For The L♥ve of Reading discussion

I was wondering if any of you listen to music while you read? Does it help you focus? Is it just a distraction?

Often, I do. Sometimes I don't. It depends on the music, and on the book. :)

sometimes, but just classical music

it can be a distraction, although i listen to music while doing alot of other things.

Yeah I actually cannot listen to music and read. Well that is exactly isn't true. Since I live with a lot of people music will be on and I'll go ahead and read. It will just take me awhile to tune it out. I just prefer reading without that much distraction but sometimes you don't have a choice.

when I read I like to have some background sounds. I am used to it cause I do alot of reading at work and I work in a call centre so it can be loud somedays. But I will put music on or even the tv jus for the background noise.

I cannot read and listen to music. If it is a song that I like it pulls me out of the book and then I have to find my spot to continue on after the song is done.

i can typically do this, but it must be music that doesn't distract me. classical or jazz or some other soft tone. i find that the older i get, the more distracted i am with outside noise. i used to be able to read right in the middle of a an airport and not be bothered at all. i can't do that so much now.

Airports are a tricky place to read. Sometimes I'm too excited to get going and can't read unless I love the same line 25 times. Other times I can find a quit spot. But most of the time I'm just so tired that I can't read. Those chairs are just too uncomfortable so I'm the one laying on the floor with my book as a pillow. LOL!

I know right! It really all depends but I find when you are sucked into a book you can read almost anywhere. You are so right about the songs though. If I hear a song I like I'll stop and listen and then go back to reading.

I cannot read or write when there is any noise. It distracts me too much.

There's certain music that I find helps me focus, usually soothing-but-energetic electronic music (General Fuzz is my absolute favorite artist for that purpose). That said, new music of any kind is too distracting and I can tune almost any music at all out provided there are no jarring changes to style, volume or texture, for lack of a better word.

I read and listen to music a lot. Most of the time it's that background kind of music like classical music or soundtrack music.

I really enjoy sitting by my fish tank and listening to the filters. It sounds like a water fountain and it makes it relaxing when I read. Plus, every once in awhile I can look up and see the fish swim around.

usually i dont read unless its really low music or its quiet.

It is really hard for me to read at school. I can't concentrate when there are so many students wondering around and talking.

Actually that does seem really nice:D

I enjoy it :)

For the most part, with reading and with writing, I need some kind of noise but not really songs. I like to have a fan or a space heater on, or in the middle of the hallway at school or in the library; sometimes I like little spurts of distraction but certainly not continuously.

Nope can't reead with music on...unless it's soft and no words. If I'm not reading however I love to have music on!

Sometimes I will listen to the movie score--this was AWESOME for "Atonement" and Harry Potter, oh and Memoirs of a Geisha. sometimes I'll pick something that is close. But has to be instrumental for the most part.

i usually listen to music while reading in my bedroom. but if i dont get much sleep that night i usually read without it

i've recently heard on the news that listening to music can cause u to forget what you have read or were doing at that time

really? (memo: do NOT listen to music while doing homework...or cooking)

Actually, it's had the opposite effect for me. If I'm reading and some music is playing in the background, when I hear that song again it makes me think of the scene in the book I was reading.

My brother and I used to play those text adventure games on the computer (xyzzy... yes I'm old) and the music that was playing in the background always makes me think of that game. Funny!

aw that is so cool (playing videogames)

I can't read and listen to music at the same time. Unless the music is really quiet! Which is weird because I can read with all the background noise... haha

I can read with quite music or even average music but a conversation going on between to people will drive me freakin mad when I read I can't do it

I can read, listening to the tv and have a conversation as long as its not serious

i agree with angela! no conversation in the background. when i was younger i could do this, but not anymore. i need quiet.

It's funny you say that Elizabeth because I've had music on well I've been reading more lately and I find myself much more sidetracked by it then I was when I was younger...

I guess with age we lose our ability to focus.

Music is a must sometimes - I do a lot of reading on the train and I have to cancel out other people's music... :P

Instrumental music of any kind, from classical to drum & bass will keep me focussed on my book :D

@ max

in that situation, i would agree. and your choices sound best to drown out the outside noise without distracting from what you are reading.

@Elizabeth - music and reading are two of my passions and I try my hardest to share my time between them :D when I can enjoy both at once, all the better!

If i listen to music, it cant have lyrics or ill be tempted to sing along thus losing focus on what im reading xP

@max: those are my 2 passions too! do you play anything?

@stray - I tried everything from trombone to oboe when I was a kid but never stuck on anything unfortunately :P I'm giving guitar a go now as I've never really tried it and want to do something new, trying things out of my 'comfort zone' is something I'm enjoying doing at the moment :D
Do you play anything or enjoy singing?

I do, the violin; singing, just in the shower and choir

I once tried to pay the guitar but it didnt last long ;P

I play absolutely no instruments whatsoever. :D (not that you asked me, LOL!)

I cannot listen to music when I read, BUT lately when I go to the little gym at my apartment, I like to read my Kindle. Sometimes people flip on the news and I can't stand the noise so I pop in my marshmallow head phones and plug it into my phone to block out the noise, LMAO. So no music is coming out, but I can read without the headache of the news on the TV.

Too true Jen, news is one of the hardest to block out! I got some great noise-cancelling earbuds that stop all but the faintest background noise coming in - not too safe when crossing the road but fab for blocking out conversations when reading on the train :D

Max, that is exactly what the marshmallow ear buds do that I bought. I love what they block out, but can't use 'em when I drive because I can't hear a dang thing, ha! :D They are quite wonderful aren't they, though?

I get so side tracked when I listen to music and read. I stop and listen to the music or have to read the same paragraph 10 times to not forget what it just said. :(