Coding Music: What to Play While You Code, Debug and Review, From the Research
Coding music is one of the most searched kinds of work music, and for good reason: programmers were the subject of one of the best field studies of music at work. Music you like can lift your mood and the quality of routine work. But reading and debugging code is close reading, and fast, loud music or lyrics compete for the same short-term memory you use to hold the code in your head. So the best coding music changes with the task. This page covers what to play for writing new code, debugging and code review, and why. The sounds are in Mindael, free to download on the App Store.
For coding, match the sound to the task. In a five-week field study of software developers, mood and quality of work were lower on days without music they chose, so music you like suits routine coding, refactoring and setup. For debugging and code review, which are close reading, use something steadier: in experiments, reading comprehension fell when background music was fast and loud, and a meta-analysis found background music disrupted reading and memory tasks even when it lifted mood. Brown noise, rain or instrumental music at a low level are the safe choices. For design and architecture, a moderate background, around café level, helped creative thinking in a lab study, while loud noise hurt it. Avoid lyrics for any task that involves reading.
Sounds that work, and why
Brown noise
The debugging default: deep and featureless, it hides the room without adding anything your working memory has to process.
Rain
A natural steady sound for long sessions of reading and reviewing code. Nothing to follow, nothing to predict.
Beta waves
A beta beat under brown noise in headphones, for a 25 to 50 minute push on a hard bug or a deadline.
Pink noise
A little brighter than brown, for a shared office where voices are close and you need more of the speech range covered.
Alpha waves
A calmer beat under rain for design, planning and whiteboard thinking, where a relaxed mind helps more than a pushed one.
What the research on programmers found
Software developers are the subject of one of the clearest field studies of music at work. Over five weeks, developers listened to music they chose while they worked, and on the days without it their mood and the quality of their work were lower (Lesiuk, 2005). Music lifts mood, and a better mood helps with long, repetitive stretches of work. That is the case for a playlist.
Why reading code is different
Debugging and code review are close reading: you hold several lines, names and states in short-term memory at once. Background music competes for that space. In experiments, reading comprehension fell when background music was both fast and loud, while slow or soft music did much less harm (Thompson et al., 2012). A meta-analysis of background music research found that, across studies, music tended to disrupt reading and memory tasks even while it improved mood (Kämpfe et al., 2011). Lyrics are the biggest problem, because words are processed automatically.
The sound for each task
Routine coding, setup and refactoring. Music you like, preferably instrumental. This is where the mood effect helps.
Debugging. A steady sound with nothing to follow: brown noise or rain at a low level. For a long push on a hard bug, add a beta beat under brown noise in headphones.
Code review. Lightly, or not at all. A low steady sound in a noisy room, silence in a quiet one.
Design and architecture. A moderate background can help. In a lab study, a café-level background of about 70 dB improved creative thinking compared with a quieter room, while loud noise of 85 dB hurt it (Mehta et al., 2012). Rain with an alpha beat is our choice for whiteboard sessions.
Setting up a coding session
Notifications off, one task, 25 to 50 minutes, the same sound each time so it becomes a cue to start. Our best stay focused app checklist covers the block and the phone, the focus at work guide covers open-plan offices, and the focus sounds guide has the research on each sound. Mindael is where we keep our coding sounds: brown and pink noise, rain and beta and alpha beats, free to download.
How to set it up tonight
- Name the taskWriting routine code, debugging, reviewing or designing. Each one wants a different sound.
- No lyrics for reading codeDebugging and review are close reading. Words in the music compete with the words on the screen.
- Keep it slow and lowFast, loud music hurt reading in experiments. Low volume, steady tempo, or no tempo at all.
- Use music you like for routine workSetup, refactoring, formatting and tests: a playlist you enjoy can lift mood through the repetitive stretch.
- Same sound, same blockNotifications off, 25 to 50 minutes, the same sound each time so it becomes a cue to start.
Hide the room. Keep the code in your head.
Mindael has brown and pink noise generated to spec, rain and ocean recorded without loops and beta and alpha beats made in our studio, two at a time. Free to download, no account, works offline. A steady sound for the bug that needs your whole attention.
- Brown, pink noise, rain and binaural beats, studio-made
- Two sounds at once, fine volume control
- Free to download, no account, works offline
Free · No account needed · Works offline Frequently asked questions
What is the best music for coding?
For routine coding, music you like, ideally without lyrics. For debugging and code review, a steady sound such as brown noise, rain or quiet instrumental music. For design and planning, a moderate background. Avoid fast, loud music and songs with words when you need to read closely.
Does music help programmers?
It can. In a five-week field study, software developers' mood and quality of work were lower on days without music they chose. The effect depends on the task: music helps most with routine work and can hurt close reading, such as debugging.
Is it bad to listen to music with lyrics while coding?
For tasks with a lot of reading, yes for most people. Lyrics are processed automatically and compete with the language you are reading. Many developers keep lyrics for setup and routine tasks and switch to instrumental music or noise for hard problems.
Is white noise or brown noise good for coding?
Yes, especially in a noisy office or café. A steady noise masks voices without adding anything to follow. Brown noise is softer and deeper than white noise, which is why many people prefer it for long sessions.
What music is good for debugging?
Something you do not notice: brown noise, rain or slow instrumental music at a low volume. In experiments, reading comprehension fell when music was fast and loud, and debugging is close reading.
Should I listen to music during code review?
Lightly, if at all. Review is careful reading and judgement, so a steady low sound or silence works best. Save the playlist for the next routine task.
Sources
- Lesiuk T. The effect of music listening on work performance. Psychology of Music, 2005.
- Thompson WF, Schellenberg EG, Letnic AK. Fast and loud background music disrupts reading comprehension. Psychology of Music, 2012.
- Kämpfe J, Sedlmeier P, Renkewitz F. The impact of background music on adult listeners: a meta-analysis. Psychology of Music, 2011.
- Mehta R, Zhu R, Cheema A. Is noise always bad? Exploring the effects of ambient noise on creative cognition. Journal of Consumer Research, 2012.