2008 Woodie Awards
The right music can help students relax, study
Jessica Corey-Butler
Issue date: 10/18/06 Section: Opinion
You're sitting immobile, at
your computer. You're willing
your fingers to spew brilliance,
you're willing your brain to come
up with something, hold something
in, or release something.
Yet all you have is silence, and
frozen fingers.
That's where music can help. The right study music is like having a friend ride shotgun on a really long car trip. It can help an idea germinate, it can act as a time-check and it can give you something to listen to rather than the white noise of frying brain cells. But the right study music has to have a specific set of qualities, all varying by individual taste.
In general, the best study music has three main components: Study music should be on the mellow side. There are diehard head bangers and punk rockers who say they can study to loud and hard sounds. I have yet to observe a rockin' out individual more intent on the matter before them - that computer, those books - than the matter going into their ears.
Study music should be background music. Go ahead, put on your favorite song. I guarantee it's going to distract you. Either you'll close your eyes in bliss, or you'll open your mouth, to sing along. But put in the secondbests, the also-rans, and you'll find yourself a happier studier.
Two words: Compact Disc. I know you can program a genre into your MP-3 and listen to 17 hours of pre-loaded study songs, but gadgets are distracting, especially if you're in that brain-dead study space that amplifies distractions.
Bach Brandenburg Concertos. I like these because they blend well into the background, but have that "classical music makes you feel smart" vibe.
Louis Armstrong's All-Time Greatest Hits. Just as you get to feeling mellow, the trumpet comes in to keep you on-task.
Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits. Quite possibly, the best background CD of all time, if only because each one of the songs has the exact same productionstudio fade.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack. I get a kick out of irony-and it just doesn't get more delicious than studying at 1 a.m. to "I am Weary (Let Me Rest.)"
jem -- finally woken. I can best describe her as Dido on antidepressants. Her silky smooth voice has just enough pep to keep you awake late.
Regina Spektor - begin to hope. Even though this CD almost crosses the "distraction" line because a few of the songs are just that great, it fades pretty well, most of the time.
That's where music can help. The right study music is like having a friend ride shotgun on a really long car trip. It can help an idea germinate, it can act as a time-check and it can give you something to listen to rather than the white noise of frying brain cells. But the right study music has to have a specific set of qualities, all varying by individual taste.
In general, the best study music has three main components: Study music should be on the mellow side. There are diehard head bangers and punk rockers who say they can study to loud and hard sounds. I have yet to observe a rockin' out individual more intent on the matter before them - that computer, those books - than the matter going into their ears.
Study music should be background music. Go ahead, put on your favorite song. I guarantee it's going to distract you. Either you'll close your eyes in bliss, or you'll open your mouth, to sing along. But put in the secondbests, the also-rans, and you'll find yourself a happier studier.
Two words: Compact Disc. I know you can program a genre into your MP-3 and listen to 17 hours of pre-loaded study songs, but gadgets are distracting, especially if you're in that brain-dead study space that amplifies distractions.
Bach Brandenburg Concertos. I like these because they blend well into the background, but have that "classical music makes you feel smart" vibe.
Louis Armstrong's All-Time Greatest Hits. Just as you get to feeling mellow, the trumpet comes in to keep you on-task.
Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits. Quite possibly, the best background CD of all time, if only because each one of the songs has the exact same productionstudio fade.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack. I get a kick out of irony-and it just doesn't get more delicious than studying at 1 a.m. to "I am Weary (Let Me Rest.)"
jem -- finally woken. I can best describe her as Dido on antidepressants. Her silky smooth voice has just enough pep to keep you awake late.
Regina Spektor - begin to hope. Even though this CD almost crosses the "distraction" line because a few of the songs are just that great, it fades pretty well, most of the time.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Kevin Butters
posted 1/14/08 @ 6:32 AM PST
Good tips, but isn't a CD player just as distracting as an mp3 player?
meagan
posted 9/23/08 @ 5:57 PM PST
actully i listen to rap and hip hop during homework time and it makes me do it faster
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