Do You Listen To Music While Trading? If Yes, Why?

The Lobby
41

Just a personal choice, but I would be a bad friend indeed if I did not try hard to show examples of classical music that does not fit with your description above, and encourage at least a minute or two analyzing why millions of people worldwide find classical music an amazing part of their lives.

Beethoven’s 9th symphony - why is it called “the choral symphony”?
Handel’s:
Messiah - almost the entire composition is choral
Zadok the Priest - Zadok the Priest has been sung prior to the anointing of the sovereign at the coronation of every British monarch since its composition and has become recognised as a British patriotic anthem

And how can the lyrics from Jerusalem be considered as anything other than awe-inspiring to an Englishman?
And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon England’s mountains green:

And was the holy Lamb of God,

On England’s pleasant pastures seen!

And did the Countenance Divine,

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here,

Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold:

Bring me my arrows of desire:

Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!

Bring me my Chariot of fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand:

Till we have built Jerusalem,

In England’s green & pleasant Land.

Sounds a bit like a Jihad to me.

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42

Jerusalem is a stirring and inspiring lyric with a melody that seems dignified and majestic. Its a great match and the piece works tremendously. Its also an outlier, a rare exception to the rule that classical music delivers almost zero lyrical content capable of communicating immediately and directly with the majority of listeners.

Vocal performance in the classical field, and I am leaning towards opera here, is at an extreme of acoustic delivery, preceding amplification obviously, and understandably demanding years of training and practice. These demands and the style make the vocal parts sound alien, unfamiliar as singing, and preventing ready recognition of lyric, meaning and emotional empathy, even if its sung in English. This stands as an obstacle between the composer and the audience and on that basis, classical vocal performance is highly skilled and yet a failure as an artistic medium.

I am more than willing to concede that certain choral compositions have the most memorable harmonies and melodies, which are aesthetically sublime. Your example of Handel, especially Zadok the Priest: Thomas Tallis, especially Spem in Alium: Gregorio Allegri, especially Miserere. The levels of harmonic achievement in these excel any standard: these pieces deserve some more ambitious title than just a “song”.

I can also accept that songs with incomprehensible lyrics can be great works. Procol Harum’s Whiter Shade of Pale for example. Yes, I know it quotes Bach. But most people would agree the English group’s 1967 performance is more accessible, more evocative, more reflective of its context in time and social place than anything by Bach, despite the expressionist lyric. The relaxed and matter of fact sincere vocal delivery is opposite to a classical approach but perfectly complements the song’s musical mood. This is music which works.

43

OMG. I never noticed. Was too floored by the singing drummer. The bassist I think was 12/13 at the time. Wow.

Maybe you’ll like this track. This dude inspired a lot of metal bassists and was very unusual because he played fingerstyle on a metal band, which to date is rare. Not a very recent track though.

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44

I personally made a life change few weeks ago to not do anything distracting from 9-5 pm.
That menas from 9-5 i dont listen to music, browse reddit and youtube. I do whatever i do fully on it without distgractions. The weird thing is now i am actually enjoying trading without music and doing things in silence.

Because there is something rewarding when your brain can pause and jut do one thing.
Of course sometimes i stand up and walk to the balcony or i smoke a joint but i never let the internet distract me.

Also think about the environment our bodies evolved to be what we are today. there were days where our ancestors just walked the fields in silence, searching fpr berries and making sure sabelthoot isnt anywhere near. Our brains have evolved to have some stillness here and there so we actually can even reflect on life itself without outside distraction.

Also a little bit a weird point but why do monks do their work and praying in abolute silence? its not that god told them to do it they do it because over hundrets of years the monks realised if you want to do something 100% you have to do it in silence and focused.

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45

Whoa! I’ve never seen anything like that before. Often bassists don’t mess with pedals very much. Well, not as often as guitarists do.

Good choice!

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46

Yea, I think he was the first to pioneer the use of bass like a lead guitar at the time. The other 3 band members saw him perform and wanted him so badly they ended up relocating from LA to San Francisco just to get him in the band.

This instrumental track even features a very prominent bass lead section.

