Music to Write by

[kennyc]

Interesting I was just looking at this blog post yesterday:

Music to Write By: 10 Top Authors Share Their Secrets for Summoning the Muse
By Steve Silberman
Posted: November 15, 2012


http://blogs.plos.org/neurotribes/20...ning-the-muse/

and Carl Zimmer's playlist in particular.


[Click to enlarge]

[VydorScope]

I perfer silence, or my Thunderstorm cd....

[teh603]

When I'm on my off period at work, or in a park, I tend to have silence. In a more crowded environment, I put on a healthy mix of death metal and pop rock.

You know its a good mix when it fades from Nightwish to Lady Gaga.

[dakini]

another vote for silence here. i tend to only resort to music when there's a lot of background noise. and then it tends to be either dippy 50s and 60s bubblegum pop or jazz ...

[gmw]

I go through phases. At the moment it's a silence phase. Other times it's classical music, Grieg, Vivaldi and Bach being among my favourites, but I'm generally not that fussy once I get going. At other times it's been Fleetwood Mac (sometimes the original, blues stuff, sometimes the new). Dire Straits tend to be pretty inspirational, Pink Floyd too. I've even got a Billy Connolly CD that comes out pretty regularly (Muscial Tour of Scotland). More recently I've come to really love Death Cab for Cutie - if you want obsession in music, these are they guys. And there's one that I find quite strange and out of character for me - Paramore; I pump my headphones up loud (this is generally in the early hours of the morning) and it always seems to lock me away somewhere good.

I think almost anything can work for me, as long as it's familiar - new stuff is distracting - and I'm in the right mood. I often find myself typing in time to the music, as though the rhythm itself is a driving force.

I can't do detail editing to anything with words, so that's always silence or classical, but when writing new stuff I find that good music helps to lock out the demons of distraction.

[crich70]

I have heard that some writers pick music that speaks to them of their writing projects so that the music can help to inspire possible twists and turns to the story line. I've had some ideas suggested to me by the music I listen to for that matter. Don't know if it's everyone's cup of tea to go that route though.

[sarahdalton]

When I was writing my Nanowrimo I went for suspense music because the novel has a gothic feel to it.

Most of the time I prefer silence.

Sometimes I need something with a beat to get me going. I like indie music so Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys.... Bat for Lashes is nice to write to. Her voice has a haunting quality.

Sometimes I listen to music in French so that it doesn't interfere with my thought processes - Bridgitte Bardot, Jacques Brel, Anna Karina etc

Most of the time I end up turning it off after about half and hour so I can really concentrate.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by teh603

When I'm on my off period at work, or in a park, I tend to have silence. In a more crowded environment, I put on a healthy mix of death metal and pop rock.

You know its a good mix when it fades from Nightwish to Lady Gaga.

I like that!

"a healthy mix of death metal and pop rock"

Sorta like vitamins!

Speaking of: Vitamin C? Where did she go?

[Lazer]

Listening would probably distract me... maybe not. Here's some music I wrote into Chapter 5 last night:

Holding the glass stem to his lips he inhaled the thick-milky vapor and felt the heat flow into his chest. He set the pipe down, slumped back into the chair and held the fumes letting them chew deep into the guts of his lungs. Exhaling, he rolled his eye-balls back and forth and felt the meth flush into his brain. After several minutes of absorbing the chemical’s virility, he moved his tongue across his lower lip, tapping here and there as if it were a slick keyboard and listened to its music. Gotta find red’s house.

Now: Don't run out and buy methamphetamine!!! -TL

[Alex Bleach]

Originally Posted by crich70

I have heard that some writers pick music that speaks to them of their writing projects so that the music can help to inspire possible twists and turns to the story line. I've had some ideas suggested to me by the music I listen to for that matter. Don't know if it's everyone's cup of tea to go that route though.

Good info, very interesting. I also heard that some authors listen to the music their characters would listen to, to further develop the character. Irvine Welsh said he does this, even if it's music he doesn't like.

[orlok]

I always write to music (it got me through my University finals, so why change what works?), and the only type of music I will avoid (apart from stuff I can't stand, of course) is comedy - Tom Lehrer, Monty Python sings, Half-Man Half-Biscuit, that kind of stuff - as it distracts me too much listening to the words. Otherwise, it's all good.

[Phuein]

Some interesting ideas shared here :=D I think I'll try the foreign music theme too. Japanese can catch me.

I found myself today, writing to a fantasy theme tune, and the inspiration to write in a larger-than-life sort of vibe took me over. It really does work!

I prefer a remote and natural place for writing. Totally quiet. If it's not that, then it has to be music, so I can concentrate and feel comfortable.

[RobertLCollins]

I need something playing while I write. I discovered an internet radio station called Cinemix, and I listen to it pretty much every time I write. What I like about it is the mix of soundtrack clips really varies.

[kennyc]

Interesting I'll have to check that out. I enjoy that type of music on occasion.

Got it added to my bookmarks.

Thanks!

[Phuein]

*cranks up Cinemix in the background*

Very interesting. Cheers.