Brain.fm: Music to improve focus, meditation and sleep

I got a lifetime subscription for 90% off from a link posted on HN when brain.fm first started.

Anecdata: it is probably one of the best purchases I've ever made for workplace success/productivity. The focus music works (light focus in the app) and has served to block out workplace sounds, improve focus, and not be distracting in and of itself - normal music seems designed to induce various emotional states that aren't helpful for work or thinking clearly.

I think it's worth giving a try, and if it works for you then it's worth paying for. The app is certainly a lot better than it was at the start, and offers more options than the browser interface.

I don't find the sleep sounds so useful but a 15 minute 'chill' relax sound was often helpful when trying to get from a stressful state of mind to a calmer one, usually when going home from work.

Wow, I just tested this after reading this post here, never having heard of it before. (It's a little after 22:00 here, but I want to wrap up some loose ends from today on my computer, now that my kids are asleep, before I got to bed.)

I am sure YMMV, but this works surprisingly well for me, and I will sign up. I am one of those people who struggles to decide what to put on when working — usually some kind of electronic music like Juno Reactor, or instrumental metal like Russian Circles or Rings of Saturn instrumental albums.

Unlike those, while this brain.fm stuff is musical, it is not music I would even listen to intentionally for the sake of listening. It is different, in that it really seems like perfect background music.

I'm hearing it, but somehow I am not actively listening to it at all (which is the problem with putting on music I like). At the same time, the rhythm carries me along and I don't dislike it at all... Interesting.

I've actually found this to be useful, especially in the evenings when I'm tired. It's helped me stay focused (I haven't used the meditation much and the sleep not at all). It feels like gentle assistance, not a adrenaline shot to the heart.

I'm sure it's a great product. But personally, any marketing copy that talks about "your brain" gives off quacky vibes. It would be lovely if we didn't need to pseudo-medicalise everything.

I'm a skeptic and don't know why someone would pay for borderline quackery such as this when there's plenty of playlists and YouTube channels that claim to do the same thing.

This is so annoying that you need to register to try it for free. Why there is no 10-15 minutes sample music to get familiar with the product?

Does having music while meditating not defeat its purpose? I was under the impression meditation was about cutting external stimuli.

I enjoyed the trial of the service, but couldn't bring myself to subscribe. It's irrational, but knowing that I just wasn't in the "right place at the right time" to get a widely-available good deal on a lifetime plan makes me have negative emotions towards signing up for a subscription.

I haven't tested the music yet, but look at the main website theme, I think I need to meditate my eyes first.

I got a lifetime subscription on a cyber Monday for Brain.fm a couple years ago!

I also got a lifetime subscription for Focus@Will on cyber Monday too.

I use Focus@will a bit more but sometimes get bored and use Brain.fm. Both are really effective!

TBH, I value Brain.fm as a productive part of my work day.

Some days it helps focus on the endless housework and kid needs.

Other days it helps focus while coding.

As a polyphasic sleeper less than 2 mins of quiet relaxing music puts me to sleep.

I'm impressed that this sounds like music rather than atmospheric new age jangles--and there's some of that too, if that's your thing.

It works for me (focus)