Creating schedules and rigid timetables may be helpful strategies to encourage productivity, but finding the right sound to help your concentration is a much more complicated endeavor.
Around 60 per cent of university students listen to music while studying or doing work to keep up engagement, but it may be more distracting in the long run. Some studies have theorized that music can actually reduce reading comprehension, though these findings do not pertain to all forms of music.
Lyrical music specifically has been targeted as a harmful distraction towards schoolwork, with some arguing that it’s more difficult to keep your focus while someone ‘s singing directly into your ears. Possible for some, but incredibly difficult for others.
READ MORE: Point/Counterpoint: Does listening to music while studying help you focus?
Instrumental might be the substitute for this issue.
For those struggling with concentration while studying, here are some relaxing, yet stimulating musical resources.
Firstly, non-lyrical jazz. Jazz can thrive in any environment, whether for leisure or work, and it’s a genre of music constantly cited as being beneficial for productivity. Jazz also been cited as a stress relief tool to put the brain at ease.
As it is such a large genre, there is much to explore in terms of study music when it comes to jazz. With nearly every artist, one can find songs both to fall asleep to and songs that make you feel like you just listened to a drumkit being pushed down the stairs.
For students looking to focus on work, Duke Ellington & John Coltrain is sure to put you at ease for the hard job ahead. Students who prefer more mental stimulation from their music might enjoy Dizzy Gillespie’s album Free Ride, specifically the song, “Wrong Number,” as it’s fast and exciting progression only builds with time.
However, other non-lyrical genres can be just as beneficial to students
Many video game soundtracks are pointed to as non-lyrical musical resources for studying. As many students already have an interest in video games, using their soundtracks in academic settings can be especially convenient, and even exciting.
Indie games usually have a dedicated soundtrack that is good enough to be listened to apart from the game itself.
The Cuphead soundtrack is an electric big band style composition sure to engage studiers. Similarly, the soundtrack for Katana Zero is built on existing techno and synth heavy music, which is sure to align with the interest of many mainstream music fans.
Though these examples have been in the defense of non-lyrical music as a tool to encourage productivity while studying, it would be ignorant to not recognize how helpful lyrical music is for some students.
Music is all about personal preference, even more so when the goal is not solely to listen to the music, but rather to focus.
Although many studies have been put forward highlighting the negative effects of lyrical music, statistics do not speak for the individual experience. It may be that some students thrive academically while listening to heavy metal, while others cannot focus listening to lyrics.
To each their own.
Whether you’re studying to “So What” by Miles Davis or “Drip Too Hard” by Gunna, it’s up to the listener to decide how they want the music to guide them.
Tags
Classical music, jazz, soundtrack, Study, Studying
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to eic@queensjournal.ca.