The music that gets you writing
I’ve got a big piece of writing on just now, a major project that I’ve been developing for months but need to complete (in first draft anyway) by next Tuesday. To shift the mood from research and note-taking to writing ‘proper’ (if you know what I mean) I’ve been experimenting with some different music to get into the flow.
This morning I’ve been experimenting with baroque music. It’s supposed to be great for learning and concentration. I first came across it when I was doing some early research for this project and have been trying it out in various different contexts ever since. It’s a bit too early to tell but I’d say it is helping me to focus, and to get the words to flow.
The CD I’m listening to is Baroque Garden for Concentration – you can listen to a sample by following the link.
Does music help to get you writing? And if so, what music do you choose to get the words to flow?
Since my OS was upgraded, I haven’t had access to my music yet because much of it wasn’t where I left it.
Before the update (and once I get everything set back up), I tend to write to one of two things. I had a playlist of favorite songs that I refer to as my personal playlist. That helped sometimes. What got me more motivated, though, was a playlist that combined all of my Eric Stuart Band and Edwin McCain songs. I can get an amazing amount of work done while listening to that playlist, possibly because one of them is an incredible wordsmith, and I find listening to him inspiring.
This is a great entry! I enjoyed reading it. I need to get mine pulled together.
Hi Rebecca, thanks so much for sharing that. I’m afraid to say I don’t know either of those bands/musicians – so I’ll go off and explore them in a little while. I was interested that you find the art of a wordsmith inspiring. I do too, but I think I tend to avoid anything with words when I’m writing so it doesn’t distract me. It’s definitely worth experimenting though.
Joanna
PS I hope you manage to get your playlists up and running again soon.
Hi Laura
It’s an interesting question isn’t it. I hope you’ll share your playlist on your blog when you have it ready!
Joanna
Sometimes music helps, sometimes it is a distraction! It totally depends on my mood I think, and there are definitely times I just want quiet! If I do have the music I prefer something I am familiar with – if it’s new music I tend to pay more attention to absorbing it, rather than focusing on work!
Hi John, I agree that it depends on the mood and the music. I think it also depends on which stage of the writing you’re at. I was in full blast mode this morning to break the back of the writing project and I did it with no soundtrack at all.
Back to editing what I’ve written tomorrow so I can indulge in some musical accompaniment.
Thanks for stopping by
Joanna
Yep, back to the archives for some interesting reads… And this certainly is a point of interest for me, Joanna. I just _love_ music!
In general, I have music playing in the background all day every day, so when writing, it doesn’t really come to me as a distraction. If looking for inspiration, I will pick a playlist that captures the mood of what I want to write. (Luckily, my musical taste is eclectic enough to match nearly all moods)
And a few examples for you:
If writing a fight or battle scene (which can be often in my Fantasy and roleplaying writing), I will go for some heavy metal along the lines of Dragonforce, Trivium and ‘old school’ Metallica. Mainly because these all have a fast pace and tone that matches the mood of an in-depth fight.
For inspiration when writing a more narrative, descriptive piece, I will go for something (neo)classical that offers a grandiose air: Movie soundtracks like Lord of the Rings/Hero/Gladiator, Llewellyn, or other such things.
When looking for an emotional theme in my writing, I will play more sombre instrumentals. A few favourites being “Lost Without You” by Dream Theater/Petrucci or “Close Your Eyes” from the Buffy The Vampire Slayer OST.
In my fiction, I like to always give a deep and thoughtful feel to my narrative and descriptions, often with a slight dark tint. As such, my ‘ultimate’ inspiration music is “Forsaken” by Disturbed, from the Queen of the Damned OST. Its dark, multi-layered industrial sound always seems to get my writing juices flowing.
And for what I consider as casual writing; blog writing, comment writing etc, whatever happens to be on my playlist at the time seems to suffice.
Regarding lyrics or instrumental pieces when writing, for me both work equally as well. While not always listening to the lyrics, the vocals often add to the whole ensemble. As an example, Serj Tankian has a voice that adds depth to the music, to the point that I believe without his vocals, the songs he performs would be nowhere near as good.
Well, there’s my two cents’ worth. I probably took a liberty to write a fair amount, but music is another of my passions. Mix that with writing and my tendency to ‘waffle on’ and you’re bound to get long replies from me.