear and is soft and cushiony. This helps to prevent distraction from discomfort, prevents straining to hear the music and blocks out more ambient noise.
Nicole says on February 20th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Upbeat instrumentals (from folk to electronica) seem to work best for me. Even if I’ve heard the song a thousand times before, lyrics make me want to sing and singing makes me want to bop my head and and and…you get the idea. Great post! Cheers!
Allengirl4 says on February 20th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I work in a contact centre doing management reporting & systems administration and when the sound level hikes I can’t work unless I have one side of the earphones in. It’s enough to allow you to focus, but not so isolating that you can’t hear what’s going on.
My current working choice is the DJ House Foundation podcasts – available through itunes/yahoo etc. Nice and upbeat, but not music that you know so that it draws your attention. Another good one, but more chilled out and lower tempo are Anji Bee’s Chillcasts.
I_M_Noman says on February 20th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Personally, I can’t have music on at all unless I’ve made the conscious decision to listen to music (unless I’m in the car, for some odd reason). I find music very distracting. To my mind, there is no such thing as “background music” as my mind focuses in on it to the exclusion of everything else. Other musicians I know feel the same way. I know a few who refuse to eat in certain restaurants because there is music playing.
I know, I’m weird, but that’s the way I’m wired.
Craig says on February 20th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Rick, definitely want proper headphones. Light and cushiony if possible.
Instrumental folk – or I guess anything instrumental – could work really well, Nicole. Could have maybe mentioned The Incredible String Band or something.
I also want to touch on Soundtracks. I’m sorry I missed that. I love listening to the Blade Runner soundtrack while work. It’s a little too laid back, but really puts you into a ‘zone’ for work. Maybe the Beetlejuice soundtrack is better.
Luke says on February 20th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I find that while coding I usually prefer heavy industrial or experimental metal as my music of choice.
For most other work I like either Dub or trip hop (Jute or Massive Attack especially).
Either way I tend to lean toward instrumental stuff, as its less distracting.
John says on February 23rd, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Have you ever tried Minimalism? It’s a contemporary classical genre (Phillip Glass, John Adams) that emphasizes repetition and gradually building on themes. I use it when I’m emotionally distracted, it seems to reign in and satisfy my emotional side, allowing my brain to take control.
I’m usually listening to some classical. Music you know well can be quite non-distracting.
But I differ from the other (former, in my case) musician here, in that I almost never find music distracting. New music with lyrics can be too much, but other than that no problem. I’ve always viewed it as kind of having two brains, one for music and one for everything else. No matter what I’m doing, my music brain is always playing something.
electricspace says on March 9th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
I’m collecting music that’s good for working. At this moment I have the following:
- All the ambient works of Brian Eno
- Some minimal music. You have to make sure you leave the most experimental out of it. They drain you more than helping.
- Some Mike Oldfield
- Some folk
electricspace says on March 9th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
I’m collecting music that’s good for working. At this moment I have the following:
- All the ambient works of Brian Eno
- Some minimal music. You have to make sure you leave the most experimental out of it. They drain you more than helping.
- Some Mike Oldfield
- Some folk
- Coil (depressive, but doing the job)
Jeff says on April 26th, 2007 at 9:51 am
I tend to get a lot of work (grading, lesson planning) done with Sigur Ros playing in the background. It’s slow, but there are a lot of dynamic changes, and even though there are lyrics, my Icelandic is too rusty for me to get distracted.
Yaasq says on May 20th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
helloy
Eraserhead says on June 6th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Fascinating article!
Not only is music a personal thing, our individual uses for music are intensely personal.
I’m a Learning Manager in a call center; my “office” is a glorified cubicle on the call floor. To get any “think-work” done, I choose Ambient electronica artists; my favorite (and has been for years) is Steve Roach. Whether it’s his more tribal work or his slow-moving dark ambient work, his music never fails to set a backdrop for a serious block of focused work.
I also highly recommend Brian Eno’s “Thursday Afternoon”.
Tjaart says on June 23rd, 2007 at 10:25 am
I personally think it depends on the type of work. In my case the following applies:
Moby: Mundane tasks like chores and housework. The pace isn’t too overpowering and you get to tap your foot to keep yourself busy.
Psy-Trance: Intense, long periods of high concentration work or studying. The oscillation just has a way of raising you up and making you want to think and work harder.
Trip hop holds the middle ground. Where your working, but your neither bored nor intensely concentrating.
I used to listen to metal and alternative while working. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Its also useful to take 10 minute gaps in work every 45 minutes, so you don’t burn out.
scenespotter says on June 30th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
great article, i usually listen to post rock while working
Rafa says on July 14th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
I personally like to listen to some hard techno/trance or Goa trance when programming. Specially when I need to work fast. But it is not good for when I have to “think”. For example, if I have to design the architecture of what I’m gonna program, then I need something else; I still haven’t found the right thing.
Also, listen to this music works for 1 or 2 hours of continuous work. After that I end up exhausted. If I stay longer, at some point I become aware of the music and it suddenly becomes annoying and I have to stop. I guess it means I should be having a break, anyway.
I haven’t found the right music for other kinds of work. For example, right now I am *cough* supposed to *cough* be writing my thesis. I can’t find the right music. And I can’t go to a certain “style” of internet radio, because the variations among songs are too big. Well, anyway, nice article.
toshi_fan109201 says on February 26th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Thank you very much for the insight~ I am looking into whether music is a distraction as a science project, and this is very helpful… also, I’m seeming to perform better with music than without, the song I’m using being “JUMPER” by the Japanese electronic duo capsule. That’s an almost seven-minute song, plenty of repetition… and I’m pretty familiar with the song too. (I mean, there was a time when I had the music video memorized.) Just a suggestion~
Again, thank you so much for the article!!