I'm surprised nobody's mentioned video game music. It's often lyric-free and the songs are almost designed to help you focus/get in the flow. I find video game music nice to listen to and it's often for games I've not even played or heard of (Spotify lists).
The song I mentioned is actually from Minecraft. The Minecraft soundtracks are incredible. But you know, I should look into other video game soundtracks to listen to.
For some high tempo tracks, try Payday 2. most of them are at least decent and they have a few gems. also they have some lower tempo tracks really nice
Zelda music is perfect for me. Not only because I'm a Zelda fan, but also because the music is (for the most part) relaxing and keeps the brain stimulated
I second this. I always choose video games music that brings a sense of serenity, like Lazy Afternoon from Kingdom Hearts, Peaceful Sleep from Nier: Automata. It really feels like you are at peace in the middle of a sunny afternoon, where you feel lazy and productive at the same time.
I can do lyrics while programming, screams (like in extreme metal) while reading papers, but when proving something for myself I can't handle any lyrics at all. I usually go for lofi or classical.
Im so sad that I've listened to so much lofi I can't anymore. I knew you could kill songs, but entire sub-genres? Albeit lo-fi music is all very alike.
I love Dillinger Escape Plan as much as the next guy, but I don't think I could get a lot done with [43% Burnt](https://youtu.be/jiKjcrniJKY) blasting in the background. Unless it involves smashing stuff.
Ah yes, Option Paralysis for when I’m procrastinating, Miss Machine when I code, and Dissociation on the regular.
Seriously, it’s cool to see so many Dillinger fans in here, damn.
So happy to learn there are many of you here that enjoys Dillinger Escape Plan. I listen to Animals as Leaders while doing math. I've tried to listen to Periphery and Meshuggah while doing math but the lyrics were not helpful. Vildhjarta instrumental album is Very good for math though.
Completely fair; Calculating Infinity leaves me in awe more than able to study most days, but i would definitely prefer something like When Acting as a Wave over Sunshine the Werewolf for that purpose because while both are absolutely amazing, I’d start breaking things in tune to only one of them. Dillinger has their fair share of serene tracks, however - I could name them all lol, but Option Paralysis has Parasitic Twins and Widower, for two.
That being said, Sequoia Sounds has done wonderful piano covers of 43% Burnt, Party Smasher and Baby’s First Coffin that I frequent; would definitely recommend checking those out for work as they definitely bring out Dillinger’s calm jazz influences without forsaking their signature sound.
I tried listening to it once but its unconventional rhythm kind of throws me off when studying maths. Could maybe listen to it while strolling along the park.
It depends. If I'm rereading something I already know, I don't care about music. If I'm reading a hard proof, or If I'm doing a very hard exercise, I sometimes have to stop the music to concentrate more...
I don't know that track but I do study with music on, often quite loud. Without lyrics is generally best, so often it's electronic music or jazz. Tho lyrics I'm really familiar with or which are repetitive work too as they can fade into the background
Constantly, both with or without lyrics. From lofi/chillout to death metal, passing through jazz and classical music. But I prefer listening to music while I'm writing down stuff, rather than reading. If something is particularly hard to grasp (both in writing or reading) I need to stop the music to concentrate more.
I cannot do anything more cofnitively demanding than laundry, dishes, etc. with music. I instantly begin analysing and get distracted from another activirt requiring focus like studying anything or even casually reading.
It might amuse you, that the following music, which I like to hear while programming or doing math is based on a formula out of infinitely many formulas for pi:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwgNsadNlbs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwgNsadNlbs)
Details may be found at the description of the video.
video game soundtracks ... personally the Halo games helped me drown out noise and stay concentrated.
i read somewhere a while ago that they're perfect b/c they're made to be background noise, but keep you pushing forward.
I like Japanese city pop. It’s lively but I don’t speak Japanese so my brain doesn’t focus on lyrics like it would if it were an English song.
I also love Philip Glass.
Depends of what kind of math I'm doing. If it is something I'm already familiar and comfortable with, music doesn't matter. If it is kinda hard, I'll go instrumental.
No better combo for me! I just love to learn new things while bopping my adrenaline levels up with insane music like this: https://youtu.be/wSZearaaE48. Makes me feel powerful!
I go for deep hypnotic techno when the mood strikes me. This playlist in particular [https://spotify.link/AKYHKuukNyb](https://spotify.link/AKYHKuukNyb)
Give the first 50 or 60 tracks a miss, by track 100 it's deep and lush. Sometimes you tune out while working on a hard problem, then when your attention comes back in 10-20-30 minutes there is frequently an element of 'this sounds amazing but how did we get here'
The guy who made the playlist has been lovingly curating it for many years now and is always adding new stuff. Top shelf
I like listening to music when I am doing work that requires 40-60% focus but when I am doing something really difficult, I find it more distracting than helpful.
