Depends on how much brain capacity I need. When I need to actually think, it has to be instrumental. So game soundtracks, classical music etc. Stellaris is one soundtrack I quite like for thinking. When it's something I have to think really hard about, it's music off though.
Otherwise, when I'm working on a repetitive, brainless task, it's whatever I'm in the mood for. Metal, country, j-pop, post-punk... could be anything really.
It's all new people now sadly Edgar passed just a few years ago. But the new troupe studied and played with prior TD for years and very much has the same vibe
Their whole catalogue from 1960s to now is a perfect soundtrack for a thinking person's life
I need it to not be distracting, so no vocals in a language I comprehend, or I need to have listened to the song a dozen times already.
And then I need something upbeat to keep me motivated, so 8-bit music is high up the list, overly epic orchestral music also always works, but at like 3 o'clock in the morning, nothing hits like instrumental classical music.
I have a playlist of the allegro movements from a bunch of baroque violin and harpsichord corcertos that is really nice to do intense head-down work to. Mostly Bach.
Baroque for the structure - feels mathematical and easy to predict and follow, making it easy to listen to while focusing on something else. The allegro movements for the pace - upbeat and invigorating. And a concerto has a great balance between large-scale blended orchestral sound and the melody of a lead instrument which also lends itself to supporting your focus on something else from the background.
studying: classical is best, instrumental good, something in a language I don't know acceptable
working, my actual job: something I can dance to: classic country, bluegrass, pop, hip hop, swing, salsa, cha-cha, big band
working, chores at home: something I can sing along with: folk ballads, power ballads, sea shanties, 90's hits, aughts hits, emo, any flavor of punk, singer-songwriter anthems, protest music, hyperpop, hip hop
working, on a computer: deathmetal, speed metal, power metal, alt-pop, doo-wop, hip hop, and while not technically music also standup comedy bits
Like many others have mentioned, video game soundtracks when studying. [https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/what-is-the-science-of-video-game-music/](Video game music has also been shown to help with studying.)
Can video game music help you study?
And according to a plethora of research, having such music to accompany a task–especially if it’s repetitive—can drive up dopamine levels in the brain, allowing you to engage in work or study more productively and with less stress. It can also drive inspiration and add a touch of whimsy to otherwise boring tasks.
That Battlefield Tsar one is indeed epic. I like programming to Epic music sometimes it feeds my fantasies. Plus the vocals are sufficiently muted and possibly not English so I don't find them distracting
Chillout ambient. Basically, the Mass Effect 1 soundtrack affected my whole musical library. I ask myself -- would this music sound cool in a bar in Mass Effect? If the answer is yes, it's probably on theme.
48 Comments
bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de · 22 pts · 1y
Surprised nobody posted this yet.
victorz@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
And if you were to search this up, what would you type?
Stovetop@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 1y
bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de · 3 pts · 1y
lofi hip hop on YouTube.
TheMinions@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 0 pts · 1y
Chilled cow
PonyOfWar@pawb.social · 11 pts · 1y
Depends on how much brain capacity I need. When I need to actually think, it has to be instrumental. So game soundtracks, classical music etc. Stellaris is one soundtrack I quite like for thinking. When it's something I have to think really hard about, it's music off though.
Otherwise, when I'm working on a repetitive, brainless task, it's whatever I'm in the mood for. Metal, country, j-pop, post-punk... could be anything really.
BootLoop@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 1y
Video game and movie soundtracks. Ambient electronic and IDM. Trance and Psychedelic Trance. All without vocals. It helps me focus on work.
cloudless@piefed.social · 8 pts · 1y
JayJLeas@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y
I have an instrumental playlist for this because lyrics distract me.
nymnympseudonym@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y
Tangerine Dream. The soundtrack for my programming life.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=mp7n8bX8d2g
DamienGramatacus@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Fabulous. Did the soundtrack to Legend.
nymnympseudonym@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
And miracle mile and a bunch more
DamienGramatacus@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Yes. I did a small wiki search and they're still going and crazy prolific!
nymnympseudonym@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
It's all new people now sadly Edgar passed just a few years ago. But the new troupe studied and played with prior TD for years and very much has the same vibe
Their whole catalogue from 1960s to now is a perfect soundtrack for a thinking person's life
ElderReflections@fedia.io · 5 pts · 1y
I have a playlist set up to listen to full albums at random. Today was
Anything goes, I just hate having to stop the tunes when I have to jump on a call
Ephera@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 1y
I need it to not be distracting, so no vocals in a language I comprehend, or I need to have listened to the song a dozen times already.
And then I need something upbeat to keep me motivated, so 8-bit music is high up the list, overly epic orchestral music also always works, but at like 3 o'clock in the morning, nothing hits like instrumental classical music.
bobagem@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 1y
My favorite:
https://ambientsleepingpill.com/
Supports, rather than distracts, my thoughts.
Slightly more varied:
https://ambientmodern.com/
Peppier still:
https://amambient.com/
Streaming links are provided in menu. Spotify links are there as well.
neidu3@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 1y
An eclectic mix:

I'd paste the entire list if the android app had an export function.
IWW4@lemmy.zip · 4 pts · 1y
I put on any number of those 10 hours of Halo Theme/Terminator theme/Interstellar theme that are on YouTube.
