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- by Charlotte King
- In Study Advice
Posted July 7, 2014
Postgrad, Music and Revision: Does it work?
You know the scenario. You settle down for a session of serious revision, select a few of your favourite tunes to accompany you along the way and before you know it, you have wasted half an hour perfecting your shuffle and find yourself, some time later, singing along to your favourite thrash metal.
So, do music and revision really mix? As with many of life’s great questions, the answer is that it depends. Some studies have found that no matter what music you listen to, silence is best for productive work, but the proliferation of music specifically designed for concentration, and the personal experience of those who find music beneficial, would suggest otherwise.
There is certainly no doubt that music can change your mood, altering both your heart rate and your stress levels, and research has shown that highly structured music with an element of logic and predictability (like compositions by Bach or Mozart) can be help to enhance creativity.
For revision, the key is that music should not distract. This doesn’t necessarily mean that certain styles of music distract more than others. If a gentle, relaxing tune reminds you of your lost love, it can be just as distracting as that high-tempo, high volume number with the catchy lyrics. Words can certainly be a distraction in their own right, and most of the music designed specifically with concentration in mind is instrumental. Chillout music (so long as it doesn’t conjure images of last summer’s awesome party) can be a good option with its repetitive structures, calming mood and beats designed to lower your heart rate.
A relatively new innovation is background noise that is not music at all. Recordings of gentle chatter and babble (recreating the atmosphere of a laid back coffee shop) are growing in popularity, creating a comforting backdrop for your studies. These can be particularly useful if you need to study in an environment that is, itself, full of distracting noises, or if studying in silence leaves you feeling lonely.
Whether you choose to study in silence or not, don’t forget the benefits that music can bring outside your study session. Music has been found to be the most effective and fast-acting way to change your mood and when your study session feels like a mountain to climb, a quick mood-boosting anthem might be just the ticket before you settle down to work.
A little forethought will go a long way towards making sure your study session and your music choices combine to the best effect. If you want to use music or other sounds as you study, prepare your playlist in advance. You might want to invest in some new tracks specifically to keep your mind focussed (try selling some old textbooks if you need some cash), and planning your time to make sure you are tackling your r evision at the right time of day will maximise the benefits. You could even intersperse your study music with some fun tracks to lift your spirits and remind you to take a break.
If you are getting down with disco synths or prefer the chatter and clatter of teacups, enjoy your studies.
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So, do music and revision really mix? As with many of life’s great questions, the answer is that it depends. Some studies have found that no matter what music you listen to, silence is best for productive work, but the proliferation of music specifically designed for concentration, and the personal experience of those who find music beneficial, would suggest otherwise.
There is certainly no doubt that music can change your mood, altering both your heart rate and your stress levels, and research has shown that highly structured music with an element of logic and predictability (like compositions by Bach or Mozart) can be help to enhance creativity.
For revision, the key is that music should not distract. This doesn’t necessarily mean that certain styles of music distract more than others. If a gentle, relaxing tune reminds you of your lost love, it can be just as distracting as that high-tempo, high volume number with the catchy lyrics. Words can certainly be a distraction in their own right, and most of the music designed specifically with concentration in mind is instrumental. Chillout music (so long as it doesn’t conjure images of last summer’s awesome party) can be a good option with its repetitive structures, calming mood and beats designed to lower your heart rate.
A relatively new innovation is background noise that is not music at all. Recordings of gentle chatter and babble (recreating the atmosphere of a laid back coffee shop) are growing in popularity, creating a comforting backdrop for your studies. These can be particularly useful if you need to study in an environment that is, itself, full of distracting noises, or if studying in silence leaves you feeling lonely.
Whether you choose to study in silence or not, don’t forget the benefits that music can bring outside your study session. Music has been found to be the most effective and fast-acting way to change your mood and when your study session feels like a mountain to climb, a quick mood-boosting anthem might be just the ticket before you settle down to work.
A little forethought will go a long way towards making sure your study session and your music choices combine to the best effect. If you want to use music or other sounds as you study, prepare your playlist in advance. You might want to invest in some new tracks specifically to keep your mind focussed (try selling some old textbooks if you need some cash), and planning your time to make sure you are tackling your r evision at the right time of day will maximise the benefits. You could even intersperse your study music with some fun tracks to lift your spirits and remind you to take a break.
If you are getting down with disco synths or prefer the chatter and clatter of teacups, enjoy your studies.
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