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Ask Compsci: Best music to study CS? (self.compsci)

submitted ago by moosejacket

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Im not very good at studying without music, specially since my earbuds are noise canceling and i like how they block out the surrounding ambient noise.

Anyways, what do you CS guys like to listen to when studying? Aside, something different while programming?

Currently I'm studying algorithms so I'm not at my keyboard but instead on pencil and paper, idk if people listen to different music during those two situations.

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[–]resiros 20 points21 points ago

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Post Rock (mogwai, godspeed ..), Classical, OST's instrumental tracks. Anything you already know that doesn't have lyrics is okay

[–]notsarahnz 2 points3 points ago

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This. I thought 'This Will Destroy You' was quite nice, too.

[–]mod_a 0 points1 point ago

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TWDY is a favorite, along with Sigur ros, Explosions in the Sky, God Is an Astronaut, Caspian, Ef, rururu.

[–]GoGoPoCoSo 12 points13 points ago

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Infected Mushroom.

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points ago

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Yes. Definitely Infected Mushroom. Also, Prometheus (Benjamin Vaughan) and Rinkadink.

[–]Kektain 0 points1 point ago

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I'm really liking Rinkadink, thanks for the link.

[–]cockasaurus 1 point2 points ago

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Don't forget Skazi.

[–]back-in-black 0 points1 point ago

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Interesting. I'll give that a go. Cheers.

[–]tricolon 0 points1 point ago

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Holy cow, I love you for telling me.

[–]Giblaz 11 points12 points ago

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Opeth

[–]chr0n1x -3 points-2 points ago

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SCREAM SCREAM SCREAMY SCREAM

[–]Giblaz 1 point2 points ago

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More like:

  • Heavy riff, growling
  • Transition into acoustic section
  • Guitar solo
  • Keyboard solo
  • Heavy section
  • Dramatic pause
  • Another acoustic section
  • Buildup into heavy section
  • Another solo
  • Insane drum fill
  • Epic acoustic outtro riff

[–]stdlib 10 points11 points ago

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Rage Against the Turing Machine

[–]jackystan 0 points1 point ago

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also: The Hashing Functions

[–]duplico 6 points7 points ago

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Instrumental (classical orchestral, for instance), or something you've listened to before.

I read about a study (that I cannot find at the moment) that found that people who listen to music either without words or whose words they already know focus better on their work than when listening to music with new lyrics.

[–]nemec 2 points3 points ago

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I think music with words that you can't hope to know (foreign languages, most rap and death metal) works as well for those same reasons.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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One of the best lead developers I've ever worked with is a member of a death metal band...coincidence? I think not.

[–][deleted] ago* 

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[deleted]

[–]shadowblade 2 points3 points ago

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+1 for Kind of Blue. Never tried it while doing CS stuff, but it's pretty tough to beat when driving along an empty road at night.

[–]TheMilitantMongoose 5 points6 points ago

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I either listen to electronic music, usually something with a steady rhythm that sort of sets the pace to my work, or nerdcore music, which just sort of gets me in the mood to geek out and usually has a good beat as well.

[–]myalternatelife 10 points11 points ago

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I'll second the electronica recommendation. Here are some of my favorite artists, where the links lead to example songs:

[–]glinsvad 9 points10 points ago

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Good picks - remember the Röyksopp remix? To extend the list of favorites:

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points ago

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Upvoted for Ulrich Schnuass.

[–]myalternatelife 1 point2 points ago

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You make me happy. I have Ulrich, Orbit, and d&Z already, but you have just introduced me to some new artists. Many thanks.

[–]br0wer 2 points3 points ago

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Bonobo! Have an upvote.

[–]llimllib 1 point2 points ago

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squarepusher, aphex twin, four tet, amon tobin, dj shadow, jaga jazzist, burial, prefuse 73, boards of canada, nosaj thing, Autechre, and holy fuck

But I'm much too lazy to youtube search for him :)

[–]glinsvad 2 points3 points ago

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I can recommend Proton Radio then. The concept is broadcasting complete one-hour DJ sets collected into shows with two or three sets within the same genre. Once you get the hang of which ones you like, it streams in MP3 format so you can just schedule a grab to disk... you've now got hours worth of uninterrupted, seamlessly mixed thumpety-thump. To get you started, try B-Sides, Downtime and Rebirth for the mellow side (also groovesalad!)

