Music in the Shop

Ok, Me first. I can’t function without tunes. I have a few gigs of songs on my MP3 and it’s usually set to go through all 8000 or so tracks at random.

My favorite kind of music? Good Music. Doesn’t matter what genera. There is great music in every flavor. But it’s gotta be playing when I’m working. Some of my favorites are Jazz and hip hop, and I often switch to classical when I’m working out problems. But whatever it is, I really get on a roll sometimes when the beat is just right.

I have an inexpensive set of computer speakers (2) plus a small subwoofer to amplify the base. I probably paid $40 bucks but it sounds pretty good. I also have a small radio but I rarely use it.

I have been a musician all my life, so music is very important to me. I hear every note, which can be distracting at times, but it’s just sort of depressing without it. I really enjoy my time in the shop when good music is playing.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

I have an old Car radio, with built in CD and mini disk, with a 4 speaker output (1 in each corner of the shop) also a satellite radio link input into the radio.

Unfortunately the CD and MIni disk have stopped working, dust or something else was the cause. The satelite link has gone down so no more English channels to listen to. So I am stuck with Finish radio – where they play the same type of music ALL day including repeating the same songs time after time, month after month (at least I know the words to these songs now). One day I will fix it.

I especially like country music from the 60s to 80s, other than that I have no real preferance to musiic, or bands – I just enjoy a good tune or melody – I find that, being isolated, like you from the main house, it does keep me company, other wise I would not hear another voice all day (sometimes)..

By the way the only instruments I can play are the CD player an radio!!!!

-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)

Yeah I am the same, I have about 10 gigs of music on my ipod. With a cheap set of computer speakers it all sounds good. I have a little bit of everything on there, except for country music. I hope that doesn’t offend anyone, but I just don’t like it. But music or talk radio/ podcasts are a must in the shop.

-- Kaleo , http://www.kalafinefurniture.com

I mainly listen to woodworking podcasts. Right now I’m catching up on Wood Talk Online, and after that will probably get some from Matt’s Basement Workshop.

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

I studied music theory for three years and find it difficult to listen to music when I’m doing something else. When I listen I like to hear it all and when I’m in the shop it fades so far into the background that I don’t even hear it. So, I hum and whistle and even now and then breakout into a full out chorus of “Y.M.C.A.” Then I take a deep breath and go back to work.

-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.

I like the “sounds of silence”. ... shhh woodworker at work :)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I have XM in the shop. I mainly listen to either country or classic rock. Don’t listen to talk radio as much as I used to…gets my blood pressure up. I really like just about everything except for Rap or Hip Hop as its called now. Don’t think it has much musical value, it is poetry, some very good, but not music.

-- Greg - Charles Town, WV

I’m a political talk-radio addict and used to listen to AM radio from a DeWalt charger/radio. I also feel “cut off” if I don’t have “live” programming with current news…I’m also a news junkie. Unfortunately reception wasn’t always the best and weekend talk radio ‘round here is pretty much infomercials and investing shows.

So…in my new shop, I stepped it up a bit and installed speakers in the ceiling and an old receiver and computer in a cabinet so I can listen to internet radio from across the planet. I also mounted a TV in a corner piped through the same system…which is also integrated with my whole-home video distribution system giving me access to my “DVD jukebox” (ripped to hard drive) of Woodworks and a few NYW episiodes.

I know, I know…but you asked!

-- Patrick, Chicago, IL http://www.TenonAndSpline.com/blog

I have a wireless speaker in the shop with the transmitter hooked up to my DirecTv receiver that is tuned in to an XM station (channel 838 – Lucy). Usually its Rock or Alternative. I like most all music (except rap and country) but have grown tired of the Classic Rock.

-- JJ...... I guess you could say I'm a 54 year old "juniorjock". — Make things with wood.

ZZ TOP AND WILLIE NELSON

Pancho and Lefty: Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson

——never could stop those sounds from playing in my head….rock and roll lives on!

