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ccmcacollister ♡ 90 ( +1 | -1 )
MUSIC for Chessplaying !? I didn't really see anything on this when I did Forum search. Am I the only one who likes Music before or during Chess play or even studies?! I've heard that listening to some Classical Composers, in particular Mozart, is supposed to produce brainwaves stimulating to the Creative areas of the human mind. I've tried that. But maybe had the wrong piece to listen to. I felt more drowsy than stimulated. Perhaps Wagner or Beethoven will work better for me?!
....But being a Rock-n-Roll fanatic, that's been best for me so far. After Rammstein,
Pearl Jam, Rick Derringer and Nugent as tries, so far Led Zep still makes the best mood for a Chess fight. But as for feeling mentally stimulated or more creative, so far only Eric Johnson's "High Landrons" & a Mahogany Rush version of "Watchtower"
make it for me. But the search continues. Constantly. R-n-R Forever!
Or whatever suits You.
atrifix ♡ 17 ( +1 | -1 )
Among classical music, I particularly like Ride of the Valkyries, Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement, and Requiem, although I've never witnessed any observable impact on my chess. Yet.
chessnovice ♡ 61 ( +1 | -1 )
... I wonder if this topic has been covered on these forums yet. It seems like such a good question to ask. After reading an article on Mozart's effect on stimulating the brain, I made it a point to listen to classical music before anything that required serious thought (exams, as well as chess). It worked nicely with exams, but not so much with the chess - I had a phase of hanging pieces for a while.

More recently, I just listen to the radio. If not that, then I am most likely listening to Jane's Addiction, which has been my band of interest as of late.
More: Chess
honololou ♡ 36 ( +1 | -1 )
this topic has been covered� back when the social forum was operational. I would guess that one's choice of music
would reflect one's playing style. As far as classical music is concerned, aggressive,
attacking players would perhaps prefer agitato while quiet positional players might lean
towards largo.

Not sure where Ted Nugent fits in.
alice02 ♡ 13 ( +1 | -1 )
Really!!! Don't you know that the more agressive music mentioned above was composed by using musical notes for chess pieces and playing the resultant "board compositions". (lol)
ccmcacollister ♡ 240 ( +1 | -1 )
honololou Re Ted Nugent... [8>) Well, perhaps to help in placing Ted Nugent: During the USA/UN Coalition Operation Desert Shield in Kuwait, loudspeakers were set-up to play the Ted Nugent song
"Stranglehold" at the Iraqi forces day & night prior to launching the Desert Storm ground assault, according to CNN reports of that time. At mega-volume, of course.
( I can't recall what was played for General Noriega, in Panama, when seige was laid to his compound/bunker, or whatever it was there. But seems like it was some-thing different than Ted ?!).
If I Had to go with Ted to produce a belligerent Chess mood, I'd prefer "Dog Eat Dog" or "Stormtroopin" myself. But don't really find him suitable for attempting a quiet positional struggle. Maybe something like "Get Together" by the Youngbloods, with Autoharp in it. Or at least something with some keyboards in it. [8-)
So my preferences change to suit mood I'm in, or Want to Get into. Sometimes to suit the type positions I'll be looking at, or intend to play for. A bit more variable than some, I'd imagine. And sure that many DO relate their own choices to personal or playing temperment(s)alone, as you said. {Which obviously can be exact opposites in some players. Like Spassky as Chess-Gentleman behind the board, but Chess-Killer on it, during his heyday. But suppose many more have matching temperments: Fischer, Tal, Karpov, Kasparov, etc. Yes? } That aspect is another I'm interested in knowing about.
.......Yet I'm certain some (most?) players prefer absolute silence During play. I certainly do when in TimeTrouble or Combinative-calculations. But heard Botvinnik used to practice with all the distractions, of noise, cigar smoke, talking, etc, to build unbreakable concentration during tmt play. Wish I had THAT! Since my OTB play is rather slow, usually games finish & talking starts right about as I enter Time Trouble. Like my last 5 or 6 mins.
With Social Forum gone now, since before I even got here; & those discussions not even accessible to us now(Wish they were!). I hope no one objects too much to a replay here. I did check GK Forum & this GK Chess Forum, to find it absent therein, and really am interested in the topic. So Thanks to everyone posting. Also,
myself, I like seeing some "lighter" topics once in awhile. After so many getting so serious; controversial & disputed. But if 10 want to delete it, such is democracy :)
.


achillesheel ♡ 32 ( +1 | -1 )
Funny When I first joined GK, I used to include in my profile a line that said "Currently playing chess while listening to:" Big ones last year included Alasdair Roberts (exc. Scottish neo-folk) to delta blues (Charley Patton, esp.) and, my old standby, '70s and '80s punk. Today it happens to be Yo La Tengo!!

