# Music to help you sleep?



## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

I'm curious as to whether or not anyone here uses music to help them get to sleep. When I was in middle school, my bed-time playlist was always:

Chopin - Nocturne No. 1, Op. 9
Chopin - Nocturne No. 2, Op. 9
Chopin - Nocturne No. 1, Op. 72 (these were all of his nocturnes that I had recordings of)
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4

To me, Chopin's nocturnes seem evocative of that state of hypnogogia between sleep and wakefulness, where thoughts flow freely, without interruption. Quite soothing. Of course, that could simply be because I've associated them with hypnogogia after listening to them while hypnogogic so many times. 

How 'bout you? What do you listen to to help you sleep, and why?


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I never listen to music to help me sleep. If there's music playing, my brain won't rest.


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Music makes me not want to sleep. I have insomnia because of hyperactivity, so when I want to sleep I do simple tasks that tire me out, instead of pleasurable tasks like listening to music and thinking about it. Sudoku (although I love it) can feel like drudgery when you are tired, so it's helpful.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

The only thing that helps me sleep is a fan blowing in my face. If there's music playing, regardless of what it is, my brain will become too interested in the music to allow me to sleep.


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

There seems to be a recurring theme here...


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## HerlockSholmes (Sep 4, 2011)

Every night, and I mean _every night_, I sleep while listening to this:


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I can fall asleep to any music if I'm really tired. Sometimes I try to force myself to listen to something despite being too tired to concentrate & I end up dozing off. It doesn't matter what music it is. Often in these cases, I tend to doze off during a slow movement and wake up right at the end of the concerto or whatever, at the coda, the final big flourish gives me a jolt. Weird that...


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I used to listen to ambient electronica to sleep. But Lately I fall asleep in mid task. At least once I woke up with an impression of the computer keyboard etched into my face and a row of q's across the screen. It's either some of the medicine I'm taking or a bit of sleep apnea. It's frustrating. In fact I'm feeling a bit tired right nolkjgvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv


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## Evelina (Sep 30, 2011)

Kopachris said:


> To me, Chopin's nocturnes seem evocative of that state of hypnogogia between sleep and wakefulness, where thoughts flow freely, without interruption. Quite soothing. Of course, that could simply be because I've associated them with hypnogogia after listening to them while hypnogogic so many times.


That's probably true! I was thinking that listening to the same songs every night would probably help me fall asleep as I'd start to associate them with sleep. Usually music keeps me up as I'm a very active listener... so it's more like one last treat while I'm getting comfy in bed, BEFORE I shut my brain off.

But sometimes I listen to softer songs before bed, such as Chopin's nocturnes (me too!) and parts of Mozart's requiem. And off the classical map, I like Spiritualized before bed!


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

As a rule, like the others, listening to music keeps me awake. However, English cathedral music from the time of the Tudors and Cardinal Wolsey is very relaxing, and if I don't concentrate but let it play, it will knock me out. The Tallis Scholars' recordings of Tallis, Shephard, Cornysh, Taverner are best at this. Also, Naxos has a recording of Tye and Mundy which I've put on several times and never made it to the end of.


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## Nix (Feb 20, 2010)

I can only fall asleep if it's a piece I don't know very well. Listening to pieces I love makes me want to listen all the way through... getting familiar with a piece is more exhausting and can put me to sleep.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Music in this vein: I recommend Corelli Concerto Grossi, but not on period instruments a whole step lower in pitch(this recording feels like morning to me), but rather, on modern instruments at 440. This gives the pieces a nocturnal feel, and they really suit the bed time mood. 

In times where I have no difficulty getting to sleep, or I'm craving an afternoon nap, I will sometimes play 20th century symphonies or Medtner as I'm going to sleep and I'll have the most profound visual insights into the music that I can never remember later. That can happen with any music actually, sometimes even if its just playing in my head. I'm sure you've all heard the story about how WF Bach handed me a fish. That was an extreme example, sometimes I just have a harmonic phrase from a piece going through my head as I'm falling asleep and I see a concept working simultaneously and inseparably from it. Last afternoon I had some cool synthesizing of thoughts to a Medtner piece in my head that I'm working on for piano. I love it when this happens.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Err... has nobody read the OP? Why aren't you all crying out: Tchaikovsky's 4th?! TCHAIKOVSKY'S 4TH?!?! Who listens to THAT to get to SLEEP!?!?!?! 

