I'm the type to use music as a method of, in a sense, creating white noise while I'm trying to write. Sometimes the kind of music I'm listening to will end up validating exactly what I'm writing, but usually I just use it as a way of creating sound so I'm not simply sitting in abject silence while trying to write. Also, music tends to get me pretty fired up, even if I'm listening to completely unfitting music. Hell, if I'm on a roll or I'm just in the zone of writing, sometimes the music I'm listening to will find a way to bleed its way into the story as well, so I'm essentially creating thoughts in line with whatever it is that's blasting through my headphones. I can write with or without music in the background, though. I just prefer listening to something while I'm writing versus writing in complete silence.
Haven't read the whole thread, but for me it depends. If I'm struggling with fresh ideas and they're still in the tender formative stage, I want absolute silence. Once I have the ideas down and am translating them into an outline or more usually straight into writing, I can have some mellow music, preferably instrumental or with very unobtrusive vocals. But what I absolutely hate is listening to the radio, because as soon as you hear a human voice, especially if it's loud or attention-seeking (as almost always in commercials) your mind becomes a listening machine and your train of thought is derailed. I've studied brain science and I know this to be true. I learned the importance of keeping your mind free of distractions because I keep a dream journal, and it's vitally important to avoid even conscious thoughts in your own head (other than about the dreams), or they'll fade rapidly. The subtle and diaphanous nature of unconscious thought is such that conscious thinking will immediately drive it out and it's almost impossible to bring back. A bit off-topic for this thread I know, but so closely related I think it fits rather well. As does the infamous story concerning Coleridge writing Kubla Khan (or A Vision in a Dream, a fragment) when he was interrupted by an insurance salesman knocking on his door. The poem was never finished. So when I'm writing and want to listen to music, I often put on something like meditation music or maybe some Vivaldi. And it wouldn't be a bad idea to put your phone on vibrate and, if you have a dog, to chain it by the front door.
Sometimes I can get distracted by music if I'm listening to the lyrics too much. I also find MyNoise . net to be helpful when wanting background noise.
Music is known to affect mood, and certain music helps with concentration. You know the types, right? Long drawn out chords, a complete absence of any bass line or beat, the sort of thing you'd expect to hear during meditation. For me, this is ideal for writing... I'm not sure I could write to anything that has lyrics...
I was just talking about this with someone and my thoughts are when I listen to music--because I don't often when I write--it's either instrumental, or the lyrics are for songs I've never heard before so I don't pay attention to it. It's usually gentler sounds, but I've been known to slam on a heavy metal or something to get my mind racing. Particularly battle sequences.
yea i do some times listin to music when i write i like jazz music i also use pop songs as working tilles in my stories
For my current piece of writing, I've found it really helpful to listen to songs as general background themes to keep me in the spirit of the particular chapter or section that I'm working on. I used to find doing anything with music playing in the background really tricky to do, but now I see it as more of a tool. I think that the songs that I've used on my playlist actually have helped keep the pace and shape some of the structure of the writing, to the extent that I make a note of which songs go with which chapters. Anyone else do this? If so, what artists are on your playlist?
