[Discussion Thread] Music and cubing

Call me weird or whatever, but I like to search up average videos on YouTube and then play them out loud, as I do my average. I find that music distracts me, and I actually prefer the silence.
 
Usually I listen to (classic) rock, but I find it easier to concentrate while listening to instrumental/orchestra music. Movie soundtracks like Lord of the Rings are fine while cubing.
 
Cubing with music

I know there are threads about what music people listen to, but no real in-depth discussion.

There are many cubers who listen to various music while they cube (me included). I find that music amost 'puts me to ease' and lets me calm down a little to concentrate on the solve. But, is there any crystal clear evidence that proves this? Or, does music put you off a little?

Also, another point I want to discuss is the type of music you listen to. Some people prefer slow songs, others fast paced songs. What do you prefer? Have you tried both while cubing? What did you think? Any particular songs/artists you find helps? I know Michal Pleskowicz likes Metallica.

The last point I want to discuss is regulation 2i:
2i) While competing, competitors must not use sound equipment, other electronic equipment (like walkmans, dictaphones or additional lighting).
Click to expand...
What do you feel about this regulation? Should it be amended to allow some music to be listened to? Obviously, this would need the delegate/main judge to check the music being played to stop cheating. Or should the use be limited?

Feel free to discuss any of the above points, or add any other points you want to raise.
 
When I realised recently just how many poker players listen to music during tournaments where the payouts can be in excess of $1mil, I decided that the mp3 ban in cubing was incredibly dumb.

The only event I can see that cheating through microphone assistance would gain any kind of advantage for would be BLD, but even then the logistics of setting up the 'spotter' so that they can see the cube but not be caught whispering instructions to the solver would be ridiculously hard to accomplish at most competitions.

If the WCA really are trying to be water-tight to cheats, there are a lot of other areas they can work on first.


Anyway, I used to find that liquid DnB like Camo & Krooked or Netsky helped when I was trying to pump myself up for PBs, but now I find it much easier to cube with no music at all - which is annoying, because I love having music on all the time :P
 
Escher said:
The only event I can see that cheating through microphone assistance would gain any kind of advantage for would be BLD, but even then the logistics of setting up the 'spotter' so that they can see the cube but not be caught whispering instructions to the solver would be ridiculously hard to accomplish at most competitions.
Click to expand...

You can get 'audio splitters', so the judge could use that to hear what the competitor hears through another set of earphones (maybe just 1 ear piece), so this problem is avoided.
 
ThomasJE said:
You can get 'audio splitters', so the judge could use that to hear what the competitor hears through another set of earphones (maybe just 1 ear piece), so this problem is avoided.
Click to expand...

I guess you would have to force competitors to bring them.

I think it's pretty reasonable to just not care :P

Also, somebody brought up the issue of judge/competitor communication in another thread discussing this, for example, when the judge is to lift the cover off, as a counter-example.
This actually made me realise that we don't have codified provisions for deaf cubers - we should have a standard set of signals for the competitor and judge to use (we should only need one or two anyway) - and if you're hearing-impaired, intentionally or otherwise, it wouldn't pose a problem.
 
Listening to music while competing isn't only an issue because of possible cheating, it can also cause problems because communication between the judge is more difficult.

This has been discussed plenty of times, and although there are some ways to possible make it work, it seems that most people don't think it's worth it.
 
It shouldn't be allowed IMO. I agree that it's important to be able to focus during a comp, but said focus should be attainable without a "crutch".
 
Bapao said:
It shouldn't be allowed IMO. I agree that it's important to be able to focus during a comp, but said focus should be attainable without a "crutch".
Click to expand...

It's not necessarily about having a crutch... Solving 6x6 and 7x7 in comp can be really boring :P

I just don't see how the cheating possibility means we shouldn't be able to do it, when it has no other bearing on the validity of the solve, or on other competitors. If the argument against headphones from cheating is valid, then I'd like to raise a point about the validity of using volunteer judges and scramblers... Possibility of abuse isn't the problem, it's how damaging or easily performed the abuse could be that is.

Regardless of this debate, we should have set signals for a competitor to ask the judge to remove the covering, both because sometimes competitors get pissed off with judges and also because the judging procedure shouldn't disadvantage deaf people.

The thing is, if we did have this signalling system, the judge/competitor communication issue wouldn't (or shouldn't) be a problem anyway.

There is a problem with judges/runners having to find competitors though - there would have to be a stipulation that those in the competitor waiting area may not listen to music...
 
What if you found watching tv to help you relax while solving... Would it hurt to have iPlayer on your iPad in front of you at comps?
I think you really have to be respectful to the 'sport' while competing, when you go to do your solve you should just be doing your solve, not getting additional forms of entertainment. I'm surprised to hear about the poker players. When ever I think of any other competitions I keep thinking it comes across as rude to be listening to music.
 
Godmil said:
What if you found watching tv to help you relax while solving... Would it hurt to have iPlayer on your iPad in front of you at comps?
I think you really have to be respectful to the 'sport' while competing, when you go to do your solve you should just be doing your solve, not getting additional forms of entertainment. I'm surprised to hear about the poker players. When ever I think of any other competitions I keep thinking it comes across as rude to be listening to music.
Click to expand...

Because having an iPad is demonstrably intrusive, whereas having earbuds in isn't?

I'm not really sure what you mean by respect... Presumably it's allowed in poker because it doesn't irritate other people, nor is it a particularly big cheat risk. Although, live poker tournaments can be really boring in the early stages.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Music while cubing???

Hi guys.I'm making this thread because my application didn't get accepted;so I'm just going to make a thread.

So the story goes that how you should/shouldn't listen to music during a competition or when your just at home.I like to listen to rap and some nice music just to calm me down,when I go to a competition they won't let me listen to music,but I think they should,because I think it will calm down some people when their nervous in their first competition or when they just want cubeing more peaceful;I will post the music I listen to when I cube at the end of this thread;).Some people say they shouldn't listen to music when they cube in a competition because the WCA says that the mics in the APPLE headphones will allow you to have a mic in-out and that the person on the other side can tell you the moves to solve it.

*WARNING* lots of songs have bad words because I couldn't find ones without the bad word SORRY*

http://youtu.be/XX2dkBSjdA8
http://youtu.be/E2GFczytrGA
http://youtu.be/V75WvjBZiOY
http://youtu.be/jB0WHL3Il_g
http://youtu.be/HEi3kLOuzfI
http://youtu.be/JU7-4GAERLI
http://youtu.be/cv0vlvjdgtY
 
There are a large number of reasons regarding potential breach of regulations that mean it is impossible to allow anyone to listen to music via headphones while participating in an official competition. I also like to listen to music while cubing at home, but this is the way it has to be. Learn to deal with it like the vast majority of other sportspeople.






(Hardcore pro-feminism-equality-for-women-gender-neutrality right there)
 
I just have my playlist going, but I do record what song I was listening to when I get PBs.
I only started doing this recently.

12.58 was Paradise by Coldplay
11.95 and 10.83 were silence. That's when I forget to turn my music on.
 
I rarely cube without music, and I usually listen to Dream Theater, Opeth or Skrillex. I probably could have said metal and dubstep there, but I really only listen to Dream theater/Opeth with it comes to "metal" and Skrillex for Dubstep.

Examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kAdLiizR-4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7NvYu20114
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0hRznmgLUo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWtqeNie1Rk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQFnA93PcMo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR6AV9yJPoM
 
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