Listening to music while playing Melee has become an increasingly popular trend in the last four years of Melee. When I started, only bad players listened to music while they played, but now we’ve seen top players such as Mango, Hungrybox, SFAT, and Shroomed try this strategy and show a notable amount of success. There was a humorous incident several months back. Mango said he lost a match because he got tilted when YMCA came on his Spotify. This might sound like a next level john, but there’s no doubting that this would be distracting and possibly tilting. Still, Mango has no one to blame but himself. You should figure out what music you want in advanced based on several criteria.
The first is that the music should be relevant to the pace of the game and to what mood you need to get into. When I first started listening to music, I tended to be too defensive, but listening to something a little hype and slightly faster than the pace of the match helped with this. Also remember that songs with long intros or bridges that have drastically different paces can be distracting and mess with your rhythm. Pick something that consistently gets you playing at a desirable speed, and don’t be afraid to vary this based on which character you’re facing.
Music needs to help you mentally both when you’re winning and when you’re losing. I had a short stint where I listened to Darude – Sandstorm when I was playing. Man was it awesome when I was winning. I felt on top of the world and like I was making the sickest combo video. But then when I was losing and getting camped, it was just obnoxious blaring in my ear that contributed to my tilt.
Lyrical music is tricky. I tried listening to some Eminem before, because it was the correct speed and a tone that I liked, but the rhymes got me distracted. Instrumental music might be better, though this isn’t always the case. I listen to Metallica when I face Ice Climbers, and it’s consistently helped me stay pumped and in the zone regardless of how much time I spend getting wobbled.
Having a small selection of songs that you consistently listen to may be the way to go based on it being a ritual that gets you into the zone. Many pro athletes have pregame rituals which involve listening to one specific song for years. Music when you play is about establishing the mental fortitude that you need to play at your best. Most of the time, you shouldn’t even really hear the music when you’re playing. It should just be there like a soundtrack to your life, which you can occasionally listen to when you need to recompose between stocks, while getting wobbled, etc. If you struggle with keeping your mental composure throughout a set, especially when people are getting rowdy around you, I highly recommend giving music a try. It can help you feel more comfortable as if you’re playing at home or alone, it can make you more hype… really, it can make you feel however you want, which is part of the beauty of music and art in general.
No Equivocation Allowed 