Do you have a favorite writing playlist/artist?

CinnamonAntonym · Apr 5, 2016

I like to work in the dining room, but it can get noisy when people are watching television in the nearby living room. I've started listening to music, but I wouldn't mind some recommendations.

What sort of music do you guys like to listen to when you write? What gets the creative juices flowing for you?

s.cummings · Apr 8, 2016

My two favorites.

Peter Hollens

BrunuhVille

You're welcome.

CinnamonAntonym · Apr 10, 2016

s.cummings said:
My two favorites.

Peter Hollens

BrunuhVille

You're welcome.

Thanks! I'll have to check 'em out

s.cummings · Apr 10, 2016

Happy to help a fellow writer

CindyGirl · Apr 10, 2016

I love working in my dining room too even though I have an office. I don't have a favorite artist or type of music. Rather I have playlists of different moods on my iPod. I choose the mood that best suits what I'm working on.

Sammie · Apr 10, 2016

Honestly, I'm too lazy to create a specific playlist just pertaining to writing so I just press shuffle and let the music flow. The type of music that I generally like listening to when I start is the soft melody, beautiful voices type. Yeah, yeah that doesn't make sense I know. An example is Dark Paradise by Lana Del Rey. This song always gets the ideas flowing in. After I repeat the song several times I'll switch to shuffle. It's a weird habit of mine that annoys anyone sitting next to me because when I say several times I mean around ten times straight if not more. I ruined so many songs for a lot of my friends for doing this but hey it works for me.

Chris P · Apr 10, 2016

I have a playlist of about 500 songs on my iTunes that I put on shuffle. Most are indie singer/songwriters but there is a bit of everything on there from Avenged Sevenfold to Buddy Holly to Johnny Cash to Sarah Vaughn.

I get most of my new music from Noisetrade or from listening to indie and college stations online such as WMSV from Mississippi State, WXPN from Philadelphia, WERA from right here in Arlington, KEXP and WFMU. GotRadio.com's Down Home Den is good if you can tolerate all the ads. Sorry no specific recommendations, but that's the type of music I have in the background when writing.

CindyGirl · Apr 10, 2016

Sammie said:
Honestly, I'm too lazy to create a specific playlist just pertaining to writing so I just press shuffle and let the music flow. The type of music that I generally like listening to when I start is the soft melody, beautiful voices type. Yeah, yeah that doesn't make sense I know. An example is Dark Paradise by Lana Del Rey. This song always gets the ideas flowing in. After I repeat the song several times I'll switch to shuffle. It's a weird habit of mine that annoys anyone sitting next to me because when I say several times I mean around ten times straight if not more. I ruined so many songs for a lot of my friends for doing this but hey it works for me.

The idea of playing one particular song repeatedly as you go into the flow of writing makes perfect sense to me. It's like when experts say to chew the same flavor of gum for studying and test taking. You recall more knowledge that way.

randi.lee · Apr 11, 2016

I like anything without lyrics--Piano Guys, 2Cellos, Vitamin String Quartet, etc. I find that I can't listen to someone singing someone else's story while I am trying to write my own.

Dorian Graves · Apr 11, 2016

I set up playlists for each major project I'm working on, made up of songs that both fit the themes and music where the singers' voices match my characters'. If I need to generate ideas in the first place (often to get un-stuck on a project), I often listen to rock/metal tunes with fanfical lyrics to spark my imagination--especially Blue Oyster Cult, since I'm an urban fantasy writer.

CinnamonAntonym · Apr 11, 2016

Dorian Graves said:
I set up playlists for each major project I'm working on, made up of songs that both fit the themes and music where the singers' voices match my characters'. If I need to generate ideas in the first place (often to get un-stuck on a project), I often listen to rock/metal tunes with fanfical lyrics to spark my imagination--especially Blue Oyster Cult, since I'm an urban fantasy writer.

I love the idea of making a different playlist for each novel/project you're working on. I might have to start doing that.

Sammie said:
Honestly, I'm too lazy to create a specific playlist just pertaining to writing so I just press shuffle and let the music flow. The type of music that I generally like listening to when I start is the soft melody, beautiful voices type. Yeah, yeah that doesn't make sense I know. An example is Dark Paradise by Lana Del Rey. This song always gets the ideas flowing in. After I repeat the song several times I'll switch to shuffle. It's a weird habit of mine that annoys anyone sitting next to me because when I say several times I mean around ten times straight if not more. I ruined so many songs for a lot of my friends for doing this but hey it works for me.

I definitely get that! I have a bad habit of wearing out songs to the point where my friends get sick of them too. I think I listened to El Tango de Roxanne from Moulin Rouge so many times none of them could stand to hear it. But it's definitely a good way to kick off a project or writing session.

KTC · Apr 11, 2016

My favourites to write to are:

Nahko & Medicine for the People
David Bowie
The Cure
Leonard Cohen
Jeff Buckley

cmhbob · Apr 11, 2016

I use Pandora, and listen to Film Scores Radio quite a bit. That's a good action-movie vibe.

If I want something a little calmer, I shuffle my Piano Guys and California Guitar Trio channels. Both channels are more than just the named groups; one is more piano work and the other is more guitar.

angeldove · Apr 14, 2016

I'm going to show my geek here. I listen to my CD of Final Fantasy instrumental that I bought when I went to see the orchestra in concert. I also listen to Japanese anime or JPop music. I find that if I can't focus on the words then words flow through me faster. Even though my anime music has lyrics, I don't know a lot of Japanese enough to focus on it. But I highly recommend the Final Fantasy CD. Even if you never played a Final Fantasy game, the music is beautiful and soothing.

LilyJade · Apr 14, 2016

Depends on the state of mind I need really. Some of my favorite though are Lindsey Stirling, Peter Hollens, and Halestorm.

Do you have a favorite writing playlist/artist?

CinnamonAntonym

s.cummings

exploring life - one word at a time

CinnamonAntonym

s.cummings

exploring life - one word at a time

CindyGirl

Sammie

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred

CindyGirl

randi.lee

Certified Non-Genius

Dorian Graves

Deadly and Drunk

CinnamonAntonym

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

cmhbob

Did...did I do that?

angeldove

LilyJade