January 07, 2004 | View Comments (32) | Category: Our Thoughts
Summary: What kind of music do you listen to while working?
What type of music people listen to while they work has always fascinated me. The music I listen to in my car is almost impossible for me to listen to while I am designing. High-powered classical has usually been a strong source of inspiration at times and only recently have I began to dive into the world of jazz. Jazz caught my interests because of the spontaneity of the music. True creativity at work there. So what kind of music if any do you listen to and why?
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I often times just use Winamp to listen to Radiostorm Internet Radio, sometimes Air 1. Other times I'll just be in the mood to listen to a particular artist.
One style that I cannot listen to when coding is Ska. I love ska, and I get too excited... I can't seem to focus.
Generally, mid-90's Alternative is what does it for me. Counting Crows, Toad the Wet Sprocket, No Doubt, Fiona Apple, Bush, Weezer, Ben Folds Five, Rage Against the Machine, as well as newer stuff like Linkin Park, Audioslave, newer RHCP, Hoobastank, and Incubus.
Ryan Parman (http://www.skyzyx.com)
This is something of a hard question to answer. I don't really have music I listen to specifically for design work. I just listen to whatever type of music I'm in the mood for. That gamut can run pretty wide from Bright Eyes, Modest Mouse, Placebo, to Sarah McLachlan, Poe, Paula Cole, and so forth.
For example, while I'm working on a design for Time Warner (crazy deadline!), I'm currently listening to The Red Violin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack which is simply one of the most amazing original classical music of our time. It was very difficult trying to get ahold of it, as I drove all over Houston and every place I went "carried it" but was in a constant flux of being sold out. I finally reserved it and when I went to pick it up I found that there was a whole waiting list after me. It has one of the more famous modern day violinist, Joshua Bell, playing the solos. (I would also recommend the movie, of course, but that is off topic.)
If one does listen to bluesy/classical music, I'd also recommend highly Indigo Spirit. It has this heavy cello music mixed with a strong blues/R&B backbone, with the occasional slave songs weaved in. It's really quite powerful.
There was a period when my employers tried to make a rule against listening to music in the office, even on headphones, but I argued with the idea and they couldn't come up with a good, logical reason not to allow it, especially since it is so essential for me when I'm designing...
Alanna (http://www.virginmoistness.com)
I listen to rock in the car and while doing most things, but when I design I generally listen to trance or techno or something. Rock is too distracting and is constantly trying to grab your attention. Plus trance/techno has no words to listen to or anything, generally.
Derek Rose (http://www.twotallsocks.com/)
Lately, I have been working while listening to NPR and other audio streams, but I am primarily a "They Might Be Giants" kind of guy. That or different Soundtracks.
Scott Gowell (http://www.sinekow.org)
I allways listen to streaming music from lounge-radio.com. It's very calm and relaxing music, exactly what I need when I'm designing.
Percept (http://percept.be)
A nice, ecletic mix of Metallica, Guns n' Roses, AC/DC, Deftones, Rage Against the Machine, Ozzy and some other stuff.
Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd are wicked to listen to as well, if I'm not in the mood for loud stuff.
I much prefer listening to stuff I can get into, rather than something calming and just plays in the background, I'm weird that way :P
jarrod (http://textbased.com/)
I stopped listenting to music with vocals about 10 years ago because it's too distracting as I work and get on with my life. In particular, these are work time favorites...
Ochre - http://ochremusic.com/
Esem - http://dot.cult.bg/esem/
Isan - http://www.isan.co.uk/
Lowfish - http://www.epitonic.com/artists/lowfish.html
i am a robot and proud - http://www.bloop.org/robot/main.htm
Dan (http://inmyexperience.com)
Hip Hop all the way baby. 2pac, Nas, and Em. Sometimes some nice Vietnamese melody to help me focus.
donny (http://www.visualgui.com)
I launch iTunes and listen to a few of the different radio stations on there (Wazee.org, Radioio, etc.). Mostly modern rock. Sometimes jazz is good but can relax me too much.
I've found that the best music for working for me is anything laid back.
Todd (http://www.monkeyhouselounge.com/tcoleman2/)
I usually just put iTunes on shuffle and since my musical taste is all over the place I get a little bit of everything.
I do find I tend to like hip-hop while I'm working, and I'm not sure why.
I've done some of my best work while jamming to Black Star, Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif, Atmosphere, Gza, Swollen Members, and lately DM and Jiminy.
Funcrusher Plus by Company Flow is an awesome album to code by.
