Horror Aficionados discussion

Does anyone else have to have some background noise while reading to block out distractions?

I have been playing ambient noise makers in the background, especially at work.

I have been listening to this site for a while. Horror ambients:

http://www.ambient-mixer.com/s/horror

I like this one:

http://horror.ambient-mixer.com/haunt...

I usually like it quiet to concentrate, but i'm going to give this a try! Thanks!

I like the sound of a thunder storm, or the rain and the sound of the ocean.

When I read, the world goes away.

I wish the world went away when I read, but I'm so freaking noise sensitive. Rain is nice to read to though, it is raining right now.

I like to listen to the rain when I'm reading.

But after growing up in a house with three women, and commuting in the city of New York, my hearing has an automatic shut-off.

Ken wrote: "Does anyone else have to have some background noise while reading to block out distractions?

I have been playing ambient noise makers in the background, especially at work.

I have been listening ..."

Thanks Ken; that Nerve Wrecking Haunted Sounds site is just the ticket for reading horror.

Now I even like to listen to quiet in the car, unless it's an audiobook. So sick of my music, and really get annoyed when my husband drives and I have to listen to music he likes. Guitar jams by Rush are not my idea of a relaxing ride. And he can't NOT listen to music when he drives.

I'm so glad I've discovered the joy of audiobooks, took me long enough, but now it's like a whole new way of entertaining myself, I barely even listen to music anymore.

Jon Recluse wrote: "When I read, the world goes away."

When I read, the world comes to me.

Don't really need background noise. I learned to tune it out at an early age. I can read in the dead quiet and I can read with the 1MC blaring updates on a drill that doesn't concern me (A Navy thing--trust me, it's really loud!)

Horrorshow wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "When I read, the world goes away."

When I read, the world comes to me."

Exactly.

I read a lot of the time in silence, however . . .

Rain is nice.
Favorite music is good too.

When a certain boy wizard's seventh book came out, I loaded up Winamp with great tunes and then read to the rock.

Lately my background noise while reading has been kids fighting. Gotta love summer vacation.

Horrorshow wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "When I read, the world goes away."

When I read, the world comes to me."

Nicely said by both of you!

Tressa wrote: "Now I even like to listen to quiet in the car, unless it's an audiobook. So sick of my music, and really get annoyed when my husband drives and I have to listen to music he likes. Guitar jams by Ru..."

OMG, my car has to have music or I would go out of my mind. If I get sick of my own music, the radio does just fine. And there is nothing wrong with a Rush guitar jam, especially if it happens to be Working Man. :)

I can tune out most everything-even my husband yelling out Score! Or Goal! Or Grand Slam!
The only thing that gets on my nerves and makes it impossible for me to read is listening to a basketball game. All the sneaker squeaking sneaks into my head and drives me mad.

I like listening to music when I read.

I never used background noise until several years ago after some maddening trips taking my son to the orthodontist and the hell that was their waiting area. I started with white noise or nature sounds but now listen to mostly ambient or chill music.......of course silence still works, if I can find it.

I can tune out pretty much anything when I read. I have been in so deep that several times I have had to be tapped on the shoulder to register anything!

Two sounds that distract me while reading is Television and music. I just cannot enjoy the book with these noises.

I need background noise. Music usually works best for me. Doesn't matter what kind. I usually find TV too distracting, unless its just something I have no interest in.

I love the sound of wind and rain but we don't get much of either where I'm at. I find the sound of a fan being on to be soothing when I read. At home though I usually like silence. When I do listen to music it changes with book and mood. For awhile now I've been on a Killers kick. But for books where I really have to think I prefer classical or instrumental music.
Sounds I hate, TV and birds. I love almost all animals but I can't stand birds...

I much prefer complete silence to read. I like to get really absorbed in the book. Same with if I'm writing essays or similar. Although the sound of rain or thunder is fine, especially if I'm reading horror.

My brother is the opposite - whatever he is doing, be it browsing the internet, eating, reading, doing uni work, he just HAS to have background noise.

When I am reading, I can't focus on the book if people are in the same area having a conversation. When doing other things, like studying or browsing, I can have music or a show/movie on in the background. It would become a bit boring otherwise and that results in me losing my focus.

I can't stand having music as background noise......hey, it is music, so if I can't focus on it and get into it, it is merely a distraction. I really only like to listen to music sometimes while driving or doing housework. (Although I have to confess that I love to have a "Real Housewives" marathon in the background while doing housework.......thank you, Bravo TV)

Reading, however, I lose myself in the book and I am oblivious to what is going on around me.

Its odd for me....I don't mind music playing in the background or anything like that (although I do prefer complete silence)

However....the sound of actual people talking and gabbing away while I'm trying to read pushes my berserk button. I have no idea why....probably because for the longest time, I lived with people who had no concept of an indoor voice....a reader's worst nightmare.

