What Do You Listen to When You Write?

[xraineyesx]

I am currently gearing up to do some writing and, being the audio-phile that I am, am making a playlist, which, of course, led me to wonder, "What do others listen to when they write?"

And so, here I am asking what you listen to when you write, how you choose a playlist, what genres, etc.

I personally am a mixture of genres. I like shuffle. I'm a shuffle junkie. So my playlists are always random collections of songs put together.

[Eris]

It really depends on what I'm writing. Usually, because I write about high fantasy, it's often Secret Garden that I listen to. They're mostly instrumental. =D When I'm feeling steampunkish, I listen to stuff from Hayao Miyakazaki's movies. And when I'm writing anything pertaining to romance, I depend on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. xD

My music tastes are weird, no?

[Kalon Ordona II]

Not weird at all. Listening to music of the genre you're writing in sounds most logical and quite fun. ^^

Normally I don't listen to anything at all when I write, though. It's like I want to focus on one or the other, so having both on is distracting. If I tune out the music, it's just so much background noise to me; I don't even notice it. I'm sure it still affects my subconscious and gives inspiration and things, but I kinda feel bad that I'm consciously missing the music.

So, I dunno... how do you all write and listen to music at the same time?

[xraineyesx]

I'm a good multi-tasker. And I listen to music all day, every day. I don't know how else to stay sane! Haha. So I don't know, really. I'm just used to it being around me.

And Eris, I have the Moulin Rouge soundtrack too. So no, you're not weird. [: Everyone has diverse tastes in music.

[Guest]

Yeah, I'm the same as Kalon. Mostly because I'm a dancer and singer - not as profession or hobby, but if I've got music on, I'm dancing and singing along. Can't help it. So, it's either I focus on one or the other and can't have both happening at the same time. Otherwise, more dancing gets done than writing.

[xraineyesx]

Understandable. I'm singing as I type this! Haha. ("Help Me" by the Alkaline Trio.) But I'm still typing a-okay. It's just a difference in the ability to multi-task I suppose. I like dancing too, but I'm so used to have music on that I don't even pay attention to it hardly. I usually don't even notice when I'm singing.

[Gadreille]

I can multitask very well, but I still do not listen to music when I write. Mostly because I feel it alters my ideas, and I would rather be the only influence of my writings. If I choose to listen to music while I write, it is because that music gave me an idea and I wish to get it out. Otherwise, just silence.

[The Melancholy Spirit]

Hmm. I've never considered myself an influence on my writing. But, then, when I write I feel more like a medium for the material to be put on paper rather than the source of the material...

That sounds weird, I know.

[Attie]

I listen to a great deal of Enya when I am writing. I found this playlist on youtube and just repeat and shuffle it. So relaxing. Clears my mind of all the chaos and scramble in there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzpW7P83sb4&p=97C2BCEC55EEA72F&playnext=1&index=2

[Gadreille]

Prophets say they are divorced from their work as well, but I don't truly believe it. No human hand can touch something without somehow being an influence upon it. My schooling has taught me that much, at least. A written work can only go so far as the mind does, and each mind is different based upon its nature and experiences. That is what makes each novelist unique.

Enya is beautiful, I would find myself writing of elves and Valar if I listened to it as I wrote.

[Attie]

Ryona, I do find myself writing of them, hehe ;]

[The Melancholy Spirit]

Eh, I wasn't meaning to the extreme like prophets go to. Especially considering most prophets are in altered states of consciousness (trance and so forth). I was more meaning that I don’t consider myself an influence on my writing because I spin together far, far too many external influences. If I were to rely on myself for influence I’d never get anywhere.

And since I forgot to go into it last time… it really, really depends for me. Sometimes I throw everything up on shuffle like Raine, sometimes I pick a personally created playlists, sometimes certain artists. It has to reflect the mood, tone, atmosphere and such a lot for me. Wither darker material I’ll often go with the Century Child album from Nightwish, or dark neoclassical/atmospheric music such as Dark Sanctuary, Aythis, Lithium Dreams and such or dive into doom metal such as My Dying Bride and Wine From Tears.

For fantasy it can be a huge range, especially considering that I could be listening to any of the aforementioned. A lot of instrumental stuff helps here, such as the neo-folk styles of Nest or some symphonic metal, especially Rhapsody/Rhapsody of Fire due to the fact the entire band is build around the concept of two stories (they’re on the second on currently) in a fantasy world written by the guitarist/band leader Luca Turilli.

Steampunk moods will often go for a couple ‘steampunk’ bands that exist today or aforementioned neoclassical stuff, with the addition of Apocalyptica and others. Usually playlists with interludes and instrumentals from symphonic metal thrown in (Epica has a few of these, such as Unholy Trinity and Palladium).

For other forms of sci-fi it can vary greatly. Dark ambient, industrial, darkwave… such things. Band examples being some of Delerium’s work, especially the older stuff, or Diary of Dreams, Vangelis, Herrschaft, Samael (newer industrial influenced material) and so forth.

I could really go on for a long, long time about the wide range of stuff I listen to when writing. Contrary to popular belief that all I listen to is metal!

