Music and chess

Does music help you concentrate when playing chess? I find I play best when listening to Scheherazade by Rimsky Korsakov.

Actually, sometimes I find that it does. I usually don't listen to anything for a whole game unless it's like a casual blitz, but sometimes I'll use something like Infected Mushroom to get me pumped up during/before a game.

I think if you find the right music for you, it helps, personally I could not concentrate to Scheherazade by Rimsky Korsakov. l'historie du prince Calendar is not my taste. but with the right music I think it improves concentration. But unfortunately music is forbidden at tournaments.

my bachelor's degree is in music and it affects me to such an extent that i cannot listen to any while playing.

I listen to music, and it effects my moves

here is what i have found

Metallica: Faster in terms of time i have taken, and much more active in terms of piece mobility

BB King, Eric Clapton, etc : tactical moves, however much more sound than above

Classic Rock eg. Blue Oyster Cult :  Sound moves that are what need to be played

I'm also a musician with a degree, and I have the same issue as "heyistluke".  It commands my attention too much to focus on playing a chess game in most cases, though more driving, minimalist club music with a subtly evolving groove sometimes gets me "In the zone".  Music with more abrupt changes and/or intricate harmonic structures would catch my ear too much and break my concentration.  

Like lets say Van Halen

The jury's still out on whether listening to music makes me play better, but it definitely makes it more enjoyable. While it's true that lyrics distract me, I find that if the lyrics are in another language, the voice simply becomes another instrument in the melange. Thus, being an enourmous weeaboo, I typically listen to JAM Project while I play live chess. It makes me feel epic.

Cream when playing live, Sometimes BOC or Metallica or Led Zeppelin

What genre was the instrumental music you listened to Godspawn?

Obviously the results got better as you Moved to music you prefered.  hopefully your opponent was the same throughout

I sometimes listen to white noise-type sounds while reading, studying, and playing chess. I have a white noise machine at home, and online, I often listen to the "Brown Noise" sample at http://simplynoise.com/.

I find this type of noise helps me shut out all the other sounds of the world that might distract me, which improves my concentration. I love music but am too easily distracted by most. Probably the only music I could listen to would be minimalist music.

Working out is something I can't do without music, and my favorite workout music is "Hall of the Mountain King", played by Apocalyptica

For me, high pitches are a bit unsettling. That said, I can listen to some old school jazz, say 60's Cannonball Adderly, and play all day long.

Just tried the link. Very cool. Thanks for the insight!

Give me the Four Symbols Album, Disreali Gears, The Wall, The Black Album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Good-bye, Eric Clapton Unplugged, Tres Hombres, and a Ride the Lighning, and that could last me for a long long time, oh and I meant to add Specter Trails, and Fire of an Unknown Origin, as well as Hotel California.

now who can name the groups who made these amazing records. first one to get all of them right gets a trophy

I did a similar survey!

Hard rock- Sturdy. You can sit on hard rocks.

Classic rock- You realize ammonia mixed with bleach has a wonderful fragrance.

Jazz- Super cool.

Country- You do meth until the first of the month.

Instrumental- You realize all music is instrumental.

Christian rock- You sit in prison with one dumb book.

Of course, this study has no gynecological value.

You guys will think I'm wierd, but I don't listen to any music!

I'm afraid that Unplugged one has me stumped.