August 17, 2004
"Zone" Music
Sometimes when it's time to sit down and program, especially when it's under a deadline for a client, I need a bit of help getting into the zone. Music helps.Now, I have a bunch of music, but I have always had a serious bias towards music that wants me to hook into it and truly listen to it and feel it. A lot of modern classical music, a lot of singer-songwriter music that I have a personal connection to, etc. Even the instrumental jazz I have is a bit too interesting to fade into the background. All that means is that I don't have a very huge library of background music or study music.
Complicating that is that normal "background music" suuuucks. Easy listening, no way. New age, nope. I don't really even like techno because it makes me feel a bit too much like a geek.
Right now I only have two albums that are awesome for programming. One is Philip Glass' soundtrack to Kundun. The other is Peter Gabriel's Passion, the soundtrack to "Last Temptation Of Christ". Both of them are high quality music that don't demand attention, but help you get into a zone.
Anyone have other suggestions of good music for studying or programming? Given what it seems like I like and don't like?
I'm not sure how much help I'll be. I think my taste in work music is the opposite, towards stuff that gets the nerve juice pumping. I'll just run a few titles by now, and if you're curious, I can lend you an earful.
Vangelis’ soundtrack for “Antarctica.” I have this one on cassette, but not CD yet.
Eddie Jobson's "Theme of Secrets." It's really obscure and all synths (cutting edge back in the 80's), but it might fit the bill.
Have you tried classical baroque? I like working to Purcell or Vivaldi, especially "Four Seasons."
Would Scott Joplin work for you? I wasn't sure if ragtime would be too kinetic.
Also, a few token rock albums. Yes works well for me, especially the early albums "Fragile," "Close to the Edge," and "Classic Yes." Tori Amos' "To Venus and Back" album loops well on shuffle. The only other album I can think of, the "Hellsing Volume 1" anime soundtrack, is amazing stuff but way too funky for bg music.
Posted by: Joe Medina at August 17, 2004 04:08 PMI agree with Joe -- Vangelis is awesome, and I'd throw in the "Blade Runner" soundtrack if you playlist out the two vocal tracks. Also Michael Hedges' "Beyond Boundaries" has really been helping me grade enourmous numbers of papers all on the same topic. I have to imagine that's something like programming.
Posted by: doc. at August 17, 2004 08:24 PMDoes it have to be instrumental?
Try the Ambient (he coined the term) albums of Brian Eno. Most are collaborations with other artists, including pianist Harold Budd. Budd's own album The Room is also cool. Could be a bit light for you, though. Could give some bossa nova a try, Jobim, Gilberto, Getz.
I would recommend opening an eMusic account. I found tons of instrumental stuff there. They have most of the 4AD catalog, too.
Hear also:
Sao Paolo Confessions by Suba
Passage in Time by Dead Can Dance
Heaven or Las Vegas by the Cocteau Twins
Trip Tease by Tipsy
Reading the Bones by Biff Johnson