Music

Status
Not open for further replies.

engmajor2005

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
682
Reaction score
72
Location
North Carolina
So what kind of music do you all listen to, if any, during a work session? I go for any of my favorites, but for some reason classic rock (The Doors, Hendrix, Eric Clapton) seems to jive better with non-fiction. For fiction (especially when I'm working on fantasy works) I'm sure to play something like Evanescence, H.I.M., Cradle of Filth, or Black Sabbath. Blue October is great for fiction as well. Of course, any of the music on my iPod is great for writing.
 

Freckles

Oooh, the Rainbow Connection
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
1,911
Reaction score
427
Location
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
I'm sort of like Jade. Music tends to distract me. In the case where I really need to concentrate, I work best in complete silence. :)
 

Zisel

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 25, 2005
Messages
62
Reaction score
5
Location
d8
To put this in context, I’m in love with Internet radio. You can get any kind of music you want, which is how I found half of the “weird” stuff I listen to.

The only things I can work to are “environmental sounds” of rain or waves (not any animal sounds, though), or Persian classical. The rain sounds work especially well to drown out the really bad piano playing of my upstairs neighbor. I could probably work to Leonard Cohen, Sarah McLachlan, Nautilus Pompilius (Russian rock band), or maybe some Bach pieces, too, but only because I’ve already listened to them so much I can pay less attention now. Come to think of it, I used to have a haunted house sound track I’d use as background sounds regardless of the time of year.

If I have to work when I’m really tired, I find pretty much any Lebanese pop music will keep me awake. I don’t speak Arabic, so the words don’t distract me. Sorry I can’t name any particular artists.

These aren’t necessarily my favorite kinds of music, but like what some other posters have mentioned, the music I really like distracts me too much. With most “serious” music, either classical or folk/traditional, I’ll pay more attention to the music than what I’m supposed to be working on.

Especially Beethoven or Rachmaninoff.
I don’t think anyone could ignore those two. :)

Z
 

WriterInChains

Feed my eyes
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
1,179
Reaction score
152
Location
Portland, OR
I use music to charge up, but I usually work either in silence or a busy public place.

Ideal scenario: I'll take a long walk, listening to the soundtrack for the WIP I'll be working on (currently: AIC, STP, Nirvana & Pearl Jam -- yep, the story takes place in the early 90s in my corner of the world :)) and retreat into my silent apt or my favorite coffeeshop or bookstore and write for a few hours.

When I wrote the ms I'm currently shopping it was all about The Doors, & I'm looking forward to O.D.-ing on Stevie Ray Vaughn, Zeppelin, & Janis Joplin for the next one. I'll reallyreally miss AIC, though, I've been completely saturated since June & am not tired of one song yet. :)

I doubt I could ever write with classical in the background. I love the violin, it grabs my attention no matter how many times I've heard a piece. Especially anything Baroque.

Cool thread! :)
 

Simon Woodhouse

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
322
Reaction score
30
Location
New Zealand
Website
www.simonwoodhouse.com
I find it difficult to write without something playing in the background. Usually the volume's really low, but even that's better than silence. Music also helps me to keep track of how long I've been writing for in that particular session.

I don't find it necessary for the music to match the mood of what I'm writing. The only preference I have is for something gentle first thing in the morning.
 

CaroGirl

Living the dream
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
8,368
Reaction score
2,327
Location
Bookstores
A whole lot of nothing. Blessed, blissful silence for writing, thank you.
 

engmajor2005

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
682
Reaction score
72
Location
North Carolina
Right now I'm listening to H.I.M. while working on flash fiction for a contest. Last night I heard Lacuna Coil after The Doors.

I noticed a lot of classical fans up here. I'm not much of a classical listener. Don't get me wrong; I like it. But I'm a rocker, through and through. I was raised on hair metal.

I've noticed a lot of people saying that it has to be music that they're familiar with or else they get caught up in the music instead of their project. Ditto for me. I tried listening to The Open Door, Evanescence's new album, while doing something and I got MAYBE 200 words that day. Maybe.

