How Music Can Increase Focus and Help You Make Better Predictions

[Vslayer]

So yesterday instead of listening to the sounds of the game or listening to people breathing heavy in their mic and shouting like idiots, I turned the sound off, connected my headset to my PC, and put on a playlist on YT. And all throughout my time playing ranked while doing so, I actually had fun and wasn't getting angry (or very rarely) and went on a winning streak. Now there's a lot of research done on how music affects our brain and most specifically our mood so let's talk about that for a bit. Here's a very interesting finding from a Harvard study:

"The research team showed that music engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating the event in memory. Peak brain activity occurred during a short period of silence between musical movements - when seemingly nothing was happening."

"Music engages the brain over a period of time, he said, and the process of listening to music could be a way that the brain sharpens its ability to anticipate events and sustain attention."

(https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2007/07/music-moves-brain-to-pay-attention-stanford-study-finds.html )

So if music can help you pay attention and make better predictions, wouldn't that be perfect for fighting games? Not only that, when your brain is enjoying the music it's listening to, you'll be in a better mood and instead of focusing on the stress of the situation, you'll focus what you're doing, kind of by-passing your own nervous system's dumb and totally unwanted reaction to playing a ranked mode. I have to mention that most of these studies were made with classical music, but from what we know of the brain and it's pleasure centers, as long as the music is pleasing to you and improves your mood, then it should also improve concentration and reduce stress.

But here's a list of specific music types which is supposed to be efficient in doing so, in general:

• classical music, specifically Mozart
• ambient instrumental music
• instrumental covers of pop songs
• instrumental movie soundtracks

And if you're someone who's really stressed out, try out nature sounds

• rain
• waves
• jungle
• fireplace crackling

I personally prefer music with lyrics since I can focus on that instead of stress, but it really depends on you and how you usually deal with your own stress. So I mostly listen to a playlist or 90's and early 00's pop music as I the upbeat tempos make my brain happy it seems. To the point that I will dance and sing in between rounds lmao, but hey if it reduces stress then I'm all for it.

I would suggest anyone try and build a playlist based with the songs that make them happy or gets them in a greater state of focus and see if they improve in ranked, and if it also significantly reduces stress which should also improve your reactions and reads.

Do you all listen to music when you play? Or have you thought about trying it at all to help you concentrate?

If you want to use this thread to share your playlists from YT, post them here! Here's mine:

 

[Dreamcatcher]

I actually would prefer to listen to music while I play but I don't know how to keep the game sound with that. Lol

 

[Vslayer]

I actually would prefer to listen to music while I play but I don't know how to keep the game sound with that. Lol

If you don't have a PC near, or a wireless headset, you could always use your phone with ear buds or a headset.

 

[MalevolentFix]

I actually apply this to my work as well. I work in an office and it involves a lot of pretty mindless repetitive work so staying focused and actually working can be rough sometimes. I find that if I'm trying to focus on work, or if I'm trying to get "In the zone" in a fighting game that the best way for me to access that part of my brain is through fresh ass electronica beats.
I will usually find a song that fits the bill and put it on repeat, because the repetition helps me zone out the music and focus on everything else.

This is real stuff and it's psychologically proven to work lol

 

[Braindead]

I use sound cues to hitconfirm so all this is bust for me

 

[Resistible]

With MKX and recently with MK11 I turn the music all the way down and open Spotify on my PS4, helps out and slightly amusing when the music syncs with the game for example during Hero by Skillet when they say I need a Hero and Liu Kang's intro starts

 

[Cobainevermind87]

I think I have one of the only headsets on earth that has a 3.5mm jack and usb that can be used simultaneously lol. Fuckin Black Ops 2 Kilo from like 10 years ago. But yeah, USB feeding the game audio, the 3.5 connected to my phone playing my favorite hard rock/metal tracks. I can't play without it.

 

[Vslayer]

I use sound cues to hitconfirm so all this is bust for me

Damn you have good hearing, I just go by what I see, but it's proven that your brain can process sounds quicker than processing what you see so hey if it works for you, continue doing that. Tho with the added focus of listening to music you like, it may even out, but if you're used to playing without it then the adjustment period may not be worth it at all.

