Music While You Write?

Patrick L · Mar 1, 2008

Anyone use music to set the mood for their fiction?

Not sure why I'm asking this--just curious. I use iTunes or my iPod as I write, choosing music that best matches the mood and place of what I'm writing. Most of my stories take place in Europe, so, of course, my iPod is loaded with hoardes of Brit bands, and a few others from Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

I would imagine some people prefer quiet when they write. If not, give this a try.

Menyanthana · Mar 1, 2008

I try. Sometimes. Helps me with writing love stories, or at least I imagine it does.

Inky · Mar 1, 2008

Just bought speakers for laptop by Logitech from TigerDirect.com

THEY ROCK!!! Uber bass!!

Loreena McKennitt and soundtracks such as Kingdom of Heaven, Gladiator, LOTR (extended collection), and other similar works are what create/set the mood for my particular genre.

Ken · Mar 1, 2008

I often listen to bebop, on a casette player, to invoke chaos in my tales. Gilespie is great for this and Mingus and Dolphy too. If I could only learn to write like these cats play my aspirations would be accomplished.

Eldritch · Mar 1, 2008

Yes!
Oingo Boingo, and Danny Elfman's dark and moody Tim Burton soundtracks--Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow...

Juniper1 · Mar 1, 2008

I listen before I write. I find listening during feels a little metally confining (too much mood). My husband, on the other hand, can only work with music in the background.

But I do listen to something beforehand, usually when driving home from dropping my kids at school, and I have a few things that invariably get my brain connected to my WIP. In fact, I now have a terrible pavlovian response and must write whenever I hear stuff off of a few different CDs. Just learned the hard way that I really should avoid listening to any of it before I go to meetings with clients.

Okay, so maybe I have a problem with music abuse...

caromora · Mar 1, 2008

I almost always have music playing while I'm writing. A lot of times it's to help set the mood for whatever I'm working on, but usually it's to block other noise out. My household is incredibly chaotic and noisy, but I put on my Bose headphones, turn on my mp3 player and hear nothing. The house could fall down around me.

I like Chopin and Schubert, and also movie OSTs. My current favorites are Amelie and Stardust. They work really well together and create a lovely, faerytale-esque mood.

I also make playlists for certain characters or scenes. I listened to a lot of Paramore while writing my last book because their songs reminded me so much of my MC.

Joycecwilliams · Mar 1, 2008

Juniper said:
I listen before I write. I find listening during feels a little metally confining (too much mood). My husband, on the other hand, can only work with music in the background.

But I do listen to something beforehand, usually when driving home from dropping my kids at school, and I have a few things that invariably get my brain connected to my WIP. In fact, I now have a terrible pavlovian response and must write whenever I hear stuff off of a few different CDs. Just learned the hard way that I really should avoid listening to any of it before I go to meetings with clients.

Okay, so maybe I have a problem with music abuse...

I do the same thing. I call it prewriting. I put on music that has to do with the piece, listen to it... then write...

I can't write with music on either... but the TV doesn't distract me..

Go figure.

Pike · Mar 1, 2008

Eldritch said:
Yes!
Oingo Boingo, and Danny Elfman's dark and moody Tim Burton soundtracks--Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow...

Danny is a God!

I lean towards classical along with other instrumental pieces. If I can hear someone singing I start to lose myself in the lyrics. Typical choices include Vangalis, Tangerine Dream, Mozart, JS Bach.

BTW - Sleepy Hollow was on TNT last night. It's one of my faves.

Pike

dreamsofnever · Mar 1, 2008

I do! the longer I work on something, the more I pile up music that makes me think of it. so I usually have a playlist of about 100 songs that get me in the mood to write for my novels.

Harper K · Mar 1, 2008

I'm a dork. I have a whole soundtrack for my novel. It's on my iTunes, and I also have it burned to CD so I can listen to it in my car. It helps a lot, especially in the transition from work to home. I hop in my car at 6 and the soundtrack comes on and I immediately start thinking about what chapter I need to work on that evening.

Patrick L · Mar 1, 2008

satori said:
I'm a dork. I have a whole soundtrack for my novel. It's on my iTunes, and I also have it burned to CD so I can listen to it in my car. It helps a lot, especially in the transition from work to home. I hop in my car at 6 and the soundtrack comes on and I immediately start thinking about what chapter I need to work on that evening.

That's not dorky at all. Mine isn't that structured, but it's similar.

When my characters are out for the night, I'll listen to 80's house music, or The Cure, or something along those lines.

When I'm in a descriptive section, I may choose classical, or even something like Enya.

For heavy dialogue or intense scenes, maybe some good Zeppelin or Stones.

I love music.

rosiecotton · Mar 1, 2008

Love music when I write. Got the Cure too - Disintegration - nice and moody! Tons of OSTs (for some reason, the Last of the Mohicans and bizarrely, the Titanic OST?!?!? always gets things moving), Enigma, that sort of stuff. For darker, action scenes - I've developed a taste for Marilyn Manson, he really pulls the beast out of you (but in a good way).

