Meditative Music for Quiet Concentration


There are a number of threads on music for different occasions, but here is a tricky one for me:

What music helps you concentrate, or get through difficult tasks at home or depending on your job - at work?

There are few things in life that can ruin my weekend more than gathering receipts for taxes, opening bills, writing boring but necessary letters, reading legal documents etc.

So it would be great to put something on repeat - not too loud and not too engaging, but still something worthwhile to absorb while tackling the nightmares in the "inbox".

I found Keith Jarret Facing You perfect for falling asleep years ago, but never for working. Something was a little TOO hypnotic about them for me.

I thought the Bach 1 and 2 part inventions might hit the spot - but there is something a little distracting adn tinkly about them.

Beethoven symphonies I love but they are far too varied - I would much rather STOP working and just listen.

Mozart and Vivaldi might work in some cases, if they hadnt been played to death in Starbucks all over the world which irritates me and therefore increases my stress. So please, no coffee shop compilations!?

Some Miles Davis ALMOST works, except what I really want to do within about 3 notes of Kind of Blue, for example, is go out on the Upper West Side and eat and drink until well past midnight.

So what can you listen to, when you need to stay calm, really focus and crank through a mountain of work?

Of course, and as usual, EXTRA CREDIT for particularly good recordings.

Thank you.
cwlondon

Showing 2 responses by edumke

The genre known as "ambient" works great in the background while working. Minimal beat, very spacy. Either you like this stuff or you don't. There is a definitive list and a streaming server you can listen to here:

http://sleepbot.com/ambience/

Explore the site and the music!

Good luck.
More jazz-like but mellow:

Jarrett: Radiance
Tord Gustavsen: The Ground
Tord Gustavsen: Changing Places
marc Johnson: Shades of Jade

Not Jazz like, but awesome:

Gurdjieff, Tsabropoulos: Chants, Hymns and Dances