Edit: I’ll have to stop myself now. I used to be a huge Metallica junkie. They’re the reason I got into hard rock/metal. Once I start I have a hard time shutting up :rofl:

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47

Love listening to music, but in my case I cannot focus with music on. All I can think about is dancing when listening to music which is of course dangerous for trading. Lol.

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48

I like to usually listen to classical music , it puts me in a state a flow with a clear mind and levels out any emotional disturbance, very useful when your trading

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49

I disagree. Because you never really experience true silence. There’s always noise around you and has always been. It’s just that over time or if the situation dictates a heightened sense of alertness, you naturally filter out the more frequently occurring background noise.

For context here’s an experience in a soundless room:

I believe it’s more of an acquired thing. I mean, you never really work in a silent environment. Even if you’re in the office alone on a weekend the overhead A/C is noticeable, your keyboard/mouse clicks & paper shuffling & the hum from the electronic equipment is louder in the relative silence. Then during the weekdays you have your neighbors discussing everyday work related stuff, meetings at cubicles, photocopier noises, the odd laugh/exclamation, office telephone and the annoying ringtone of someone who forgot to put it on silent, etc. This is amplified if you’re working in an open office environment, where the sound carries further.

It’s just that with deadlines to meet and schedules to keep you naturally condition yourself to drown out all the background noise. It’s the same with music tbh. Yea, the first time you hear a good track you’re in the groove and completely swaying to the tune but after a while the effect diminishes, with the same tune.

Now I have a very difficult time working without music because the background noises are more glaringly obvious. Sure, I can learn to ignore it all over again but I’d prefer to avoid it because I tend to work faster with extremely fast music. I’ve noticed how my typing tends to stay in tune, like a metronome, so it just ramps up with fast tracks like this one.

I know not everyone sees it the same way but I’m sure there are others like me out there (somewhere!)

Edit: Meant to reply to Titus. Sorry @vicjon1995! :pray:

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50

Nice one there

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51

image

Sorry to be stuck in the past, but have people forgotten about Pantera?
In my opinion, their best album.

But, if you wanna talk about the bass player taking the lead, Rick James is a great example. If you’re not familiar, beware: it ain’t metal.

52

I listen to music when I trade or do anything. Music helps me relax, and it takes away the boredom since I always find myself zoning out when I’m doing something repetitive. I think it helps me zone in on the task at hand.

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53

I’m wondering if serious difficulties in concentration while live trading are indicative of selection of an inappropriate trading style.

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54

Or if an inappropriate trading style is indicative of serious difficulties in concentration while live trading.

55

The older generation tends to claim that about the new generation. When I was a teenager my parents’ generation claimed the same thing about my music tastes, and then I grew up and my music tastes grew up and matured with me. Some twenty years later, I don’t listen to the music I was listening back then. I don’t think we should worry that much about kids these days, just like us, they will grow up and grow out of mumble rappers too.

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56

“…mumble rappers…”

:rofl:

57

Sadly I didn’t listen to this or Vulgar Display of Power. Listened to Cowboys From Hell quite a lot though and I love it. I know a few tracks from the other two like “Walk”, “This Love” & “I’m Broken”. Nothing else though. Time to get to know them :wink:

Man, I’ve never heard his stuff, despite the Chappelle skits. That’s a bit sad. It’s a really cool groove. Any other recommendations?

I’ve heard of great bassists that I want to listen to, like Victor Wooten and Jaco Pastorius. Especially want to listen to Pastorious but I’m pretty sure most of the stuff will fly over my head.

Overcast skies, cool weather all day after early morning rain. Decided to switch up the playlist a bit

beware: it ain’t metal :rofl:

58

Can totally relate to this.So zoned in that I’d jump out of the chair when colleagues tapped the shoulder to get my attention.

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59

Yup. Such is life. And the spirit of an age will never return.

Always moving forward…

60

You learn something every day. Great topic. My search went on to find that somebody described it like Marmite. You either love it or hate it. I hate it, my younger son loves it. I do think some of these artists are clever to turn their awful abilities in music into an income driven by big business brands. Like it or hate it, it takes a talent of some sort or other to stand out from the crowd.

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