Now that finals are coming up, I wanted to share some of my go-to genres for creating that perfect study environment. My ideal study playlist consists of either instrumental covers of songs or just instrumental pieces in general. Usually, I like to keep it upbeat to maintain engagement, and with my major, I am normally reading so words can be distracting. With that, I hope I can give you some ideas on how to formulate your next playlist and expand your musical horizons.
Jazz
To begin, I personally prefer jazz, though it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the exciting yet calming nature allows me to stay engaged while having my ears blessed.
Some of my go-to artists are Miles Davis, Fergus McCreadie, and John Coltrane. They provide an upbeat and swingin’ musical experience to work to. If you enjoy staying inside or going out to a cafe to work, you can bring the vibe with you.
Albums such as Kind of Blue and ‘Round About Midnight or even the ‘Taxi Driver’ soundtrack are great ideas for creating that smooth workplace you are looking for.
Bossa Nova
If you need to get out of the blues and something smoother, Bossa Nova may be your speed, of Portuguese origin. Some of the iconic Bossa Nova artists are Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz. If you speak Portuguese, it may be harder to focus, as you will be able to register the words; if not, it may be easier to just allow the music to guide your work without easy distraction. For me, words can be distracting so I prefer to either listen to instrumentals or songs in other languages.
Antonio Carlos Jobim provides some great instrumental work with the classic Bossa Nova style.
Classical
If that is all a little too much going on, finding focus within the classical genre might be for you. However, within the classical genre, there are many intense pieces and more relaxing variations. When listening to classical I tend to favor the dramatics or a nice cello solo, considering I used to play a little myself. For this, I feel like baroque is more my speed, but for my romantics, there is plenty for you as well. For this study, the baroque classical is perfect, very moody and pretty.
I would recommend Bach and Händel. If you’re into the theatrics maybe a Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet might be for you. The realms of classical music are endless and it is all about finding your category.
Ambient Noise
If music in its entirety doesn’t allow you to have a productive environment, then maybe color noise or the sounds of nature are your speed. Brown, white, and pink noise allow for focus. I personally only use these sometimes as they can make me sleepy. Yet for a more engaging noise, the sound of a thunderstorm or waterfall might be for you.
Finding your study sound is hard, but if it is for you, hopefully, you find the right track to guide you through your studies.