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Finding the right study routine can be difficult. Everyone does their best work under different conditions. Some of us are more prone to distraction, while others can’t work without ambient or background noise.

Studies on the issue have been inconclusive, but it is now believed that the optimum working conditions vary from individual to individual, and there is no single best way to increase productivity and focus. For many people, though, there are certain types of music which, when playing in the background, can increase focus and, therefore, the rate at which people work. In this article, we will take a look at some of the musical genres, which studies suggest are the most effective at aiding revision and would, therefore, make perfect background noise while studying an online military history degree.

Classical

When choosing music to aid your study, you will have more options available to you if you are willing to try genres that you wouldn’t necessarily listen to for pleasure. Classical music is the genre that is most often credited with increasing concentration, in some cases even general intelligence. It seems that the real answer is somewhere between these two possibilities and the effect varies from individual to individual.

Knowing where to start in choosing a piece of classical music can be difficult if you are unfamiliar with the genre. The best thing to do is have a look online for some of the big names: Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, etc. All their music is now in the public domain and you should be able to listen to any of their pieces easily and for free. Students studying an MMH degree may well appreciate the historical significance of much of this classical music.

For some people, classical music is a significant study aid while hitting the books for a military history degree.

Ambient

Ambient music is unique among other musical genres in that it is almost music that is not designed to be listened to. Instead, it is designed to play in the background to enhance the atmosphere of a room. This makes it a great choice for background music while studying. Ambient music sometimes contains vocals, but they are subtle. More commonly, voices are used as instruments, to produce musical sounds rather than form vocals.

The instruments that are used are designed to be gentle, and usually, produce slow and long sounds that blend into the background. Some ambient music incorporates nature sounds such as rain and waterfalls.

Unplugged

Remember, your goal here is to study, not to rave! Music that is loud and hectic, cluttered with a variety of different sounds will be too intrusive and make concentration hard. Instead, music that is acoustic or unplugged, meaning an absence of electronic instruments, tends to be less intrusive.

Choosing the right background music can make a huge difference to some students in terms of helping their concentration. The only way to find out for certain is to experiment, try different options, and see what works best for you!