Music for reading

[monotonic]

I find that sometimes music helps facilitate the blending one thought into the next as I am reading or going about some other work. What music do you like to read with?

Recently I've been using piano music from someone calling themselves Shnabubula. It's rather unique and unfamiliar, yet homely and not too imposing.

Piano Storybook is an idea he had to "illustrate" stories through music. There are two albums so far you can listen to here:

https://soundcloud.com/shnabubula/sets/piano-storybook

https://soundcloud.com/shnabubula/sets/piano-storybook-vol-2-heros

At times he seems to use fast jazz techniques to create grand melodies rather than abstract, which seems impossible but somehow he makes it work.

He has a Bandcamp page where you can buy CDs:

https://shnabubula.bandcamp.com/

Much of his other work is electronic retro and tends to be grating (not as suitable for reading), but I really like Free Play and Americana Dawn which are more traditional. I like Rite of Ascension although I doubt many people would tolerate it.

Aside from that I have also use the "Unofficial Wii Sports soundtrack":

https://soundcloud.com/gabriel-gundacker/sets/unofficial-wii-sports

 

[maiko]

Thank you for sharing this. I really like the idea of the musical story book and am currently listening to it.
It reminds me a bit of the piano works of Chilly Gonzales. Him too having a diverse musical background that reflects in his piano pieces.

https://soundcloud.com/chillygonzales/wintermezzo

For me the concept of the storybook works way to well, as the music keeps my mind wandering and I can hardly concentrate on reading. But it might make a good backdrop for some thinking out of the box.

 

[987baz]

I usually have Marconi Union - Weightless playing softly in the background when I'm reading at home.

Listening to music is a universally accessible path to unwind, increase productivity and fall asleep when we’re overly stimulated. British ambient band, Marconi Union, incorporated scientific theory to unlock “the world’s most relaxing song.”

Similar to the collaboration between a music composer and filmmaker, the band worked closely with sound therapists during the creation process. With the goal of lowering a listener’s blood pressure, stress levels and heart rate, the song utilizes a peaceful production landscape filled with dreamy rhythms, melodies and complimentary instruments (featuring piano, guitar and electronic samples of natural soundscapes). Like the soothing sounds of a waterfall in nature, one can follow the movement and layers as they effortlessly induce a dreamlike state. In fact, the song is considered so effective that it’s dangerous to listen to while driving!

Richard Talbot from Marconi Union said, "It was fascinating working with a therapist to learn how and why certain sounds affect people's mood. I always knew the power of music but we have previously written using gut feeling."

According to Mindlab International, the group behind the research, the power of this song is outstanding compared to any other song they have ever tested. “Weightless” induces a 65% reduction in anxiety and a 35% reduction in usual physiological resting rates.

Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson from Mindlab International explained, "Brain imaging studies have shown that music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions.”

link to article https://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanpassman/2016/11/23/the-worlds-most-relaxing-song/#6589f6d02053

there is also a 10 hour version that I leave playing when home https://youtu.be/qYnA9wWFHLI?list=RDqYnA9wWFHLI

 

[monotonic]

For me the concept of the storybook works way to well, as the music keeps my mind wandering and I can hardly concentrate on reading. But it might make a good backdrop for some thinking out of the box.

I wondered if it might be too stimulating for some. I seem to have the disease where in order to understand something everything must be an emotion. Music seems to stimulate the emotions and help develop a more emotional narrative to what I'm reading. So when I'm reading the music and the text sort of blend together. Often when I find the music distracting, it's better to increase my effort to focus than to turn down the music.

Music also introduces another dimension of change to the reading of a narrative. Each passage is read at a different point in the music, and this seems to help my brain quantize the text. You could say that it highlights the changes in context.

What got me thinking about this was when I was reading in front of my computer and my screensaver came on. This screensaver would draw a new geometric figure on the screen every several seconds. I was initially irritated and distracted by it, but I also realized the stimulation was helping me to focus on the text. I think the brain regions activated by music and the images, would be recruited for the text in the effort to focus, and when they ran out of steam on the text they would be reawakened by the music.

Another way to think about it is like an old clock that always stops after a few ticks, but if you keep bumping it it will manage to keep going. I think when reading a difficult book some parts of the brain tend to run out of material to work with and then grind to a halt while the author is still setting up their narrative. Music seems to help keep the wheels turning.

 

[loreta]

It was reading a novel about India by Paul Scott and at the same time listening Indian music when I discovered how the music was becoming another voice of the novel that helped me to understand with much profundity what I was reading. Feelings, emotions, insights, appreciation, suddenly everything was more clear. As if the music opened a door fo me to enter the novel with more precision.

Then I tried with Bach reading a novel by Carole Shields, "The Stone Diaries" and same thing. But not just that. While reading I was able to understand Bach and listening to Bach while reading I was able to understand more intensively the novel I was reading.

Since then I try to listen to music, when reading. Even reading the genre Comics, that I love very much, is very good with music. Much much better. Music becomes something that "opens", I have the impression, roads in your brain. Fantastic experience that changed my way of reading specially when I read in my bed at night before going to sleep.

 

[maiko]

This is really interesting and I had to start some reading to broaden the picture. Here is the summary of a study from 2010 that might be interesting in this context.

For decades research has shown that listening to music alleviates anxiety and depression, enhances mood, and can increase cognitive functioning, such as spatial awareness. However, until now, research has not addressed how we listen to music. For instance, is the cognitive benefit still the same if we listen to music whilst performing a task, rather than before it? Further, how does our preference for a particular type of music affect performance? A new study from Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that listening to music that one likes whilst performing a serial recall task does not help performance any more than listening to music one does not enjoy.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-07/w-bmc072710.php

The study refers to the beneficial effects of music on mental health and how it might be helpful when listened to before starting to work on a certain task as it elevates the mood, but that it might have distracting effects when accompanying a mind focused on a task.

Although music can have a very positive effect on our general mental health, music can, in the circumstances described, also have negative effects on cognitive performance. Perham remarks, "Most people listen to music at the same time as, rather than prior to performing a task. To reduce the negative effects of background music when recalling information in order one should either perform the task in quiet or only listen to music prior to performing the task."

It is interesting how differently we experience the effect of music while reading. For me it just doesn’t work and is a sure way to make sure I get nothing done. Whilst at university I used to meet with a friend to study. And having company while being immersed into your books was very helpful for me, but the moment the friend turned on the music to be able to better concentrate, I was lost. We talked about it and stopped learning together. For me libraries were a bliss with there quiet environment.

I stumbled upon another interesting abstract of a study that explains the positive effect that music can have on the reading abilities for children. Although not referring to listening to music while reading it points out some connections between reading abbilities and the advantages of having an access to musical education that I never thought about but that sound pretty convincing to me.

Music activities can create certain attitudes, moods or self-concepts in the child which will help him learn to read, it is asserted. Music listening moreover can develop a general capacity for listening which can profitably be transferred by the child to his reading lessons, some say. Even the child's auditory perception is believed to be enhanced through experiences with music. For example, it is felt that having the child match pitch in music will help him recognize words.

http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2326&context=reading_horizons

 

[Marina9]

It was reading a novel about India by Paul Scott and at the same time listening Indian music when I discovered how the music was becoming another voice of the novel that helped me to understand with much profundity what I was reading. Feelings, emotions, insights, appreciation, suddenly everything was more clear. As if the music opened a door fo me to enter the novel with more precision.

Then I tried with Bach reading a novel by Carole Shields, "The Stone Diaries" and same thing. But not just that. While reading I was able to understand Bach and listening to Bach while reading I was able to understand more intensively the novel I was reading.

Since then I try to listen to music, when reading. Even reading the genre Comics, that I love very much, is very good with music. Much much better. Music becomes something that "opens", I have the impression, roads in your brain. Fantastic experience that changed my way of reading specially when I read in my bed at night before going to sleep.

This sounds super interesting loreta, how the type of music you where listening to was connected to your readings. I find the sound of the sitar super relaxing, it's been what i've been listening to recenly mostly. And it helps me to concentrate a lot, I also use it as a background music for meditation sometimes.

You might like this concert:

https://youtu.be/7a1zU0yxk6c

Out of curiosity what is the title of the novel you're reading?

 

[loreta]

It was reading a novel about India by Paul Scott and at the same time listening Indian music when I discovered how the music was becoming another voice of the novel that helped me to understand with much profundity what I was reading. Feelings, emotions, insights, appreciation, suddenly everything was more clear. As if the music opened a door fo me to enter the novel with more precision.

Then I tried with Bach reading a novel by Carole Shields, "The Stone Diaries" and same thing. But not just that. While reading I was able to understand Bach and listening to Bach while reading I was able to understand more intensively the novel I was reading.

Since then I try to listen to music, when reading. Even reading the genre Comics, that I love very much, is very good with music. Much much better. Music becomes something that "opens", I have the impression, roads in your brain. Fantastic experience that changed my way of reading specially when I read in my bed at night before going to sleep.

This sounds super interesting loreta, how the type of music you where listening to was connected to your readings. I find the sound of the sitar super relaxing, it's been what i've been listening to recenly mostly. And it helps me to concentrate a lot, I also use it as a background music for meditation sometimes.

You might like this concert:

https://youtu.be/7a1zU0yxk6c

Out of curiosity what is the title of the novel you're reading?

Thanks for the video, Marina, this woman is fantastic.

The book about India was and still is (I re-read it for the second time) The Raj Quartet by Paul Scott.

 

[PerfectCircle]

Interesting thread.
It kind of depends, when speaking about my experience with listening to music while reading. Sometimes it must be quiet in order for me to stay focused on the reading, but other times music fits my reading well.

I use ambient/nature sounds or Amethystium, like for example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nXIt0pn3OE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53lfXb73z3c

 

[vaclav128]

Interesting topic.
When I have flights long ones I always listen some relaxing music.
Hope this will be also your pick in future :)
Enjoy it.
Relaxing Music for Stress Relief.Healing Music for Meditation, Soothing for Massage, Deep Sleep, Spa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJUIgV7t8C0