A few people have mentioned that they listen to music while they write. If you do, what do you listen to, and how loud?
I tried it, and found I seem to just tune out the music. I'd go for thirty minutes or more without realizing any music was even on. I tried turning up the volume, but that became distracting.
Maybe my 'smooth jazz' selections are just too mellow to make an impression.
I do find it useful to play guitar when I need a 'sanity break'. I have an acoustic guitar next to my desk, and I often grab that and play for a few minutes when the words stop coming and/or my vision blurs.
What does your writing environment sound like?
Posted by Chronicles_of_Empire (Member # 1431) on :
On my latest project I'm listening to the soundtrack CD to "Enemy at the Gates" by James Horner [Aliens, Star Trek II, Braveheart].
It's generally a nice film, excepting the last 20 mins which suddenly switches to a very different and very poor script.
But the soundtrack is excellent - a great mix of soft haunting melodies and dramatic choirs. Somehow seems to match the mood I'm trying to convey, and can help inspire me.
It's about hearing the pathos in a piece of music that matches that in the writing, and thus enforces and carries it.
Posted by srhowen (Member # 462) on :
I don't hear the music, but I use it. The idea is not to listen to the music, but to let it guide the soul as you write.
I listen to David Arkenstone a lot, and David & Steve Gordon (Native American Music)--- I also listen to the sound track from Mortal Combat---depends on what I am writing.
How loud? Depends. I use headphones when others are home, and I listen loud enough to drown out everything and everyone else.
What's the most distracting sound that can prevent me from writing? A video or computer game where the characters make these awful agh agh agh sounds when they get shot or whatever. Drives me to want to slap the game player, shake them, and smash their computer. And I would have to have the sound up so loud to drown it out in the headphones that I would walk away deaf. I cannot write when that is going on.
Shawn
Posted by GZ (Member # 1374) on :
In general I find I do better if I don’t listen to music.
When I do, it’s an instrumental soundtrack from a movie. Something that fits with the mood I’m trying to capture or the setting and no words. After it’s been on a while, I usually tune it out. Sometimes it sneaks back in at inopportune times, which is why it’s usually off.
There are things I like to play sometimes before I start as a sort of theme song. Something that really fires me up to the grand scope of the piece. Anything that involving though has to go before I can be very serious about the writing.
Posted by uberslacker2 (Member # 1397) on :
I've been using a lot of rock for my writing (I've read that Stephen King listens to rock while writing). I also listen to Soundtracks; enemy at the gates is one of my favorites. I usually make mixes of cd's that I can listen to. For instance I'll put a little bit of soundtrack music (LOTR and Enemy at the GAtes combo) stick a bit o' rock at the end so it has a sort of escalating effect.
The Great Uberslacker
Posted by Kolona (Member # 1438) on :
I like quiet myself. I'll usually have to shut the door to try to drown out the tv. The only exception is soft Hawaiian music, but I don't do that too often.
I'm more visual, so a desk with a view is more of a mood inspirer for me. My study (read extra bedroom) has higher windows, unfortunately, so I can't see too much. If I leave the door open, though, I have a clear line of vision out the front door which has a nice view, including my hummingbird feeder.
I'd love to design a study from scratch. A great big bay window with a window seat for reading--and re-reading...now there's fantasy.
Posted by Chronicles_of_Empire (Member # 1431) on :
The point about listening to instrumental music is definitely a salient one.
Different parts of the brain will deal with different elements of the music. You'll be requiring the language areas to be providing output only - receiving input concurrently simply confuses the creative process.
I don't remember neurology too well, but the inspiring emotional content of a piece will probably be stimulating the hypothalamus - whereas words in a song will be distracting the language centres [Wernickes or Broccas area - I always mix those up, though they're on opposing hemispheres].
In which case it would always probably be advised to avoid spoken word pieces, unless you are able to ignore that part of the content and render it unprocessed as anything other than emotion content.
Another little thing I sometimes do - whenever I go to the cinema, while sat down before the presentation, I will try to imagine watching a film trailer of my work - look at the screen, feel the size, start imaginary lights. Works best with eyes slightly closed, to move between both realities. Do the same sometimes with downloaded quicktime movie trailers - play them but block them out mentally and watch my own instead.
It is easier, though simply to listen to a punchy track and visiualise with eyes closed or roomk darkened.
And now...wow...got my LoTR soundtrack back from a friend. A very powerful soundtrack indeed.
I'm just going off to close my eyes and watch those amazing scene snippets roll by...!
Posted by chad_parish (Member # 1155) on :
I suggest Bach -- he's the most complex composer. His music is more "architectured" or "designed" than "written." His fugues, for example, are as much mathematical constructs as music, and that seems to really tune my mind into a creative vein.
(On the topic of words or no words: they're fine when they're in latin, I've found.)
[This message has been edited by chad_parish (edited July 08, 2002).]
Posted by SiliGurl (Member # 922) on :
Yep, I **have** to listen to music when I write. I can't listen to anything too distracting (so no Goo Goo Dolls), or anything too relaxing (no Enya). I find soundtracks work really well for me, in part (I'm sure) because they're designed to elicit a certain response from you. I mean, who doesn't feel their heart pounding when you hear that Gladiator "arena" song? My current faves are: Conan, Gladiator, Braveheart, and LOTR.
Posted by Mr.Xcitement (Member # 1452) on :
I usually listen to LOTR when i write fight or battle scene. sad songs for sad scenes. it helps my mind get in to mood and feel the emotions of characters.
Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :
I write the best when I am completely isolated. I use music to isolate me from the world even more. One less sense that I am actively using, oddly enough. If there is quiet, then I focus on every little sound I hear. If there is music playing, I can drown it out.
Posted by Studebach (Member # 1404) on :
I'm working on some major fights scenes right now, so what gets me into that frame of mind is Crystal Method. "Keep Hope Alive" or "Vapor Trail" are two of the songs that get me there. I try to imagine the scene I want to right with each punch/shot/explosion hitting on the heavy one-beat with the flickering lights/laserfire as the cymbals. I get a lot of ideas for fight scenes while driving and listening to CM or the like. I'm not a hardcore industrial listener. I tend to lean towards Echoing Green. that gets me in the mood too. And then the occasional epic song like "May It Be" or "Voices" by Dario G.
Posted by Falken224 on :
I actually can't have ANY distractions when I write. When I'm INVENTING, however, I like to have music to inspire. Actually conceptualized a whole big epic story based on the musical movement & color of Dvorak's "New World Symphony", did a couple of fight scenes to "Keep Hope Alive", (gotta love Crystal Method) a fantasy short based on . . . Damn, can't remember the title . . . song #2 or 3 on Enya's "Memeory of Trees" album. The one that's a chant of some sort, and got a really good idea from Metallica's "No Leaf Clover". (and "Wherever I May Roam", but that one's too easy.)
But once I have the story, I can't write with music on. It WAY distracts me.
Just me tho.
-Nate
Posted by Falken224 on :
Hmm . . . the dreaded double post. Never had that happen before.
[This message has been edited by Falken224 (edited July 15, 2002).]
Posted by JOHN (Member # 1343) on :
Pearl Jam and Bush. Especially when I'm writing a fantasy story because it's such a weird contrast. It usually fits the tone of anything I write.
