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Music for Programming (2011)

submitted by notkai+(OP) on 2019-12-12 13:24:34 | 427 points 261 comments
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3. Portho+wb[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 14:59:14
>>dexen+2a
http://datassette.net/content/datashat-businessfunk.mp3 sounds like it ought to be in a 70s porno.
17. plibit+lf[view] [source] 2019-12-12 15:27:48
>>notkai+(OP)
Past submissions:

2018-07-20: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17573053

2016-11-01: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12844434

2012-02-18: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3605957

2012-02-03: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3547694

18. tomcoo+Ff[view] [source] 2019-12-12 15:28:53
>>notkai+(OP)
Nothing better than Gamelan, the album Degung Sabilulungan vol. 2 in particular[0]

The repetitive, gentle sounds put me into a high efficiency mode without putting me to sleep like most ambient.

[0]: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nrgTossoB0

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24. Whiske+mg[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 15:32:06
>>zergov+sd
Agreed, though the effects can be detrimental when driving.

Have a look at https://www.steadymixes.com for 130BPM mixes and mashups to keep your pace moving.

26. hour_g+7h[view] [source] 2019-12-12 15:36:15
>>notkai+(OP)
Not a well known artist but I really like programming to FILMMAKER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUau3wleuXc

33. ArtDev+7i[view] [source] 2019-12-12 15:42:18
>>notkai+(OP)
My requirements for programming music is what got me first into electro-swing. Since thing I have expanded from there. Lots of stuff from RJD2, C2C, Bonobo.

Here is my playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6yHQaBX599OnGlojw5aDTB?si=...

It's good for driving long distances too. But otherwise, my musical taste is totally different.

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36. thearr+Fi[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 15:45:34
>>verytr+zh
https://freesound.org/people/reinsamba/sounds/17085/ ?
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38. Fillig+Ni[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 15:46:15
>>wry_di+ji
There's tons of different kinds. Here's one I've been enjoying lately: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPugYPbO66E

Pay attention to the lyrics. Treat it as a story, and try to guess at what's happening. There is a canon answer -- Aviator's albums are in fact all stories -- but try to come up with your own before you look for it.

Everyone sees something different in the lyrics.

46. jpinch+pj[view] [source] 2019-12-12 15:49:47
>>notkai+(OP)
Currently listening to this great Piano Chill playlist [1]

https://music.apple.com/de/playlist/piano-chill/pl.cb4d1c09a...

52. ryeguy+Vj[view] [source] 2019-12-12 15:52:22
>>notkai+(OP)
This is great, nice job. I tend to like Dark Ambient for programming. Espeically Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (Social Network soundtrack) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yydZbVoCbn0&t=1016s
63. wildpe+il[view] [source] 2019-12-12 15:59:08
>>notkai+(OP)
If you like this, Xra_ always has great ambient music on while coding Memory of a Broken Dimension on stream (that's even how I discovered a lot of artists, such as Kammarheit): https://www.twitch.tv/xra_/videos?filter=archives&sort=time
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65. rob74+sl[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 15:59:40
>>coreyp+0i
For me, it depends: having to hear music from other people drives me crazy, but as long as it's my own music (over headphones of course), it really helps me concentrate.

For people who can't listen to music: how about noise generators (e.g. https://mynoise.net/) to drown out ambient noise?

74. rukens+km[view] [source] 2019-12-12 16:03:53
>>notkai+(OP)
surprised nobody has mentioned the freecodecamp radio yet, I really like listening to this on a very low volume. Mostly Lo-Fi music that doesn't take your attention away.

https://coderadio.freecodecamp.org/

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92. rickdm+Fo[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 16:15:03
>>vyper9+rn
Link for anyone interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2mtlhuFVOFMn6Ho3JmrLc2?si=...
97. aasasd+mp[view] [source] 2019-12-12 16:18:05
>>notkai+(OP)
This also links to Datashat's own Businessfunk compilations, which are excellent on another level from your regular ambient: http://datassette.net/businessfunk/

And btw, there's also a fourth mix for the Near Mint web radio: https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/near-mint-8th-march-2016-...

But as heavy-artillery concentration music, I recommend TechnoLiveSets. It's the ‘accidentally done all work in one day’ grade material: https://www.techno-livesets.com/

P.S. I'm also gonna gripe about lack of volume controls on the site, which for some reason a bunch of sites consider acceptable. All volume levels on my machine are carefully tuned—and then this site comes along for which I have to fiddle with the master volume. While listening to this explicitly background music, I'll likely come across some videos that I'll want to watch for ten seconds—and then I'll have to either crank the video volume, or scramble to stop the music each time. Don't do this.

On top of that, site authors' ideas of proper volume pretty much never matches mine: Bandcamp and Soundcloud both have to be cranked down a lot: Soundcloud's embedded clips make me lower the system volume to 1/4th of a notch on my Mac, which is about 1/32nd the normal volume for me.