Keith (http://www.7nights.com/asterisk/)
I tend to listen to soundtracks. Once I figure out the mood of the site I'm trying to create, I choose a movie soundtrack that reflects that mood. I find that this particularly helps when I'm trying to figure out my color scheme.
I switch to angry rock to vent my frustration when a bug stumps me too long. Doesn't help me work, but it does make me feel better (which eventually helps me work).
wink (http://site-unseen.net/wink)
Personally I can't work without listening to music. I mostly love to listen to ambient while working, or vocal trance. Sometimes I'm in the mood for dream pop. Nothing too hard, just light feel-good stuff.
Using iTunes, I sometimes tune in to DI.FM Chillout or Groove Salad. Both in the Ambient section.
Matt Burris (http://www.goodblimey.com/)
My trouble is that I have to "listen" to music rather than just have it playing in the background. So if I really need to concentrate, I'll switch it off.
I tend to have a rather eclectic taste though, I suppose it comes from many years spent playing bass in various bands. Old soul and jazz really gets me in the mood, stuff like Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Marvin Gaye, Aretha, Al Green.
If I'm in the mood for a sing song then artists such as Frank Sinatra , Tony Bennett, Sammy Davies Jr will get some airtime, I do love some of that old big band swing.
If I want to listen to the radio, thanks to the luxury of ADSL, I can once again listen to BBC Radio London ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/ ) and Robert Elms' excellent lunch time ( GMT that is ) show.
Aside from that I'll tolerate just about anything while I'm working, even Country!
Andy McCulloch (http://branchleft.co.uk/)
Sometimes I listen while at work and other times I dont listen to anything. When I do listen I like the more ambient sounds with or without lyrics. Thievery Corporation, Morcheeba, Zero 7, Hooverphonic, OM Lounge, Paul Van Dyke to name a few.
justin goodlett (http://www.skinnyj.com/weblog)
Switchfoot (http://www.switchfoot.com)
Evanescence (http://www.evanescence.com)
LifeHouse (http://www.lifehousemusic.com)
John Mayer (http://www.johnmayer.com)
MercyMe (http://www.mercyme.org)
Dido (http://www.didomusic.com)
Collective Soul (http://www.collectivesould.com)
Creed (http://www.creed.com)
Enya (http://www.enya.com)
Kutless (http://www.kutless.com)
P.O.D. (http://www.payableondeath.com)
... are just a few.
Quasi
I dig listening to space music and downtempo. Lately Mogwai does it for me. You can get a lot of their MP3s on emusic.
Michael (http://urlgreyhot.com)
I'm much more productive when I can listen to music. It doesn't really matter what kind, but I also enjoy (and am inspired by) jam bands (Phish, moe., Steve Kimock, etc.), techno, certain types of hiphop (more musical is better than vocal-oriented -- think Outkast, Talib Kweli, etc.), pop (http://www.kexp.org, baby!), classical, opera. The louder the better (which usually means headphones -- not at damaging levels) I think because it drowns out chatter from elsewhere. Very chaotic music (Negativland, Foetus, etc.) often makes me concentrate on what I am doing.
Brian Sletten
While working, use to listen to Radio Paradise (eclectic intelligent rock), 100% listener-supported radio based in Paradise, Ca. (no commercial, only music)
http://radioparadise.com/
Their playlist is wonderful, it never sounds like "shuffle" on a thousand MP3 files directory.
Of course, ain't got broadband Internet connexion (yet?) while driving, thus you may find out old tapes of Alice in Chains, CDs of Soundgarden, Jeff Buckley, Beth Orton anywhere in my car...
Bruno Bord
I listen to it all.. or I should say "we" because the whole office has music pumped into it. It ranges from classical, country, ambiant, techno, rock, alternative, jazz, and blues.
At home I prefer to design and develop to music without lyrics because of the destraction factor involved with lyrics... this typically desolves my selection down to classical, instrumental guitar, ambiant techno and so forth.
Nick Finck (http://www.digital-web.com)
Lots of stuff. Depends on my mood and what I'm working on. If I'm just doing routine stuff, alternative or comedy (mostly music from the Bob & Tom show). Design, I tend towards either celtic or classical. Steve MacDonald's Sons of Somerled and Stone of Destiny are great (www.ethereanmusic.com), as is any good performance of Edvard Grieg's compositions (I'm biased towards the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, though, since my chorus performed the Peer Gynt suite with them in college).