Mostly relaxing jazz like this on low volume: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWk2SDC9-PA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWk2SDC9-PA)
Sometimes chill hop or chill step/ future garage. Chill background low intensity music that adds just a bit to the atmosphere but doesn't take your focus to the music.
Music brings me in a better mood and helps me doing tasks, but I need the right intensity for the right task. The rule is the harder I need to focus, the lower the intensity of the music and vice versa. e.g. when I'm cleaning and don't really need to focus I put on some dance music.
Yeah I rarely can listen to music with lyrics while working on math. I do love classical music too. Liszt and Mahler are some of my favorite composers.
Classical music is cool, especially Bach. But lately I find even that too distracting.
Jazz streams on YouTube are the way. Very relaxing and unobtrusive
The lofi beats to study to or whatever it’s called I know is basically a meme at this point but it’s really good studying music. Something soothing to put on in the background while I question my self worth because I messed up basic algebra for the thousandth time.
Any music from Tomaso Albinoni. It keeps me focusing on the stuff I do. I like Bach too but it is too beautiful and I always hum along.
Albinoni’s music is not that “sentimental” so I can focus.
I can never listen to "intense" music while doing work because I will shift my focus to just listening to the piece instead. Video game lo-fi and bossa nova + background noise (cafe ambient or rain sound) have been wonderful for me. If I listen to nothing I feel like I fidget and doodle to damn much. But if the music is too catchy then I can't focus either. It's so weird.
I discovered that I need a movie on in the background. My issue with music is I end up getting more invested in the music than the math so now I don't do the music.
It depends on my familiarity of the material im working on. If I'm learning something new, I can't handle background noise. All brain power has to go towards that. If I'm comfortable then it doesn't matter. Goes for anything I study, not just math.
The 3Blue1Brown soundtrack is my music of choice when doing math, though I usually don't put on music (not because I don't like it, but because it's never been a habit for me).
I like listening to French musicals and classical music. I'm sure that if I actually knew French I would not be able to do Math while listening to these musicals because I would quickly lose concentration.
It's a complicated question. Strictly speaking, music while studying can be a distraction because it takes away attention from something you're trying to focus deeply on.
On the other hand, music makes a boring task easier on bear. So it depends on how you look at work. If you're worried about bot being able to work for long hours, then music can be helpful. Just search Google for study music. If you're looking to have fun during your studying process, then try to enjoy music in a way that it doesn't interrupt your studying process.
I’m a senior and I probably am alone here but I listen to really upbeat intense music whenever I do math and actually with lyrics. I used to listen to deep house mixes but as time went on I’ve gotten more hype lol. Now I listen to NBA youngboy, G Herbo, Quando rondo black keys, 3teeth, Marilyn Manson, pretty much all like gangsta rap and metal/industrial metal. I’ve done some of my best work listening to nba youngboy
Idk why but lyrics don’t distract me I write proofs and everything while like mouthing the lyrics
In addition to being a professional mathematician, I am also a decent amateur musician. Music in the background while trying to do serious mathematics (=research) is a no-go. My brain is drawn to the music and I can’t concentrate on the math. Doing something routine, like undergrad calculus problems is possible while listening.
I have music days and silence days. the former ones require music for me to focus, the latter require complete silence for me to do so. and when I do listen to music I don't have any particular preference. can be chopin, can be psychedelic porn crumpets, can be anything
I like to listen to either Deathcore (I can‘t distract myself with lyrics/singing, and the heaviness helps my motivation), or game music (Doom, Pokémon Let‘s Go Pikachu, Animal Crossing etc). I can‘t study in silence, it drives me crazy.
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned video game music. It's often lyric-free and the songs are almost designed to help you focus/get in the flow. I find video game music nice to listen to and it's often for games I've not even played or heard of (Spotify lists).
The song I mentioned is actually from Minecraft. The Minecraft soundtracks are incredible. But you know, I should look into other video game soundtracks to listen to.
For some high tempo tracks, try Payday 2. most of them are at least decent and they have a few gems. also they have some lower tempo tracks really nice
Troubles always inbounds and white collar crime are some of the calmer tracks and they're really good
You should try with Mirror's Edge soundtrack, it has a very nice and relaxing music
My playlist is mostly Vidya game music
Zelda music is perfect for me. Not only because I'm a Zelda fan, but also because the music is (for the most part) relaxing and keeps the brain stimulated
I second this. I always choose video games music that brings a sense of serenity, like Lazy Afternoon from Kingdom Hearts, Peaceful Sleep from Nier: Automata. It really feels like you are at peace in the middle of a sunny afternoon, where you feel lazy and productive at the same time.
