For many, reading is a way to escape the world for a little while and immerse yourself in a different reality. But when trying to do so in a public place, the noise of your surroundings can sometimes become too much to allow for focus. On the other hand, silence can be just as deafening, making every little creak or rustle feel like a rude disturbance.

My personal solution is to pop in some headphones and let the music do the work, but every reading playlist must be carefully crafted to avoid being more distracting than the background noise. Check out my tips below for selecting the perfect tunes to tune out the world, and see my personal reading playlist at the bottom of the page.

Skip the Lyrics

Trying to read and comprehend what you’re reading while someone is singing words into your ear can be nearly impossible, especially if you’re easily distracted like I am. In order to avoid the confusion of being bombarded by words on all sides, I tend to prefer music with no lyrics, like classical or instrumental music. Artists like Takenobu and The Piano Guys are known for instrumental covers of popular music, as well as their own original pieces. The Piano Guys especially provide a beautiful twist on songs you already know and love, like their cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”

If you prefer vocal music to instrumental music, try listening to some songs in a foreign language you don’t speak. This will provide some much-needed background noise without being too much for your brain to process.

Match the Mood

The mood of your music can greatly affect your reading experience. If you’re reading a psychological thriller full of drama, a serene violin concerto may not be the optimal choice. Similarly, pulsing electronic music likely won’t mesh with a love story or tragedy.

For adventure novels, fantasy novels, thrillers and dramas, I often turn to film scores as my chosen reading soundtrack. The emotion of the music fits perfectly with the twists and turns of the story, and can make you feel as if you’re part of the action on the pages. One of my personal favorite scores is the soundtrack from the animated film “How to Train Your Dragon.” The score shifts dramatically from somber to sinister to triumphant, making it perfect for the quickly changing nature of action-filled stories.

For more introspective or emotional books, I find that classical music always does the trick. Debussy’s “Clair De Lune” is a soothing, beautiful piece that can be appreciated by classical music connoisseurs and new-comers alike.

Keep an Open Mind

When searching for the perfect reading soundtrack, you must sometimes be willing to search outside of your comfort zone. Even if you’re not normally a fan of jazz, classical or even electronica, you may find that it suits you when reading.

I personally don’t listen to much electronica, but I do when I read. The rhythmic nature of the music helps me settle into the rhythm of reading. One of my favorite songs to listen to is “Sleepless,” by Flume. There are a few vocals, but not enough to be distracting.

I’m also partial to blues, but only in certain settings, and reading is one of those settings. My advice is to try some Pandora stations, sample some playlists and let yourself wander outside of your usual genres. You may be pleasantly surprised by the results.

Utilize these tips to find your ideal reading music, and tell us about your favorite songs to listen to while reading on Twitter and Facebook. Check out a selection of my favorites below to get some ideas.