The best sounds for preparing a presentation
Finding the right background sound can transform your presentations experience. This activity engages your Creative + Organisational cognitive systems, which respond best to specific types of ambient sound.
Research says: Moderate ambient noise around 70 decibels enhances creative thinking compared to both silence and loud environments. The slight processing difficulty at this level pushes the brain toward abstract thinking.
— Journal of Consumer Research (2012)
Sons recommandés
coffee shop sounds
Presentation preparation is fundamentally creative work: organising ideas, finding narratives, crafting slides. Cafe sounds (70 dB) enhance the abstract thinking this requires.
Recommended: 50-65 dBlofi music
For the production phase (building slides, formatting, rehearsing). Steady rhythm sustains momentum through repetitive design work.
Recommended: 40-55 dBrain sounds
For rehearsal. Practice your presentation against a clean soundscape — if you can maintain your flow with rain sounds, you'll be fine in a quiet room.
Recommended: 40-50 dBEssayer maintenant
Listen on Softly
Conseil pro
Prepare in three sound phases: cafe for outlining → lo-fi for building → silence for rehearsing. Each phase needs a different cognitive mode, and changing sounds signals the shift.
Questions fréquentes
Should I listen to music while making a presentation?
During the creative phase (outlining, storyboarding), moderate ambient noise helps. During slide production, lo-fi works well. During rehearsal, practice in conditions similar to the real presentation — usually quiet. Match the sound to the phase.
What does research say about sounds for presentations?
Moderate ambient noise around 70 decibels enhances creative thinking compared to both silence and loud environments. The slight processing difficulty at this level pushes the brain toward abstract thinking. (Mehta et al., Journal of Consumer Research, 2012)
What volume should I use for presentations?
For presentations, set your volume to 50-65 dB. This range is based on acoustic research — loud enough to mask distracting noise, quiet enough to avoid auditory fatigue during extended listening.