I'm a music-obsessive writer too. Though I'm generally music-obsessive; I walk with earplugs, work in the office with headphones & songs and am typing up this comment with music in the background. When working on my current project, I switch music when I switch POV. Got a fitting genre / set of songs to listen to for each. It's mostly for inspiration and to get me "into the mood" with the POV / themes of the POV. These are pretty varied when it comes to genre, from classical & new age to metal and electronic. There's also some songs that have directly influenced some of my characters / storylines. Some examples: 1. This specific song inspired a great deal of my northern / industrial storyline. Quick translation of an excerpt from the lyrics in spoiler. I generally tend to listen to industrial / EBM when writing relevant chapters. Spoiler Born as heir to a Titan No markings of love; only greatness and delusion. The hammer-sounds from forges fill your nights Born as rulers in the centre of Power On your shoulders rests a heavy burden The chance to live your own life, you missed it Anger throbs within your heart As the embers blaze within the steel furnaces A life and death under the symbol of rings You cannot escape the curse of history You can't jump over it The shadow of the rings The storyline is about changes brought upon by industry, the survival of a fledgling culture against all odds and the moral burden of having chosen a path of war. I have a precise scene inspired by the events in 1943 where Gustav Krupp arrived to see his family's legacy (the Krupp-werke in the Rhinelands) bombed by the allies. He broke under a stroke and never recovered from it. In essence, I was moved by the idea of this whole story. The long-term consequences of building a legacy on warfare, the ever-lingering fear that war will eventually be brought back home and the realization that one's own legacy has turned and now consumed itself. The main moral of the song: Das Spiel um die macht ist nicht zu gewinnen - die Last der Geschicte ist nicht zu bezwingen (There is no victory in the game of power - There is no overcoming the burden of history). 2. This song and other works from Enigma have inspired another character, culture and the base storyline for my project. It made me confident to include some more philosophical / more metaphysical themes in my story. It still ties in with the general theme of my whole project (which is rivalling / defeating fate), but also with some funky thoughts, theories and spiritualism involved. I used some Romanian linguistics & inspirations for the culture in a lil' wink at Enigma's producer / main musician. If you listen to the lyrics & are familiar with Thelema / new age paganism you'll likely know the metaphysical theme I mean (self-creation VS external creation). 3. This German military song & the subsequent stanzas written for it by Karl Sternau have inspired a great deal of how I depict war in my project. It immediately resonated with me when I first listened to it; you would expect a joyful tone about rolling into France and founding empires yet you are met with the most gruesome on-hand description of trench life that was universal for all soldiers that died on the front. I have long wanted to depict this; there's ample stories where war is featured as a right, just and heroic thing (mostly fantasy) and also many where it is portrayed as a gruesome affair (dystopias). My goal is to maintain the heroic take on it and contrast it with the average soldier's experience. Battles are depicted from both the general's tent (where it's a detached, distant game of numbers) and from the very lines (where characters strive for survival). I generally listen to a lot of military tunes when writing battles & campaigns. Other honourable mentions are Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian and Rainbow for their beautifully written & composed songs. They each have some pieces that are very inspirational with true poetic language. Classic Rock & metal are what I usually listen to when not writing. Some more eccentric bands are Megadeth, Eluveitie, Turisas, and Cradle of Filth - the latter is /insane/ when it comes to writing; I haven't seen anyone or anything contemporary of their caliber. Just - a bit edgy. Leaving you some lines in spoiler to end my already-lengthy comment. Spoiler Framed amid the thick of fire - Aflame, a Valkyrie She made him click without desire And in his eyes she swam a Goddess And even when they caught her breath Her words would leave a scar "For only in the grip of darkness Will we shine amidst the brightest stars" (from The Death of Love) "Beauty slept and angels wept For Her immortal soul In this response, all evil chose To claim her for their very own" (from Funeral in Carpathia) The sweet silver chord that keeps me moored I know that heaven sent her From the cold to hold her face again I rose from death, the great adventure (from Death the Great Adventure) For each masked, jeweled gaze held dread purpose Horror froze painted eyes to cold stares And even Her dance In the vast mirrors cast Looked the ill of Her future If fate feasted there (from Bathory Aria)
I listen to mostly soundtracks when I write, namely anything composed by Ramin Djawadi, but if it's not soundtracks, it's the album Phobia by Breaking Benjamin. I'd go specific for characters, but I don't really pay attention to the music while I'm working.
Huh, I listen to a tad bit of industrial. Mostly just VNV Nation's Retaliate and Nemesis. Not a huge fan of the genre, but it has its points. Happier, dreamier, more thoughtful: djredlight.com has free for download music, all written by a guy named Ashley Carr. He was my favorite musician before he died. Given that he is the third artist to die after being my favorite, I no longer have favorites. However, his music is still excellent, and brings me to a good place. Especially The Gift, Raindrops, and Still Waiting. Sinister, mysterious, uncomfortable: Pandora's Box by Blue Stone. This album is Blue Stone's only instrumental. Normally they make girlier, New Age-ish music, which is probably why their fanbase whined about it and they never did one again. Still, this is their best album, and it's creepy, weird, and narrative. Cold, sterile, the world is ending: Gabba Front Berlin. Their songs Lacrima Mosa Est and Sacred are terrifying examples of the speedcore genre, ~900 to 1,000 beats per minute. Normally this genre is just noise for its own sake, but these two song are gorgeous. Military, despair, history, betrayal: Rome is a new artist I found who makes historically based music in the post-industrial neofolk genre. My favorite albums of his are A Passage to Rhodesia and Coriolan. Absolutely perfect for when you want to feel like the last soldier on the battlefield who has been betrayed by his homeland. Mystical tragedy: Phantom Brickworks by Bibio. It's a very spooky album, and the best track is Capel Celyn. It's about the real life town that got flooded to be a reservoir for Liverpool. "Fun" fact: the quickest way to make a graveyard 10x creepier is to put it underwater. Miscellaneous weird stuff: Plone and Plaid are two of my favorite IDM artists. They have lots of moods and sounds, which the artsy-fart can interpret in any number of ways. Thought I'd give you a break from all the messed up stuff, lol.