I _would_ listen to music to help me sleep, but wearing headphones while lying on my side is uncomfortable, and I don't know how to make my laptop turn itself off after a set period of time. If I were to have to get up and turn the computer off after listening, it would just wake me up again. I'm very delicate!


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## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Polednice said:


> Err... has nobody read the OP? Why aren't you all crying out: Tchaikovsky's 4th?! TCHAIKOVSKY'S 4TH?!?! Who listens to THAT to get to SLEEP!?!?!?!


:lol: I'm usually sound asleep (pun intended) by the end of the first movement. Unless I'm not trying to get to sleep, of course. It's not so much that it puts me to sleep as it is that I can use it to help me get to sleep.


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Kopachris said:


> How 'bout you? What do you listen to to help you sleep, and why?


Cage, _4'33"_. Self-explanatory. Works every night.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Cage, _4'33"_. Self-explanatory. Works every night.


In all frank honesty, dear HC, your repetition grates on me at times, but you do make me laugh at others.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Cage, _4'33"_. Self-explanatory. Works every night.


That piece never lasts long enough for me. I have to put it on repeat, and maybe it goes 8 times before I get to sleep depending on the night.


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## hombre777 (May 27, 2015)

Pure Medicine " Allegri - Miserere mei, Deus "
and Mozart " Lacrimosa "


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I never tried using music as a sleeping aid but I discovered by accident that I could fall asleep very easily while white noise from a detuned radio was coming through the headphones.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

:lol: No wonder! That sort of white noise is what I use every night to mask my tinnitus & fall (and stay) asleep.

Before that, I used to use birdsong from a YT video. So presumably music that was random bursts of little songs, nothing too loud, would also do the job?
I believe Tinnitus Videos are largely made up of New Age Oriental-ish music, with a few natural waterfall sounds thrown in.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Ingélou said:


> :lol: No wonder! That sort of white noise is what I use every night to mask my tinnitus & fall (and stay) asleep.
> Before that, I used to use birdsong from a YT video. So presumably music that was random bursts of little songs, nothing too loud, would also do the job?
> I believe Tinnitus Videos are largely made up of New Age Oriental-ish music, with a few natural waterfall sounds thrown in.


I found it quite pleasant when trying it for a second time - with a bit of (over)imagination it almost sounded like a stretch of fast water or a heavy rainfall.


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## Pyotr (Feb 26, 2013)

I listen to Brahms violin concerto virtually every night using a sangeon pillow speaker, so my wife can't hear. I almost always fall asleep before the 3rd movement.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I'm sure it's been said before, but the best music to sleep by is John Cage's 4:33. It works best on an endless repeat loop.


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

brotagonist said:


> I'm sure it's been said before, but the best music to sleep by is John Cage's 4:33. It works best on an endless repeat loop.


It depends entirerly on where and when it is performed.


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Talk about a blast from the past!


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

I don't usually do that, but when I was also about 12-13, the local classical station used to play full symphonies or other long works at 10 P.M. I had a radio by my bed and I would listen to that before falling asleep and it was always nice. It could be anything, though--even something loud and boisterous. But it was just calming to hear music before bed.


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## TwoPhotons (Feb 13, 2015)

When I was younger (7-10) I would regularly listen to music before falling asleep (and leave it on throughout the night). Usually it was piano music like Rachmaninoff's Etudes-Tableaux or Alkan. Nowadays listening to music while trying to sleep makes me feel restless, so I don't do it. What I sometimes do is go to bed, and lay there while listening to classical music for an hour or so, then turn everything off and doze off. But I can never use music to make myself fall asleep, however quiet/soothing it sounds.