Fun post ccm.
ckytep ♡ 124 ( +1 | -1 )
Music I wouldn't recommend listening any music while playing, and especially studying chess.

I usually do listen music while playing and studying (Since music is the only thing that's more important to me than chess, I listen music almost 24/7) and I feel that I don't interiorize things very much when studying..

but once I was visiting my father and had no music with me and had Nimzowitch's My System and a chessboard with me and started studying it, and for some odd reason I got these "Ahhaaa!" -sensations and I really learned something that time.. and few days later I read something related to that, and it said something about while not listening music and studying, the study-process is much more effective since the music is not there to diturb your mental processing...

It was really better to not listen music since when I had studied while listening music I would just read the text and think "ah.. ok.." but then somehow I really couldn't fully understand what it really meant, and soon forgot the whole thing, but when I had no music the things I read I could really understand it and they were saved to my subconscious forever..

sorry for my dubious english
achillesheel ♡ 46 ( +1 | -1 )
True Ckytep Also being an avid music fan (24/7 type), I learned in law school how much more I retained if a text had my undivided attention, i.e., no music, TV blaring, kids in the room, etc. But I don't take GK games as seriously as law school exams, so I usually listen to music while playing. I've no doubt my rating would improve 100 points if I laid off music (and beer) during chess, but the beer and music make it all the more fun (for me, at least), which is what it's all about, after all.
premium_steve ♡ 77 ( +1 | -1 )
Well... I can't stand using the computer without having some music on, so naturally I'm usually listening to something while I play chess here.
Favorites for me lately are Metric (fantastic uptempo rock. join this yahoo group>> groups.yahoo.com/group/metric_band for mp3s :)), Sondre Lerche, Bjork, and Rufus Wainwright.

I find that listening doesn't affect my gameplay at all, but can be distracting when I study chess on my bed. Once you are accustomed to the music, it can be like you're listening to nothing at all - just as something to fade out other noises in your house maybe.

PS: I've never been able to get into classical music... but I'd like to.
buddy2 ♡ 51 ( +1 | -1 )
painting I've found that painting while playing over the board helps my concentration so I bring my brushes and easel to all the tournaments. Occasionally, an opponent will complain to the TD, but there is no USCF rule restricting the arts while playing. I have, however, switched over to acrylics so my opponents couldn't complain about the smell. I specialize in landscapes mostly, and surprisingly my opponents are so fascinated by my compositions they make simple oversights, but that's their problem. I don't ask them to look at my work.
finduriel ♡ 130 ( +1 | -1 )
music Thanks for your pm, ccmcacollister. Eric Johnson, it seems to me, is mostly good for positional play, especially Forty Mile Town or Manhattan. They work quite well for me. Just like Emerald Eyes. I lose my nerve when it comes to Zap or Cliffs of Dover, at least when trying to play chess.
I actually think my best results have come with ZZTop or even Dire Straits, because they get me to relax without actually losing concentration or aggression. It's more like a cool kind of aggression with them.
Worst is Prince. I really love him, but he's no good for chessplaying. Probably because I can't stop moving when he's on.
Very bad too are romantic lovesongs (Sade, some Journey or Billy Joel).
There's a music for every occasion. :) Romantic lovesongs and Prince are reserved for something else.

Has anybody pondered the connection between chess ability and music ability? Both involve creativity and a certain amount of calculation I guess. And training. Of course, musical training is often geared at learning to play an instrument (physical skill), while chess training is mental. After all, chess playing doesn't require much physical training.

Any thoughts about this?
pycroft ♡ 76 ( +1 | -1 )
Music and Chess Being a professional musician, I find listening to music both enjoyable, and relaxing, but also distracting. I often find myself singing, or conducting a piece of music and just blindly staring at the screen computer screen. My favorite composer is Beethoven, so he's my favorite to listen to. As far as listening to Mozart helping your chess, it's bogus. I could go into hundreds of studies about classical music and learning. Basically, listening to classical music doesn't make you smarter, it makes you use both sides of your brain. I believe all the studies you are talking about study children who listen to the music for hours a day, and thus strenghthen the use of their brain. Listening to the music will not instantly make you smarter or better at chess.
achillesheel ♡ 27 ( +1 | -1 )
finduriel Musicianship and chess involve temporal/spatial reasoning, so it makes sense that a talent for one would imply a talent (or at least nascent talent) for the other. By that theory, mathematicians should also excel. Any piano playing math teachers on GK??
chessnovice ♡ 10 ( +1 | -1 )
buddy2 I don't know if you're being serious or not, but I can imagine why people would complain to the TD. I wouldn't want to get paint on my set...
pycroft ♡ 110 ( +1 | -1 )
Paint on your set??? How about paint on your piano!!!

