Music and reading?

[Beate]

I tend to put on some instrumental music while I am reading. Sometimes to block out noise from the surroundings like the bus/subway/train to and from work, but also to enhance my reading experience, if that makes any sense to you. For example: When I read historical fiction I use classical music, fantasy reading works well with some epic orchestral melodies and so on. Are there others that do this?

[Eruwenn]

I prefer silence myself. That way, nothing gets between my imagination/comprehension and the words on the page. If nothing else, I'll prefer instrumental music in the background rather than something with lyrics. The spoken (or sung) words always seem to win out over the written ones.

(I read rather quickly, though, so perhaps that has something to do with my preferences...)

[Beate]

Eruwenn: I know what you mean about the lyrics interfering with the reading. That's why I only listen to instrumental music.

I am a slow reader as an opposite to you, so perhaps :)

[Amara, Group Creator]

I'm also a fairly fast reader, and I find that my speed usually plummets if I try to keep music on in the background. Which is odd, because I used to be able to just tune out background music; now I find it very distracting.

On the other hand, leaving the television on for background noise doesn't seem to have any detrimental effects on me--unless of course it's something I'm really interested in watching. ;) I often use my I Love Lucy DVD collection as general background noise when I'm in my room, and sometimes I'll leave it on when I read.

[Eruwenn]

For me, television is worse, like it's somehow created to emit 'you can do nothing but pay attention to meeeeeee' vibes that you can't manage to escape.

Thank goodness for the ability to escape to a different room to read!

[Fany]

It depends on what I'm reading: if it's something light, like the kind of book you bring to the beach on holiday, then I usually like to have music in the background.

I don't have a tv, so that solves one problem! :P

Otherwise, if it's more heavy material, I prefer to snuggle in my couch with silence all around. When people come over however, and start having conversations, I can usually read at the same time as listening to what they're saying, and chip in! I sometimes amaze myself with that! (It's rude I know... but sometimes you can't put the book down!)

If there are children however, no matter how quiet and well behaved, I can never concentrate...

[Sofia]

You know, it's interesting. I ALWAYS have to have some sort of noise going any other time (music, tv, etc), but when I read, I prefer silence. Reading is the only time I need to just BE with my book and nothing else.