Coding I tend towards stuff by Paul Schwartz (www.paulschwartz.com), particularly his Aria collections... takes me to a whole new level while I work... fantastic for driving, too, especially if you have a decent level of bass to support the treble of the electronics and the sopranos. I also like many of the pieces by Alzheim... a fellow from Sweden named Pasi Sivula (www.wothymns.com). And of course, there's always Diana Krall (www.dianakrall.com). She's perfect for everything. And gorgeous to boot! Though I can never ever work when she starts singing "Peel me a Grape"... have to just sit back and enjoy that one.
And if I'm doing fairly mindless stuff, I listen to NPR or audio books, since I can pay closer attention.
JC (http://www.thelionsweb.com/weblog)
I guess I'm a bit differet to the rest here, but I'm a hardcore baroque buff. If it is music made after 1780, I'm not really interested; it doesn't tickle my sides.
For those uptempo sessions, we've got the Brandenburger Concertoes by Bach. For those mellow designs, I have Galuppi motets. For those seasonal spiritual sessions, I've got Schuts' passions. And for those pompus head-on deadlines, of course I use Bibers' "Missa Bruxelliensis." And many many more.
Alexander (http://shelter.nu/)
RIght now in winamp I have Hatebreed, Blood for Blood, Integrity, Minor Threat, Snapcase and Judge. I like it loud, hard and in your face. I like to bounch around in my cair as I design. I'm not much relaxing music, It just makes me want to sleep.
Battlewax
Working from home I find I have to listen to mostly electronica/downtempo (not a chore at all), the likes of Notwist, Philosophy Major, Fridge etc.
For one, it's great inspirational music and as an added bonus sounds just as good at low volume to avoid the girlfriend moaning at 4am when something still aint quite looking right!
Jamie (http://www.lifeofsmallbeer.co.uk)
I listen to ambient, chillout and downtempo music, also jazz, latino, but mostly electronic.
dusoft (http://www.ambience.sk)
I tend to have a certain album (or a small collection of albums) that become the "soundtrack" for a particular project.
Last project was three weeks of Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and the soundtrack to "Swallowtail Butterfly" by Chara.
Now everytime I leave iTunes on the loose and The Brilliant Green's "Los Angeles" or the "Lost in Translation" soundtrack come on, I'm instantly transported back to the mindset of the projects I associate these records with.
Like the smell of granny perfume, music for me has a strong natsukashii (nostalgic) influence.
Andy (http://modulo26.net/daily/)
I agree with Keith.. I'm big into underground hiphop and turntablism, so i rock the Swollen Members, Dilated Peoples, Blackalicious, Atmosphere, Sage Francis, Dan the Automator productions, Heiroglyphics crew..
Oh and I rock most downtempo/triphop, and if i'm working on crazy stuff, i'll hit up the harder rock like sevendust, deftones, reveille, spineshank, bionic jive, etc.
Seth (http://www.megalithic.org)
Anything apart from Jazz. Current fav's are Pink, Beyonce Knowles, Skunk Anansie, Andrea Bocelli, soundtracks from LOTR, Sister Act I & 2.
Sian (http://www.webdiva.co.uk/blog/)
Most of the time I have winamp on random, so I end up listening to pretty much everything.
If I have to be selective, though, to design I usually prefer Arvo Part, Philip Glass or Raison D'etre or some other minimalist or dark ambient industrial, specially the coldmeat.se projects. Also, softer ambient from US label Projekt such as Lycia is good.
To code I often prefer industrial/noise (Iminent Starvation or Azure Skies for instance) or hard techno. Driving (don't know why people have been mentioning it, but...) I listen to anything techno, trance or crappy 90s eurodance. Classical is not bad either.
Caio Chassot (http://v2studio.com/k)
I enjoy hard rock, with hard beats and screaming. I also like to blast violent rap.
http://www.mudvayne.com
http://www.nothingface.net
http://www.40belowsummer.com
http://www.korn.com
Steve Melanson (http://www.xboxexclusive.com)
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#1
I listen to a lot of the "jam band" type stuff.
O.A.R., Dave Matthews Band, Gov't Mule, Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, etc.
Every so often I will throw in some classical or bluegrass (Chris Thile's "All Who Wander Are Not Lost" is a great CD).
Anything that is longer than 3 minutes and has no pop sound to it.
The bands I mentioned all tend to linger into extended jam sessions (especially in their live shows, which I have lots of - http://www.phishhook.com/lists/kcomphlint
Anything, really, to get my creative juices flowing.
Some nice acoustic stuff is good for when I am writing code. Helps calm me down so I tend to make fewer mistakes. Jazz is always good too.
Jeremy Flint (http://www.jeremyflint.com)