I write to music to keep me focused, but it has to be something I'm already familiar with. If its new, I get distracted by the lyrics. So mostly I listen to soundtracks, playlists I've made, or music that doesn't have lyrics.
I listen to only instrumentals when I write. Every other music with vocals is distracting as it influences me to read rather than write, which I always thought ironic. I mostly just listen to emotional classical pieces, but jazz noire is pretty great too.
I need to tune everything out. My focus needs to be on my own words, my own mood for the story, my own tone. I've trained myself enough to tune out just about anything, but I've found the fewer distractions the better my writing.
I listen to music all day while I work, have for years. It most definitely has an effect on the texture of your output, whether it be writing or programming or design.
I cannot listen to music when I write. However, I have worked out scenes in my head while listening to music that matches the mood of a scene. I did this several times while mowing the lawn listening to music.
Yeah. . . I like music too much to do anything but listen to it while it's playing, and if I'm not listening to it what's the point? I need to be undistracted when it's on so I can actually listen.
I find it impossible to get in the zone without my earbuds in and some music going. Once I find my flow, I can normally take them out. It needs to be something to relax me and stimulate me at the same time: I find vapourwave or most pop music from the '80s works well.
I prefer to write without music, but if I need it (mainly to drown out other noisy distractions) I nearly always turn to two slightly different artists: Borodin, for classical music. My favourite ...I'm so familiar with it that it's soothing, and there aren't any highs and lows. Any kind of chamber music will work, in a pinch, but I prefer Borodin. Michael Chapdelaine's classical guitar albums—especially Bach. Again, because it's even-tempered with no highs and lows. However, when PREPARING to write, during the important envisioning phase, I listen to any kind of music that will help conjure up the visions I need.
I recently discovered the works of Shostakovich, a composer and victim of the USSR. Waltz #2 from his jazz session is my favorite.
I like to have classical music on in the background, or less intrusive movie/tv scores. If I have songs on, I tend to sing along And if the movie/tv score has really strong motifs (think John Williams where he has so many memorable motifs), my mind wanders into the movie ... It’s all just background, for me, though. Music rarely inspires my writing.
I listen to music before I write, not during. I find it is a good way to clear my mind of the day to day and get it focused on the theme. It is like plugging myself in and I often pick up where I left off.
I like listening to EDM and ambient music while i write. I have a Robert Miles station on my Pandora that is my go to writing station. I tried listening to neo-jazz and smooth jazz... Like, i love Robert Glasper's music and his station on Pandora, but i just cant write to it for some reason. Cant write to nature/natural sounds (like what you would hear isolated on recordings). Its distracting. Bird cherping, rain, ocean waves... I can listen to that when im NOT writing, but while i am, it grates on my last nerves and i cant focus. However, if i am sitting outside (as i often do when i write), that stuff is less apparent and doesnt bother me.
I'm very much in the minority here, but, I just don't listen to music, ever. Fine, that's a lie, I have gigabytes worth of music on my phone (and on my laptop, before Dell broke it... Long story), but I rarely listen to it. Generally, I prefer classical music to lyrical based music. I need silence to be able to write. Unless I can hear the neighbours talk (Which is a nightmare, as I suffer from social anxiety. The sheer existence of mankind stresses me out.), then I put on my wireless headphones and crank up the music. But yeah, generally, silence is bliss.