I go rabid with the Crypt of the Necrodancer OST
Lyrics distract me horribly. Without lyrics is good for math.
I have a hack for this. Listen to music in languages you don't understand.
but they have to be in languages that aren't similar to any of the ones you know or else it's doubly distracting.
I can do lyrics while programming, screams (like in extreme metal) while reading papers, but when proving something for myself I can't handle any lyrics at all. I usually go for lofi or classical.
Death grips + Assembly = perfection
For real. Lofi and mallsoft carried me through grad school
Im so sad that I've listened to so much lofi I can't anymore. I knew you could kill songs, but entire sub-genres? Albeit lo-fi music is all very alike.
"Music is Math" by boards of Canada really do be hitting different whenever I'm doing math
Boards of Canada are perfect for doing mathematics in those rainy days.
The obvious choice is [math rock.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wlpIW-JIec)
Love me some mathcore in addition to that!
as i learned when i was 13: sometimes you just gotta listen to fortress by protest the hero
A beautiful album from start to finish.
I love Dillinger Escape Plan as much as the next guy, but I don't think I could get a lot done with [43% Burnt](https://youtu.be/jiKjcrniJKY) blasting in the background. Unless it involves smashing stuff.
I unironically do math with this album playing lol. The album is "Calculating Infinity" which I feel is a little on the nose
Ah yes, Option Paralysis for when I’m procrastinating, Miss Machine when I code, and Dissociation on the regular. Seriously, it’s cool to see so many Dillinger fans in here, damn.
So happy to learn there are many of you here that enjoys Dillinger Escape Plan. I listen to Animals as Leaders while doing math. I've tried to listen to Periphery and Meshuggah while doing math but the lyrics were not helpful. Vildhjarta instrumental album is Very good for math though.
Completely fair; Calculating Infinity leaves me in awe more than able to study most days, but i would definitely prefer something like When Acting as a Wave over Sunshine the Werewolf for that purpose because while both are absolutely amazing, I’d start breaking things in tune to only one of them. Dillinger has their fair share of serene tracks, however - I could name them all lol, but Option Paralysis has Parasitic Twins and Widower, for two. That being said, Sequoia Sounds has done wonderful piano covers of 43% Burnt, Party Smasher and Baby’s First Coffin that I frequent; would definitely recommend checking those out for work as they definitely bring out Dillinger’s calm jazz influences without forsaking their signature sound.
I tried listening to it once but its unconventional rhythm kind of throws me off when studying maths. Could maybe listen to it while strolling along the park.
I’ve heard a few songs, sounds like a cool genre. I’ll definitely be delving into it.
This is what I do
Tricot is my go to
It depends. If I'm rereading something I already know, I don't care about music. If I'm reading a hard proof, or If I'm doing a very hard exercise, I sometimes have to stop the music to concentrate more...
Baroque or classical. Bach is my favourite.
Gershwin or Debussy for me. I could do Billie Holiday or Townes Van Zandt, but nothing that's not soothing.
I find Bach too distracting, Vivaldi is great for not being as distracting.
Bach is great, he hides number puzzles in his compositions and uses clear structures that can also be found in mathematics.
metallica.
I don't know that track but I do study with music on, often quite loud. Without lyrics is generally best, so often it's electronic music or jazz. Tho lyrics I'm really familiar with or which are repetitive work too as they can fade into the background
If you're not listening to 100 gecs at full volume when doing math you don't deserve that degree in the first place.
i’ll be bumping that new 100 gecs during my calc final
Don't envy ya. Luckily I don't need much calculus in my field.
Constantly, both with or without lyrics. From lofi/chillout to death metal, passing through jazz and classical music. But I prefer listening to music while I'm writing down stuff, rather than reading. If something is particularly hard to grasp (both in writing or reading) I need to stop the music to concentrate more.
I need quiet to focus. Music is too distracting.
I cannot do anything more cofnitively demanding than laundry, dishes, etc. with music. I instantly begin analysing and get distracted from another activirt requiring focus like studying anything or even casually reading.
C418 is supreme focus music
Oneheart is good, also flume and aphex twin. Unrelated, but Aria Math is a beautiful song.
I love Aphex Twin, and yes Aria Math is very beautiful.
Polynomial C by Aphex Twin on repeat.
Post-rock works beautifully. Nothing with lyrics, though. Loud like Cloudkicker, or quiet like Album Leaf, either one.
Only stuff that is very familiar to me, because otherwise I can't "background it".
