prairiewindmomma Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Can you read a book and comprehend it well while music with lyrics is playing in the background? In my house, we appear to be evenly split… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 I CAN but I prefer not to. I'm often reading in the same room with the tv on, music playing, people talking, etc. I usually don't have a problem focusing just on my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 No, but I have an app that's an ambient mood mixer where I can use background noises to get into a story: the sounds of the woods while reading LoTR, a fireplace/clanking/shuffling about while reading Harry Potter... We've trained ourselves here to devote attention while listening to music and devote attention while reading, so it's difficult to pick one when both are going on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Music, but no lyrics for me when reading. I used to be able to - I remember studying with music/vocals in high school. But no more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 (edited) Yes. Most of my lifelong reading had music in the background. The bonus is that now, every time I hear the golden oldies, I remember what book I was reading when that was a hit. 😛 But on a possibly related note ... I think listening to music does have a negative impact when I do word games (wordle etc.). I guess it's harder to think of words when you're hearing other words. ETA: ok wait. I hadn't focused on the "with lyrics" part of the OP. I think that does change with age. In recent decades, when I have read and listened to music, it's usually been either instrumental or foreign-language music, so there aren't usually English words trying to mix in with my reading. I do work better in general, now, without a variety of competing background sounds. (Weirdly, my business partner, who is in her 60s, has the news on in the background all day long. That would make me insane. But that isn't what the OP was asking about.) Edited December 9, 2022 by SKL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 I cannot but both of my kids prefer to study/do school work this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 If forced, I can. However, I generally do much, much better interacting with only one source of words at a time. If someone else in the house has music with lyrics playing while I'm trying to read, I cope by simply mentally tuning out the sound (or putting in earbuds to play classical music for myself). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Not with lyrics, no. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Absolutely NOT!! Not if there are lyrics. No way. I don't know how people do that. Some of my kids do that. What? Don't they need to sing along (even if just in their heads), like me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleowl Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Absolutely not. With no lyrics, maybe. I also find it difficult to attend to conversations if there's music with lyrics on in the background. Based on my observations, most people don't find that nearly as challenging as I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 no, I can't comprehend what I'm reading. Too distracting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 Nope. I used to be able to, if they were songs I knew well. But it was never easy, and I’m out of practice now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarita Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 I mean I could but I wouldn't be able to tell you what I read... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 I need complete quiet to read and write. No music at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulalu Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 No. The lyrics are too distracting. I can listen to instrumental music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 I also prefer not to, but can tune out the tv, video game, music, whatever is going on in the background. Except for my husband, when he's having one of those days where he needs to share all and coming out of his office to talk to me every five minutes. LOL! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintinative Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 No, I need silence when I am reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 I can it doesn't bother me at all. I have read through all kinds of Chao and background noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 9 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said: Can you read a book and comprehend it well while music with lyrics is playing in the background? In my house, we appear to be evenly split… My house is evenly split. I’m not on Team Background Noise. I can work through it, but it’s work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 I do well with music or TV in the background - it helps me concentrate better than silence. When I was a kid, I'd always have to play music or have the TV on in the background to do homework. I think my brain is part toddler and needs to be occupied so the other part of my brain can work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa Louise Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 Sure, but I won't be paying attention to the music as well as reading. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 Depends on the zone I’m in. I’m usually either under stimulated or over stimulated, so music could help or hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 Yes, but my preference is just instrumental music like Bach, Chopin, or Debussy playing in the background. I successfully read a book one time while Mark's audio book played on his kindle during a road trip to Iowa. He couldn't believe I managed it. But, there are only so many times you can listen to "Hail Mary" by Andy Weir, husband's favorite book for long trips (which we take a lot of). "Mark my darling, please get another book!" 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emba Posted December 10, 2022 Share Posted December 10, 2022 I can but but prefer not to, because if I have to focus hard (i can’t enjoy music and the book at the same time) to block out the music, I’ll be so into the book that I won’t hear anything, and that isn’t very compatible with family life and being a responsible mom and not burning the dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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