What do you listen to while you write code?

9    18 Jul 2015 07:13 by u/ImSureImPerfect

While selecting some music to listen to for my nightly Python tinkering session, I began to wonder what other people pair with their programming efforts.

Do you listen to something special while you write code? Or is music too distracting for you? Is there a certain kind that you think helps you focus?

Edit: I forgot to answer my own question. I've been listening to random Vaporwave whilst coding. It's upbeat and lyricless, so I feel like it fits.

14 comments

2 u/some_girl 18 Jul 2015 08:19

Flume, Chet Faker, Glass Animals...probably not what most people code to. I pick this stuff because it's what I like and I always feel motivated and more positive when I listen to good music. I sometimes get distracted but chances are I would have gotten distracted by something else if music wasn't playing.

When I do math though I listen to classical music, especially Bach. And now that I think of it, I would probably be more productive if I were to listen to stuff like that while coding since it's so similar to mathematics. I'd be curious to know if anyone listens to classical music and notices a difference.

2 u/ImSureImPerfect [OP] 18 Jul 2015 08:44

Those are actually three of my current favorite bands, oddly enough. I've never tried coding to them, though. I might have to give that a shot. I can see why Toes, at the very least, would be a good "get things done" song. Most of Gooey probably works for that, now that I think of it.

I've never gotten much into Bach. I was always more of a Erik Satie kind of guy.

Lately I've been listening to random Vaporwave while I code. It doesn't have lyrics and a lot of it is upbeat, which helps a little with motivation. I'm not a huge fan of the genre, but I thought it somehow fitting.

1 u/Childermass 20 Jul 2015 05:19

I find that if I'm in the mood to listen to music, it helps. If I'm in the mood for classical, it helps, but otherwise it's just annoying and is counter productive.

I hadn't heard of any of the those bands. I'm diggin' em.

2 u/ketsuban 18 Jul 2015 08:46

cyberadio.pw

1 u/anak1n 18 Jul 2015 09:39

I listen to a lot of random music when I do. Depends on my mood prior to writing code. Sometimes opera, sometimes Something Corporate, sometimes Mr. Chief, but generally speaking I have a playlist for when I code with a mixture of different types of music. I also like to listen to the Kingdom Hearts OST, which I have on my phone so it works out.

1 u/Craftkorb 18 Jul 2015 16:41

Looks at playlist HandsUp (Internet radio), J-Pop, Metal, German Metal, J-Rock, Soundtracks, Random-Stuff-on-YouTube .. Has to be loud and not something I generally dislike. I don't want to hear my surroundings, which distracts me much much more than having music on my ears.

1 u/wouldntsavezion 20 Jul 2015 19:28

Anything that can stimulate my brain correctly enough. Intensive programming requires intensive music, like Einstein on the Beach

0 u/RewriteFullwise 19 Jul 2015 17:41

Trance-ish type stuff on Spotify, usually found on the ASOT show.

I sometimes listen to music with lyrics, but I find they can distract me. Instrumental only seems to provide enough distraction from the outside world and random thoughts passing through my head, while not distracting me from the task at hand. I often say that the most productivity-enhancing technology ever created is a pair of headphones.

0 u/lamabravo 19 Jul 2015 22:51

http://www.ledjamradio.com/