What sorts of music do you listen to while doing different types of work, such
as office-type work, dishwashing, cooking, gardening, hobbies?
Are there certain genres that you cannot listen to while doing certain kinds
of work?

9 responses total.

I don't think I distinguish that way.  I used to be rather against using music
as background - having it on when I'm too busy to actually listen to it -
because it develops the habit of *not* listening.  My reasons still seem
compelling, but I rarely have *time* to just listen to music any more.  <sigh>

Of course, there are those genres I listen to only while shopping, etc., but
that's not by choice.  8-{)]

We like sawing and hammering to baroque music, especially Handel.  We played
the Water Music during our last inspection and passed immediately (but it
could be because the inspector's daughter was along and it was 5:30).  Handel
is also good for repetitive and somewhat energetic tasks such as running
grapes through a Victoria strainer.  I like Mozart to translate by, and cannot
do any intellectual work with someone singing in an intelligible language.
I think the music keeps my right brain from being bored while my left brain
is trying to think in two languages at once.  The music also drowns out the
distracting traffic noise.
        I hate the music that the dentist makes everyone listen to (some sort
of supermarket style jazzy stuff with commercials) and she now lets me bring
my own CD.  I don't know if their music is for the benefit of the people
working there or the people with their mouths open.

My favorite dentist is Kristin Guenther, who plays one of the classical music
stations (one of the three surviving). For the long haul, she'll give you a
small radio with earphones, and you can pick your own music. ... There's one
thing worse than elevator music in the supermarket: it's those loud-mouth
advertisements Busch's plays over the speaker system. They think we're a
captive audience, but we're not. (It's worse when businesses play advertising
when they put you on hold, on the telephone.)

There is another item around on music played by stores.  Today we sang rounds
while Jim scrubbed the latest freezer and I husked walnuts.  It takes you mind
off repetitive tasks.  Does anyone else sing while they work?  I hope the
neighbors liked White Coral Bells and Ah Poor Bird.  Does anyone else on grex
do boring repetitive tasks?

Lately I've been working to Stravinsky - the Symphony of Wind Instruments and
the Concerto for 2 Pianos especially. Of course, I also have been known to
do homework to Led Zepplin, so...

Symphonies of Wind Instruments.  Why the plural, I have no idea.
I used to love Stravinsky's music from that period, but for some
reason I lost my taste for it.  

White Coral Bells and Ah Poor Bird are beautiful. I wish I'd read your note
before I spent the day folding and addressing newsletters. I find myself
singing ancient Boy Scout songs or my own satirical versions of patriotic
songs. We need songs for singing at work. Yes, I used to love Stravinski, and
got really blown away by a recent performance of Rite of Spring (out in
Oregon). But later pieces, like L'Histoire du Soldat, seem stilted and formal.

Row row row your boat seems perfect to row by.  Baroque music is particularly
good for walnut husking (which involves hitting the nuts with a hammer several
times then throwing the nut one way and the husk the other).  It would
probably also work for newsletters.

I love doing homework to motets... generally, my favorites are those 
from teh 14th and 15th centuries.  If I'm doing something really 
reptitive, I'll listen to something I can sing along to, to keep my mind 
busy enough that I don't get bored, but that I know well enough that I 
don't have to think too hard to sing along.  (Usually 80's music, or 
Barenaked Ladies, or Tori Amos.)

Response not possible - You must register and login before posting.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss