Reading Music, or Music to Read by

[D_Davis]

What music do you like to read to?

Two of my most listened to albums are both by Brian Eno and Harold Budd: Ambient 2 and The Pearl.

In the past 2 years, I've listened to these albums over 100 times each. I find that they are the perfect soundtrack to the strange kind of science fiction I enjoy reading.

Recently, I have also been enjoying Eno's Apollo as a reading soundtrack.

[Ragnar]

Mostly instrumental because I find myself distracted listening to the words otherwise. Jazz is good (Miles Davis, John Coltrane etc...). A friend has recently introduced me to some post-rock stuff like Red Sparowes & Explosions in the Sky which is also nice to read to.

[AE35Unit]

I find it hard to listen to music while reading,i get distracted from the book or totally zone out the music which really defects the object of having music on. If I have music playing I have to listen to it,not just hear it,and The only music I can get away with while reading is classical,but even then sometimes I get distracted and want to see what movement is playing. First time I read 2001 tho way back about 1986 I put some Beethoven on. I know,should have been Strauss...or Straus

[Nesacat]

It absolutely has to be Carnatic music that I have been listening to ever since I was a child. Any other music I cannot read with. I'll have to read or listen; not both.

But the classical Carnnatic music I've been listening to since was a child; is almost a part of me so I can read to that. In fact I think it allows me to read better. I get distracted when the music comes to an end.

[AE35Unit]

Whats carnatic music like Nesa? Is it like Gamelan music?

[Nesacat]

No not like Gamelan at all. It's classical Indian music so it's got the sitar, veena, violin, different drums. Sometimes just music. Sometimes with a singer as well.

My last trip to India I bought a CD of classical Carnatic music but they re-recorded it using a saxaphone; which was traditionally never used. Pretty amazing.

[Overread]

mostly I listen to celtic type muisc - mostly instromental or if there are lyrics they are sung in another language - less or a distraction. That said, some film music, like Lord of the Rings or Pirates of the Caribbean I find a great acompanyment to some books (read the whole of liveships to Pirates of the Caribbean - mostly).
The strange thing is I will associate a certain music with a certain book - so I often do not swap around music all that much for each book.

[Joel007]

I can read with music on, but I prefer not to since I can't be bothered to find appropriate mood music for each chapter

[AE35Unit]

I find it hard to read with the TV on,keep reading the same line over and over.
Nesa,what kind of instrument is a veena?

[Nesacat]

It's a stringed instrument and here's what Wiki has to say.

[AE35Unit]

Interesting Nesa! Its a bit like a Sitar. I find musical instruments fascinating.
I saw a Balalaika for sale once and was tempted to buy it. Probably would have cost too much but I'd love to have had a go on it.

[Nesacat]

Am guilty as well ... I play some Indian instruments and so does my mom but I at least, always go to music stores and try whatever they have. Nearly blew my lungs out with a didgeridoo. Always fun new instruments.

[AE35Unit]

I'd love to try a didge too,but I hear you don't blow it like a wind instrument but rather sort of dry spit into it,vibrate your lips like crazy.
I have a hard enough time with my acoustic guitar tho!

[Manarion]

Originally Posted by AE35Unit

I'd love to try a didge too,but I hear you don't blow it like a wind instrument but rather sort of dry spit into it,vibrate your lips like crazy.
I have a hard enough time with my acoustic guitar tho!

Yeah, but didgeridoos have such a cool sound....hehe, I wish I could play an instrument, I can't even play a triangle properly.

[Sephiroth]

It's a cyclic breathing thing with the didgeridoo, my friend has one. It's very difficult! You have to breathe in before you finish breathing out, or something.........

He can sort of do it (my friend), but I run out of breath pretty quickly.



Regarding the question, I tend not to listen to music when I'm reading.


Perhaps something ambient and wordless would not distract me too much, but...I like to immerse myself in a book, if I'm enjoying it, so even if I had music on, I wouldn't really be 'listening' to it. Just sort of hearing it unconsciously in the background.