I have to have silence. If the TV is on or something, I find that I end up listening to it and missing what I'm reading. Thunderstorms are fine, rain falling on the roof. I just can't have music or TV, where I would have to listen to the words to understand it.

Drone Zone on somafm.com. I can stream that station 24/7. No more distracting than a thunderstorm, great for reading and sleeping.

11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Drone Zone on somafm.com. I can stream that station 24/7. No more distracting than a thunderstorm, great for reading and sleeping."

Nice to know! Thanks, Eleven!

I like, "white noise" in the background. Fan/ac, sound of rain, that sort of thing.

Thats also a reason why I cant find time to read, theres always noise going on around me and I need total quiet to be focused on a book.

the soundtrack to the fountain, antony and the Johnsons, cocorosie,enigma

No It totally screws up my concentration. I have to have total silence when I read.

I listen to music, but I can even read while watching tv, cooking or talking to people. I think it's because when my kids were young I either read through the noice or I didn't read at all.

I'm a music person. Doesn't really matter what kind (although my faves are Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds and the soundtrack to JC Superstar). I cannot read with the TV on, too distracting. I can't have anything on when I'm doing school work, doesn't have to be silent just not distracting. As for rain or storms; my biggest problem is they put me to sleep. I love a good summer thunderstorm in the middle of the afternoon ( I work nights so this is perfect for me).

Ah but it's different if you're doing school work. In that case it does have to be quiet, although I always had to have music playing.

Chad wrote: "I'm a music person. Doesn't really matter what kind (although my faves are Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds and the soundtrack to JC Superstar). I cannot read with the TV on, too distracting. I ca..."

Oh, I LOVE the music from JC Superstar! The problem for me if I have music on is I find myself wanting to sing along instead of being able to read. If I can find some nice bg music that has no words, it's not too bad.

But I much prefer silence! Sitting back in my LaFuma lawnchair on my patio, with one of the dogs in my lap (yes, they're all between 35-60 pounds, but they all still consider themselves lap puppies!).

Ok, I've had my moment of daydream. Back to work! Just 3 1/2 more hours!

Chad wrote: "I'm a music person. Doesn't really matter what kind (although my faves are Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds and the soundtrack to JC Superstar). I cannot read with the TV on, too distracting. I ca..."

definitely a music person, usually metal. I agree the tv is too distracting.

Brenda wrote: "Chad wrote: "I'm a music person. Doesn't really matter what kind (although my faves are Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds and the soundtrack to JC Superstar). I cannot read with the TV on, too distr..."

Love having one of the puppies on my lap while I read. The problem is I usually have to forfeit my favourite chair for the couch because if I have one in my lap, they all want in my lap (We have 3 Cairn terriers).

Silence. I definitely need silence when I read. Any sound annoys me.

My garden backs up onto a railroad track and when the train passes by (which is often ) my house rattles. I am so use to the sound and vibrations i find it comforting when i am reading !

I can't do anything with lyrics, way too distracting.
I have been listening to quite a bit of Kronos Quartet recently.

Here's a couple of youtube links

Phillip Glass/Kronos Quartet-Dracula

Kronos Quartet-Lux Aeterna(live)


Dmitri Soshtakovich-Kronos Quartet


I found this next song so disquieting I had to stop listening while I was reading. When the faint voice kicks in after about a minute..........


Istvan Marta-Doom. A sigh/Kronos Quartet.

Ctgt wrote: "I can't do anything with lyrics, way too distracting.
I have been listening to quite a bit of Kronos Quartet recently.

Here's a couple of youtube links

Phillip Glass/Kronos Quartet-Dracula

Krono..."

Good call on Lux Aeterna. Disturbing music from an equally disturbing film.

11811 (Eleven) wrote: "Ctgt wrote: "I can't do anything with lyrics, way too distracting.
I have been listening to quite a bit of Kronos Quartet recently.

Here's a couple of youtube links

Phillip Glass/Kronos Quartet-D..."

Have not seen it yet but it's on my list.

Mehmet wrote: "Two sounds that distract me while reading is Television and music. I just cannot enjoy the book with these noises."

Yes me too. I end up listening to the words of the song or the tv... Another thing is if people are talking around me, I end up listening to then talk then what I am reading. I just can't focus. I really need it to be silent for me to read.

That is exactly how i feel Mason. Nice to know that someone feels same way :-)

weirdly though i can ignore noises of people talking when i am reading on a train though !

Curran wrote: "Chad wrote: "I'm a music person. Doesn't really matter what kind (although my faves are Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds and the soundtrack to JC Superstar). I cannot read with the TV on, too distr..."

I like listening to rock, iPod ,stereo or music video. Noise just doesn't bother me, I usually just blank it out anyway.

I normally do have the T.V. on when I am reading. I have read without any noise, normally if I lost power for whatever reason, but the silence bothers me more.

It has to be quiet without noise as to me it causes a distraction and I have a hard time concentrating on the words. :)



Oh by the way, I am back to digging through the HA archives. I am finding all kind of cool threads! lol :)