# Classical Distractions



## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

So, many people listen to classical while they do homework , read, clean the house, or perform other tasks. This seems to work out for the majority of people. I, however, get so in to the music that I wind up dropping whatever I'm doing and just listen...therefore I must do anything that needs to be done efficiently in silence 

Does anyone experience this distraction while listening to classical? If not, in what ways does it help you to accomplish the tasks of the day?


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Yes, it's constantly getting in the way of my participation on this forum.... 

But seriously, I noticed this back in college when I would listen to music while studying. I found that I couldn't do it with music that had much counterpoint, because I'd start focusing solely on the music. As long as there wasn't a lot of counterpoint, I could stay fairly focused on my work - just distracted enough to be productive, let's say.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

If I am using music as a kind of sonic wallpaper then I will often hit the skip button if it becomes too interesting or emotional. I can always listen to it in earnest later when I have free time -- whenever that is. I'm not sure there is such as thing as free time any more. Forums like these do not help.


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

Yes, I can't seem to do any school work whilst listening to music, I get completely distracted. Whereas if it's cleaning things, I like working to music, makes it faster and easier.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

I either become distracted by the music or I don't notice the music. This is why I don't like to do other things while listening.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Music listening is an intensive process for me. I cannot simply relegate classical music to background music, except for superficial works written primarily for that purpose like Haydn's divertimenti for winds.

If I begin listening to music, I focus intensely for harmonies, timbre, and effect. All a result of lifelong music training. But sometimes, I find it difficult simply to relax and enjoy the music. In that respect, I don't think that my listening is as satisfying as it used to be when I would just enjoy the music for its own sake.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

I sometimes listen to things while I bake. Stravinsky is my pastry composer.


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## Feathers (Feb 18, 2013)

I like reading/writing with music (although sometimes I feel guilty that I'm not giving the music the attention it deserves), but I can't do anything involving calculations with music on. I also can't get any work done when there's music playing that has a lot of modulations.


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## Chrythes (Oct 13, 2011)

It does distract me, but I found that medieval music (Perotin and Hildegard so far) is an excellent music while studying (especially history).


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

I listen to Mozart while I cook Kangaroo stew


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## AClockworkOrange (May 24, 2012)

It depends on what I'm doing.

More intensive activities such as reading/writing (for study or pleasure) or when I was at University researching/writing academic reports then I couldn't focus in either adequately, one distracted the other.

Otherwise, I have no problem using music in the background whilst doing other things - it often motivates me when doing monotonous tasks. I only tend to do this with pieces I am familiar with, as I like to give new music my whole focus.

When I do want lose myself in the music, then I listen to it solely. Sometimes through headphones, which always feels more intimate. I would say it is my favourite way to listen. However, I don't have as much time to do this as I'd like hence listening to it in the background is something I have learned over the years out of necessity.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Haydn and CPE and JC Bach and other rococo and early classicist composers worked well for me when I was at University, especially their "chamber music".. I was still on mostly Vinyl back then and that is very good from an ergonomic stand point, as you have to get up from where you are sitting and move around every 30 minutes to flip the disc! (had my turntable across the room) 

/ptr


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

I am moving away from doing so. It has the advantage that I can get familiar with much more music much faster. However, I find that on the whole I read or do whatever I need to do much faster without music. The associations get mixed up in my head. Still I do it sometimes, though not with all pieces by any means.

Actually, sometimes I find it can improve my experience of a piece - possibly because it is acting as relief from the work I am doing, though this probably should be the case.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

When I'm studying, I like to put music, it creates a mood for me, otherwise, the silence get me anxious. Of course, something soft, like the medieval music mentioned above.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

MaestroViolinist said:


> Yes, I can't seem to do any school work whilst listening to music, I get completely distracted. Whereas if it's cleaning things, I like working to music, makes it faster and easier.


Same with me when it comes to classical music. I do find however that alternative rock does help me do homework...


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> I listen to Mozart while I cook Kangaroo stew


do you listen to Wagner while you're eating it? I've had it once and it felt like I was chewing for hours


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

To clarify an ealrier statment, I would never put music on to read or study at home. I much prefer silence and I am comfortable with silence, having a rich inner life. But I work in a sometimes noisey office. The rude conversations going on around me blast every thought out of my head and I simply cannot do my work. Music masks it a little, and I am able to limp along. Genereally rock works better for this than classical, as classical has too wide a dynamic range. In extreme circumstances I put my iPod on an 8 minute loop I made of pure white noise, but music is more pleasant.

I have read somewhere that we have an area of the brain that helps to filter out the sounds we don't want to focus on, like conversation, but this begins to fail as we get older.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

deggial said:


> do you listen to Wagner while you're eating it? I've had it once and it felt like I was chewing for hours


No but I'll give it a try lol - see what lasts longest. Kangaroo if cooked well is very tender ya know

I do have some Kangaroo salami thou - haven't tried it yet


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## userfume (Nov 21, 2012)

I have a CD of Ravel's piano works which I find very good to listen to while working. Despite the music being interesting, I can always focus on the work, as opposed to more familiar music


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## Arsakes (Feb 20, 2012)

On the contrary, classic music is the best thing to help doing your works or study as long as it's not choral, opera, atonal, over-emotionalized or sad! This kind of music (after that filter) is like an encouragement...