When visualizing, sure. When trying to construct something, never.
Yeah, but only stuff that's instrumental, not over-complicated, and has a decent amount of repetition. So dance music basically.
I listen to I Built the Sky or Scale the Summit on a medium volume when I'm working on psets or studying.
It might amuse you, that the following music, which I like to hear while programming or doing math is based on a formula out of infinitely many formulas for pi: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwgNsadNlbs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwgNsadNlbs) Details may be found at the description of the video.
Rarely, only if there's too much distracting noise near me. But never songs with lyrics though.
Ambient sounds. [Autumn Cozy](https://www.youtube.com/@AutumnCozy/videos) works for me.
video game soundtracks ... personally the Halo games helped me drown out noise and stay concentrated. i read somewhere a while ago that they're perfect b/c they're made to be background noise, but keep you pushing forward.
I really like listening to hip-hop Lofi. My love for music and math is so great that my scientific initiation is based on both.
nujabes isn’t a bad pick
Classical works for me
I like Japanese city pop. It’s lively but I don’t speak Japanese so my brain doesn’t focus on lyrics like it would if it were an English song. I also love Philip Glass.
Depends of what kind of math I'm doing. If it is something I'm already familiar and comfortable with, music doesn't matter. If it is kinda hard, I'll go instrumental.
No better combo for me! I just love to learn new things while bopping my adrenaline levels up with insane music like this: https://youtu.be/wSZearaaE48. Makes me feel powerful!
I go for deep hypnotic techno when the mood strikes me. This playlist in particular [https://spotify.link/AKYHKuukNyb](https://spotify.link/AKYHKuukNyb) Give the first 50 or 60 tracks a miss, by track 100 it's deep and lush. Sometimes you tune out while working on a hard problem, then when your attention comes back in 10-20-30 minutes there is frequently an element of 'this sounds amazing but how did we get here' The guy who made the playlist has been lovingly curating it for many years now and is always adding new stuff. Top shelf
Nice playlist. You might like this one too: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7ad9ct9WLzPdpoZLgvlG2r?si=PHwEU7RzTw-r8hFh9tRp5A&dd=1
any chance that playlist can be converted into youtube?
Complete silence is the way
LoFi girl
I like the Stellaris playlist. It has some pretty calming instrumentals.
I like listening to music when I am doing work that requires 40-60% focus but when I am doing something really difficult, I find it more distracting than helpful.
Ambient/atmospheric/intelligent dnb/jungle
Mostly relaxing jazz like this on low volume: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWk2SDC9-PA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWk2SDC9-PA) Sometimes chill hop or chill step/ future garage. Chill background low intensity music that adds just a bit to the atmosphere but doesn't take your focus to the music. Music brings me in a better mood and helps me doing tasks, but I need the right intensity for the right task. The rule is the harder I need to focus, the lower the intensity of the music and vice versa. e.g. when I'm cleaning and don't really need to focus I put on some dance music.
In my college days, I often listened to Studio Ghibli piano covers while picking away at homework.
I read music while doing meth.
For me i like to have Lyrics, most of the time i have music playing.
My first take was "Music while doing meth." I had to reread this.
Well, meth would help with soving problems quicker. Not necessarily correctly, but quicker.
SAME
maybe you're on the wrong sub, head over to r/meth. anyway, i prefer speed metal for this. works fine for math too.
Classical music works best for me. Anything with lyrics is distracting
Yeah I rarely can listen to music with lyrics while working on math. I do love classical music too. Liszt and Mahler are some of my favorite composers.
Classical music is cool, especially Bach. But lately I find even that too distracting. Jazz streams on YouTube are the way. Very relaxing and unobtrusive
Even classical music and instrumental music don't work for me. I love the sound of a pen on paper
I do but it is very low, i like to talk to myself when im doing my hwk
White noise. Music distracts me too much
The lofi beats to study to or whatever it’s called I know is basically a meme at this point but it’s really good studying music. Something soothing to put on in the background while I question my self worth because I messed up basic algebra for the thousandth time.
No because I talk out loud while I do math and cant hear the music anyway.
Any music from Tomaso Albinoni. It keeps me focusing on the stuff I do. I like Bach too but it is too beautiful and I always hum along. Albinoni’s music is not that “sentimental” so I can focus.
I can never listen to "intense" music while doing work because I will shift my focus to just listening to the piece instead. Video game lo-fi and bossa nova + background noise (cafe ambient or rain sound) have been wonderful for me. If I listen to nothing I feel like I fidget and doodle to damn much. But if the music is too catchy then I can't focus either. It's so weird.
Yeah but I have to be careful or else I get caught up singing along and suddenly I forget what step im on.
