How to Curate the Perfect Study Soundtrack

study and musicWritten by: Victoria Lam, 2nd Year Chemistry
Photo by: Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Come finals season, I find that an ultra-focused study session comes down to three main things: a comfy location, a caffeinated drink, and something playing in my headphones. This “something” must block out distractions while also helping me get honed in on the task at hand. If you have the same requirements as me, but are having trouble compiling such a soundtrack, follow the how-to guide below!

Step 1: Choose Your Sound

First and foremost, try out different sounds and test how attentive, energized, and motivated you feel listening to them as you study. I use the broad term “sounds” because you don’t have to limit yourself to conventional music! If I had to categorize the main genres, I would go by this list:

  • Classical music: You may have heard that classical is one of the best genres to listen to for stress reduction and increased concentration, and research backs this claim! I don’t personally listen to classical music, so I can’t provide any recommendations, but I have heard that steady-tempo pieces by baroque/early classical era composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, and Mozart provide just the right amount of mental stimulation for intense focus.
  • R&B/indie/etc music: I am partial to smooth, rhythmic tunes for studying; often found in R&B, indie pop, folk, and similar genres. These songs are catchy but calming withsimple, non-distracting lyrics. Some recommendations of mine within these genres include “Come Together” by The Internet, “Serenade of Water” by Men I Trust, and “Be My Angel” by Mazzy Star.
  • Lo-fi hip-hop: This is a genre characterized by jazzy piano and guitar melodies, slow hip-hop beats, and soft distortion. I love these types of songs for writing tasks in particular as they generally do not have lyrics, which could interrupt my writing flow. There are plenty of talented lo-fi artists on whichever platform you get your music, producing everything from originals to covers of popular songs!
  • Binaural beats: According to WebMD, these are “illusion[s] created by your brain when you listen to two tones with slightly different frequencies at the same time, one in each ear.” Research suggests that they can alter brainwaves to frequencies associated with enhanced cognition, relaxation, and creativity, depending on the frequency of noise you play.
  • Ambient sounds: Nature audios (e.g. rainfall, forest sounds) and location background noises fall under this category. These sounds simulate immersion in different environments, providing a soothing but non-bothersome background ambience. I personally love playing library ambience - even when physically at the library - as it limits all noise to periodic page flipping, typing, and perhaps some gentle fireplace crackles.
  • Coloured noise: White noise, brown noise, pink noise…These are random noises at specific decibels named using an analogy to the visible light spectrum, as explained in this guide. They promote calm, mental clarity, alertness, and a range of other effects depending on the “colour” of noise you choose.

I would suggest avoiding high-tempo, energetic music such as many genres of rock, electronic, or hip-hop; while these songs are great, their complexity, volume, and lyrics can be too engaging for study purposes. However, the “perfect” study soundtrack is entirely personal to you, so some good old Paramore or Charli XCX may actually be just the right fit! It’s simply a matter of experimentation.

Step 2: Build Your Playlist

Now to make the playlist on whichever music platform you choose. Some more tips and tricks:

  • Try not to choose your absolute favourite songs. As tempting as it is, you run the risk of conditioning yourself Pavlov-style to associate them with a deep study mindset, when you’d rather associate them with casual listening. Instead, use this psychological phenomenon to your advantage by choosing songs you like but can reserve for getting yourself into that mindset.
  • For music with lyrics, look for songs in languages you don’t know. This is helpful if lyrics will be distracting to your task - you can still enjoy the dynamic of lyrics without understanding the words and having them distract you.
  • Make it as long as possible. I aim for 8 hours of tracks, but whatever the length your average study session is works. This way you won’t have the playlist repeating or stopping altogether, which could disrupt your focus.

For ambient sounds in particular, check out sites like I Miss My Library, I Miss My Cafe, and I Miss the Office, which feature cozy designs and adjustable sound effects allowing you to customize your study atmosphere.

Step 3: Get Studying

It’s finally time to study. Pop those headphones in (or blast your soundtrack out loud, in accordance with public and/or roommate noise bylaws) and start on those practice problems. Your perfect study environment is now set up for success!

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