It is probably because as I got older I started to pick out more meaning from the music itself, whereas as somebody who's young it's just something fun to listen to and doesn't affect you as much. Thus my brain became more pre-occupied with the music and it's difficult to lose consciousness while there's something trying to grab your consciousness all the time. Even if it's a very soothing piece, something like a Chopin nocturne, I still get lost within the melodic lines and changes in harmony.


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## Guest (Jun 1, 2015)

When I go to bed alone I often will put on music at a low volume and drift off to it. Usually something impressionist. My favorites for this are:

Debussy: Nocturnes
Ravel: Daphne and Chloe
De Falla: Noches en Jardines Espana
Stravinsky: The Firebird


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## Guest (Jun 1, 2015)

starthrower said:


> If there's music playing, my brain won't rest.


I can't sleep without music. If there's music playing, my brain might be thinking a bit about the music. But if there's no music, my brain will be thinking about life, problems, etc. I choose to find rest in the music ten times out of ten.

Recently my headphones broke, and I slept a night without them. Needless to say, I slept badly, and later told a close friend that "the silence was too loud".


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

IT can help you sleep but for me i need peace in a dark place to do so.So music that is not to fast like andante or slow movements can help.


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## Celloman (Sep 30, 2006)

I never listen to music when I go to sleep. Thinking about the strenuous efforts of the performer attempting to create a holistic work of art keeps me wide awake.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I sleep to the sounds of nature.

And the nature is that of wonderful Utah.


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## Guest (Jun 1, 2015)

I've fallen asleep to Lachenmann 2 or 3 times this week, you buncha amateurs.


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## Sextus (May 30, 2015)

You can try lullabies by great singers... 

Hilde Gueden Sings Children's Songs From Many Lands









Rita Streich - Volkslieder und Wiegenlieder


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

Every single night without fail I'll lay down in bed and listen to classical music for anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. That usually relaxes me and either puts me to sleep or the verge of it. As for what style of classical, really anything except music that is really heavy on the horns or has other extreme volume fluctuations.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

-Solo contempory piano artists: Philip Wesley, David Nevue, Michele McLaughlin 

-Ludovico Einaudi, Adrian Munsey

-The soundtrack from Memoirs of a Geisha 

-Sarah Mclachlan, Enya, Loreena McKennit

-Dan Gibson Solitudes albums (blend of instrumental music and nature sounds)

-Native American flute music (R. Carlos Nakai)


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

I am with Celloman—I can't sleep whilst listening to music; my brain won't shut down.


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## Sordello (Apr 13, 2015)

Ravellian said:


> The only thing that helps me sleep is a fan blowing in my face.


I need to try this...


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## Autocrat (Nov 14, 2014)

Classical guitar usually works for me.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I've always found that anything by Bax is guaranteed to have me snoring within 5 minutes


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## CDs (May 2, 2016)

Music helps me a lot to get to sleep. Last night I fell asleep to Ravel.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I love falling asleep when there is a nice breeze and the chimes are making comforting sounds just a few feet from my bed.

I don't use music for sleeping. If I like the music, I'll stay awake. If I don't, I feel like throwing a book at the audio player.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Cage, _4'33"_. Self-explanatory. Works every night.


The OP said "music" though


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

I don't think I listen to any music that would be conducive to sleep. Everything I own requires active listening.

I don't even own any music that I would even consider background music, let alone music for sleep.

If I need help sleeping, I use my light and sound machine. Works every time.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Our alarm/ radio is on a talk program, it's rambling on and shuts up at 00.00. just like us :lol:


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## jhonlee2050 (Jul 17, 2017)

I love to listen some slow soulful music for rest but you can find more ways to get a better sleep by visit this


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Music? Netflix movie night does it for me. Has there even been ONE good film from 2016-2017?


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Anything by Satie will do just fine.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

i like music said:


> Anything by Satie will do just fine.


Perhaps not his orchestral music, but his piano music will knock me out. It's great furniture music!


