Ask HN: What do you listen to when you want to be productive? - Egoist
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bradknowles
Sometimes I like listening to music I’ve loved since I was in high school, so
the album from the movie “Heavy Metal”, or other heavy metal bands from that
time, sometimes music from bands like Yaz (Yazoo in the UK) or Depeche Mode,
or other work by Vince Clark. Sometimes I’m in a Rush or Styx mood.

I have also discovered that there is a category of music called “instrumental
heavy metal”, but I have not yet done much exploring there. I found out about
it through the web comic author Jeph Jacques
([https://questionablecontent.net/](https://questionablecontent.net/)), who
also has a one-man-band called “Deathmøle”.

In college, I found I could study best by listening to Johan Sebastian Bach
pipe organ concertos. But for being productive in a work-type setting, I find
that it works better to have more up tempo music whose words I know like the
back of my hand.

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pier25
I enjoy silence, but when listening to music it has to be something without
vocals. It can be any genre and depends a lot on my mood (ambient, techno,
soundtracks, classical, etc) but it can't have any vocals on it. People
talking or singing (in a language that I understand) doesn't allow me to think
clearly.

For the same reason I can't listen to podcasts when working.

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ivars
I used to listen to instrumental ambient music all the time while working. But
know I prefer the silence. Especially when I want to be productive. I think
your brain has to process the music in the background and thus use up some of
the valuable processing power.

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rolph
both sides of the argument

~~~
bluu00
XD