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98. Michae+sp[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 16:18:45
>>boblob+te
This is a reference to the ridiculous scene from the 2001 movie Swordfish where Hugh Jackman is writing a program to hack into a bank network.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Ds9CeG-VY

101. dv35z+Fp[view] [source] 2019-12-12 16:19:52
>>notkai+(OP)
I have found several “brown noise” tracks which I find great for getting into the zone.

Right now, my absolute favorite is “cockpit” brown noise (the sound of muffled airline jet noise). For example, you could set this track to repeat endlessly: https://open.spotify.com/track/01Kk9an41cyVj7oIXd2Fsj?si=NnC...

For whatever reason, it gives me the feeling of “fast” (jet), important (I’m the pilot of this important thing?), and cozy (strapped in tight in the cockpit), and I never get the distracted (hmmm! What is this song?) feeling that I usually get from programming to music.

FYI: Difference between “white”, “pink”, & “brown” noise: https://www.soundofsleep.com/2017/07/18/white-pink-brown-noi...

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105. vesini+aq[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 16:24:01
>>apples+pl
Hey! That's absolutely awesome. My current favorite coding music is something similar, a style called "Synthwave / Retrowave" that draws heavily from 80s/90s chiptune music, but made with a bit more modern instruments and techniques.

There's tons of hour+ mixes on YouTube. Just a random one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk1nnAHI1mI

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106. dukoid+fq[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 16:24:18
>>LeifCa+xo
Space Ambient is best for this purpose... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuqZTQ_5gsppMEJWlJoH3...
109. tnorth+wq[view] [source] 2019-12-12 16:26:30
>>notkai+(OP)
I've also found some of the selections on https://generative.fm/ to be very nice background music for working.

The author's introduction to generative music article (https://medium.com/@metalex9/introduction-to-generative-musi...) is also very interesting.

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115. jointp+Rq[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 16:27:40
>>Bootwi+cc
Personally, I like to listen to electronic DJ mixes because a) the music flows together nicely (by design) and b) repetition paces me and gives something for my ADD brain to latch on to (like rapidly bouncing your leg) and c) I don’t get preoccupied trying to DJ for myself.

Here are some sources I like:

Boiler Room (all EDM/dance genres)—https://m.youtube.com/user/brtvofficial/videos?view=0&sort=p...

Anjunadeep (deep house)—https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOftnzGIKwJB1h6ErEcFJTO...

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129. TheLas+Rs[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 16:39:09
>>tomcoo+Ff
Oh wow, I didn't think i'd see someone mentioning Gamelan, but while were on the subject, have you tried Geinoh Yamashirogumi? Check this out!

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRQiaRrNbCY

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135. bloope+7v[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 16:52:03
>>coreyp+0i
My wife and I have ADD in different areas/amounts. The difference between us in the way we use and react to sound is, in my rather biased opinion, fascinating:

Me: Single source only, absolutely can't listen to music while trying to code or read. I have used https://mynoise.net/ and the Android app to drown out environmental noise when I'm working around others. I'm very easily distracted by noise, especially things like speakerphone conferences. Music to me is a single focus thing, I can't do anything else and have to focus only on the music.

Her: can hold a conversation with me while listening to a podcast and simultaneously playing a phone game. Music is very much something that happens while she is busy doing other stuff, even when it's her favourite songs and she's rocking out singing along.

It was a revelation to her when we discussed this. She was completely unaware that to me, trying to hold a conversation if I was already listening to music was almost painful. She's adjusted her expectations and knows that if my good headphones are on, it's my music time. We both love music so much, it's an integral part of our gen-x upbringing, yet our different attention problems lead us to consume it in very different ways.

(and, yes, she's awesome. I'm amazed daily by her and count myself incredibly lucky to find someone as kind, understanding, funny, loving, sexy and brilliant as her)

sorry if that's TMI.

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143. asaddh+1z[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 17:11:32
>>pier25+Rr
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7w33zSxzXN5blasm8mk6cc
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147. aidenn+rz[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 17:13:44
>>LeifCa+xo
For others who find they need too-loud music or noise, here's my 3 step process that works.

1. Get any in-ear earbuds (for noise even cheapy ones are fine, for music pick whatever type you like).

2. Get the foam tips to fit them: https://www.complyfoam.com/products/t-series/

3. Put some hearing-protection ear-muffs on top

A tiny amount of noise will make all other sounds disappear at this point.

