or do you prefer quiet?
I prefer silence when am at a little challenging part of the painting. Otherwise, I'll have something on on my laptop, like interviews, news debates , sometimes music (coldplay, train

, rabindrasangeet, etc), Sadhguru talks, documentaries, Mr. Nightmare (youtube) once in a while...
It would be nice to know of more options
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But it has to be something that isn't too upbeat or engaging, otherwise it takes over my thought process.
Maybe that's why I paint so poorly. ha!
I've always wondered about this. As Betty Edwards states that we should not be listening to radio or music while drawing etc. as it detracts/competes from the right side of the brain doing its job (right is drawing, left is verbal, numerical etc.). If I remember this correctly...
"You have two brains: a left and a right. Modern brain scientists now know that your left brain is your verbal and rational brain; it thinks serially and reduces its thoughts to numbers, letters and words… Your right brain is your nonverbal and intuitive brain; it thinks in patterns, or pictures, composed of ‘whole things,’ and does not comprehend reductions, either numbers, letters, or words."
From The Fabric of Mind, by the eminent scientist and neurosurgeon, Richard Bergland. Viking Penguin, Inc., New York 1985.
During painting realism, I don't need anything particular. Most of the time its TV that is on. I can talk to my wife while I paint. Sometimes, when I paint early in the morning I play Mark's or Baumann's lecture that do not need viewing.
But thumbs up for Meddle and Echoes from me too!