Ask HN: What Music Do You Listen To While Coding?
Just curious what music you all listen to while coding (can be genre, specific artist, song, or random). No one is judging you here.
15 comments
None - I can't code while music is on. Ditto conversation, and ditto doing math.
There was something in PeopleWare (I think) about an experiment done with people listening to music. Those listening to their preferred music performed about as well as those who preferred silence and got it, and about as well as those who preferred music, but had silence. The group that preferred silence but had music performed, unsurprisingly, comparatively badly.
The sting in the tail was this. The task they were given had an "Aha!" insight buried in it. Namely, the full set of transforms they'd been asked to implement turned out to be trivial, although the individual components weren't.
All the programmers who had the "Aha!" moment had silence, regardless of their preference. No one with music saw the short cut.
I've since tried to find concrete evidence to support this anecdote, either papers, or first hand accounts, but the recounting in PeopleWare remains the only reference I have.
There was something in PeopleWare (I think) about an experiment done with people listening to music. Those listening to their preferred music performed about as well as those who preferred silence and got it, and about as well as those who preferred music, but had silence. The group that preferred silence but had music performed, unsurprisingly, comparatively badly.
The sting in the tail was this. The task they were given had an "Aha!" insight buried in it. Namely, the full set of transforms they'd been asked to implement turned out to be trivial, although the individual components weren't.
All the programmers who had the "Aha!" moment had silence, regardless of their preference. No one with music saw the short cut.
I've since tried to find concrete evidence to support this anecdote, either papers, or first hand accounts, but the recounting in PeopleWare remains the only reference I have.
heavy music can have the same effect. (as an aside; if I have to concentrate hard silence tends to distract me, I will get up and make noise to stop it being silent :) so I had to develop these technigues).
Death Metal or Screamo type stuff can wash over you without engaging much of your thought process.
I dont have a study to back that up :) but I know Im not alone in experiencing this (and I think it actually backs up what your saying too).
Death Metal or Screamo type stuff can wash over you without engaging much of your thought process.
I dont have a study to back that up :) but I know Im not alone in experiencing this (and I think it actually backs up what your saying too).
lucky you. I always struggle to concentrate. I usually listen to white noise - helps me getting in the zone without the effort.
http://news.ycombinator.net/item?id=192924
Especially:
http://news.ycombinator.net/item?id=193120
Previous times this question has been asked:
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=61831
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=212682
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=367418
http://searchyc.com/music
----
If I'm not coding, or if I'm coding something that really doesn't require much thought, then I like Bach's harpsichord or piano music. Predules, Fugues, two and three part inventions.
Especially:
http://news.ycombinator.net/item?id=193120
Previous times this question has been asked:
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=61831
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=212682
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=367418
http://searchyc.com/music
----
If I'm not coding, or if I'm coding something that really doesn't require much thought, then I like Bach's harpsichord or piano music. Predules, Fugues, two and three part inventions.
Almost anything out of my fairly large collection (I hate silence).
I had the misfortune (or good fortune) to grow up next to a gifted musician - with a massively diverse musical taste. An example playlist I clearly remember from my late-late teens (blaring out from the room next door) went along the lines of: Slipknot, Spice Girls, Bach, Eminem, Metallica (or something like that). That kind of thing, apparently., rubs off :D
I had the misfortune (or good fortune) to grow up next to a gifted musician - with a massively diverse musical taste. An example playlist I clearly remember from my late-late teens (blaring out from the room next door) went along the lines of: Slipknot, Spice Girls, Bach, Eminem, Metallica (or something like that). That kind of thing, apparently., rubs off :D
I've got to go with the "none" crowd.
I don't consider coding an easy or natural activity to me... until I really get into sort of a zone. Sometimes I have to close my eyes (as well as ears) and stop staring at the screen... so that complete lack of input lets my brain percolate a fresh way of looking at a project.
What can I say? There's lots of different mind-styles out there. Took me a long time to find my own.
I don't consider coding an easy or natural activity to me... until I really get into sort of a zone. Sometimes I have to close my eyes (as well as ears) and stop staring at the screen... so that complete lack of input lets my brain percolate a fresh way of looking at a project.
What can I say? There's lots of different mind-styles out there. Took me a long time to find my own.
[deleted]
I don't do much coding like others here ( I am more biz dev/ sales oriented now) but when I am hacking on something I will usually seed Pandora with Devin The Dude or maybe Trick Trick.
I will tend to listen to the same general artists/tracks because I don't want the distraction of new data, but I do like using music as a sort of click-track to provide a tempo for what I'm working on.
I will tend to listen to the same general artists/tracks because I don't want the distraction of new data, but I do like using music as a sort of click-track to provide a tempo for what I'm working on.
mostly groovesalad from somafm.com -
very rhythmic beats with no intrusion, almost becomes oblivious after a while.
Sometimes Mozart or some random classical music - it boosts me up at unexpected times. I often tune into online musical stations, but the ads distract me. If I am reading, sometimes, a violin concerto puts me into zone. It's better than random distractions.
At the odd times, when I am really comfortable (as in not stopping to think)- instrumental techno trance.
I have also tried white noise - can't do it for more than an hour max. but it works for me - is my preferred listening 'music' - actually a session of white noise helps me concentrate for couple of hours.
Sometimes Mozart or some random classical music - it boosts me up at unexpected times. I often tune into online musical stations, but the ads distract me. If I am reading, sometimes, a violin concerto puts me into zone. It's better than random distractions.
At the odd times, when I am really comfortable (as in not stopping to think)- instrumental techno trance.
I have also tried white noise - can't do it for more than an hour max. but it works for me - is my preferred listening 'music' - actually a session of white noise helps me concentrate for couple of hours.
I guess I'll answer my own question. Typically I listen to R&B, but my older graduate adviser has recently gotten me interested in classical. My favorite is the Brandenburg Concerto #5 by Bach.
Maybe it's just me, but I really need as close to complete silence as possible. The hum of HD drive is comforable enough for me. Anything more distracts. YMMV.
A 3.25 hour long .mp3 of techno music played at a rave held in my college dorm's subbasement.
That, and random OP/EDs from anime.
That, and random OP/EDs from anime.
90s Chick Rock. The Cure. Urban Folk. The soundtrack to Run Lola Run. And Meatloaf.
90s and country, but I'm going to try white noise after reading this
I go to Shoutcast and bring up All-Classical WGBH 89.7-HD2.