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153. degene+dA[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 17:16:41
>>thearr+Fi
You need an account to download; here's some accounts: http://bugmenot.com/view/freesound.org
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154. aasasd+jA[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 17:17:04
>>dv35z+Fp
My favorite among the ‘busy background sounds’ tracks is the relaxing military skirmish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGgKdDCJx5o
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160. whitep+MB[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 17:25:09
>>awalto+8x
I love this IDM playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6t93D5kmpPfeGwAm7VMej8

Not mixes, but I like BT's "These Hopeful Machines" and Oceanlab's "Sirens of the Sea" albums, too.

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162. stfwn+jC[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 17:27:43
>>verytr+mj
There is a Reply All episode about something exactly like what you describe [1]. It's been a while since I've listened to it, but it's something about how making sounds like these is a whole business with resellers upon resellers. They dive into the process and try to track down the person who made a specific recording that also had some background noise that seemed particularly weird.

[1]:https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/mehrar

163. paulca+zC[view] [source] 2019-12-12 17:28:53
>>notkai+(OP)
Seeburg 1000 - http://74.82.59.197:8351/stream

Super useful as background music.

168. random+YF[view] [source] 2019-12-12 17:44:36
>>notkai+(OP)
I can get into such deep focus when listetning to postrock. I found this genre a year ago and it is soo good. I recommend this youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-wdveKCDbbjK0_rzR2XhVA
172. iscrew+BH[view] [source] 2019-12-12 17:54:08
>>notkai+(OP)
Reading these comments, I’m fascinated by how people listen to things and what makes them focus or lose focus. Us humans are a strange creature.

I’ll give my input. This is my go to focus sound: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dWjKZbkcYdA

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177. scns+dL[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 18:11:29
>>vesini+aq
My favourite album from that genre is Lazerhawk - Redline. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpDn4-Na5co
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183. action+MM[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 18:21:40
>>deusof+3M
https://ethanschoonover.com/solarized/
184. nlh+dO[view] [source] 2019-12-12 18:31:53
>>notkai+(OP)
Since we're all sharing coding playlists here, happy to share mine as well:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2hLUvezSiJ2TpmSQq27IQI?si=...

This is a ~21hr mix I use basically daily when getting into flow - I love it. It's mostly high-energy electronic, some electro-swing, and I'm sure a whole bunch of other genres I'm not equipped to describe (not a music nerd).

Almost all of the music has been discovered through using Spotify Radio, Pandora, etc. and saving the songs I really liked / helped me keep the groove going.

It might or might not work for you, but always happy to share. Also - feedback welcome! If you like this and there's some other stuff I'm missing out on, lmk :)

185. landon+XO[view] [source] 2019-12-12 18:35:52
>>notkai+(OP)
Hainbach, whose website is linked to so he might have created this, has a really cool youtube channel where he repurposes old engineering equipment to make music. Heres one of my favorites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19KbrTpgiEM
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186. dang+zP[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 18:39:04
>>plibit+oF
We don't allow bots to post to HN, other than https://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=whoishiring.
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193. omar12+cX[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 19:19:59
>>jointp+Rq
I agree with you. Good DJ mixes build up the energy. It does help me get my brain in a rhythm that enters into a flow state. BBC's Essential Mix do put some good mixes, as well as Diplo and Friends.

Some tracks:

* Dimension Essential Mix (DnB): https://soundcloud.com/dimension_uk/essential-mix

* Nicolas Jaar Essential Mix (Various): https://soundcloud.com/otherpeoplerecords/csp06-nicolas-jaar...

* Mano Le Tough Essential Mix (House): https://soundcloud.com/manoletough/essential-mix

* Charlotte De Witte Essential Mix (Techno): https://soundcloud.com/charlottedewitte-essentialmix2018-02-...

* Diplo Burning Man 2019 (EDM): https://soundcloud.com/diplo/diplo-burning-man-cloud-art-car and https://soundcloud.com/diplo/diplo-burning-man-tetrix-art-ca...

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206. mcquee+o71[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 20:14:21
>>thirte+qk
I've played piano for 15 years, and I prefer listening to music. Although, some of my musician friends say it's more noise than music... https://whoami.sh/thought/flow-playlist
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210. brianz+Db1[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 20:38:45
>>jointp+Rq
Here's another great Boiler Room mix, from Nightmares on Wax, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q692lHFaLVM.
216. keithn+Zj1[view] [source] 2019-12-12 21:26:54
>>notkai+(OP)
I tend to listen to psytrance, a while back on another music related programming thread on HN, someone posted this great guide to psytrance http://psytranceguide.com/
218. Tade0+Dn1[view] [source] 2019-12-12 21:49:09
>>notkai+(OP)
I've found that the best music for programming is the one you listened to when you were younger and could focus much better.

For me that would be anything that I listened to during the all-nighters I pulled throughout college and the background noise in Star Trek TNG.

As a side note if you're working remotely and having trouble focusing on long calls, I recommend Tibetan signing bowls:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujyu7tkyxtw

They nicely fill in the gaps in the conversation.

