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For all you students out there, listening to music while you study is as natural as breathing. Yet we don’t
need science to tell us how greatly music can impact our moods, which begs the question: Do some
genres of music facilitate studying better than others? Fortunately, science has been fascinated by this
question, so we have some answers.
More accurately, forget studying to music that has words. Multiple studies out of Stanford University
have found that listening to music with words distracts students who are trying to study. We only have
so much brain power to work with at any given moment. Listening to song lyrics eat into the side of your
brain that processes words, take precious brain resources away from processing the words and ideas
you’re using to study.
Another study, this one from the Cambridge Sound Management, honed in on intelligible lyrics as the
distraction. This study looked at office workers rather than studying. Even so, its finding that speech
distracted nearly half the workers from their tasks is instructive. This finding is consistent with the
Stanford studies in that if your brain isn’t processing the lyrics as words, it’s not working in the studying
side of the brain. So perhaps listening to Nirvana’s slurry Smells like Teen Spirit or that old-school classic
Louie Louie won’t undermine your studying at all.
However, if you’re looking for the music that advances your study efforts, rather than simply not
undermining them, then music genres such as classical or meditative music are probably better options
than singers with poor enunciation skills. Here’s a list of classical works recommended as valuable study
aids.
While classical music, broadly defined, is considered a good choice for study background music, not all
classical music is equal to this task. Explosive works like Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture or Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 9 may have too much energy for effective studying. Other studies on music and
concentration have concluded that baroque music is a particularly useful study music. Since baroque
music generally travels within 50 to 80 beats per minute, it "stabilizes mental, physical, and emotional
rhythms," which creates a strong mental environment for studying.
Spotify has even created a baroque, 60-bpm “learning playlist” to help students out. The streaming
music service likely chose 60-bpm as its target since other studies have isolated 60-bpm as the sweet
spot of music tempos that correlates with “improved spatial reasoning, attentiveness, and
concentration.”
We’ve already noted how meditative music, as a genre without lyrics, may be a good study option in
addition to classical music. Studies focusing specifically on this genre have borne out this hypothesis. For
example, this study found that meditative music, which contains what’s called “Alpha” beats, inspires
Alpha waves in the brain. “Alpha” refers to a certain frequency range. Alpha waves put our brains in a
relaxed state. However – and this is key – alpha waves inspire a state of alert relaxation, not sleep
relaxation. Being relaxed and alert opens the brain to absorb and retain information and ideas.
Meditative music also commonly includes sounds of nature like running water or wind through the
trees. Nature sounds improve cognitive function and concentration. They also efficiently mask other
sounds that interfere with studying, especially other people’s conversations, addressing that whole
“other words are distracting” issue.
One particularly interesting study on the correlation between music genres and studying demonstrates
that a person’s individual preference may be a stronger indicator of the best studying music than any
specific genre.
They compared the brain wave patterns reacting to different musical genres and a song selected by each
study participant as a personal favorite. The researchers found that neural activity supporting cognitive
processing improved when participants were listening to their preferred music, regardless of the genre.
The researcher gave the game away in the title of their paper sharing their study results, “Network
Science and the Effects of Music Preference on Functional Brain Connectivity: From Beethoven to
Eminem.”
We often drive home how learning an instrument provides so many benefits, including improved
memory and concentration. Other studies also suggest that learning how to play an instrument can
improve your IQ.
Regardless of whether you can eek out a few more IQ points, you can use music to make studying more
enjoyable and more effective. These are some guideposts to help you select what music to use, but you
know when you’re studying well and when you’re not. Try out some different works and find out what
gets you in the studying mood.
https://www.connollymusic.com/stringovation/music-genres-help-study
Here's the truth: It all depends on factors like your personality, your music preferences, how you learn,
what you're studying, whether you're reading or writing, and how loud you play your music. That may
not be the most satisfying answer, but it highlights the fact we're all different and complex creatures.
When it comes to studying, music can be beneficial, detrimental, or completely neutral. What works for
one student may not work for another.
Plus, many experts who have researched this subject recommend silence as the best auditory
environment for concentration. Music has been shown, in many studies, to have a negative effect on
people's abilities to absorb, process, and retain information. When in doubt, they suggest turning off the
tunes altogether—especially if you are reading or studying a foreign language.
Still, we all know that life isn't always so simple. Silence can backfire. Many of us need a little extra
motivation or outside stimulation in order to focus. Music can lift our moods and remove some of the
boredom of studying subjects that we may not be particularly interested in. Without music, we may not
be able to get through an entire study session. That's why using music for studying is often a better
choice than trying to make a go of it in uncomfortable silence. At least you're studying.