 

[Cobainevermind87]

Damn you have good hearing, I just go by what I see, but it's proven that your brain can process sounds quicker than processing what you see so hey if it works for you, continue doing that. Tho with the added focus of listening to music you like, it may even out, but if you're used to playing without it then the adjustment period may not be worth it at all.

To be fair, that all goes out the window online, especially if you're facing a wifi user. I've lost count of how many times I've heard my b3 in Sub's b32 HIT, so I confirm into iceball, to have the rollback come in and say nah, they actually blocked that b3, our mistake, now get punished.

 

[Marlow]

Cat Stevens is my typical go to for chill vibes. I'm also a pretty big fan of classical music though, so any of that stuff is good. I tend to like more of the late renaissance/early baroque music than the Mozart era. Eric Satie is great if you want some chill piano music.

 

[vegeta]

I always have my headphones in at work. It’s my “white noise”
I don’t stick to a specific genre either and I also have a ton of Video game and movie osts on my MP3 and have taken it to tournaments. I usually listen to something fitting for the fight itself where I kind of get lost in the fight and the music as if I was watching a movie or anime or something. It isn’t flawless but yea it helps a bit

 

[vegeta]

But usually with how I play I still have the music low enough to where I can hear the game sound effects since I partially play by ear in some cases.

This is the most common thing I’ll throw on repeat. The pacing and the mindset it puts me in is good and the music itself has no real distracting parts, it has good flow

 

[FoughtDragon01]

Funnily enough, I'm at my calmest when I listen to crazy aggressive music. BFG Division from Doom 2016 is my Sound of Silence. There's nothing quite like beating your opponent's ass to the tempo of heavy metal.

 

[stokedAF]

Conan the barbarian OST hits hard as fuck. Might try that later lol.

 

[ShepherdOfFire]

From now I won't turn off my metal before playing a set

 

[Dreamcatcher]

I use sound cues to hitconfirm so all this is bust for me

Yeah same here. I want to listen to music while I play but it might create hesitation in certain situations for me.

 

[SnowboardRX]

You can't level up unless you have this song on repeat the whole time :

 

[xInfra Deadx]

Depends on the person though. From my experience, it made it worse for me.

 

[Braindead]

To be fair, that all goes out the window online, especially if you're facing a wifi user. I've lost count of how many times I've heard my b3 in Sub's b32 HIT, so I confirm into iceball, to have the rollback come in and say nah, they actually blocked that b3, our mistake, now get punished.

Yup this happens too often lol

 

[Vslayer]

But usually with how I play I still have the music low enough to where I can hear the game sound effects since I partially play by ear in some cases.

This is the most common thing I’ll throw on repeat. The pacing and the mindset it puts me in is good and the music itself has no real distracting parts, it has good flow

This guy makes amazing theme songs! I listen to the Kitana and Jacqui one all the time.

Depends on the person though. From my experience, it made it worse for me.

Yep it does depend on the person, but each person has a specific type of music that improves their mood. if you find that it's distracting or annoying you then it's not the right type. Try like low tempo, or high tempo upbeat.

 

[MrArcher15]

Ah no I can’t do it, talking music etc unless I don’t have to focus any of those things will draw my attention away because I will focus on them

 

[Dreamcatcher]

For me, music builds so much emotion and momentum sometimes. (depending on what it is) I might mess with mixing some game audio and my playlist to see if it's worth trying. Anyone remember doing that on the first Xbox? That was the shit. Lol

 

[JBeezYBabY]

I never thought about trying this until reading this thread. Everything you said is true to the T. I guess I always want to hear the voice of the characters, move cues, stage music, etc. Just enjoy the game for the game. BUT playing my own music will not only help me practice my lip sync, but ill be twerking while whooping that ass. OMG! IMAGINE if Uncle JBeezY did THAT at a tournament? Hahahah OOOOOO they will be mad! I needs to try this. Thank ya kindly Dr. @Vslayer. very Righteous

 

[Dreamcatcher]

I just remembered why I stopped listening to music while I played, MK9's music was AMAZING. It also had classic throwback tracks for different old school stages. That and I didn't play too much MKX so I just didn't mess with the playlist since then.

 

[FoughtDragon01]

OH SHIT!! I almost forgot about Two Steps From Hell. Legit makes you feel like you're going to fucking war.