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219. aasasd+Dq1[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 22:10:09
>>klondi+cm1
You can find a lot of it on Youtube and elsewhere: it's all library music from KPM and such. E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2uAw_SOshE

Datassette has tracklists on Soundcloud (iirc), and Andy Clark, Keith Mansfield and James Asher seem to dominate his mixes (though Asher is apparently more into tribal music). Alas my favorite bit from Businessfunk 2 at 34:25 is unidentified.

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220. pfd198+3s1[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 22:19:46
>>dsego+We
Also:

https://coderadio.freecodecamp.org/

https://9128.live/

https://dewtone.com/

223. edem+st1[view] [source] 2019-12-12 22:30:15
>>notkai+(OP)
Kinda anecdotal, but what works for me is a mix of dark ambient and drone. Anything more intense gets me out of the flow. Relevant playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/62CD3gc39cVrOkUGelCRrZ?si=...
226. zV62dr+Bv1[view] [source] 2019-12-12 22:43:18
>>notkai+(OP)
I shared this Gist with radio stations, playlists, collections, albums, … before: https://gist.github.com/z3to/3ad6458674afb2e308e1bbf88166987... Mostly ambient, drone, (neo-)classical, dub, minimal techno, deep house, micro house, downtempo, slo-mo house, ketapop, schneckno, jetlagdisco, post-rock, lowfi hip hop…
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228. elamje+pA1[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-12 23:31:42
>>coreyp+0i
I always like pointing software engineers and people who need to focus to this playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/61RNVG9yeQpFBRi8OAVC9I?si=...

Before this, I could not listen to music and code at the same time AT ALL. Then, I found a coding playlist with only full length albums with very little vocals, and I changed. I recently created my own flavor of the playlist with only albums that have a consistent flow from one song to the next.

Give it a try and fork it to make your own version!

229. Voltag+sA1[view] [source] 2019-12-12 23:32:05
>>notkai+(OP)
If you haven't coded to Infected Mushroom, then you haven't lived. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLWXSsYJoWY&feature=list_rela...

232. sytelu+hC1[view] [source] 2019-12-12 23:51:01
>>notkai+(OP)
I have been fine-tuning my "Code Time" music for over a decade that is conducive of getting and staying in the flow. An eclectic mix of ambient, tango, jazz, techno, progressive with a hint of trans.

Pandora: https://pandora.app.link/nKUbxNb4m2.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/71xXPTrKmQ72TpLZSV1DAU

Google Music: https://play.google.com/music/playlist/AMaBXynw1A1Qs30Ii8AKR...

236. Dowwie+MG1[view] [source] 2019-12-13 00:36:49
>>notkai+(OP)
Soundcloud has an endless supply of great music to listen to while working. There's a podcast from the Netherlands known as "Deep Electronics" that has gotten my attention recently. Give the latest episode, #257, a try: https://soundcloud.com/deep_electronic
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238. erklik+tI1[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-13 00:59:38
>>tabtab+2T
https://terminal.jcubic.pl/ is fairly good, but somewhat older and out of fashion.
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240. erklik+JI1[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-13 01:04:20
>>pier25+Rr
If you like using your keyboard to browse the web, I'd like to introduce you to Tridactyl ( https://github.com/tridactyl/tridactyl ).
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242. thrist+VI1[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-13 01:06:38
>>tabtab+2T
You may be interested in https://kristopolous.github.io/BOOTSTRA.386/
244. proc0+XQ1[view] [source] 2019-12-13 02:44:13
>>notkai+(OP)
I compiled my own. I'm not sure what this genre of music is but it's amazing. It's like downtempo ambience with no audible base.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KmEKavq5Ux0IxY2d5VfyI?si=...

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246. BigJon+nW1[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-13 04:03:46
>>dukoid+fq
And the closely related Space Atmoblack is quite possibly the worst...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1Kbh5Ln8tMJ_h7IykOFkg/vid...

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259. g_sgoi+7T3[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-13 23:20:42
>>coreyp+0i
If it's late at night then you need something to keep you awake and focused. I stumbled across this on cmd.fm and then found it on soundcloud. When I need to stay awake and blast through some work and really make some progress, I go straight for a featurecast mix. The one below is relentless (in a good way).

https://soundcloud.com/featurecast/featurecast-keep-it-comin...

260. prabhj+f59[view] [source] 2019-12-16 19:54:47
>>notkai+(OP)
I listen to this while programming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBVxMvATaFU&list=PLxSOsUnHsf...
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261. jacque+GCa[view] [source] [discussion] 2019-12-17 10:57:59
>>downer+UA1
I can't speak for the OP but I'm a bit weird in that I can play songs on repeat for days on end until I've totally memorized them.

Current one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpwjEBtoDRQ

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