Do Different Types Of Music Go Better With Different Books?
@danishcanadian (28953)
Canada
July 16, 2009 2:40am CST
I recently mentioned here on MyLot that my friend Savo Heleta published his memoirs of his life in war-torn Bosnia, in the 1990s, in a fantastic memoir called Not My Turn To Die. A few weeks ago i got my hands on a copy of this wonderful book, and read it within a couple of days. I find that when I read, I like to have different types of music on in the background, depending on the book. It's very heavy reading, so a lot of the typicla stuff one would hear on the radio in Canada, just didn't do the trick for me. I was listening to an oldies station that played a lot of Big Band Music, and somehow "Happy Days Are Here Again" did NOT go with a book about the war in Bosnia. Since I enjoy music in foreign languages anyway, and have a lot of Croatian music in my collection (Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian are basically the same language), I logged onto the internet, and looked up a radio station in Bosnia that played a lot of folk music. I don't understand the language, i just like the music. Somehow reading a book that took place in Bosnia, and listening to Bosnian music in the background worked. I was able to get deeper into the story, than I would have, had I left the oldies station playing.
Does anyone else find that the music they listen to affects their reading, and vice versa?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
16 Jul 09
That is interesting because hubby does seem to have specific music listening habits that are linked to books he's reading.
Myself, since after the first paragraph I wouldn't even "hear" the music anymore, I don't really find any specific interaction.
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
17 Jul 09
I'd be interested in hearing more about what hubby listens to while reading, or what he reads whole he's listening.
Oddly enough, I got so into the book I mentioned that I didn't even notice I was "reading." In all my reviews of Savo Heleta's writing I've mentioned hos his writing FILLS the reader with his experience, so it's not like you're reading the book, it's as if you're living it. In my case the Bosnian music in the background just enhanced it.
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@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
19 Jul 09
In general he likes to listen to music when he's reading. What I don't think he noticed is that I sometimes am able to get an idea of what he's reading depending on the music he's listening to. For example I've noticed that when he's reading something historical he tends to listen to classical music. But if he's reading a mystery book, I can hear Paco di Lucia, or Al di Meola. If I hear heavy metal, I can almost bet that it is science fiction he's reading. Maybe it's not always exact, but generally it does go like this. I don't know if it's the genre of the book that gets him to choose that music, or if it's the music that leads him to choose the genre of the book.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
16 Jul 09
I could never read And listen to music. Maybe being a musician has something to do with it.When I want to listen to music ,Iam not reading and visa versa. I guess if I Had to have music on ,it would be classical but that wouldn't help me.I am a retired violinist so if the radio played anything I had played, I wouldn't be keeping my mind on the book.
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@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
17 Jul 09
You have a good point, since you, as amusician, are more intimately aquainted with music, than most. I also play the piano by ear, have perfect pitch, and can tell you what every single instrument in the band/orchestra is doing. I think that's why I like the stuff from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, because I did not grow up learning how to play that stuff, and there are no English lyrics.
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@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
17 Jul 09
I like Salsa music. I know very little Spanish but I love it. But I wouldn't read and listen to it either. I would be too busy dancing.
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@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
17 Jul 09
It's interesting how one person's enhancement can be another person's distraction.
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@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
16 Jul 09
Kinda like a book soundtrack huh? When I read I need it to be quiet because I can hear everything over the voice in my head. When I read with my kids they might ask questions so having them as background breathing works best for me. I never read a book with background music to hold the mood, you may be onto something here.
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@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
17 Jul 09
Yeah, exactly like a book's soundtrack. Usually when I'm reading I hear my own voice in my head, but in the case of the book that I mentioned above, I know the author, I was able to have his voice in my head, as if he were telling the story himself. I'm telling you, it was better than a music. His voice, with his accent, folk music from his country in the background... I don't even remember turning the pages, I just remember "hearing" the story. It was a really awsome experience.
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@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
16 Jul 09
I have to have quiet when I read. I sometimes feel like I have a little ADD going on when I read but, with 3 kids I could blame that LOL I just can't have the radio on while I read.
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@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
17 Jul 09
Funny how opposite we are. If I don't have music playing, every little unexpected noise will distract me. With the right music on, I won't notice little unexpected distractions.
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@sugarplum9084 (1771)
• United States
16 Jul 09
Yeah, it depends, sometimes it can be a distraction, and other times it can help the book and really help you get into it. It is like watching a movie and having music in it as well, music can really aid the story in a movie, helps set the scene and the mood for you. I would do it more often but it seems like music would slow me down when I am trying to get into a book, with all of the changing on the music etc. They should sell books with music cd's attached for each chapter haha, maybe I can start a business hehe. Happy mylotting and have a good night!
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@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
17 Jul 09
That's a good idea about selling books with music CDs attached. I like that idea!!! Music isn't a distraction to me in general (I always need to have something playing in the background) however the WRONG kind of music is a major distraction. That's why I had to change the music when I started reading. Now I really like that Bosnian radio station I found, and have continued listening to it even after I finished the book.
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@moyeun (23)
• China
19 Jul 09
I think so because I always met the same feeling as your. Something maybe can explain this strange phenomenon, such as nervous system. We know that our nervous system is a complex organization, all nerves are not single but connected to others. When we listen to music, our optic nevers will affect auditory nerves. If music and book are alike, the affectation is fine. If they are afoul, the affection is bad. However, the above is my "guess" only. It make me think of another thing. When I was young, there were many examinations in each term. And some classmate's mother told her that if she listen to Mozart's music at the night before the examination, she will perform good in the next day. And my classmate followed her mother's suggestion. I don't know if this mother's opinion made any sense of her scores, but in the next few years, she got great success in her bachelor and master degrees. Maybe, music can activate some potential ability in a special way.