That may be why, in a survey at one American college, more than 60 percent of students said that they
find it beneficial to use music for concentration and studying.1 But how do you choose which kind of
music to study to? Science offers a few clues about selecting the right music. Based on diverse research
and the experiences of various college students, the best music genres to try may include:
Classical music
World music
Instrumental jazz
Some students also try using audio products that promise brainwave entrainment through binaural
beats. However, there is real debate about whether or not such products actually work. Using binaural
beats for concentration sounds like a cool thing to do, but you may want to read more about it before
spending any money on those types of products.
https://www.trade-schools.net/articles/music-for-studying.asp
What Science Tells Us About the Best Music to Listen to While Studying
Best Music for StudyingDoes music help you focus? Researchers haven't yet found an absolute answer
to that question. So they also haven't pinpointed, with any reliable certainty, the music that helps you
study most effectively. In reality, brain science—especially as it relates to music—is still in its infancy.
Scientists actually understand very little about how people's brains are affected by music.
In fact, the existing research is a mixed bag. Various studies contradict each other, and they often have
major limitations. For instance, many widely touted studies on the subject have been conducted with
very small sample sizes—Some with only eight to 20 participants. That makes it hard to generate reliable
or practical conclusions about the effects of listening to music while studying when talking about the
wider population. Plus, any given study only considers a few of the many possible variables at play.
So it's a good idea to take existing research findings with a grain of salt. However, they do offer some
clues that are worth thinking about. For example, consider these findings:
So, can music help you focus? Maybe. It really just comes down to experimenting with different music
genres and volumes in order to find out what works best for you during different study tasks. But here's
a basic process to try:
Before studying, spend at least five minutes listening to music that you find relaxing or motivational.
That way, you can elevate your mood and prime your brain for the task ahead.
While studying, listen to a playlist of music that doesn't have any recognizable lyrics or vocals. (Avoid
radio for that reason.) Play something instrumental at a low or moderate volume. But stop the music
temporarily when you face a challenge that requires extra focus.
After completing your task, review what you've been studying. And play some of your favorite music
that has a strong and enjoyable melody, with or without vocals.
Five of the best music genres to experiment with include:
1. Classical Music
Best Music for StudyingLike many students, you might associate this type of music with old or snobbish
people. But it would be a mistake not to at least try using classical music while studying. After all, it has a
long and rich history, and it is known for helping people relax, improve their sleep patterns, and reduce
their levels of stress. Plus, the variety of different composers and styles is incredibly large, including
many modern composers with distinctive approaches that you may enjoy.
Playing classical music for studying is especially worth trying if you don't feel a strong like or dislike for it.
That ambivalence may actually be what makes it effective for you since there is less chance that you'll
be distracted by it. You may simply receive the benefit of its harmonious and peaceful qualities.
You are probably already familiar with at least some of the music by famous composers like Mozart and
Beethoven. You may even be familiar with some of the work by composers of baroque music who
preceded them, such as Bach, Vivaldi, and Handel. And most people today have heard the work of
modern composers who use elements of classical music in their scores for major Hollywood movies.
So, what is the best classical music for studying? The popular answer might be Mozart since the so-
called "Mozart effect" has been so widely publicized. The problem with this answer is that, since the
original study that discovered it, many other studies have shown that there is no merit to the idea that
Mozart is the only music that can enhance mental performance. It all depends on what you like.9
That's why, within this category or any other, the best study music may be anything that gives you a
calm sense of energy without drawing too much attention to itself. It could be as simple as music
featuring a lone piano or acoustic guitar. Or it could be as complex as a full orchestra with horns,
woodwinds, stringed instruments, and drums. Different styles make different people respond in
different ways.
When it comes to finding and experimenting with various forms of classical concentration music,
YouTube is often a good place to start. For example, pay attention to how the following classical music
compositions make you feel:
Since you may be operating on a small budget in college, music of this type is frequently worth getting
from websites with free online streams. For example, Soma.fm offers popular online radio streams like
Drone Zone, Groove Salad, and Secret Agent. And Digitally Imported offers online radio channels in
almost every electronic genre, including cool channels for relaxing study music like Space Dreams. And if
you're a Spotify user, you have access to a huge variety of songs and playlists.
Of course, on YouTube, concentration music within the ambient and electronic genres is ever-present.
Do the following songs make you feel relaxed and ready to study?
