bootcamp : prototyping mix

Notes on choosing music for prototyping:

We know music acts on the emotions, but my (unfounded) hypothesis is that during active work (such as prototyping) music also occupies just enough of our cognitive load to distract us from our inner critic (helpful during quick lo-res prototyping explorations). As long as it's upbeat, music seems to propel prototyping activities, but there are some subtleties to consider.

Volume: It seems fine to raise the volume above "background" level, some bopping, dancing or whistling seems to enhance mood & engagement. That said, too loud can be quite distracting -- this is a judgment call.

Lyrics: Generally, we've found it's good to avoid lyrics, although lyrics in a foreign language seem to be less distracting (except of course, to those who speak the language). Occasionally a song that has prominent lyrics does still work for reasons unknown: Beck's "Que Onda Guero" appears on this mix & seems to be such a track.

Repetition & Rhythm: From a purely subjective point of view,in my observations repetitive music with prominent rhythm sections seems to keep people focused on the task at hand (when the prototyping is physical in nature). My guess is that our brains like to have something predictable to latch onto. On this mix Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" & Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder" are a good examples of songs that feature a lot of repetition and seem to be crowd favorites.

Tone: As mentioned, music sets the tone... it can add urgency or can be used to calm the nerves. Despite being a little slow in tempo, the last track of this mix -- "Strange Bath", by John Brion -- gives a surreal game show feeling that has proven enjoyable for short, timed prototyping challenges.

Familiarity: Something to be considered... do you use music that is familiar to all or something that is a bit exotic? I'm not sure yet, both can be distracting or engaging.

DISCLAIMER: I use a variation of Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" that is a personal edit (mine ends around 4m30s -- GrooveShark, the source of these tracks only had the full version). The edited version cuts out a good portion of the meandering psychedelic jam during the last half of the song -- you may want to skip this last bit as it could distract & derail prototyping efforts. The beginning of the song features such a nice groove (you may notice heads bopping & bobbing to the rhythm) that it is worth the risk! I've placed it as the last track so you can fade it out if you wish.