Generally movie scores and things that can be background music.
TheMinions@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 1y
All Day - Girl Talk
Here’s a link!
https://youtu.be/uWzkK7tUjaU
fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 1y
I like putting on DJ sets at work. Book Club Radio has some absolute bangers. Pretty much any one from Tinzo or Jojo are good.
Hor has some good DJs on. I love Tigerhead. Some of the Bogota ones were great.
Boiler room also has some good ones. The one from Rebecca Black was actually really good.
Geometrinen_Gepardi@sopuli.xyz · 3 pts · 1y
Dub techno is great for coding stuff, especially in the winter.
toomanypancakes@piefed.world · 3 pts · 1y
Usually death metal, but sometimes I mix it up with something random
Binette@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 1y
I like autonomic DnB
ace_garp@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Yeah, me too now.
Thanks for the find. (c:
NP: Autonomicron Chpt 1
wasabi@feddit.org · 3 pts · 1y
Ambient is pretty good for work
confluence@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Tried taking your advice. Turns out Ambien is not the same thing. If anyone is hiring hmu
LordCrom@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
Instrumentals.
theywilleatthestars@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y
White noise
razorcandy@discuss.tchncs.de · 2 pts · 1y
jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 1y
Anywhere from AC/DC to pipe organ music.
Depends on what my ADHD brain wants at any given moment.
mlfh@lemmy.sdf.org · 2 pts · 1y
I have a playlist of the allegro movements from a bunch of baroque violin and harpsichord corcertos that is really nice to do intense head-down work to. Mostly Bach.
Baroque for the structure - feels mathematical and easy to predict and follow, making it easy to listen to while focusing on something else. The allegro movements for the pace - upbeat and invigorating. And a concerto has a great balance between large-scale blended orchestral sound and the melody of a lead instrument which also lends itself to supporting your focus on something else from the background.
Nemo@slrpnk.net · 2 pts · 1y
studying: classical is best, instrumental good, something in a language I don't know acceptable
working, my actual job: something I can dance to: classic country, bluegrass, pop, hip hop, swing, salsa, cha-cha, big band
working, chores at home: something I can sing along with: folk ballads, power ballads, sea shanties, 90's hits, aughts hits, emo, any flavor of punk, singer-songwriter anthems, protest music, hyperpop, hip hop
working, on a computer: deathmetal, speed metal, power metal, alt-pop, doo-wop, hip hop, and while not technically music also standup comedy bits
InvestBurnout@fedia.io · 2 pts · 1y
Depends on my mood: majority of the time it's drum and bass. Some days, I will throw on some metalcore or deathcore.
Wizard_Pope@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Silence for studying.
scytale@piefed.zip · 2 pts · 1y
For studying, instrumental music or at least music with lyrics I don't understand. My go-to is my own curated playlist of film/movie soundtracks.
For working, anything goes. I have a variety of playlists like metal, prog rock, fusion, acid jazz, kpop, j pop/rock, etc.
alsimoneau@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 1y
Doom
ving_thor@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Among other things, instrumental psychodelic rock like God is an Astronaut, or most recently TFNRSH.
Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 1y
Usually a big playlist of Emancipator songs.
Xatolos@reddthat.com · 2 pts · 1y
Like many others have mentioned, video game soundtracks when studying. [https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/what-is-the-science-of-video-game-music/](Video game music has also been shown to help with studying.)
Daze@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1y
Any / all Gran Turismo soundtracks 👌
surewhynotlem@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
Polyphia
Oriion@jlai.lu · 1 pts · 1y
Game soundtracks, mainly World of Warcraft because of the sheer amount of different music ambience and also because of the nostalgia hit.
I recommend https://youtube.com/@meisio for very very well crafted videos of pretty much every zone the game has or is offering.
raneg@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 1y
musicforprogramming.net
enbiousenvy@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 1y
Age of Empires II soundtrack
nymnympseudonym@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
Hear me out: Stellaris soundtrack
https://youtube.com/watch?v=U9Tnppi4bZ0
enbiousenvy@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 1y
oh the 1998-2000 Age of Empires OSTs are literally just MIDI with default instrument which gives its own vibe. Age of Empires 3 got real orchestra.
But that particular song you sent reminds me a lot to Battlefield 1 OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXkw6YTaJpM
This one isn't similar but feels epic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8rPqVCjG8A
nymnympseudonym@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
That Battlefield Tsar one is indeed epic. I like programming to Epic music sometimes it feeds my fantasies. Plus the vocals are sufficiently muted and possibly not English so I don't find them distracting
Interstellar_1@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 1y
Any of mayv's mixes https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKz7MQ6y9w-K456AwrcUa_geIewSGOqF- or a four hour playlist I made of the same sort of genre
troyunrau@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 1y
Chillout ambient. Basically, the Mass Effect 1 soundtrack affected my whole musical library. I ask myself -- would this music sound cool in a bar in Mass Effect? If the answer is yes, it's probably on theme.
Carbon Based Lifeforms - Hydroponic Gardens
Solar Fields - Leaving Home
2814 - Rain Temple
Cell - Hanging Masses
etc.
To the point were I created !spacemusic@lemmy.ca
JoeKrogan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29YFe1jWFNs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2m_Jx_rksc
Or something else with those vibes