While studying I like to listen to instrumental music, but I’ve been studying so much that I’m starting to run out–I’m a litttle sick of the following:
Mogwai
surf music (Dick Dale, Jack Nitzsche, Duane Eddy, etc)
Tarentel, Oxes, Trans Am
Viktor Krauss, Bill Frisell
Friends of Dean Martinez
Miles Davis (and assorted projects)
Any suggestions for something new? I use Pandora a lot so I’m open to about anything (just no vocals). Maybe some funk? What would be a good instrumental funk band or anything else? My tastes are obviously varied. But nothing too crazy like Boredoms or OOIOO–I found them distracting.
Herbie Hancock’s 70s fusion classics, “Head Hunters” and “Thrust,” are amazing. You may also try some of Chick Corea’s Return to Forever recordings, like “Romantic Warrior.”
Well, probably too old school for you. But back in the day I used to study while listening to Mozart’s Requiem (love it) or various Mozart symphonies… on vinyl. I’m a bit of an aging fanboy. :)
If you don’t mind classical music, I’d recommend the keyboard works of JS Bach – particularly the French and English Suites, and the Partitas. My brother once described them as “musical rain.” They keep the brain buzzing but are for the most part quiet/subtle enough not to hold the attention hostage.
Awesome, thanks guys. I’ve been listening to Red Sparowes on Pandora–good stuff. And they’re mixing in Pelican (doesn’t seem that heavy?), Explosions in the Sky, and Godspeed. Oddly, no Mogwai, which seems like it would be right at home with the others.
I’ll check out the funk recommendations later. I’m not sure about the classical music though, because I usually need something a little more “up”, but I’ll give Mozart and Bach a try. I was listening to Chopin for a bit and it was nice but didn’t have the spark that I need to keep plowing through financial statement analysis…
In 8th grade I listened to “Declaration” by The Alarm every night while doing homework. I ended the year winning the science fair, winning the “Olympic” academic Decathlon (it was 1984 in L.A.), and winning the “Outstanding Boy” award at 8th grade graduation. I stopped after 8th grade, and my grades fell hard. I never did better in school until the 2 years of college.
There’s an instrumental band called Mushroom Giant whose album Kuru should serve you well.
Also, there’s a one-song album from the 90s called Light of Day, Day of Darkness by a sort of symphonic metal band called Green Carnation…Easy to lose oneself with such a long song playing. There are vocals, but they’re almost irrelevant.
Same goes for the one-song album by Sleep known either as Jerusalem or Dopesmoker in its two different versions. Lyrics are so slow as to be incomprehensible and only enter the song occasionally. However, some people will be energized by the song while others are battered and bruised by it.
I’ve found Prodigy good to study with. Enough urgency to capture the last minute rushes of studying, not so much lyrics to distract you, just enough that you get the occasional moment to shout along with. And a banging baseline to set it all up.
