What do you listen to while you read?

[=BK=]

I figured I'd post in this section since this is where the "What did you read today" thread is. In the past I just read in silence. Sometimes I would play music but I would eventually cut it off because it would start distracting me. For the past year or so now I've been listening to white noise while I read. It really helps me focus on the book and block everything else out. I listen to it while I play games too but I find it most helpful for reading or sleeping(Depending on the volume).

http://www.rainymood.com/

Those are the three I use the most. I've had a few people tell me they couldn't read with stuff like this playing because they find it irritating. I was wondering if anyone here does the same as me.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I listen to.....nothing.

[brenchill]

But seriously, you listen to white noise? A form of mental torture? To read? Wow...

[The DBZemon King]

I figured I'd post in this section since this is where the "What did you read today" thread is. In the past I just read in silence. Sometimes I would play music but I would eventually cut it off because it would start distracting me. For the past year or so now I've been listening to white noise while I read. It really helps me focus on the book and block everything else out. I listen to it while I play games too but I find it most helpful for reading or sleeping(Depending on the volume).

http://www.rainymood.com/

Those are the three I use the most. I've had a few people tell me they couldn't read with stuff like this playing because they find it irritating. I was wondering if anyone here does the same as me.

Personally, I listen to an endless loop of zombies yelling, "BBBRRRRRAAAAAAAIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNSSSSSS!!!!!"

[=BK=]

But seriously, you listen to white noise? A form of mental torture? To read? Wow...

It's used as torture? I mean I guess I can understand that if it was something unstable like TV or radio static turned up loud as hell but something constant and on low volume seems relaxing. Kinda like a fishtank pump or a fan.

[The DBZemon King]

I listen to.....nothing.

+1 for that. I find having background noise is too distracting while I'm reading.

[Benjamin]

But seriously, you listen to white noise? A form of mental torture? To read? Wow...

It's used as torture? I mean I guess I can understand that if it was something unstable like TV or radio static turned up loud as hell but something constant and on low volume seems relaxing. Kinda like a fishtank pump or a fan.

If my fan was alive I'd kill it for the noise it makes. How the hell do you find that relaxing?

[Quom]

I really hate 'white noise', it drives me mad. I can't drown it out and it gets more and more irritating.

When I was studying I generally did all of my reading (unless it was absolutely mountains) and wrote the essay on the day before it was due (including novels for lit). I would listen to whatever music I was enjoying at the time whilst doing this (from memory it was heavy on The Mountain Goats, Bright Eyes, Okkervil River and Neutral Milk Hotel and had to be music I already knew, anything novel and I'd concentrate on that instead of what I was doing) and knock out the essay.

But if I'm reading books or articles on shit I like then I prefer silence.

It doesn't seem to effect my memory as I probably equally forget/retain information of stuff I've read for study or pleasure.

If I had to guess I'd say it's because I'm easily distracted, especially when doing something I don't want to do. Music I am familiar with takes up just enough of my attention to stop me looking for other things to do, whereas when I'm reading for pleasure I find I don't want any sort of distraction at all.

The two are different states for me. When I was writing essays or reading for study - or now reading and typing up my hand written case notes - I basically slip into somewhat of a manic state and become quite agitated (feet tapping the ground, unable to sit still in the chair, changing positions frequently, quite abrupt if disturbed etc) whereas I'm as still as a statue and sort of zone everything out when I'm reading for pleasure. The other state doesn't work for the other activity, as soon as I know I have to read something, even if I already would have read it for pleasure I slip into my 'work' state.

[Summers]

Yeah dude, I'm fucking READING. I don't want noise.

[Skummy]

Krzysztof Penderecki's Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima, and the complete works of Merzbow.

[gunnar hendershow]

I prefer the sound of nothing will I read, but if I must listen to something I like the nature sounds I can get on my girlfriend's Brookstone digital alarm clock. Waterfalls, rain forest, stormy day, and more!

[Lineker]

Oh Kirkland, you do make me chuckle so.

[Gazz]

I listen to my imagination weaving a rich tapestry of sounds, smells, sights and feelings.

[Hobo]

Like Quom, when I studied I would have music on in the background. Always something I was familiar with so that it wouldn't distract me. I used to use Willie Nelson's Across The Boarderline quite a lot because I could time my study breaks depending on what track I was at.

If I'm reading for pleasure though, I wouldn't also listen to something. That's just silly.

[Your Mom]

The audiobook so I know what the words are