To tack on to the original thread, if you don't mind, is there any music you just simply CANNOT work to? Also, anybody find music creeping into their work? After hearing My Chemical Romance's new song, references to a "Black Parade" have already appeared in a poem I did.
 

ChaosTitan

Around
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
15,463
Reaction score
2,886
Location
The not-so-distant future
Website
kellymeding.com
God bless Rhapsody.

I have different playlists for different projects, and the artists I listen to are as diverse as my characters. Evanescence, Blue October, Shania Twain, Eminem, O.a.r., Josh Groban, Simple Plan, Nickelback, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Howie Day, Aerosmith, Meredith Brooks, Johnny Cash, Creed.

But there are occasions where I just want instrumental, and then I turn to favorite film scores: Gettysburg, Hook, Legends of the Fall, Band of Brothers, Romeo and Juliet, Pearl Harbor, Chocolat....
 

Oddsocks

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
368
Reaction score
24
When I'm writing, nothing - music is too distracting. But, when I'm plotting, worldbuilding, etc, I listen to a lot of powermetal (rhapsody, sonata arctica), melodic metal, and anime themes. Also nightwish, celtic music, organ music, latino...
 

Variant Frequencies

Podcaster
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
205
Reaction score
23
Location
Michigan
Website
www.variantfrequencies.com
For me, it varies a lot depending on the project. Sometimes silence is best. Sometimes NIN, Disturbed, Linkin Park, or Slipknot help me write a piece that's intense or violent, while Sting or Coldplay are better for something more mellow.
 

wordmonkey

ook
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 14, 2006
Messages
1,258
Reaction score
287
Location
North Carolina
Website
www.writingmonkey.com
I can't write WITHOUT music.

Often, I think I use it as really cool, melodic white noise. I have real trouble writing when it's quiet. However, if I know I am working on a specific scene I might well make an iTunes playlist that pulls mood music to help focus in on the tone of that scene.
 

oarsman

Salt water is the cure
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 21, 2006
Messages
1,712
Reaction score
1,555
Location
on the water
I like to listen to non-vocal music (jazz, classical, instrumentals), nature sounds, or just silence. For some reason, playing music with vocals causes me to add some of the lyrics to my sentences. And, I have to you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave edit my work later.
 

DeborahM

I need espresso & chocolate!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
3,606
Reaction score
657
Location
On top of a laptop
I can have music or the tv on in the background while writing, neither bother me. But it might as well be turned off because I rarely hear it, I get so focused. Then when I come up for air, I find the CD is no longer playing and I don't know how long it's been off or another movie is on and I missed something I wanted to see. :Shrug:
 

RG570

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Messages
1,037
Reaction score
105
Location
British Columbia
I write in front of the TV and generally tune it out anyway, but sometimes I listen to stuff while writing. I have not noticed an effect on my writing either way, except that when I listen to some real music, like Gambale or Holdsworth, I cannot concentrate on writing because I end up analyzing their guitar playing.

When I do, I listen to Rush, Rammstein, Death, The Killers, Jethro Tull, Husker Du, Chick Corea, Allan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale, Brian Hughes, Cynic, Arcturus, Talking Heads and some other stuff I can't remember right now. Oh, Carlos Montoya. And Mahavishnu Orchestra. And. . .I must stop this list.
 

engmajor2005

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
682
Reaction score
72
Location
North Carolina
oarsman said:
I like to listen to non-vocal music (jazz, classical, instrumentals), nature sounds, or just silence. For some reason, playing music with vocals causes me to add some of the lyrics to my sentences. And, I have to you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave edit my work later.

:)

No writer is complete without "Hotel California" somewhere in their personal music collection. Which reminds me, that got deleted off of my iPod in the Great Annual De-Cluttering Holocaust. I have to put it back up there.
 

SeanDSchaffer

I listen to whatever I am in the mood for. I have just about every kind of music from the Beatles to Van Halen to Boston to Foreigner. It's just a matter of whatever 'clicks', if I may use that term, with my thoughts at the time.

