Soothing study music
 

I'm making a compilation CD of relaxing, studying music for my girlfriend in preparation for her MCATs. Any suggestions? I'm mainly looking at instrumental stuff here (though light choral stuff is alright), since lyrics can get pretty distracting.

So far I have some Chopin and Erik Satie, as well as the notorious Platoon song, and Treefingers by Radiohead.

enya

The music that works for me when studying:
These are album names, but I guess you know that.

• Beck - Sea Change
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor - U.X.O
• Air - Moon Safari
• Frank Zappa - Shut Up And Play Your Guitar
• Frank Zappa - Shut Up And Play Your Guitar Some More

I like Portishead or Billie Holiday for this.

Hayden - skyscraper national park
Slowdive - souvlaki

just giver her Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works (1 and 2)

What kind of recommendations are these? Are you guys trying to freak her out or put her to sleep? Just stick with classical music. Mozart, Bach...the basics. It's far more constructive than anything else for studying.

Was what I was going to post.

brian eno
harold budd
arvo part
gavin bryars
la monte young
etc

i study pretty well to dj shadow and slint. ambient background music is the best because you don't have to force yourself to listen hard for anything, like you do in pumpkins songs.

Man. I can never put on music when I study. I always want to listen to the music.

But I guess that doesn't help you. I'm sorry.

damn. i know that zappa stuff can make good background music but it's funny following everything else in your list. but no Return of the Son of Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar?

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue is one that works for me....

neil young unplugged

greatest mellow album ever... or hayden, live at convication hall

Obligatory Sigur Ros recomindation. Some Mum and Boards of Canada would work, too. Mogwai's more laid back stuff, such as EP+2, as well.

Und, why is that funny?

don't get me wrong. i like your picks and whatever, but I just found it amusing to see Zappa follow air and gsybe in a soothing study music thread. zappa has crazy stuff that's above most people's heads. in a way, it's ironic to me.

Ah, then it's ok, I thought you were going the "OMG!!! You listen to Air and Zappa" route.

Kim Hiorthoy - Hopeness EP

yeah, i usually listen to lift yr skinny fists by godspeed and druqks by aphex twin when studying.
apparently, blur is meant to be beneficial to listen to: a few years back here in the UK, 'research' suggested that kids who listened to blur when revising for their GCSEs acheived higher grades. quite insane, no?

Yo La Tengo- Green Arrow, on repeat.

looool

now that you mention it, that was lol worthy.

slint, mogwai, various unplugged albums, cranberries

i love that song with all my heart.

Rush

Damn straight.

oye como va and Rico Suave

Came up with some more:

One mile north - minor shadows
Cyann and ben - spring
Alasdair roberts - farewell sorrow (well, it works for me : /)

In high school I would come home after school and put this on and fall asleep to it.

Thanks dudes. I didn't end up using most of the suggestions and instead opted for a mainly classical-ish mix, with a dash of jazz thrown in - although I did check out some of the tracks/albums and fancied many of them.

Anywho, she really liked it... in fact, I sort of upgraded the study survival mix CD to a study survival kit (essentially an old box I found, which I stuffed with some goodies, such as some lavender bubble bath salt, stress ball, aspirin, some cookies I baked, a tiny bottle of gin bundled with a can of tonic [for the after-party celebration], voucher redeemable for unlimited number of massages by yours truly, etc).