[–]flukshun 1 point2 points ago

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also second electronic, though i lean more toward progressive/vocal trance. the build up elicits emotions which i attempt to channel through my work. although some times i just get entranced by the song while i stare at the screen :)

dont really have recommended artists...just a recommend "feel", which isn't necessarilly limited to trance...i get it from some hip hop...some black metal...Gattaca and The Last Samurai soundtracks really floor me sometimes...

but as far as the electronic stuff, you might get a sense of it from the following youtube links:

[–]ElkFlipper 3 points4 points ago

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There was a topic about this in r/programming a while ago, but I'm too lazy to look it up. I saw SomaFM, which I've grown quite fond of, Groove Salad in particular.

[–]gnuvince 3 points4 points ago

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I like the soundtrack of Oblivion, Spice Opera and the soundtrack of Mechwarrior 2.

[–]boot20 2 points3 points ago

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I listen to 80's when I'm coding menial crap and I pop in classical or ambient music when I'm trying to concentrate.

I will listen to various rock (from Queensryche to Ministry to Pink Floyd to Dethklok to...well you get the idea).

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

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Im sitting here listening to an audio book while coding. This doesn't work.

[–]shaurz 0 points1 point ago

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Listening to spoken words will use the same part of the brain used for coding.

[–]Steffylicious 5 points6 points ago

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Death Metal.

[–]element8 1 point2 points ago

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long mixes; usually dnb, dubstep, & ambient stuff

[–]Jasu_M 1 point2 points ago

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Jonathan Coulton - Code Monkey

Reminds you about what you'll be someday ;)

[–]Cappy-chan 1 point2 points ago

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I've been listening to Vanessa Mae; it's "techno violin" that I find really helps me focus.

[–]erg 1 point2 points ago

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Prodigy

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago* 

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All the tracks from OpenBSD releases, for and by coders.

OpenBSD... Nuff said.

Edit: Link

Edit #2: 3.1 - Systemagic is definitely my personal fave.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago* 

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Boards of Canada.

Electronic, but warm and organic.

This song is a simply bitchin' piece of ear candy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT0gRc2c2wQ

Cool fan-made video that consists of clips from 1980s commercials that appeared in the UK.

[–]cyclingfool 1 point2 points ago

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Afterhours.fm trance,progressive,electronica - all sans lyrics preferably

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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Ratatat, no question.

[–]jamangold 1 point2 points ago

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Sigur Ros

[–]tejoka 1 point2 points ago

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Whatever you like, of course. It's not like there's a magic bullet.

Or if you must, Lady Gaga.

[–]nbcaffeine 1 point2 points ago

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Silence

[–]Poddster 1 point2 points ago

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Silence.

[–]nmcyall 1 point2 points ago

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWDwLnQAjs

[–]WalterSear 0 points1 point ago

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Original Electronic Music Radio

[–]dmead 0 points1 point ago

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daft punk

[–]namcor 0 points1 point ago

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Chopin - Piano Sonata in No. 2 in B Flat Minor, movement 3 (Marche funèbre: Lento)

Always gets me in the mood for those pesky bugs.

[–]back-in-black 0 points1 point ago

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Anything without lyrics - intrumental, classical and even something like sound of the planets

[–]dawtcalm 0 points1 point ago

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Hacker's Soundtrack

[–]ki11a11hippies 0 points1 point ago

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Kraftwerk, Beta Band, one of the soma.fm stations.

[–]shadowblade 0 points1 point ago

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I usually just throw this on, but I often listen to some good ol' Luwig van.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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Torrentech Radio.

http://radio.torrentech.org/listen.pls

[–]asshammer 0 points1 point ago

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I mostly listen to a lot of doom, sludge and prog metal. Some of my favorite studying/coding bands are Sleep, Electric Wizard, Baroness, Kylesa, Acid King, Bongzilla and such.

Start out with Dopesmoker by Sleep. Between that album and coffee, I don't know which has helped my GPA more.

[–]paulydavis 0 points1 point ago

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It would probably be better not to listen to anything. That is my opinion. My thinking is your requiring your brain to multi task. That is always sub-optimal at a conscious level.

[–]jarnot 0 points1 point ago

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Classic electronic. Tangerine Dream, JM Jarre, Vangelis, Kraftwork, Eno

[–]eaturbrainz 0 points1 point ago

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"Dune: Spice Opera"

[–]lani 0 points1 point ago

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I think you mean "Space girls : If you wanna be my spaceship"

[–]plana 0 points1 point ago

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Streaming music from digitally imported. I like trance. Anything with few words because they can distract and a beat keeps you in a good rhythm while studying/programming

http://www.di.fm/

[–]jaybee -1 points0 points ago

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Aaand, the quality of posts to r/compsci bottoms out. Cheer up, that means it can't get any worse. What's your favourite colour?

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