The power of a good soundtrack should not go unnoticed. Music has an ability to invoke profound emotions and keep you trapped in cycles of nostalgia for hours. From the deep cutting symphonies reminiscent of a heart-wrenching breakup to the confident house tracks that spring your step on your way to university; music immerses you in another world. It heightens your sensitivity to the environment around you, and therefore can be seen as the perfect companion to study with.
Guess what, this is also scientifically proven. Various studies have found that background music (BgM) increases the individual’s ability to focus, in comparison to silence. Listening to a track that sits at around 110bpm — a rate common of House music — decreases mind-wandering and increases a task-focus mentality, making such songs perfect for carving out a 2000-word essay the night before it is due.
The task-focus mentality is brought about through the BgM’s ability to change a student’s emotional state. Individuals with a decreased level of stress and anxiety are more likely to study better as they are more focused on the task at hand. The BgM they listen to facilitates this improvement in performance and has an impact on the emotional states of listeners, shaping moods, enhancing motivation, promoting relaxation and so on. This also ties in with how familiar you are with the BgM you are listening to.
A study by Feng and Bieldman in 2015 found that those listening to familiar classical music had a faster response time and better attention spans in contrast to those who were listening to unfamiliar music. The difference, they noted, was that the more familiar you are with your BgM, the more predictable it is, therefore causing reduced stress levels which has the effect of a stronger study performance. So, when listening to your study soundtracks, you will find yourself performing better because you understand the music.
Interestingly enough, this is also applicable to video game soundtracks. They do, and will, help your study performance, and you should start listening to them now.
The most renowned video games like Minecraft, Mario Kart, Pokémon and Skyrim, have had their soundtracks designed specifically to promote an immersive experience for the player. The tracks you might hear like Mice on Venus by C418, a Minecraft soundtrack gem, or Rainbow Road by Arcade Player, a staple of Mario Kart Wii, have been psychologically handpicked to force you into the game’s environment.
This corresponds to the idea of ‘spatial presence’. ‘Spatial Presence’ is the way in which a gamer can become so immersed in the game that they feel as if they are truly inside it. The music acts as a gateway to become so immersed in the game that it subconsciously guides the player through the events in the game without them realising it. How many times have you felt as if making a mistake in Tetris was life or death, or searching a cave in Minecraft seemed scarier than it should be? These experiences are so vivid and emotive because the BgM has immersed you so deeply in the game that you now believe you are in it. Every pulse of an upbeat Pokémon track drags you deeper and deeper into an imaginative world that you increasingly feel a part of.
Playing BgM in the form of a video game soundtrack will enhance your immersion within your study, as the soundtrack has been crafted to keep you stuck within whatever your focus is on. The idea of the ‘flow state’ stems from this. The ‘flow state’, often mentioned within professional sports, is a mental state in which you feel as if everything is basically flowing perfectly, whether you are making three-pointers or you are capturing every drop of information as if your memory was photographic. All of us will, at some point, have entered this state. Though not all too often, it does require perfect circumstance, which a soundtrack can help initiate.
According to a study of male gamers playing the video game DOOM, those playing with the BgM were able to score almost double that of those playing without sound. The same follows when it comes to your studies. Hallam and Price conducted a program that monitored the study abilities of primary school children and found that mathematics performance was improved for the children in the presence of calming BgM. Those who often would struggle with attention difficulties were reported having enhanced abilities in arithmetic and memory-related tasks when listening to BgM.
Another extremely interesting feature of video games is the use of sound effects or consistent BgM to signify an event occurring within the game. This creates an association between a moment and its correlating sound. The game will then alter your emotional state when you take a certain route or do a certain action, for example entering a new path in Pokemon may change the music to a slightly happier tune, from then on whenever you hear that happier tune you will associate it with entering a new path or vice versa. The same logic follows when it comes to study, such as when cramming economic theory before an exam.
If I was to listen to the Stardew Valley Soundtrack and then understand the effect of Tax Cuts upon Disposable Income, I might create a connection between the music I heard and that memory of my economics revision. As a consequence, next time I embark on the thrilling quest to slay the beast that is Keynesian Macroeconomics, I can put on the same BgM and recall the memories of my last attempt.
The reasoning lies in the roots of Psychology — defeating the final boss inspires fear within you. Being that the game targets your limbic system, using animal cries or the screams of fallen heroes, which then sparks fear and dread. It is highly appropriate then, that I don’t recommend listening to horror soundtracks. Aerospace Engineering doesn’t need to be scarier than it already is. But attaching a video game soundtrack, as your BgM, to one subject, according to theory, does work.
Some great video game soundtracks that will help with your study based on my experience are:
- MINECRAFT
One of the most popular games of all time and the music has an equally high reputation. Varied Instrumentals.
- THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM
A game with majestic landscapes and equally as majestic instrumentals but are by no means calm or relaxing. Should be used when tackling some difficult topics. Varied Instrumentals
- STARDEW VALLEY
A farm life role-playing game with a country style soundtrack. Happy and Bubbly.
- JOURNEY
An adventure game in which you travel across vast and amazing landscapes. Calming and Relaxing.
- CELESTE
A single player adventure game with a soundtrack that sounds like it could come from the 80s. Uplifting and Motivating.
- FINAL FANTASY
The plots vary between the games but this is a combat game so the music can also be extremely varied. Varied instrumentals.
- MASS EFFECT SERIES
Games set amongst the stars. Uplifting and Motivating.
- MARIO KART MUSIC
A racing game with popular fast paced music, can rush you but if it is what you are into, then go for it. Happy and Bubbly.
- FEZ
A retro soundtrack with a mixture of adventure type tunes. Uplifting and Motivating.
- POKEMON DIAMOND AND PEARL
Extremely popular game again, the music can also vary but is generally more happy and bubbly. Happy and Bubbly.
- FIREWATCH
An adventure game placed alongside a lovely forest soundscape. Calming and Relaxing.
- ABZU
An underwater adventure game with relaxing tunes that get deeper as you descend further towards the ocean floor. Calming and Relaxing
- GRIS
A game about a girl who travels through different stages of grief. Sad and Passionate.
- UNRAVEL
An adventure game in which a pair traverses wild terrains and rocky landscapes. Varied Instrumentals.
- THE LEGEND OF ZELDA
World renowned game with a mixture of relaxing and calming tunes to scary and frightening ones. Varied Instrumentals.
The most important thing is finding one familiar or one that clicks with YOU. But either way, listening to the soundtrack of a game you used to love or creating new connections to the calming soundscapes of Journey will make a great change in your performance, so I highly recommend it.
