I love, love, love music. But like others here, I have to listen to pieces that I already know, already understand, and feel comfortable with. If I take a recommendation from someone else to listen to a piece that I don't know, I spend all of my writing time trying to understand it, instead of writing. For me, it doesn't matter if it has lyrics or not; I find that what matters is how I listen. I can't go the iPod route with earbuds, because it's too close, if that makes sense. I need a low background noise. My tv works, too, on the news or cooking shows, but mostly, I listen to low volume music. I've found at time when I'm grappling for a certain emotion or way of explaining, the particular music I'm listening to will help me unravel the problem. I find these moments amazing when my iPod is on random, and I never know when I'm going to get stuck.
It all depends on what you listen to and what motivates you. For example, sometimes I can listen to music by Daughtry, Beyonce, Iron & Wine, and more, and it works fine. But other times I might need something purely orchestra, like something by Gregory-Williams, and more. I love listening to the PotC 3 soundtrack and the Chronicles of Narnia soundtrack, too. The sound of growing tension in music alone fuels me, brings out the emotion needed to put the thought to paper and get it all out. But I always try to listen to music when writing; it usually makes the writing better for me and the background noise gets rid of the OTHER background noise, allowing me to focus. I'm sorry if I just rambled here, and I hope that makes sense.
Emmy made an interesting point there, abour earphones. Even with headphones, its somehow constraining. Its easier at least from my laptop speakers. I never noticed that point until Emmy brought it up.
For me it all depends what I'm trying to write. Music sets a mood for me. And even if half the time the lyrics cause me to sing along in off key, that song ends in five minutes and I put down a pargraph of beautiful things. Well at least I think I do. I write in little bursts anyways, and singing along prevents me from blankly-staring-wandering-mind syndrome. I have it all sorted out into mood themed playlists, and depending on what I want to write, I boot up happy, or sad, or excited, or whatever else. Music I listen to spans from Disturbed (I'm totally in love with this band right now), over Tool (my last infatuation) across to Janis Joplin, and even dips into classical. Richard Wagner has the most amazing epic fight scene soundtrack. (Think Apocalypse Now, helicopter scene, you know what I'm talking about - The piece is called Ride of the Valkyries).
Wow, more influential words Okie - I may try that singing (or at least miming) along. Might get me more involved in the music rather than blankly wandering on a tangent haha! And Disturbed! *thumbs up*
Try it, it might help. And you might find yourself belting along with David Draiman at the top of your lungs. It's been known to happen to me.
I don't listen to music when I write, can't, since I just let everything, every word fall out of my head without thinking about it, I find it difficult to concentrate with music. But that is awesome that you found something that helps you concentrate when writing
Music IS awesome. Someone once said "I love music, If I could I'd give it a hug" and that's probably the best thing i've heard anyone say xD !!! I do tend to mime whenever I hear Indestructible, but I can't sing and don't like the sound of my voice - would much rather hear his
My roomate probably would too, but that doesn't seem to stop me. I just crank up the volume, and voila, you can't hear me anymore.
AHAH! Another one bites the dust. And another one, and another one, another one bites the dust. Muahaha Ok, I'm done. Carry on.
LOL! Oooh I'm going to see Placebo tomorrow. They are my absolute favourite (after Muse) and hugely inspiring. I have a whole day in Bournemouth and long coach trips before and after, so i'm taking a notebook in hope of some old-school writing *HOPE*
I TRY to listen to music when I write - my singers of choice are Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Michael Buble - but I find myself sometimes concentrating too much on the music and words than on my writing. Who couldn't, with voices like that?!
I can write with music without lyrics, such as classical, but I can't write well at all when I know a song I'm listening to. I get too caught up in *that* writing to be able to focus on my own. Because songs are stories by themselves and to me, listening to words while trying to write them is like trying to read a book and write my own at the same time. It just doesn't work. ~Lynn
I've seen the 'Music for Writing' forums around here, but I think this is a slightly different topic so I hope you don't mind me putting up another topic. I've done some reading around some original fictional works online lately and have noticed a reasonably common theme keeps popping up and that is the inclusion of a 'playlist' of music tracks that spans the entirety of the novel/short story. That is to say, an excerpt of a certain song that sums up the theme/mood/message of the chapter is placed at the top of the piece before the actual narrative starts. And I just wanted to gauge opinion on the matter; what do you think of author's contruction a 'novel playlist? Do you do it yourself perhaps? Is it at all beneficial to the writing process? And, does it add something to the story? Thoughts please.
You had better contact the copyright owner of each lyric first, and get written permission. Expect to pay for the privilege, unless you are more famous than the lyricist.
Starting each section of the narrative with an excerpt from lyrics isn't really any different to doing so with a brief quote - if done well, it can help to set the tone for the following events. You'd need to be careful that the tone was clear from the lyrics alone though, since there's a good chance most readers won't know the tune. And, yeah, legal issues.
*point to her blog in her signature* Yes, I do it. It's fun and can kinda help when writing. As far as adding to the story? Hmm....I suppose you could say it can add a little flair of personality to the story and/or characters. It can also help people understand a character or event more. Music is a powerful force, after all.
In a pet project exercise, I've slammed head long into a brick wall. The challenge I'm presented with is to write the experience of listening to a piece of instrumental music. Exactly how does one go about describing instrumental music in text? The exercise was to pick a song and write a short story inspired/based on the song. My pick was "The Devil went down to Georgia", by the Charlie Daniels Band. Spinning a tale of the devil incarnate, materializing in Georgia, burning hoof prints into the soil as he treks out upon a quest to steal a soul, was easy enough. The exploits of the good ole southern boy, Johnny, fighting a fiddle duel by playing his folk tune, expounding upon the virtures of good, simple country life was easy enough. But, the devil, with his fiddle of gold...and a band of demons that join in to make it sound something like this? How does one describe the instrumental music with only text? Alas...it vexes me.
Describe the emotions that go along with listening to it, or what it reminds you of. Or do fantasy...as you listen, monsters come out of your computer screen and start wrecking havoc..
Well, I'm a violinist, so I guess that challenge doesn't sound so difficult to me...but like Mallory says, what's important is how the tones make you feel when you listen to it. In that song, there are two distinct fiddle styles--the hiss that the devil's violin makes and the harmonious mountain fiddle that his challenger plays. What images do you get when you listen? Why do you think the songwriter chose to portray the devil with that particular style of playing? Making a violin "hiss" is not an easy thing to do--it requires extreme pressure and a lot of control. In any case, how virtuous is Johnny really? He must be pretty arrogant to challenge to devil just for a golden fiddle!
