In this month’s Deep Dive series, we were joined by Jamie Pabst, a DJ and Founder/CEO of Spiritune. We had a rich discussion around the science of music and why some music is better for focused work than others.

Here are three things that stood out from our conversation.

1. You might not be listening to the right music

Ok, that sounds harsh. Of course you’re listening to the right music! But when it comes to deep work, you may not be listening to music that is actually most effective for focus. It’s no surprise that there are certain kinds of music that are more distracting than others, but it’s actually more nuanced. Music you personally deeply enjoy keeps your attention and doesn’t allow you to focus on the task at hand. I’ve long held this belief that I cannot listen to anything when I’m head down in work. But that’s mostly because I would throw on classical music, which is generally my genre of choice, and bop around to the music staring out the window instead of narrowing my attention to my work.

Jamie helped us understand that we want to choose music that has enough auditory stimulation so it’s somewhat pleasurable but, more importantly, not distracting when it comes to deep work. There are lots of playlists and services that can help you find what’s best for you. Jamie’s company Spiritune is a wonderful option and worth giving a try (I’m using the app as I write this up!).

2. High vs. Low Event Density

Digging deeper into why some music is better for certain activities than others, Jamie helped us understand event density. High vs. low event density is essentially a way to describe how much is occurring in a musical composition. For example, a song that has high event density will be much more attention grabbing: many notes, overlapping instruments, lyrics, key changes, etc. Another way to think about it is as though the composition has a thick texture.

Conversely, a low event density composition might be considered simple. Not a lot of note changes, fewer instrumentation… a thin texture. When it comes to focused work, it’s best to choose music with lower event density so it’s not competing for attention. So best to leave Lizzo for the dance floor!

3. Music and Pain

Have you ever noticed that doing a challenging workout is more enjoyable when listening to music? It isn’t simply because you’ve chosen tunes you like. You can use music to trick your brain into feeling a certain way. For example, when it comes to physical pain from a challenging workout, choosing music that has a high event density will help your brain focus more on the music than on the pain you’re experiencing. When your brain is focused away from the pain, serotonin and dopamine might be released which allows you to exercise with more intensity and for a longer period of time.

Jamie also shared that doctors will occasionally use music in the operating room as an anesthesia or post-surgery pain medication replacement in order to achieve similar pain moderation results.

Check out what Jamie’s built at spiritune.com. It’s already changed my relationship to music & work.

Watch the entire conversation here:

Caveday is a company aimed at improving your relationship to work. We write regular posts here and send out monthly newsletters with productivity tips, life hacks, and recommendations. Sign up for the mailing list here.

Jamie Pabst is a DJ and Founder/CEO of Spiritune who is devoted to exploring how sound and music scientifically impacts our brain and can help people reliably and accessibly address emotional health and deeper human needs on an everyday basis. She also loves DJing as a vivid example of music’s ability to shift energy levels and the entire vibe of a space.

Molly Sonsteng is a Co-Founder of Caveday.