At class we have a tape of some traditional Chinese music playing in the background. I find it very unobtrusive in the way it weaves in and out of my conciousness. I love getting carried along by it when doing the conditioning exercises, but otherwise it tends to get pushed aside by other demands on my attention.
When training by myself, i have a couple of mixed CD's i like to play, depending on my mood. I have a fairly hard, driving one that i get out for bag stuff and heavy workouts and a softer, more flowing one for forms training. Other favourites would include Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the Code 46 soundtrack (top film!), Kiva, Radiohead, Ravi Shankar, Underworld, !!! (chk chk chk) and Mark of Cain. If i need to work out some mega-frustration i might just whack on some Fear Factory too.
I often wonder about the effect of the music on my training - it's such a natural thing to tap yr foot to the beat - i'm aware that i don't want to have my timing subtly dictated to. Sometimes i deliberately observe the interaction between the timing of my forms and the music, which is interesting. At times i feel as if i'm swimming through the sound, going with it, now going against it - and there is a definate "drag" when i have to speed up a section of movement beyond the tempo of the music. Anyone else notice this kinda thing?
One thing i tried that most definately
didn't work out - playing a Capoeira CD whilst training ba gua! Talk about the ministry of silly walks!