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

Classical mostly but also real Cowboy music like Wiley Gustafson and Ian Tyson. Don Edwards. I tried Country once and wanted to kick my dog, get drunk and cheat on my wife. Also wound up depressed.

-- Thos. Angle

Hey All, Music for me is a must. I find I work much better witha good background music. Listen to just about everything except for current rap, like some of the old school beat box stuff though. In my shop at home I just have a boombox with a cd and tape player hanging on the wall, works fine and picks up the radio more often then not. At work in our shop there though we have an 1970’s stereo system complete with turntable and 8-track, don’t use those two features very often due to the amount of dust in the shop, but the rarely can beat the sound coming out of that thing. Wish I could find one for home, gone through 3 cheap plastic stereos in the past 5 years, oh well.

Good topic Blake.

CtL

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."

Sirius satellite radio. Mostly Jazz. Must have tunes to work. I have a 16 channel mixer and a couple of hundred watt amp going to a few PA speakers that are hanging in the shop. I like to feel the music sometimes.

-- Hope Never fails

I love my Sirius Radio, Have it set on mid 70’s to early 80’s rock. I grabbed an old system I had taking up space, added 6 speakers and a base boom box. Yeah I love to feel the music while I work the wood.

-- Can't never could do anything, to try is to advance.

My shop is all metal. I can’t receive cell phone, cordless phone or radio in the building when the doors are shut.

I made some Cd’s from Internet radio. Mostly Country and let 6 of them cycle through . I’m too cheap to buy Cd’s so I record all of mine. I’ve got a 150 Watt amp and speakers = Wally Mart $98.00 special I finally got my Computer hooked up to the network in the shop. Buried cable from house with coax and 2 Ethernet cables. One for the computer and the other for phone. So I set up my own wireless phone in the shop. Maybe I’ll hook up the computer radio to the stero and get some more tunes.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

MMMMMM…..music is a must. You name it, I listen to it. As silly as this sounds, everything from Gangsta rap (OLD Easy E/DR DRE) to METALLICA to country to classical to even talk radio (I really like Garrison Keller). I hate silence, makes me feel lonely ( the voices in my head aren’t loud enought sometimes….lol)

-- Adrian ..... The 11th Commandment...."Thou Shalt Not Buy A Wobble Dado"

Karson, I have the same problem as you (metal building). I’ve tried to pick up FM and can’t get anything. That’s one reason I like the wireless setup I have (see above). The only problem I have is that if I’m standing in certain spots in my shop, the signal gets weak and causes static. As soon as I move, the signal comes back. I’ve never been able to figure that one out.

-- JJ...... I guess you could say I'm a 54 year old "juniorjock". — Make things with wood.

Sports, Certain NPR programs, then rock in that order….all on a radio…

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

XM and long haired country…just a touch of NPR

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Music is a must in my shop too. I have one of those small inexpensive Ryobi Radios that runs on the same rechargeable battery as my drill. I listen to just about everything but I mostly listen to rock while I am in the shop. Every once in a while I plug in my ipod to the radio to switch it up. My inlaws gave me a great gift for Christmas a pair of WorkTunes from Rockler. Besides providing good hearing protection they have a built in FM radio and MP3 player capability. I have it set to the same radio station so when I am using powertools I put them on and can still hear the music while working and protect my hearing. The two work really well together.

-- Brian, Folsom, CA http://www.brianfullerdesigns.com

In my shop it’s a DeWalt portable radio/charger tuned in to the local new country station.

As a testament to that radio, it has been running non-stop, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the last 3 1/2 years….thats 30,500 hours and it still sounds as good today as it did when I first plugged it in.

-- If you can't set a good example, at least serve as a horrible warning... www.rarewoodcreations.com

I have a radio, but I never use it. I’m with Debbie. Silence is golden.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Turn it up, man!

-- Patrick, Chicago, IL http://www.TenonAndSpline.com/blog

I’m an old hippy head banger. Saw Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad, in Germany back in 70’s, The Nugg, when he was hanging around Lansing, along with Mitch Rider and the Detroit Wheels, and so many other bands that started in Detriot and Lansing in the early 60’s to the early 70’s. Now I like Rob Zombie, Mobie, some of the new age stuff, Linkin Park, Tool, but still like Marshall Tucker Band, Willie Nellson, Brother Hank, but not in the shop. I Find it to be a distraction. I can’t focus. mike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

I invested in a decent receiver forthe shop. Mostly play the radio—we’re lucky to have a pretty good, diverse radio station in SF/San Jose. Although I’ve got an iPod dock and CD changer also in the shop, I rarely use these.

I’ve thought about investing in the wireless (IR) headphones, am not confident that going with that little outside noise is safe…

-- Phil

Talk radio, blues, Beatles, and a lot of other thinks as the spirit moves me.

It looks like I belong to the minority (Debbie and Gary) that do not listen to anything while woodworking. I do enjoy the silence enormously and I get annoyed when my father engages me in conversations while I work.

Keep in mind though that shop time is really relaxation time for me. I do not like anything interfering with my relaxation time, even music. I am finishing some woodturnings and I realized that I actually enjoy doing something so lowly as sanding by hand, monotonously (this is the key to consistent results) for hours.

Alin

-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida

Jockmike! Behind that Santa beard lies the heart of a rocker, Ozzy no less. And Frank ….ZZ Top! I would never have guessed. Pancho and Lefty, one of my favorites, great guitar solo. Some classic rockers out there. Tony you and Doug Bordner must have gone to the same electronics trade school. Gotta admit I love all kinds of music in the shop. Classic Rock to classical, some country, jazz, have even built and played a few air guitars. Sat. morning Car Talk is a regular. Some jocks have registered on their favorites on this before but always worth another go round.
http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/DocK16/blog/1289

-- DocK, WV

Dewalt charger, Talk, and oldies. Franks beard does look different with the ZZ Top reference, don’t want to see his legs.

-- Ron Central, CA

I have an under the cabinet radio my wife and I got for a weding present 14 years ago. I found it in a box when we moved and installed it under the cabinets I just put up in my shop. As for music, I listen to the correct music for the mood that day.

-- St. Louis - just a cut away from finishing!

I pulled the speakers and CD changer/AM/FM/Cassette deck from a truck I got totalled out of. I built cheesy speaker boxes and mounted them on the rafters fore and aft of my saw table (four speakers). I got a Radio Shack converter to change 120v AC to 12v DC and use that to power the deck. With a converter cassette I can plug in my iPod and listen to every CD I own plus my wife’s collection and my stepson’s networked iTunes library (ripped to MP3 CD). I favor Classic Rock, Blues, goofy jug band performers like Ry Cooder, David Lindley, Dan Hicks, a little classical (Mozart, the first teenage rock star; Bach, Haydn, Grieg, Mendelsson, Respigi), a little classic country (Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Randy Travis, Patsy Cline). My wife has a huge load of contemporary Black Gospel-Praise music (The Williams Brothers, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Ann Nesby). I cover the bases, with the exception of Hip-Hop and Rap. If I can’t whistle it or attempt harmony I can’t go there.

pasted from DocK's Music in the shop entry of 233 days ago
Nothing has changed since then. Although the idea of a privately hired yodeling band in the shop sounds like fun. Thanks, Blake!

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

I’m with Blake. I like most music. Rock is my favorite, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, but I love big bands of old, the rat pack, country and sports, everything but classical. Sorry but I can’t listen to much of that. It reminds me to much of the dentist. For now I use a small boom box with a cd player. Sounds like everyone has an ipod but me. I am going at the end of this month to Madison Square Garden with my 19 year old son to see Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood. Boy is that going to be flashback.

-- Bob K. East Northport, NY

I mostly listen to the ipod when working. The ipod plugs into a basic receiver that is hooked up to two dj speakers. The speakers were cheap and came with a 10 year warranty. The ipod is nice because it can hold so much music and keeps the dust out. I listen to anything from Porcupine Tree to Otis Redding to Jerry Jeff Walker to Immortal Technique.

