What I Listen to While Coding

Coding can get surprisingly quiet.

Just you, your editor, a terminal window, and a problem that refuses to cooperate.

Sometimes I like that silence.

Other times, I need something playing in the background.

For me, that soundtrack is Ustad Noor Bakhsh from Coke Studio Pakistan.

Ustad Noor Bakhsh

There is something special about listening to Ustad Noor Bakhsh while coding.

His music has a completely different energy from the playlists I usually hear while working. The sound feels raw, traditional, and alive.

Instead of filling the room with lyrics that demand my attention, the music creates an atmosphere.

And that's exactly what I want when I'm writing code.

Why I Listen While Coding

When I'm working on a complicated feature, I don't always want something that pulls my attention away from the screen.

I want something that stays in the background while keeping the room from feeling completely silent.

Ustad Noor Bakhsh's music does that incredibly well for me.

I can spend hours moving between my editor, terminal, documentation, and database without constantly reaching for the skip button.

Code
  +
Music
  ↓
Focus
  ↓
A few more hours of building

The Sound of Balochistan

One of the things I enjoy most is how distinctive the music sounds.

There is a strong connection to Balochi musical tradition, but it doesn't feel like something trapped in the past.

It feels energetic.

It feels experimental.

And somehow, it works surprisingly well alongside modern software development.

That's one of the things I love about music in general.

It can connect completely different worlds.

When the Code Gets Difficult

Every developer knows the feeling.

You've been staring at the same error for twenty minutes.

You change one thing.

Nothing happens.

You change something else.

Now three more things are broken.

At that point, I usually take a short break, put the music on, and come back to the problem.

Sometimes the solution appears almost immediately.

Not because the music magically fixed the bug, but because stepping away for a moment gave my brain enough space to approach the problem differently.

My Coding Atmosphere

My ideal coding setup is pretty simple.

A good editor.

A comfortable workspace.

A cup of something to drink.

A stable internet connection.

And Ustad Noor Bakhsh playing in the background.

That's enough.

I don't need a complicated productivity system every time I sit down to code.

Sometimes creating the right environment is all it takes to get into the flow.

Music Doesn't Have to Be Loud

I don't listen to music while coding because I want to hear every second of it.

I listen because it creates a mood.

The keyboard, the terminal, the occasional build notification, and the music all become part of the environment.

After a while, I stop noticing the music consciously.

And that's when I know I'm focused.

A Different Kind of Inspiration

There is also something inspiring about seeing an artist like Ustad Noor Bakhsh bring traditional music to a modern global audience through Coke Studio Pakistan.

Technology changes incredibly quickly.

Frameworks come and go.

Programming languages evolve.

Tools get replaced.

But creativity remains.

Whether you're writing code or playing an instrument, there is something satisfying about taking your tools and creating something that didn't exist before.

So, What Am I Listening To?

If you ever see me coding for hours with headphones on, there's a good chance Ustad Noor Bakhsh is somewhere in the background.

It's not a complicated productivity hack.

It's just music I enjoy.

And sometimes that's all you need.

A good song.

A difficult problem.

An open editor.

And a few uninterrupted hours to build something.

That's my coding soundtrack.