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Music for serious studying
As every star student knows, blocking out distracting sounds will supercharge your study session. But you can do better than simply streaming the latest pop single or some snooze-inducing chirping crickets.
These apps generate low-key music in real time—an endless track that never repeats, so you won’t even be disturbed by a gap between songs. Launch one, crack open your books, and stay oblivious to the bustle of the café around you or the house party raging next door.
NodeBeat
‣ The innovative sequencer NodeBeat is a favourite among musicians for its visual approach to generating catchy loops. But students will appreciate the handy autoplay feature. When you launch NodeBeat for the first time, choose the option to Listen rather than Create, and let the algorithm run its course. While the default setting feels suited to study, you can easily tailor the sounds to match your mood. Drag any of the floating coloured circles off the screen to make your song progressively less complex.
myNoise
‣ myNoise is the king of ambient sound apps, letting you tailor the patter of rainfall or rush of a river just so. But it also has a very cool music creator. “88Keys” and “Mr. Rhodes” are soothing piano soundtracks that the app composes in real time. There are ample ways to customize these songs too. Play around with the sliders until you stumble upon something that pleases you—then get back to those books.
Brian Eno: Reflection
‣ Reflection, Brian Eno’s ambient-music masterpiece (which you can stream on Apple Music), was nominated for a Grammy, but Eno considers the app version the truest expression of the work. This artwork in app form creates an ever-changing soundscape that varies depending on the time of day (harmonies are “brighter” in the morning) and the season.