The Effect Of Music Listening On Work Performance

When music2work2 was still somewhat in the planning stages, we decided to do some research and see if others felt as we do that “music is good for you.” Andrew's psychology degree influenced his thinking on this and you can read the write up of his final year dissertation here - Why listening to music can make you smarter.

One of the articles that pops up regularly for this search is “The effect of music listening on work performance” by Teresa Lesiuk at the University of Windsor. She reports on the results of a Canadian study that measured work quality, time-on-task and workers’ mood when listening to music. The study showed a positive affect - that quality-of-work was better with music, and time-on-task was longer when music was removed. The workers also noted a positive mood alteration when music was played.

See - we knew it - music is good for you - particularly when you want to get things done. So - if you have that blog post to write or paper to finish, why don't you head on over to Identification - get yourself some music2work2 and get to work!

The Duel 2008

The title "The Duel" might lead one to think of a battle, with booming sounds, harsh melody and solemn mood.But, in this case, that is not what the title represents at all.

This is a piano driven session with two additional voices, strings and organ.The tempo varies through the piece, along with changes in the dominant voice.The mood varies from slightly serious to upbeat and hopeful.

The image that comes to my mind when listening to this session, is not one of a struggle with changes and differences, but merely the co-existence of different feelings, attitudes, etc.Life is a mixture of joy and sadness, good health and sickness, darkness and light, times of difficulty and times of ease, times of prosperity and times of need.But, entwined with it all, is hopefulness.

Below is a short clip from The Duel.Listening to this session, an entirely different image may be evoked in you.That is one of the marvelous things about music – it can be listened to in different ways, different settings, intently or in the background.The images, feelings, memories that music evokes is different in each person.

Check out the Music2Work2 website for the composer’s thoughts on The Duel and additional information as to how you can experience the complete session.

Discombobulated

I am a cat on a hot tin roof - the only solution is to play. I am going to develop existing sessions - starting with Wendi's G Minor theme. To get into the groove I'm going to play around with a patch on the Triton at 67 beats per minute - the tempo for Wendi's theme . OK - done. They're heading off up to the server as I write - Have a listen to the Triton Piece:

I love doing this kind of freestyle - it makes playing fun. I am always on the look out for percussionists and loop makers who want to collaborate.

Wendi's piece is coming along very nicely. I did do another string pass but it was crap! ;-) I might put a clip up here just to see if I can!

---------------- Now playing: Music2Work2 - Working on W via FoxyTunes