3. World Music
Finding music to listen to while studying is often easier when you become open to possibilities outside
of music from North America and Western Europe. The styles from around the rest of the globe are
extremely diverse and may offer exotic sounds and rhythms that you have never heard before. And a lot
of it is suitable to use while concentrating. (Music for studying doesn't always have to consist of sounds
that you already know well, especially if you need to write or channel your creativity or imagination
somehow.)
Check out various kinds of ethnic, folk, and indigenous music from around the world. From India to
Australia to the Caribbean, the diversity of styles is extraordinary. And, like other genres, you can find
many examples from all over the globe on YouTube. Music for concentration is created in almost every
culture. Plus, some world music is even effective when it includes vocals (as long as you don't
understand the language being sung).
How do you think studying with music like the following examples would work for you?
Explore the work of bands such as Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, Sigur Rós, and Godspeed You Black
Emperor. Rather than traditional song structures, they often employ ethereal or atmospheric
soundscapes. And many songs have a minimalistic narrative structure in which they slowly build to a
satisfying crescendo.
As with other types of studying music, YouTube is a great place to discover post-rock songs and bands
that you may want to add to your playlists. For instance, give the following songs a try next time you
have to study.
5. Instrumental Jazz
Even if you think that you're not a fan of jazz, it's often worth giving some of the mellower styles of this
genre a chance. You may be surprised at how inspired and relaxed it can make you feel. In fact, using
instrumental jazz music to help you study may be ideal if you aren't normally a big fan of the style. As
long as you don't totally dislike it, the genre can provide a neutral yet pleasant backdrop that doesn't
distract you or make you want to stop and immerse yourself in the music instead of studying.
Much-loved jazz artists like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Bill Evans all produced many mellow songs
that are perfect for using as background music during study sessions. For example, try listening to the
following selections while concentrating on your studies.
A binaural beat is basically just an auditory illusion that is created when two tones—each one with a
different frequency—are played into the separate ears of a listener at the same time. In addition to the
tone on the left and the tone on the right, the listener (who is wearing headphones) perceives a pulse in
between them. That pulse has its own tone and frequency and is known as the binaural beat. A similar
effect happens when two different frequencies are passed through a single speaker and a person listens
without headphones. In that case, the pulses that are perceived are called monaural beats.
Many companies sell audio products with binaural beats that can supposedly change the frequency of
your brainwaves in order to help you relax or focus. Some of them even overlay study music. Alpha
waves or beta waves are often what their binaural beats are trying to induce in listeners' brains. That's
because those waves tend to be present during states of relaxation or concentration. Most brainwaves
fall into the following categories:
Delta waves—These brainwaves are usually present during dreamless sleep. They are represented by
frequencies from about 0.1 to 4 Hz (i.e., cycles per second).
Theta waves—When a person is drowsy, sleepy, or in deep meditation, these waves are typically
present. Their frequency range is generally between 4 and 8 Hz.
Alpha waves—Study after study has shown that alpha brainwaves tend to be present during states of
relaxation, mental reflection, and creativity. They range from about 8 to 12 Hz.
Beta waves—These brainwaves tend to occur when a person is concentrating, intensely focusing on
something, or feeling alert or unsettled. Their frequencies range from about 12 to 30 Hz or above.
Gamma waves—At frequencies of about 40 Hz and higher, a person may experience moments of joyful
insight or deep discovery and understanding.
So, are binaural beats safe? And do they actually work? Contrary to some ill-informed reporting by
certain media outlets, binaural beats are most likely safe. They are not "digital drugs" that can make you
high or cause any kind of "alpha waves overdose." In fact, there is very little credible, peer-reviewed
scientific evidence to suggest that binaural beats affect the human brain in any significant way.
To be sure, there is a ton of online hype about binaural beats, study methods involving them, and the
potential for alpha wave music to help students concentrate. But you won't find much verifiable
scientific substance to back up the bold claims made by many companies who are cashing in on the
trend of trying to induce beta or alpha waves for studying. That's why it may be best to save your
money.
On the other hand, some students claim to have experienced positive changes while using binaural
beats. Focus and a sense of calm are just two of the many purported effects. So maybe binaural beats
work in a way that scientists still don't understand. Or maybe those students are experiencing results
thanks to the power of suggestion, which is a real, scientifically valid phenomenon.
Either way, you don't have to spend money in order to give binaural beats a try. Plenty of websites offer
free online streams or downloads.
https://www.trade-schools.net/articles/music-for-studying.asp
2001