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I had a nice nap on Saturday afternoon while listening to Barenboim's rendition of Mozart's Sonatas at a low level. I'm usually too interested in the music to sleep to it, but this past Saturday everything just fell into place.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)




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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Max Richter composed a piece of music which you are _supposed_ to sleep through!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

jhonlee2050 said:


> I love to listen some slow soulful music for rest but you can find more ways to get a better sleep by visit this


Can you tell us what's under that link?, bit spooky opening links .


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## smokyrock (Apr 2, 2018)

I've had some great results falling asleep to ambient music that uses natural white noise as well. This is a playlist that I've been into lately: 




Here are a few artists that I've been listening to before bed as well (I listen through Spotify btw). Maybe a few of them will help!

- Little Symphony (my favourite lately) 




- Deep Sleep Music Collective




- Joey Pecoraro (Maybe less sleep oriented, but relaxing nonetheless)


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Ambient composer Robert Rich has held sleep concerts in the past and created two ultra-long ambient albums, Somnium and Perpetual (7 and 8 hours), intended to play while sleeping. 









The space music of Jonn Serrie, who has made music for planetariums and IMAX documentaries, is usually very gentle and pretty which is perfect for falling asleep to. Here's "Stratos" from the classic "And The Stars Go With You".





Steve Roach - Darkest Before Dawn is a minimal, totally amorphous piece of ambient which can be played in a loop while sleeping. 
https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/album/darkest-before-dawn


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Anything by Delius....


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Seeing my pillow will do, need no music, just sweet whispers. :angel:


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

There are times when I listen to music (or usually just have music on) while falling asleep. Most commonly this is via iPod on long haul flights. It works best when it is music that I don't know at all, perhaps something contemporary or in a musical language I am unfamiliar with. And, ideally, it will be quite intrusive. Just occasionally, in that space between waking and sleep, a piece of music gets through to me in a way that it would never do if I was fully awake. I find myself thinking "this is wonderful" and, after that, when I listen to it properly I find I know it and get it. I can still remember which pieces broke through to me in this way. One was the Schnittke Piano Concerto when I had yet to explore music that was written in the second half of the 20th Century.


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

Like many who have commented already, I find that that listening to music has the opposite effect because I get caught up in it. No, for me it has to be a familiar audiobook: by the time I finish no doubt I will know them by heart!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

The day I use any classical music to help me to sleep, is the day I hand in my classical music lover ID card.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

OP is taking a mic with us all, never been seen again.


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## lotuspider (May 20, 2014)

Since I've listened to these almost a hundred times, they aren't as arresting as they probably were in the first sessions (of course, this can be argued against). They seem to be proper both for rejoicing in textures and drifting non-attention. Thus, they've become allies to my sleep, or to wind down after a harsh day. This particular species of analog, melody-ridden ambient is by far my favorite one, alhough it's neither typical nor usual (recommendations are welcome).













Also, Field's Nocturnes.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

i listen to the classical fm stations KUSC LA AND WQRX NY on the phone as where i am located fm does not tune in


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## Score reader (Mar 18, 2018)

Portamento said:


> Max Richter composed a piece of music which you are _supposed_ to sleep through!


The 8-hour version is available to download and stream on Spotify as well:

https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/gb/cat/4795267


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Wagner would be good, if he wasn't that noisy.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Music to help me sleep? ANYTHING that is not classical.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

premont said:


> Wagner would be good, if he wasn't that noisy.


Oh my goodness, that is opening a can of worms.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Sometimes when music is too distracting, there are other sounds that can induce . Train lover Dvorak might have approved.


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## Flamme (Dec 30, 2012)

Sumthin like this...



 Wire instruments...


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## Marc (Jun 15, 2007)

If my physical and mental compasses tell me that I need sleep, then any music is good enough.


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## Flamme (Dec 30, 2012)

Ice breaking, crackling +. Always gives me good and positive dreams...


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## calvinpv (Apr 20, 2015)

I don't fall asleep to music but I'd imagine this would be good. It sure is great for studying, though (like a lot of Feldman's music):


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