Instrumental Music for Studying

I've found some mix of cello or contrabass, or with a duduk flute as in this case, works best when I study. If I hear voices or uplifting, spirited music my concentration is thrown off. I mostly do this if copying a manuscript.

Today I'm doing Vol. 4 of the Agni Purana, chapter 247 The characteristics of a building site. Then I'll likely track down some random Chinese myth that catches my eye and copy it too, or at least take notes. This kind of music is perfect for deep somatic digestion of a text.

I don't usually listen to something else, such as music, when I'm reading, as it would be distracting. I do, however, find it difficult to sit still, indoors, if I'm reading something long, such as a book, and will usually do something else at the same time, such as cooking, housework, or anything, really, that doesn't require much thought.

I felt the same way starting out, like I needed some deeper reason before I could justify doing anything creative. What helped me was thinking less about meaning and more about process. I started taking online music lessons just for fun, no big motive behind it, and it actually made me care less about “why” and more about just doing. That kind of low-pressure approach might help you too.