As I’ve mentioned in past articles, my dad is an artist. When I was growing up, Dad didn’t go off to work like most other kids’ dads; instead he went into the studio every day to paint. I remember Dad working long hours in the studio, and you could always count on there being something playing on the radio while he was painting.
Dad has eclectic listening habits, so you might hear anything from the local classical music station to rock ‘n roll, country music, talk shows (of every variety, including some pretty strange stuff at night on the AM dial), National Public Radio, or something from his record collection. I can’t even begin to imagine him at work without some sort of audio playing.
I suppose it was inevitable that I would pick up some of the habit. I love a wide variety of music thanks to the range of genres I was introduced to when I hung out in Dad’s studio. I especially love classical music and am a big supporter of public classical radio, and I know this is a direct result of listening to the classical music stations in both Idaho, where we lived until I was thirteen, and summered after that, and Arizona, where we began spending the winters in 1987.
It’s almost hard for me to concentrate without music, and I know this is true of many artists. It’s a bit different for me than for an artist because music is really only in the background in the gallery. When I’m working in my office, however, I often have on headphones. Because I’m typically working on advertising, crunching numbers, or writing, I can’t listen to music or other audio that demands attention. News and talk are out, and anything that is highly focused on vocal performance are mostly banned because they slow me down and distract. Instead I listen to classical music or instrumental movie soundtracks. I particularly love Bach, Beethoven and Handel, and scores by Hans Zimmer, Trent Reznor, and Philip Glass.
Listening to music helps me maintain my focus on the task at hand, preventing my mind from wandering, while at the same time blocking out potential distractions.
Which leads me to today’s question: What do you listen to while you are in the studio? What have you found to be the most effective audio to accompany your working habits? Are there some things you can’t listen to while working? Share your strategy and a sample of your playlist in the comments below.