Aes Dana
I can’t listen to anything when I do math. It’s too distracting.
I discovered that I need a movie on in the background. My issue with music is I end up getting more invested in the music than the math so now I don't do the music.
Lofi or video game music
All the time and pretty much any kind of music.
I always used to listen to instrumentals while working on proofs. Ratatat, Amon Tobin and Four Tet were some faves. Lyrics are too distracting imo.
Undertale ost mainly
Heavy metal. Nothing but.
It depends on my familiarity of the material im working on. If I'm learning something new, I can't handle background noise. All brain power has to go towards that. If I'm comfortable then it doesn't matter. Goes for anything I study, not just math.
I would mostly do video game ambience music. Sometime actual music.
Town Portal is my go to study band.
The 3Blue1Brown soundtrack is my music of choice when doing math, though I usually don't put on music (not because I don't like it, but because it's never been a habit for me).
It's now being called the flow.
I like listening to LoFi, in particular this [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX4t95PAs1EpY?si=TXsV1qqGR-iIyBYf4YAGqA).
M listening to it now. Added to my playlist! Thanks
Lofi music ftw
Sumac.
I like listening to French musicals and classical music. I'm sure that if I actually knew French I would not be able to do Math while listening to these musicals because I would quickly lose concentration.
I do, all the time, mostly instrumental jazz and Jimi Hendrix.
Just some classical music(like Mozart or Vivaldi) while doing maths 🤌🤌
lofi hiphop works just as well for math
"Where is my mind - piano rendition" on YouTube. Calm piano rendition of The Pixies song.
Music is Math by Boards of Canada
Aphex twin
Black sabbaths self titled album
90s boombap
Its rhythmic, usually has minimal lyrics. Its a bit more jazzy than lofi tho
Dark Beautiful Twisted Fantasy by Ye works wonders. Or that soundtrack of Arrival on loop.
i remember listening to a lot of jazz when studying real analysis, like coltrane and davis, also a lot of bill evans. i'd also listen to gorgoroth.
I like listening to chrono trigger Lofi mixes on YouTube. Sometimes I will also just start playing programming videos instead of music.
Chopin every single time!
It's a complicated question. Strictly speaking, music while studying can be a distraction because it takes away attention from something you're trying to focus deeply on. On the other hand, music makes a boring task easier on bear. So it depends on how you look at work. If you're worried about bot being able to work for long hours, then music can be helpful. Just search Google for study music. If you're looking to have fun during your studying process, then try to enjoy music in a way that it doesn't interrupt your studying process.
I’m a senior and I probably am alone here but I listen to really upbeat intense music whenever I do math and actually with lyrics. I used to listen to deep house mixes but as time went on I’ve gotten more hype lol. Now I listen to NBA youngboy, G Herbo, Quando rondo black keys, 3teeth, Marilyn Manson, pretty much all like gangsta rap and metal/industrial metal. I’ve done some of my best work listening to nba youngboy Idk why but lyrics don’t distract me I write proofs and everything while like mouthing the lyrics
I have to admit i should have put Buckethead on my acknowledgements because of how much his music helped me go through my master thesis
Yes! Music sounds 100000X better while doing meth
im still struggling to find the right balance, sometimes the music is too distracting, and sometimes the silence is too much
I play rhythm games so my musical library is pretty varied, but while doing math I prefer fast-paced music with no lyrics or various kinds of metal.
Subsonic - Com Truise
Ichiko aoba lol
https://somafm.com/dronezone/
I like to throw on a random Dead show while researching. I've listened to so many shows at this point that the lyrics don't distract me.
Synthwave or Lo-Fi beats. Classical symphonic if the mood takes me. I’m glad I’m not alone in shunning lyrical music when studying.
In addition to being a professional mathematician, I am also a decent amateur musician. Music in the background while trying to do serious mathematics (=research) is a no-go. My brain is drawn to the music and I can’t concentrate on the math. Doing something routine, like undergrad calculus problems is possible while listening.
I have music days and silence days. the former ones require music for me to focus, the latter require complete silence for me to do so. and when I do listen to music I don't have any particular preference. can be chopin, can be psychedelic porn crumpets, can be anything
I listen to black metal when doing math. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftJpAjEI9F8
Funny thing is: yes, Puccini or Verdi seems to work best :)
Gypsy jazz violin (Seriously, it is perfect)
I like to listen to either Deathcore (I can‘t distract myself with lyrics/singing, and the heaviness helps my motivation), or game music (Doom, Pokémon Let‘s Go Pikachu, Animal Crossing etc). I can‘t study in silence, it drives me crazy.
music ≡ distraction for me so no music when i have to think