Regarding temporal/spatial reasoning, it does make sense that a talent for one would be a talent for another. However, listening to music is not a talent. If I am thick as a brick, and listen to Mozart before I play my next game, it won't make me better. I play the piano, and pianists are well known for using both sides of their brain simultaneously (Reasoning in reading the music and computing where the fingers should go, as well as using the creative areas of the brain to make a musical performance). It has been said that musicians are well rounded human beings, being not only smart, but creative (Possibly from using both sides of the brain all the time rather than a mathematician who may not use their creative side, but may be much more book smart than a typical musician.). However, listening to music does not change any of this.

*I hope nobody takes offense to this post. I am not trying to say that Musicians are better than Mathematicians, but am just trying to generalize a scenerio *
achillesheel ♡ 54 ( +1 | -1 )
pycroft I thinkn finduriel was speaking of musicianship (musical abilities) rather than listening to music. I think some of this "both sides of the brain" stuff has been debunked to some degree. Not that it doesn't matter at all, but I have read some articles recently (past 2-3 years) concluding that it is often overblown or oversimplified. I am a musician myself, so it's not any anti-musician sentiment; and I don't profess to be an expert. Just two more cents on the issue.
vanning ♡ 17 ( +1 | -1 )
Listening my favourite music sometimes not good for the game, cause I start enjoying music instead of thinking :) And unfortunately I can't listen music that I don't like.. :)
ccmcacollister ♡ 26 ( +1 | -1 )
Starting a New Thread Now for discussion about Chess re: Mathematicians/Musicians/Spatial Perception skills. Since it has come up both here and in the "Music for Chess" thread. I think there is a lot more that can be said on these things that might be rather interesting too.
ccmcacollister ♡ 8 ( +1 | -1 )
Oops meant to say, it has also come up in the Need Help Using Knights thread, besides here.
mormel12 ♡ 20 ( +1 | -1 )
you all weren't here long enough already,i think, but things like these used to be discussed in the old social forums.
that's why you won't find this subject here now.
(cheetah/easy rider, where are you?)
greetings
v_glorioso12 ♡ 10 ( +1 | -1 )
i like listening to gangster rap, or r&b, or hiphop during chess game :D it helps me relax...kinda hard to belive, heh?
error ♡ 20 ( +1 | -1 )
I am listening to the Matthew Good Band as I move right now, im almost always listening to music. It seems much too empty without it, and I lose focus, so music does help me move.
mgrowe ♡ 2 ( +1 | -1 )
Cypress Hill Checkmate Fool!
macheide ♡ 27 ( +1 | -1 )
Just a personal advice...
See and listen Stevie Ray Vaughan (requiescat in pace). When you see him (I recommend his concert in Austin City limits, 10/October/89) you can see the same gifted kind of guy (In another field) that you see in Anand, Morozevich, Shirov and other geniuses.

Enoy it!

Regards,

Andr�s
macheide
sly_lonewolf ♡ 43 ( +1 | -1 )
ccmcacollister, This has been one of the more interesting threads in the forum, IMO. Well done!
I'm afraid that I can't contribute much to the discussion....I'm usually not listening to any music when I make my moves/analysis which is usually from my off, but personally I thinks sentimental music brings inspiration. Anyway, when everything else fails, some fast music might knock some ideas to my brain! :)
Rgds,
Sly
baseline ♡ 20 ( +1 | -1 )
the moody blues always a chess playing favorite of mine, but I tend to shut everything out when I'm concentrating on a move and have to click back two or three songs to get back to where I stopped listening.
pycroft ♡ 35 ( +1 | -1 )
I never answered the question Duh...I went on about psychology and music I never answered. Beethoven, being
the greatest composer who ever lived is my only choice while playing chess. My
favorite is his Missa Solemnis in D, but also ranking high are his 9th symphony, 7th
symphony, 3rd symphony, and every once in a while I'll sing along with his only
opera...Fidelio.
achillesheel ♡ 20 ( +1 | -1 )
pycroft I am not a big classical music fan, but I probably would vote Beethoven's violin concerto in D the most beautiful piece of music ever written. I've banged out a good many chess moves listening to it!
commodore ♡ 17 ( +1 | -1 )
My pick would be... The Allman Brothers Live at the Filmore East for all those deep south redneck king crashing chess heads. One of my fav since I saw them there live!