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I'm one of those weird people that finds music distracting. He didn't mention his computer set up very much, even though he has a pretty good one. Personally I

I'm one of those weird people that finds music distracting. He didn't mention his computer set up very much, even though he has a pretty good one. Personally I'm going to be 100% more productive if I have a second monitor so I can code in monitor 1 and have documentation opened in the other.

baddox 15y ago
I'm the same way. I never listen to music "casually" or in the background. All music is either something I'm really into, in which case I listen very actively, or something I don't care for, in which case I'd rather not be listening to it. One potential exception that I've experimented with is classical music, but the high dynamic range (which is awesome) makes it difficult to listen to on headphones because parts are too loud and parts are too quiet.
- pg 15y ago
  I can listen to music when I'm doing easy work, but not hard work. I can listen to it while tracking down a bug (most bugs, anyway) but not while making something new.
  - ths 15y ago
    Same here. Music helps me focus on easy tasks, as if it were using idle brain cycles that would otherwise get bored and seek distractions. Conversely, when in deep thought, music feels like an unwanted distraction and I get an urge to turn it off.
  - re_todd 15y ago
    I'm kind of the same way, but it depends if there is someone singing in the music. I find vocals distracting when I need to concentrate. Also, listening to my favorite music is distracting. To concentrate when working on something difficult, it helps if I choose music according to these criteria: 1) no singing in the music, just instruments 2) listen to music I don't love, but moderately like, such as jazz, classical, or trance. (I love vocal trance, but if I want to stay in the zone, I listen to instrumental trance).
MortenK 15y ago
I love listening to music when doing the easy parts of an application, like crud code, light refactoring, etc. If I have to really think about something, I find myself having to turn down the music, as it becomes distracting. Agree on the dual monitor neccessity.
- bengl3rt 15y ago
  Thirded on the dual (or more) monitors... I find different types of music helps me with different types of work. For example, if I already understand a problem very clearly and have visualized most of the code in my head (and it's just a matter of typing it in), I like stuff with a very fast tempo - tends to be electronic. However, if I'm just beginning to work through understanding a problem, sketching solutions or writing notes on my notepad, I like something very dynamic with lots of structure and intricacy - usually ends up being classical music, with an emphasis on piano concerti. The only time I need absolute silence is composing e-mails or that sort of thing. Somehow forming sentences or otherwise writing in good, concise, coherent english requires a part of my brain that typically is free to listen to music. Maybe something to do with verbal/aural understanding.
icebraining 15y ago
I'm one of those weird people that finds music distracting. Personally, it mostly depends on whether it has lyrics or not. Currently I've been listening to Bitches Brew (previously it was Unit Structures) and they work fine in setting a good mood without being distracting.
- lubutu 15y ago
  I much prefer to have vocals in my music, so my solution is to listen to songs in a language I don't understand or no language at all — Faye Wong, Cocteau Twins, Sigur Rós, etc.
rodh257 15y ago
I find that Trance and other electronic music like the author listens to works well with coding, I listen to DI.FM's trance station all day/night while working despite the fact that I'm a big heavy metal fan and wouldn't normally listen to trance. I find the lack of lyrics, and the fact that it's not a song I particularly love (ie, I'm not going to get distracted by how good the song is), makes it fade into the background - behind my thoughts.
sneak 15y ago
Just get a single display that does 2560x1600 and this: http://mizage.com/divvy/ http://mizage.com/divvy/
jasonlotito 15y ago
With music, it depends on my moods. Regardless, having headphones on always helps. Regardless of music playing or not. Helps to block out other sounds.

baddox 15y ago

I'm the same way. I never listen to music "casually" or in the background. All music is either something I'm really into, in which case I listen very actively, or something I don't care for, in which case I'd rather not be listening to it. One potential exception that I've experimented with is classical music, but the high dynamic range (which is awesome) makes it difficult to listen to on headphones because parts are too loud and parts are too quiet.

pg 15y ago
I can listen to music when I'm doing easy work, but not hard work. I can listen to it while tracking down a bug (most bugs, anyway) but not while making something new.
- ths 15y ago
  Same here. Music helps me focus on easy tasks, as if it were using idle brain cycles that would otherwise get bored and seek distractions. Conversely, when in deep thought, music feels like an unwanted distraction and I get an urge to turn it off.
- re_todd 15y ago
  I'm kind of the same way, but it depends if there is someone singing in the music. I find vocals distracting when I need to concentrate. Also, listening to my favorite music is distracting. To concentrate when working on something difficult, it helps if I choose music according to these criteria: 1) no singing in the music, just instruments 2) listen to music I don't love, but moderately like, such as jazz, classical, or trance. (I love vocal trance, but if I want to stay in the zone, I listen to instrumental trance).

MortenK 15y ago

I love listening to music when doing the easy parts of an application, like crud code, light refactoring, etc. If I have to really think about something, I find myself having to turn down the music, as it becomes distracting. Agree on the dual monitor neccessity.

bengl3rt 15y ago
Thirded on the dual (or more) monitors... I find different types of music helps me with different types of work. For example, if I already understand a problem very clearly and have visualized most of the code in my head (and it's just a matter of typing it in), I like stuff with a very fast tempo - tends to be electronic. However, if I'm just beginning to work through understanding a problem, sketching solutions or writing notes on my notepad, I like something very dynamic with lots of structure and intricacy - usually ends up being classical music, with an emphasis on piano concerti. The only time I need absolute silence is composing e-mails or that sort of thing. Somehow forming sentences or otherwise writing in good, concise, coherent english requires a part of my brain that typically is free to listen to music. Maybe something to do with verbal/aural understanding.

icebraining 15y ago

I'm one of those weird people that finds music distracting. Personally, it mostly depends on whether it has lyrics or not. Currently I've been listening to Bitches Brew (previously it was Unit Structures) and they work fine in setting a good mood without being distracting.

lubutu 15y ago
I much prefer to have vocals in my music, so my solution is to listen to songs in a language I don't understand or no language at all — Faye Wong, Cocteau Twins, Sigur Rós, etc.

rodh257 15y ago

I find that Trance and other electronic music like the author listens to works well with coding, I listen to DI.FM's trance station all day/night while working despite the fact that I'm a big heavy metal fan and wouldn't normally listen to trance. I find the lack of lyrics, and the fact that it's not a song I particularly love (ie, I'm not going to get distracted by how good the song is), makes it fade into the background - behind my thoughts.

sneak 15y ago

Just get a single display that does 2560x1600 and this: http://mizage.com/divvy/ http://mizage.com/divvy/

jasonlotito 15y ago

With music, it depends on my moods. Regardless, having headphones on always helps. Regardless of music playing or not. Helps to block out other sounds.