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Music to listen to while reading?
What do you like to listen to while you're reading?
Lately I've been listening to Explosions in the Sky, El Ten Eleven and Bonobo.
I'm open to pretty much any genre, anyone have any suggestions?
I can't listen to anything with vocals while reading, but something instrumental at a low volume just works for me.
I was going to recommend Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but you've probably heard them if you like Explosions in the Sky.
What about Ratatat? It's more uptempo and sort of hip-hop related, but good for background music.
Ratatat is an awesome suggestion, thanks!
I like different music for different types of books, guess I'll have to experiment by reading books and listening, bummer.
I usually listen to trance or heavy metal while I read (but then I listen to that stuff when I'm not reading too.)
Thanks for asking this question. I have given considerable thought to this topic. As I was growing up, I always assumed others could listen to music and concentrate on reading at the same time. This was because I could do so effortlessly. For some reason, my mind could simultaneously process the two streams of information. Sometimes, certain songs or types of music will actually, when heard later, remind me of a particular book or section of it. As I grew older and spoke with others, I realized that very few of my friends had the same experience. When I met my partner, I learned how different things can be. She cannot have any form of music on when she is reading or she is completely unable to concentrate.
I suppose this is a roundabout way of saying that I can listen to many different types of music while reading. Typically, I listen to jazz, blues, electronica, ambient, folk/roots/Americana, rock (typically more indie-flavored) and some classical.
If you are looking for specific recommendations in any of these genres, I can easily provide them, but will let this response stand for now.
What jazz would you recommend?
To be honest I've only really listened to Ornette Coleman.
Well Ornette's not a bad start! Throw on Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus sometime, or if you want some Ornette inspired jazz-funk, Jamaaladeen Tacuma Showstopper
I've got a bunch of suggestions, but first, why don't you come over here. You can check out what is being offered up for consumption. I can send a list of my favourite albums to your inbox.
Looks great, thanks!
Sounds like what I'm looking for, thanks!
I hate reading with music because I'll usually start to associate that particular song or album to the book that I'm reading so ill put on some white noise from sites like noisli - the rain sounds and the cafe background are my two favourites.
That sounds like it would be good to help me sleep as well, thanks for the suggestion.
Thanks, I'll check them out.
How about Some Washed Out or Tycho?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6ih1aKeETk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LbOIG_8GNg
Love Washed Out, I'll have to check out Tycho.
Thanks!
I usually like silence while reading, but Boards of Canada and Mogwai seem like a good fit for what you're looking for.
If you have Spotify, check out Brain Food. It is a station full of music with very little words and higher energy. I use it when I need to concentrate on important work with headphones in. If that is too high energy for you, Evenings is chill and a station seeded from that band will have few words and chill beats.
I usually listen to drone music like Belong's October Language and Jefre Cantu-Ledesma's Love is a Stream
It depends on what I’m reading. I listened to the Axiom Verge soundtrack a lot while reading the Expanse books, for example.
But most of my reading happens in public at mealtimes so I tend not to listen most of the time. When I do I prefer stuff without lyrics.