Background music during an online session - online muzak

There are periods in my lessons when I want students to do some work on their own for a short time. For example, read a couple of pages from a book, and then, perhaps after five minutes, discuss what has been read. I have found that it is a good idea to put on some background music during this period. Being online with nothing happening seems like a non-online-teaching thing. When the music stops it is time to start the discussion.

The choice of music is problematic. There is an issue of copyright and paying the rights owner, I think, although I am not sure. If there is a legal issue then it is dependant on the country the teacher is based in. The "fair use" of someone else's music might be in play here.

Back to the choice of music issue. Obviously, it should not be something students will actually listen to - so, online teaching muzak is a good term to identify it.  My first criteria is that there must not be any vocals - obviously. That would be too distracting. A good strategy is to look at the free midi files, which do not have a vocal track, and which also overcome any copyright issue. I like to have these midi versions ready to play;

"Pictures at an Exhibition - all of the pictures " by Mussorgsky.
"Rock With You" - Michael Jackson
"Enigma Variations" Elgar
"Scarborough Fair" - anonymous
"Piano Concerto in A Minor" - Grieg

The best ever is "Rock with You"  Rock with you

Make sure your music player is looping back to the beginning.

Good not-listening!