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Depends, sometimes sometimes I put on Slacker, pandora for music, sometimes, iCatcher or even Audible.

For music I have Chris Brown, Bach, Vanessa Mae, Gavin Degraw...
Depends on my mood.
 
I'm always on headphones, since my work environment is rather quiet.

90% of the time I listen to a mixture of Beethoven, Bach, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and the Grateful Dead.

The rest of the time it is anything else in my library.
 
Whatever gets my blood pumping. Lately, it's been 70's disco. The bass lines are amazing. Bernard Edwards from Chic was incredible. If not music, I call a coworker to talk to me while I work. It helps me focus.

If I just sit there with no music or no one to talk to, I get distracted and lose focus. Maybe that's weird, but I've always been that way.

When I first started in advertising, my bosses thought it was non-productive how much I talked to other people while I worked. They got over that quickly once they saw the end products.
 
I have enjoyed Explosions In The Sky so much, I bought their stuffs off of iTunes to keep it available
I still use my Pandora station, but it is a mix, and sometimes I don't want a mix
It is counterproductive for me to stop and change a track that annoys me, so sometimes I go straight to a playlist

I know many of you just listen to your favorite music and find that comfortable
That is what I have typically done in the past, with mixed results
I'm pretty much a 'country' guy, so I had the usual suspects rounded up for that
And I also enjoy the '80s music too, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Journey, Foreigner, et. al.

But I decided listening to "my music" wasn't productive for me when working, thinking, concentrating, writing and 'creating'
I was too interested in the next song on Pandora, giving a thumbs up/down, etc.
And I would be distracted from my tasks and lose my concentration frequently
I could use playlists, but even then, everything was just too familiar

I wanted more ambient music, something that chased away the 'silence' that was distracting
But something that didn't occupy my mind and intrude on my concentration
Something that would actually stimulate my creativity and provide an environment that encouraged productivity

Explosions In The Sky has been a big step in the right direction for what I am looking for
I also purchased Brian Eno's "Ambient 1: Music for Airports"
It was apparently designed to relieve stress and promote well being within the airport environment, where many people are highly agitated and stressed
I do find it calming and soothing and nice change from Explosions In The Sky
But it is a little more sleepy than I would have liked
Still, it does have it's place

Here is an interesting interview with Brian Eno on why he created his music for airports:

 
I wanted more ambient music, something that chased away the 'silence' that was distracting
But something that didn't occupy my mind and intrude on my concentration
Something that would actually stimulate my creativity and provide an environment that encouraged productivity

Explosions In The Sky has been a big step in the right direction for what I am looking for

I love seeing people turned on to new stuff. If you like EitS, you may eventually come across these guys; I would recommend them for you as well:

Mogwai

 
I love seeing people turned on to new stuff. If you like EitS, you may eventually come across these guys; I would recommend them for you as well:

Mogwai

YouTube: video


This Will Destroy You

YouTube: video


Sigur Ros
(moderate vocals, but it's either Icelandic, or gibberish, so to me it becomes another "instrument")

YouTube: video


Tim Hecker
quite possibly my favorite discovery of the last 5 years.

YouTube: video

Yep, both Mogwai and This Will Destroy You have come up on my Pandora station with Explosions In The Sky
I have since gone to iTunes and purchased some of their work as well now

Thanks for the recommendations!
 
Since I listen to mostly "jam band" music anyway, it's what I listen to while I work. 90% of the music has no words (who else can take a 4-minute song and play it for 45 minutes?), so it just kind of falls into the background. One particular album that always gives me the right balance is Sound Tribe Sector 9, Live 12-31-2004 (I was at that show, too). They tend more towards electronic than anything else I listen to, but I like a good portion of their stuff.
 
That is good stuff. But the name of the band is "Washed Out." ;)

They have an EP called Life of Leisure which I like just as much.

Right right.. I get that album/guy mixed up back and forth all the time. I can never keep it straight :eek: :)
 
I'm lucky because when I'm at work I can play any type of music I want, all day long.

I mainly play rock, indie or electronic music but also don't mind the odd classical music or movie soundtrack album if I'm in the right mood.

I've found that when I'm working to a tight deadline, loud and fast music like The Prodigy, Motorhead or Nirvana helps me focus and concentrate on the job at hand.

If I've had a row with one of my bosses then I'll pick one of my old Punk albums full of angst and swearing to help cheer me up. :)
 
I'm like you, MacDawg. Usually, I can't listen to anything that I like. Otherwise, I'm just listening to the lyrics, or bobbing my head to the beat. :eek:


The exceptions to me are, for whatever reason:

1. Sinatra - a mix of my favourite songs.
2. She and Him - Volume 1.
3. The Roots and John Legend (J. Period sessions) - Wake Up! Radio
4. Four Tet - Rounds (the only electronic album that qualifies).
 
It depends on what I am doing

1. If it requires no thinking... just doing... I am ok with my fav music

2. If it requires concentration, thinking and creativity... I am finding this new music to be very helpful for me

My work requires me to be engaged, thoughtful, creative, and distractions are a huge hinderance

Now, if I am organizing, cleaning, or otherwise engaged in more mindless work, I want my songs playing
 
I really enjoy old Bluegrass music when I'm needing music as a background, and not a foreground. The old stuff is particularly great when I need to zone in: John Hartford, Doc Watson, Flatt & Scruggs, Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, etc. I don't know why, but that high, lonesome sound relaxes and focuses me all at once. Particularly great music for driving on long road trips!
 
I find that when I'm head down over the keyboard doing whatever I do, I prefer listening to Groove Salad from soma.fm. Since I work out of an office in my home I'm pretty free to listen to whatever I like, and sit around in my bathrobe and fuzzy bunny slippers. ;)
 
I listen to audiobooks. I am by myself all day and it helps when I am by myself. Plus I don't have to listen to repeats.
 
I share an office with a co-worker who is 62 years old, but he and I have very similar tastes in music. Sounds strange coming from a 23 year old kid, but he is ex-USMC Special Forces, and he's pretty hardcore if I may say so. (I know some that have served in the USMC will say "Once a Marine, always a Marine, so I probably shouldn't call him an "ex-Marine", but that's beside the point. We usually stream a local rock / alternative station, and he can quote just as many songs as I can, but he doesn't turn the station on until after 10:00AM each morning, because this station only has a radio show from 8:00AM-10:00AM, and he can't deal with talk radio. We also stream Pandora, and some electronic music from a internet radio site called Digitally Imported. Good music certainly makes a boring work day less boring.
 
I’m listening classic or country songs because those type of songs are so simple with the music, so it feels relax by hearing.
 
From pop to speed metal to death metal to good god that sounds like noise. I have it all. My co workers think my taste in music is pretty crazy.

However if it is something I really have to be concentrating on I will play classical music at a low volume. Seems to help me think better.

Depending on the creative project I am working will also dictate what music I will be playing.
 
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