Birol · Mar 1, 2008

I don't always have music on when I write, but when I do, I have a soundtrack set-up for each novel. I put it on repeat and just let it play over and over again.

In the current project, there are two POV characters. The male has the theme songs No More Mr. Nice Guy by Alice Cooper and "You Know My Name" by Chris Cornell.

Eldritch · Mar 1, 2008

satori said:
I'm a dork. I have a whole soundtrack for my novel. It's on my iTunes, and I also have it burned to CD so I can listen to it in my car. It helps a lot, especially in the transition from work to home. I hop in my car at 6 and the soundtrack comes on and I immediately start thinking about what chapter I need to work on that evening.

This actually sounds like a good idea. Thanks. I'm going to give it a try.

Eldritch · Mar 1, 2008

Pike said:
Danny is a God!

LOL. I was going to describe him as a Genius, but God works too.

DWSTXS · Mar 1, 2008

I acn't write without the headphones on and the music blasting. Besides being my favorite music, the 60's and 70's rock and roll I listen to coincides perfectly with my WIP which is about going to Woodstock (1969) and taking part in the sex, drugs, and rock and roll of those years.

'Long live Rock,
I need it every night...'

Danger Jane · Mar 1, 2008

Sometimes I use my story soundtracks when I write, sometimes just what I feel like listening to, and sometimes nothing. I figure even if my current music isn't directly related to what I'm writing...well, it's all got to do with my brain, right? So even the most unrelated music still has to have something to do with my story. For my one story, it's pretty much all relaxing girl music...Imogen Heap, Zoe Keating, stuff like that. For the other, spacey baroque rock, like Arcade Fire, Sonic Youth, and Mercury Rev.

Logic. Don't you just love it?

Alexandra Little · Mar 1, 2008

I just need background noise most of the time. If I need need music, then I have a few celtic-y things (Enya, and some soundtracks).

Claudia Gray · Mar 1, 2008

I make playlists for each project I work on, and I can tell my thinking is on-target for a project when the soundtrack comes together!

Not only do I listen to the playlists while I write, but I also listen on my iPod during my commute each day. I find that the music becomes associated with the story in my mind, and that becomes very good brainstorming time as a result.

ishtar'sgate · Mar 1, 2008

Patrick L said:
Not sure why I'm asking this--just curious. I use iTunes or my iPod as I write, choosing music that best matches the mood and place of what I'm writing. Most of my stories take place in Europe, so, of course, my iPod is loaded with hoardes of Brit bands, and a few others from Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

I would imagine some people prefer quiet when they write. If not, give this a try.

I prefer quiet when I write except when a particular piece of music brings to mind a scene I want to write. Then I play it while I'm writing to help me get the right feel. Works well.
Linnea

MerryDay · Mar 1, 2008

I'm usually writing at coffeeshop, on campus, or amidst my crazy, loud roommates, so I have to listen to music to block everything else out. Like others, I'm a big fan of soundtracks...if the music is telling a story, it gets me into the emotion of my characters faster. It's normally something Broadway (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Les Miserables, Spring Awakening, Ragtime, and Into The Woods are my favorites for writing) or big, sweeping instrumental soundtracks like the Harry Potters or the first Pirates of the Caribbean.

...that being said, lately my current WIP has been written to Feist, Death Cab for Cutie, and Ingrid Michaelson, so maybe I just need to have listened to something a million times for it to qualify as writing music.

leontay · Mar 1, 2008

I can't write without music , even if its just one song on the endless loop to drown out all the other stuff.

Last.fm is good - it keeps a track of all the songs you play and how much and its fun to see and compare statistics (procastination).

onlyhere · Mar 1, 2008

I listened to Joanie Madden (Irish tin whistle) while writing the first novel which was loosely based on Irish folklore. The Lament Of McCrimmon was inspirational for one character.

maestrowork · Mar 1, 2008

Sometimes I do, sometimes I do. Sometimes I like to write in silence, and sometimes I like background music. I tend to set ambiance music on repeat, or I'd turn on the radio and tune it to a generic classical station. The problem is that I'm very musical so "good music" would distract me as I would start humming along, taking me out of my own fictive dream.

Music While You Write?

Patrick L

looking for a home

Menyanthana

Moonflower

Inky

Eat, Sleep, Write...

Ken

Eldritch

Juniper1

caromora

Still alive. Kind of.

Joycecwilliams

Pike

Chivalry ain't dead

dreamsofnever

Harper K

here's to the girl on the go

Patrick L

looking for a home

rosiecotton

Lover of Tea

Birol

Around and About

Eldritch

Eldritch

DWSTXS

Mr Mojo Risin...

Danger Jane

Alexandra Little

What a desolation.

Claudia Gray

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

MerryDay

leontay

onlyhere

Non-deceased hearse rider

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray