Monday, May 17, 2010

Music and Reading - do they go together?

So, I know that a lot of people can't listen to music while they read. And this is something that I absolutely don't understand. For me, music and reading go hand in hand. And, this may sound weird, but the music that I most like to listen to while I read is music to which I can sing along. I find that it really helps me get into a good book. And I think that whether or not I actually DO feel obliged to sing along while I am reading is a great measure of how great the book I am reading is.

I feel the need to sing along - the book is probably lacking.
I don't feel the need to sing along - the book is pure awesome.

Lately, though, I've only really had time to read at night right before I go to sleep (I've been reading the same book for over a week now - it's sort of ridiculous really. I'm going to have to start trying to find time to fit reading into my schedule again. I just have SO MUCH studying and kanji learning to do!). And because of that, I haven't been listening to music while I am reading, and I sort of miss it. They are so interlinked for me that it almost doesn't feel right to not listen to music while reading.

How do you guys feel about this? Do you always listen to music while reading, or just occasionally? Or maybe even never? Why? If you do, what kind of music do you consider reading music?

Some of my favorite bands to listen to while reading are:

THE UNLOVABLES!


So sugary and fabulous - this tends to be one of the bands on my YA books soundtrack! It goes along with the fast-paces excitement!

GERALD DE PALMAS


This is more for the slow-moving, intense, depressing books, like the one I am reading now.

THE GLEE SOUNDTRACK


Really, when don't you want to listen to the Glee soundtrack? There's a song on it for all books! Mostly, though, this is music to listen to while reading some chick lit!

THE MR. T EXPERIENCE!


MTX is what I like to call versatile. Though I like to put them on when I'm reading late at night, and I don't want to fall asleep, but I also don't want to over wake myself up, so that when I do decide to sleep, sleep comes.

So, I'd love to hear about your relationship with music and books together!

11 comments:

Leanna Elle said...

I could never listen to music when I'm reading. I love music, and I even have playlists and certain songs that remind me of books, but no way, I need silence when I'm reading. I just don't have the sort of concentration that would allow me to read and listen to music at the same time.

Unknown said...

I'm not really a music person. Sometimes I listen to chilled out classical when I'm writing. I do listen to the radio on the way to work but I wouldn't be able to read while listening. I can have the TV on in the background while I read though. I'm sure that comes from when I lived at home with my mum and little bro. I would read in the living room while they watched TV. Social reading...is that possible? LOL

Tales of Whimsy said...

Never. I need silence to really submerge my self in the words. Otherwise my mind starts to run away from me and I have a hard time focusing.

But then again, I'm like that in life in general. I love silence.

Cool post :)

Orchid said...

Music is a most for me when reading. Of course I almost always have music playing, but mainly country and occasionally some classic rock or classical.

James Garcia Jr said...

Wow! I had never really heard of anyone attempting to read while listening to music. I am music all day-all the time, but not while reading. I would say that it takes special folks to be able to do both at the same time.
If I listen to music while I'm writing, then it has to be classical in order to drown out any "life" noise around me (kids, television, etc.).
Very interesting...

titania86 said...

I prefer to listen to music while I read. It doesn't really matter if there are lyrics or not because I usually get so into the book I'm reading. If I'm not listening to music, the silence just gets me sometimes. There has to be some background noise or music going on or it makes me feel uncomfortable. Maybe I'm just weird.

Sara said...

Oh,I can't concentrate on reading if I listen to music at the same time! I want my surroundings to be quiet :P

Unknown said...

I can’t have music on while I read. I have to concentrate hard to block out outside noises. My family’s been traveling the past couple of weeks. My little girl has a movie playing in the background, so I have to take breaks between chapters to rest my poor brain!

Kath said...

You know I've often wondered about this whenever I see people with earplugs while they read. I just can't get it. I love music and I love reading but I can't do both at the same time - I don't need silence to read but I don't want a competing entertainment source bugging me :)

But hey - whatever works for you. Interestingly I read best when there is a non-intrusive background noise of some variety. If it's SILENT, I get distracted too.

Simcha said...

I've seen other readers mention listening to certain type of music while reading, or matching songs up for books, but I can't understand this. I can't concentrate on a book if there is music playing.

Lauren said...

I can have music on while I read, but only if the volume is pretty low. Otherwise, no matter how good the book, I start to get really distracted. I'm the same with having the TV on (not that I'd put the TV on while I read, but my partner might). I kind of envy you!

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