It really just depends on what my mood is.
 

SeanDSchaffer

engmajor2005 said:
:)

No writer is complete without "Hotel California" somewhere in their personal music collection. Which reminds me, that got deleted off of my iPod in the Great Annual De-Cluttering Holocaust. I have to put it back up there.


Are you talking about the song itself or the whole album?
 

engmajor2005

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
682
Reaction score
72
Location
North Carolina
SeanDSchaffer said:
Are you talking about the song itself or the whole album?

Just the song. I'm not a big Eagles fan, but that is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. So what if the last two minutes is one long guitar solo?
 

Zisel

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 25, 2005
Messages
62
Reaction score
5
Location
d8
To tack on to the original thread, if you don't mind, is there any music you just simply CANNOT work to?

My upstairs neighbor’s piano playing. It’s painfully bad and not improving with time. Oh wait, you said "music." I probably can tune out almost any music, provided it’s not so loud it’s shaking my desk, but some is harder to ignore than others. Complex drum rhythms (like the kind in Middle Eastern or African folk) are hard to ignore. Almost anything solo, including a cappella voice, seems to distract me well, too. Tchaikovsky’s also pretty hard to work to.

Adding to the first question, I was just thinking I can probably work to Arthur Meschian's music, too. It's definitely not dull or ignorable, it just somehow meshes with thought all right. Meditative, maybe.

And I think I can live without Hotel California, actually. It's creepy. ;)

Z
 

Jongfan

Insane, in a good way
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 25, 2006
Messages
515
Reaction score
546
Age
57
Location
Boston
Blue October, Nickelback, Hinder, 3Days Grace,
All American Rejects, Journey, Elton John, CCR, Blink 182,
Eagles, Bare Naked Ladies, Billy Joel, Sean Paul, Evanescence, Good Charlotte,
Bowling for Soup, New Found Glory, Avenge Seven Fold, Avril Lavigne, My daughter,
All music, all genres... depending on mood
 

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 26, 2005
Messages
23,708
Reaction score
10,657
Location
In a world of my own making
Website
shadowferret.wordpress.com
I have music playing ALL the time. When I'm at work. In the car. Doing yardwork. EVERYTHING I do requires music. Writing is no exception.

I listen to all sorts of music, classic rock, fusion jazz, traditional jazz, classical. On myspace, I have a list of all the bands I enjoy listening to, but for writing, I guess my favorites, the ones that seem to stir the creative juices are: Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Hawkwind, Nektar, Tangerine Dream, Robin Trower, Billy Cobham, Jean Luc Ponty, Return to Forever, Blue Oyster Cult, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, Dream Theater, Spock's Beard, Rob Zombie, Drain STH, and Pink Floyd, just to name a few.
 

SeanDSchaffer

engmajor2005 said:
To tack on to the original thread, if you don't mind, is there any music you just simply CANNOT work to?

Ironically, the music I cannot work to, is the stuff on the radio....even though much of it is the stuff I have on LP. The reason is very simple: commercials. I have no patience for commercials when I'm writing.


BTW, I agree with you on Hotel California as the song versus the whole album idea goes. The album is good, what with songs like Wasted Time and Life In The Fast Lane, but the title track just has an outstanding feel and ring to it. Almost like an Eagles version of the Twilight Zone, it's scary and funny and just plain enjoyable. And the guitar solo is not all that bad for an ending, either...
 

Carrie in PA

Write All The Words!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
1,942
Reaction score
1,078
Location
in my own little world
When I'm writing, I like to have instrumental stuff on, usually classical. If you know of any good Latiny instrumental stuff, let me know. I nearly have my Benise CD worn out. :)
 

janetbellinger

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Messages
2,770
Reaction score
427
Location
Orangeville, Ontario
Actually, I have to go back on what I said earlier about not being able to write to music. The other day I was in a fog and couldn't focus enough to write. I put on "The Mystic Sea," just old New Age synthesized music but it filled in the void enough that I was able to write. Quiet is good but sometimes too quiet can be deadly to my writing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.