[xraineyesx]

Haha, Mel, I never thought you listened to just metal, you silly metalhead. (Jokin' hon.)

And Ryona, I am a firm believer in the idea that we can only write what we 'know', by which I mean our lives and our experiences will influence what we write no matter how objective we try to be. How can we describe a person's personality in words with out having interacted with a person with a similar personality?

But on the subject of music, I have such broad tastes. It's hard to pick just one.

And Attie, thanks for sharing the link. I'll have to check it out. What's it include, by the way?

[Kalon Ordona II]

Enya's awesome! xD

If I DO listen to music as I write, it's always always ALWAYS only ever instrumental. If there are words in it I don't even like it anyway, most of the time, unless it's an awesome song. But having words in writing music would be impossibly distracting for me.

Sometimes for role-plays and fanfiction I listen to music before or during writing. I have a role-play now, for example, where I almost always listen to the opening song I picked before I post. I have a theory that a piece of music attached to writing can add continuity to the project. I think it would get you back into that certain train of thought you had as you were writing all the rest of it, all the way from the beginning. Still testing it out. ^^

I might have even mentioned that somewhere on FOG already. Anyway, what do you all think? Would a piece of music logically help tie one person's writing together? Or, even better, might a piece of music help tie multiple people's writing together? Since music is universal, it might help accomplish what all collaborators are looking for: shared vision.

This could even be extended to readers, come to think of it.
It'd be like having illustrations in a book.

Maybe it goes along with why movies are so great. Shared experience.

[The Melancholy Spirit]

Well, considering that Therion's album Gothic Kabbalah was the influence for a few stories that my co-writer came up with and we're working on... yes, I'm pretty sure that it can be Kalon. I myself rarely use one song for such things, but a string of things that do well to set the mood and tone. It can help with anything from setting, plot, or individual characters.

Aforementioned friend was, last night, gathering a playlist of songs by Sentenced (from the very album I am listening to right now! Haha) because they fit well into the different personality sides of one of his lead characters in a solo-project. ^^

[xraineyesx]

Kalon, I can't function without music. I listen to it almost constantly. When my iPod (or one of my other music boxes, as I call them) dies, it's like immediate chaos and panic and death and destruction has taken over everything! Haha. Exaggeration, but I can't do anything without music.

I can totally understand the instrumental thing and see how words could influence what you're writing. But currently I'm in a roleplay that only exists because Attie heard a song and was inspired to create it. So, I guess, it goes both ways, right?

I am as I said a shuffle junkie. I am listen to shuffle. I change it when a song comes up that I don't feel like at the moment, but I love the diversity. Unless I'm in a very specific mood, in which case I might listen to just one genre or just one band.

[quakernuts]

Very much the same way Rain.

I can function with music, but not as well as when it is present.

Anyways, I mainly listen to instrumentals when I write. Anything epic sounding is pretty much what I go for, since I love the whole action side of things. One of my favorites at the moment is from the Hancock Official Soundtrack; Death and transfiguration.

So yeah, I tend to listen to that type of music regardless of what scene I may be writing for.

[Lamenting_Quill]

I listen to a wide range, if the roleplay has something to do with vampires, werewolves and the like, I listen to things like Adyta, Epica and Night Wish. If I roleplaying a fantasy genre, I like to listen to Celtic Woman or Enya. If it is action/adventure, I listen Linken Park, All American Rejects, Fall Out Boy and Green Day.
There is very specific music to put me into specific moods.

[The Ghost Writer]

I like to listen to soft techno, or classical. I know they might seem polar opposites when reading that, but if you break it down, the two genres are actually and amazingly similar to each other. Anyway, I like listening to them because I find many of the songs soothing and inspirational. I'll turn on techno when I'm writing an action scene or a primarily sci-fi oriented story, and then switch to classical when things get mellow or more modern/post-modern.

But when I'm in my car its a completely different story; hippidy-hop all the way! Woohoo!

[Sunwolf007]

For me the music must fit the scene. If I am feeling mellow I will throw on some Johnny Cash. If I am in the middle of a huge fight scene I will throw on some speed metal and jam out. If I am looking for some love scenes I will find some love songs. Like I said when I am writing the music must fit the scene. Or I might be watching a hockey game for white noise and be writing. That's my system.

[Fate Flyer]

I listen to a great deal of Enya when I am writing. I found this playlist on youtube and just repeat and shuffle it. So relaxing. Clears my mind of all the chaos and scramble in there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzpW7P83sb4&p=97C2BCEC55EEA72F&playnext=1&index=2

I'm with Attie. I like listening to Enya and Moby and other types of relaxing music.

[xraineyesx]

Seems to be the general consensus, the music fitting the mood.

As I've said, I'm a shuffle queen. If I don't like the song or it doesn't suit me, I change it.

But my music is almost always on shuffle. I hardly ever put it on one artist.

[The Melancholy Spirit]

Kind of makes me sad that so many great instrumental bands don't get mentioned in here... just Enya and such.

Oh well...

[xraineyesx]

Well, sir, why don't you make us a few suggestions then?

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