Music for Studying: The Best Jazz Songs to Help You Focus

Looking for the perfect music to help you focus while you study? Check out our list of the best jazz songs for studying. From Miles Davis to John Coltrane, these tracks will keep you concentrated and on task.

Introduction

It’s no secret that music can help you focus and get work done. But not all tunes are created equal–-some genres are better than others at boosting productivity. In particular, studies have shown that jazz music can be helpful for people trying to focus.

Jazz is a complex genre with a wide range of sub-styles, so it can be tough to know where to start if you’re looking for music to help you focus. To make things easier, we’ve put together a list of some of the best jazz songs for studying. These tracks are perfect for getting work done, and they’ll help you keep your cool under pressure.

So dim the lights, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and settle in for a productive session with these great jazz tunes.

What is Jazz?

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and developed from roots in blues and Ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as “America’s classical music”. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression. It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Swing has been called “the sound of surprise”. The blues notes (flatted 3rds, 5ths, 7ths) are also integral to jazz (as they are to blues).

Jazz combines African-American music with Western music traditions, resulting in a new style of music. This new style was born out of the integration of two different cultures: the cultures of Africa and Europe.

There are many different types of jazz, but some of the most popular include: bebop, swing, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, fusion, and smooth jazz.

The Best Jazz Songs for Studying

Music can be a great way to help you focus while you’re studying. It can drown out distractions and help you to concentrate on the task at hand. But not all music is created equal. Some genres of music can actually be quite distracting. So, what’s the best type of music to listen to while you’re studying? Jazz is a great option. It’s complex enough to keep you engaged, but not so complex that it will distract you from your work.

“So What” by Miles Davis

“So What” is a jazz composition recorded in 1959 by Miles Davis. It is the first track on the album Kind of Blue and was composed by Miles Davis and Bill Evans. The piece is written in the key of D minor and consists of an eight-bar chorus followed by two improvised solo sections. The piece modulates to the key of G minor in the second solo section.

“Take Five” by Dave Brubeck

This classic piece by the legendary Dave Brubeck is perfect for getting into a groove while you study. The light, bouncy melody is both catchy and easy to focus on, making it the perfect choice for when you need to buckle down and get some work done.

“Blue in Green” by Bill Evans

“Blue in Green” is a jazz standard written by pianist Bill Evans and saxophonist Paul Chambers, for the 1959 Miles Davis album Kind of Blue.

The tune is memorable for its elegiac melody, which is harmonically built on a minor iii-vi-ii-V progression. The composition has been recorded by many artists, including Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Keith Jarrett, McCoy Tyner, and Chick Corea.

As one of the tracks on Davis’s best-selling album Kind of Blue, “Blue in Green” helped to establish Evans as a major composer in the jazz idiom. The piece has been praised for its harmonic simplicity, melodic beauty, and its place in the history of jazz as one of the first pieces to use modal jazz harmony.

“All Blues” by Miles Davis

“All Blues” is a jazz composition by Miles Davis first appearing on the 1959 album Kind of Blue. It is written in “shuffle” or swing time in the key of C minor, with Davis’s solo trumpet supported by piano, bass, drums, and saxophone.

Though it shares its title with the album, “All Blues” was not included on the original LP release due to time constraints; it was only included on CD and cassette copies. The song has become one of the most iconic tunes in jazz history and has been covered by numerous artists.

“Naima” by John Coltrane

“Naima” is a jazz ballad composed by jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. It first appeared on his 1960 album My Favorite Things and has become one of his most popular compositions. The song is based on a West African-inspired 12/8 meter and uses a simple ii-V-I chord progression. The melody is built around a motif of four notes, which are all played on the saxophone in the same octave. This motif is then repeated throughout the song in different voicings and harmonizations.

The opening melody of “Naima” is played by Coltrane on soprano saxophone, with a single note being held for nine measures. This melody is then repeated three more times in the following three choruses, each time with different voicings and harmony. In the fourth chorus, the melody is played in counterpoint with another motif, also based on four notes. This motif is played by the bass and piano, and creates a sense of tension that is resolved when the melody returns in the fifth chorus.

“Naima” has become one of Coltrane’s most popular compositions, and has been covered by many other artists. The tune has been particularly influential on later generations of jazz musicians, who have often cited it as an important influence on their own playing.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our roundup of the best jazz songs to help you focus while you’re studying. Whether you prefer swing, bebop, or straight-ahead jazz, there’s bound to be something here that will help you get into the zone and get your work done.

Do you have a favorite jazz song for studying that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments below. And be sure to check out our other study music playlists for more focus-boosting tunes.