Ask HN: What kind of music do you listen to while programming?

Groove Salad is very good, but sometimes it reminds me of porno music. I've been rotating between Space Station Soma and the Dubstep channel (which actually plays quality Dubstep (if such a thing exists)).

Soma.fm is one of the websites I like giving money too, I only wish they had cooler things in their store (I've got the mug, and the hoodies/t-shirts aren't too appealing to me).

antoinevg• 13 years ago

http://di.fm

rrzar• 13 years ago

Going Quantum podcast

mindcrime• 13 years ago

A mix of different stuff, and it somewhat depends on my mood and the environment. But mainly metal and rock of various sorts. Usually a mix of stuff like Queensryche, Motley Crue, Deicide, In Flames, Borknagar, Def Leppard, Black Veil Brides, Halestorm, Emperor, Disturbed, Dokken, Europe, Iced Earth, Testament, Exodus, Overkill, Metallica, Megadeth, Ratt, Bon Jovi, Evanescence, Godsmack, Nocturnal Rites, Death, Cannibal Corpse, Crashdiet, Vains of Jenna, Sleaze Beeze, Twisted Sister, Steel Panther, etc.

But other times, I want something with no lyrics, so I usually dial up a shoutcast station playing some kind of trance / electronic music of some sort, or classical music.

jongibbins• 13 years ago

If I need deep concentration when programming then I find Drum & Bass works a treat. The music is fast, making your mind tick a bit faster and there are very few lyrics to get distracted by.

zachlatta• 13 years ago

Generally either electronica, glitch-hop, or 90s/00s alternative rock.

geichel• 13 years ago

EPIC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bStRND-vJj8&list=RD02vpV_... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAsRnFa4NlY

justhw• 13 years ago

80% of the time no music (Just peace and quite).

20% easy coffeehouse jazz with no lyrics (Art Blakey).

fakeer2• 13 years ago

Ghazals, Sufi, Qawwali, old Bollywood melodies[†], rare-few new Bollywood melodies[0], Rock[1], Rock&Roll[1], country, ballad, classical - both western(few)/Indian[2] and Indi-pop[3]

This pretty much sums it up. It's very mixed up. Many times I just trust iTunes' Shuffle but it's never unique. Any programs for Mac that actually randomizes the queue each time I ask it to?

I prefer it when the sound is directly not coming into my ears through headphones/earphones, which is a problem at office, because it's distracting(yes, to me at least) and I feel uncomfortable - get a headache or it just doesn't feel as good as when it comes from a little distance at a serene volume. I used to set up a pair of speakers in farthest corner of my flat, but now it's a 1 bedroom flat :(.

Any one else with such choice or setup? :-)

[†] That means at least 30-40 yr old Hindi songs

[0] Most new Hindi film songs are below garbage

[1] The ones that doesn't include screaming(as in when you hate your vocal chords), hammering head and metallic objects on bodies, floors, drums and against many other surfaces and objects

[2] The ones that are easy to appreciate

[3] Not to be confused with Indie-pop :-)

gee_totes3• 13 years ago

I have similar music tastes, and might have some suggestions to add to your collection. Have you listened to Dub Qawwali[0] or the Ashla Bhosle Kronos Quartet collobration[1]?

[0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxWUrb0QZFs [1]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXjpck1SfjQ

fakeer2• 13 years ago

Thanks for [0] (had listened to few titles including one in your YT link but not all - will get them all) and yes I've listened to [1].

Saved on Spotify :-)

How do you manage the language, subtitles? Or you know Hindi/Urdu?

ekr• 13 years ago

99% of the time no music.

When there is music, it's post-rock:

If These Trees Could Talk

Explosions in The Sky

Mooncake

Caspian

lfcode• 13 years ago

Let me add Godspeed You! Black Emperor and your list is perfect :-)

ctiberiu• 13 years ago

Romantic FM - http://www.romanticfm.ro/live

valdiorn• 13 years ago

My Youtube history for today includes:

Minimal Techno: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll90vpeeA4c

House: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSxLX5y265Y

Indian Tabla beats: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ3avjVpmec

Ambient / Experimental electronic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVA-sCmIl0w

No lyrics, words distract me.

Must have a solid beat, it keeps me focused.

toasterlovin• 13 years ago

DJ Falcon live sets. You have to pirate them, since they are just recordings of him doing live shows and are not available commercially.

DJ Falcon is part of the French House genre. He has done a few records, but is known primarily for his live DJ shows and his collaborations with Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk (Together and So Much Love To Give).

If you like Daft Punk, especially if you like their Alive 2007 live album, you'll probably like DJ Falcon's live sets. They're rhythmic, melodic, and interesting. There are frequently parts of 3 songs going at one time, which sounds like a recipe for disaster, but turns out utterly sublime.

sachin0235• 13 years ago

i go for techno music to keep me focused on my work

sukuriant• 13 years ago

TV shows I can half listen to (X-Men)

Movies I've seen a million times (How to Train Your Dragon, The Matrix, etc)

Music with lyrics I've heard a million times

Electronica

jamesjguthrie• 13 years ago

That's the kind of stuff I need in the background when I'm trying to sleep. As soon as I turn the background noise off I'm wide awake.

hackinthebochs• 13 years ago

I prefer total silence, but when I need something to listen to I go with classical. Piano and/or violin sonatas are my go-to choice.

cdvonstinkpot• 13 years ago

I don't code, but I started writing an all-text website, which kindof counts, right?

When I'm on the computer to do any kind of work, be it the website or accounting or anything, I listen to techno on Frisky Radio, downtempo on SomaFM's Groove Salad & psyambient on HBR1's Dream Factory.

marssaxman• 13 years ago

Progressive psychedelic trance. Downtempo, psy-ambient, dub.

g2e• 13 years ago

Mujuice, Crystal Castles

izztmzzt2• 13 years ago

Heavy-f'n-metal! Usually of the melodic death variety. Currently: disarmonia mundi, from Italy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXYhmqs4OaM

Really gets the blood pumping!

exelib• 13 years ago

None. But some time I hear english videos in background to learn english.

subsection1h• 13 years ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5612136

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5440673

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5397602

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5051922

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5022601

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4994882

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4316581

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4079566

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3981958

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3922221

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3900711

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3643061

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3444804

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3399839

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3330961

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2957732

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2891596

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2848674

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2499845

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2239395

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2015331

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2003313

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1995239

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1851303

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1833040

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1813856

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1734122

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1602430

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1525445

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1320804

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1209378

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1161002

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=929567

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=913911

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=769769

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=716219

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=668087

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=394077

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=367418

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=212682

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=167076

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=144666

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=139901

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=132026

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=99936

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=75135

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=61831

izztmzzt2• 13 years ago

YES! We're keeping the tradition alive!

dakrisht• 13 years ago

Unbelievable

mikedemarais• 13 years ago

Exclusively Danny Brown.

ragatskynet• 13 years ago

Mostly repetitive 4/4 stuff like house or techno, sometimes downtempo/ambient/dubtechno (at night). Preferably without vocals; I am not a big fan of these types of genres (when I am not working I would never listen to these) but I found them very good for coding - they eliminate unwanted noises though they do not need your focus because of the repetitiveness.

pyvek• 13 years ago

Either complete silence or trance without any vocals.

bjoerns• 13 years ago

Simon & Garfunkel (I'm in my mid thirties though)

Ask HN: What kind of music do you listen to while programming?

Related Stories