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> No but I'll give it a try lol - see what lasts longest. Kangaroo if cooked well is very tender ya know
> 
> I do have some Kangaroo salami thou - haven't tried it yet


I think I had a bad experience with that kangaroo. Let us know about the salami. Have you had kilishi? That one tastes more atonal


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I can't read a book or carry on a conversation on the phone or concentrate on something specific while music is playing in the background. I have to have absolute quiet.

But doing dishes, or when I'm at work fixing a computer or doing some kind of menial labor, I have no problem listening to music. My body and hands go on auto pilot and I just listen to the music.


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

realdealblues said:


> I can't read a book or carry on a conversation on the phone or concentrate on something specific while music is playing in the background. I have to have absolute quiet.
> 
> But doing dishes, or when I'm at work fixing a computer or doing some kind of menial labor, I have no problem listening to music. My body and hands go on auto pilot and I just listen to the music.


This is how I am. If what I'm doing doesn't demand real intellectual attention Im fine listening to music.


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## EricABQ (Jul 10, 2012)

I don't listen to music when I read, but I enjoy listening when working out or doing tedious type chores like doing dishes or pulling weeds.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

deggial said:


> I think I had a bad experience with that kangaroo. Let us know about the salami. Have you had kilishi? That one tastes more atonal


mmmm Atonal - now thats more my thing - will give that a go.

Might even try the Kanga salami tonight - also have some of what they call Coat of Arms sausage to try too (ie mixture of emu and kanga). Be like yanks eating Eagle Pie.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> yanks eating Eagle Pie.


:lol:

Pure genius.


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

I've also realized that I can listen to baroque and not be too distracted. Baroque is good for studying!


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> mmmm Atonal - now thats more my thing - will give that a go.
> 
> Might even try the Kanga salami tonight - also have some of what they call Coat of Arms sausage to try too (ie mixture of emu and kanga). Be like yanks eating Eagle Pie.
> View attachment 13550


emu+kanga pie! I've got this funny story about visiting the Safari Park at Six Flags in NJ ten years ago and our vehicle being attacked by angry/hungry emus! badass emus, wouldn't take no for an answer.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

^ yep Emu's are definately bad **** - you got that right.

They tend to react rather than think- not know for there IQ. ie totally stupid animals!
A song about emu's


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## Picea (Jan 23, 2013)

I greatly prefer to sit and listen and concentrate on the music, but a demanding job and a family that includes two teenagers keeps me quite busy, so I don't have a lot of time for that at this stage of my life. So I often work with music on. If I am working and can't give my full attention to the music, I find that if I put on music that I am very familiar with, I enjoy it more than if it is a work that I don't know. Then it just becomes background noise.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Ah I tried the Kanga salami last night (and wife did too !) and guess what - it just tastes like regular salami- very nice but there you go.

Might do the coat of arms stuff on the weekend - with a stiff scotch too I think.


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## etkearne (Sep 28, 2012)

I CAN listen to music (classical included) while working on other tasks. But realistically, I cannot mutli-task like the term itself implies (equal concentration on both tasks). I generally listen to music by itself, like most people watch the television or movies with nothing else going on. Some people have told me they find this strange, to the effect of "What? You just SIT there in silence listening to music?" 

I suppose it could seem odd to someone used to televisions and such, but I usually tell the person that up until so-and-so years ago, the "best" thing people had was the radio or phonograph, and of course people would sit there "in silence", although I am sure just as many chatted during the radio programming.


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

etkearne said:


> I CAN listen to music (classical included) while working on other tasks. But realistically, I cannot mutli-task like the term itself implies (equal concentration on both tasks). I generally listen to music by itself, like most people watch the television or movies with nothing else going on. Some people have told me they find this strange, to the effect of "What? You just SIT there in silence listening to music?"
> 
> I suppose it could seem odd to someone used to televisions and such, but I usually tell the person that up until so-and-so years ago, the "best" thing people had was the radio or phonograph, and of course people would sit there "in silence", although I am sure just as many chatted during the radio programming.


I completely understand this haha. I rarely watch television and I sit in silence with music quite frequently lol


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## KRoad (Jun 1, 2012)

OboeKnight said:


> So, many people listen to classical while they do homework , read, clean the house, or perform other tasks. This seems to work out for the majority of people. I, however, get so in to the music that I wind up dropping whatever I'm doing and just listen...therefore I must do anything that needs to be done efficiently in silence
> 
> Does anyone experience this distraction while listening to classical? If not, in what ways does it help you to accomplish the tasks of the day?


Listening to music in a silent, warm, comfortable room, lights dimmed, reclining in the "sweet spot" between the speakers - water, rather than an ice cube in the scotch, to avoid any potential percussive distraction caused by the clinking of ice on glass. Never, never any other activity. And sometimes I'll even dispense with the scotch in the quiet passages...


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