I have a cable box hooked up to a stereo in the room next to my shop. I ran speaker wires through the wall and mounted cheap ($20) indoor / outdoor speakers in my shop. Comcast has a large range of music only channels that I listen to. I enjoy many different generas from classical to rock. (With the exception of rap and country)

-- Todd, Richfield MN

I took an old amp/receiver that was just sitting in a box and some car speakers that I have no clue where they came from and hooked them up to my ipod. I don’t always listen to music when I’m working, it depends on my mood but when I do, I usually pick one or two artists and shuffle through their songs. I really need to move the speakers, though. I made the mistake of mounting them on the wall that is shared with my wife’s office and if I make it loud enough to hear, she complains. One of these days. Someday, I’d also like to get a pair of WorkTunes, that way I get hearing protection plus being able to play it as loud as I like.

-- Tom, Southwest Florida

When I’m running the power tools heavily, I tend to not have the music on. But for hand work, the iPod through a portable player is typically on. Styles vary but I usually pick NewGrass/Flatpicking/Folk or Alternative/Metal/Grunge. I’m not sure what the WorkTune things are but sounds like something I may look into.

-- Mike, Meridian, ID, www.fishfinridge.com

Doug,
Still got that high tech system in your shop I see. Keep Rockin! I’m hereby applying for the yodelling position.

-- DocK, WV

Sirius Radio for me. BuzzSaw, Classic Vinyl, Classic Rewind, and once in a while some Octane. I play it in the shop through a custom box I built a few years ago. It has a 12v car stereo and amp that work by a convertor when it is in the shop, but it is portable too. It can be plugged into a cigarette lighter too. It is self-contained, with 6” round speakers, but there are bigger ones that plug in when it is in the shop. The radio plays CDs, MP3s and even from a thumb-drive but I listen to the satelllite 99% of the time.

in my office i have an i pod plugged into a bose computer speakers , in the shop i have a sony component sys. with bose 301 s if im working late at nite i use the i pod with bose headphones . your right i like bose equipment ! for music . if im working a job and making good money i listen to classic rock . rock on ! if im loseing my shirt i listen to classic country , i hate crying alone . if its run of the mill work for run of the mill money i listen to blues . if im confused and over my head its jazz . those guys are amazing musicians

I have a CD player/Radio in the shop. I have to blow it off with comressed air every once in a while. If it gets too dusty I just turn on some Led Zeppelin to shake out the dust.

I plug my Sirius into it. I listen to classical mostly. I especially like the Baroque on sunday. I also listen to progressive Rock but I get tired of it. So,

Classical,
Jazz,
Rock,
Opera

In that order fill my shop with tunes.

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

A while back a friend of mine talked me into buying an IPOD. It took about a month before I had the nerve to begin putting all my CDs on the thing but after 3 full days the task was accomplished, I do have a large collection of CDs. Anyway, depending on the work to be done I will listen to late 60s and early 70s rock, classical, blues, jazz and new agey type stuff. The Boze headphones I have double as ear protection if using power tools. As a matter of fact in a few weeks I’m going to Austin to see Pat Metheny, one of my favorite jazz guitarists.

Doug Bordner, I always thought Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks was a very serious band.

-- Mark

I became a talk radio junkie a few years back so that is the mainstay but I also have a Mp3 player with about 5000 songs that shuffle through Country, Clasic Rock, and folk/bluegrass. Something is playing from the minute I get in the shop.

-- Frank Auge---Nichols NY----"My opinion is neither copyrighted nor trademarked, but it is price competitive."

I have the Milwaukee job site radio, the one with the Rockford Fosgate amp. I play an IPOD Nano through the aux jack. Everything on my Ipod is late 60s to early 70s such as Led Zeppelin, Montrose, Grand Funk, Deep Purple, Cream, Hendrix, etc. Everyday is a flashback….

-- I don't make mistakes, only design changes....www.dgmwoodworks.com

I like my bootleg dead tapes myself.