Music while studying – helpful or annoying?
Music while learning - makes sense?
It is very common for high school students to listen to music while studying or preparing for their next class test. The question is whether this is really recommendable or whether it would be better to study “in peace”.
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Music to improve performance
Music while learning – makes sense?
Learning with music – you have to pay attention to that
Music to improve Performance:
Music can definitely improve a person’s performance – this has been scientifically proven. Especially with repetitive tasks such as working on a conveyor belt in industry or in the post office. However, this knowledge can only be related to learning to a limited extent because you are not working, but learning math, for example.
Does listening to music make sense while learning?
Overall, the topic of “listening to music while learning” is very controversial. There are such and such studies with different results. There are studies that have shown that some tasks are better solved with classical music. But there are also studies that have been able to refute this so-called “Mozart effect”.
Some people find it uncomfortable to study in complete silence, so soft music can be quite suitable for filling this silence. In addition, the music can drown out other disturbing noises. So it is not possible to answer this question clearly with a yes or a no, that cannot be said across the board. It always depends on the context and personal preferences. If you should decide to test learning with music, then you should definitely consider the following tips.
What to consider when studying with music
Music without language:
The music you hear while studying should not have lyrics. Otherwise you will quickly be tempted to listen to the words, even if the language is unknown to you. With instrumental music, there is less risk of distracting your focus from your learning topic.
No emotional music:
When choosing your music, keep in mind that music has a direct effect on your emotions, i.e. on your emotional world. Therefore, you shouldn’t listen to songs while studying that are particularly touching – be it positive or negative. Avoid music that reminds you of sad experiences, or that makes you nervous or even aggressive and angry.
Even pieces of music that make you happy and jittery and encourage you to dance should be removed from your playlist – because all of this is once again a distraction and can lead to negative learning successes.
No Advertising:
Make sure that you don’t get distracted by unnecessary advertisements as you study. With many popular music streaming services and the radio, advertisements or news are repeatedly inserted. This definitely distracts you from studying and should definitely be avoided. Rather, fall back on a CD or otherwise purchased music without commercial breaks.
Beat similar to the Heartbeat:
The speed of music is measured in “beats per minute”. When studying, it is often recommended to choose music that has a speed similar to that of the human heart. With slower music with 56 to 64 beats per minute, you would have exactly this recommended speed. These are rather quieter pieces, such as from the classical period. Even if we couldn’t find any scientific proof for this recommendation, it certainly makes sense to adjust the tempo of the music to the task. You probably know from your own experience that the tempo of music can affect you. So if you need to get something done quickly, like cleaning up your room, then fast music is great. For learning with music, however, relaxed electronic sounds or classical, calm pieces are better suited. Before Study Playing a Musical Instrument can help you better to concentrate in your study.
Plan a playlist:
So that you don’t have to look after every song to see what should be played next, you should create a playlist beforehand. In general, it doesn’t have to be music in the form of songs. Sounds of nature and ambient noises from nature also have a very calming effect. This includes background noise such as rain, water droplets, waves or animal noises. If you would like to try this variant, you can find compiled playlists on the Internet.
Conclusion:
As you can see, music can distract you from studying and be counterproductive. But it could also be beneficial. If you really want to try listening to music while studying – then do so. In that case, however, you should definitely follow our tips. The music should then have a comfortable volume and a relaxed tempo. Avoid music with text and also commercial breaks as you study. If you find that the music is distracting you, no matter what type of music you’re listening to, then it’s better to leave it out.
