Many years ago in my first tech job, before the ipod, I had a sony walkman where I would change the batteries more often than the tape.
This one tape would be on continuous loop for days and weeks at a time. I had never been more productive in that job. But in effect I wasn't listening to music at all I was blocking out the distractions from the open plan office we worked in.
Since then I've experimented and found that ear plugs work best of all.
My experience shows otherwise. When I listen to some deep, gloomy metal, that's a far higher diversion than listening to, say, some ambient music with a female singer. Even though the latter has far more high notes.
Many years ago in my first tech job, before the ipod, I had a sony walkman where I would change the batteries more often than the tape.
This one tape would be on continuous loop for days and weeks at a time. I had never been more productive in that job. But in effect I wasn't listening to music at all I was blocking out the distractions from the open plan office we worked in.
Since then I've experimented and found that ear plugs work best of all.