Music for writing? Silence?

[SaucyEroticProductions]

Greetings, Literotica & Authors!

We were just curious if you prefer the silence and ambiance of a quiet room to the music specifically picked by you (or others) for writing. What's on your inspirational playlists, if you have one?

Our own preferences music for our writing - specifically soothing music in the style of say, The Skyrim soundtrack by Jeremy Soule (one of our favourite items on the playlist at the moment), classical music or even something like opera. Of course this depends greatly on what is being written at the moment. Mostly however, music that calms and soothes will do the trick and get those creative juices flowing!

 

[FallingToFly]

Well, I have a series called PLaylists. I think that puts me firmly in the music while writing category.

 

[sr71plt]

I sometimes start with music in the background. It has to be instrumental and tending toward the "elevator" style (I use a lot of the Dan Gibson Solitudes CDs)--because I'm a singer and a vocal or a complex instrumental will distract me. At some point, though, my mind breaks from the writing and I realize either the music has gone silent or I've blocked it out of my mind entirely.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Put me in the "no words" camp. Right now I'm listening to some of the albums produced for Homestuckand Satie's piano compositions...

 

[MarieWriter]

music

JAZZ!! I like to write anything I'm writing to music...

Latin Jazz with the occasional kick ass rock thrown in to mix it up and give my mind a break...

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Put me in the "no words" camp. Right now I'm listening to some of the albums produced for Homestuckand Satie's piano compositions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8356FxUT20&feature=related
Youll like this guy.

 

[sr71plt]

JAZZ!! I like to write anything I'm writing to music...

Latin Jazz with the occasional kick ass rock thrown in to mix it up and give my mind a break...

A like Jazz too much--especially the unpredicatibility of where it goes from "here." I couldn't possibly write to it, I don't think. Unless the particular piece was quite familiar to me.

 

[topace]

I can write to my favourite music only. Surprisingly at the moment, that is Pokemon related music.

 

[Euphony]

I dont write write to music though it surrounds my process. I have certain tunes to prime my emotional engine. Then I tend to let it fade out and story idea like mad.

When the engine runs out of gas I refuel with more tunes.

As for actual wording/dialog, roll up your sleeves and do it work, I cant have anything with lyrics going and tend not to like even classical on. Music gets me into the element, once Im there, any thing else would be distraction.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I can't listen to anything with lyrics while writing. Hearing words in my ears interferes with my own word arrangements. I prefer classical or jazz on low volume, or nothing at all.

 

[PennLady]

I need either something familiar enough that I can tune it out, or I need something without words. My beta reader has given me a number of albums by Scorn, and some by James Plotkin/KK Null, which I find are really good. Very ambient, I guess. I'm not sure how they're classified -- in iTunes, it seems to range. Some albums say ambient, some say electronica.

(Scorn, btw, is a project that originated with members of Napalm Death.)

 

[lovecraft68]

I can't write in silence, then again I can't even think in silence.

I not only need music, but it has to be loud, I usually have to wear headphones, because my wife is the opposite and needs quiet and our offices are across the hallway from each other.

The music usually "tunes out" and the only time I'll notice it is if a song I don't like comes on.

I have Pandora which lets you thumbs down songs so that doesn't happen too often.

 

[sun_sea_sky]

We were just curious if you prefer the silence and ambiance of a quiet room to the music specifically picked by you (or others) for writing.

I may be in the minority here but when I am working/writing I need silence. Later in the day, during my relaxation phase, then the music gets put on.

 

[Handley_Page]

Some quiet Classical music (such as our Classical fM station), or,
if I really am trying to concentrate;
absolute silence.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Greetings, Literotica & Authors!

We were just curious if you prefer the silence and ambiance of a quiet room to the music specifically picked by you (or others) for writing. What's on your inspirational playlists, if you have one?

Usually I need quiet, but my internal soundtrack will often start playing something connected to what I'm writing. Marina and the Diamonds' "Family Jewels" is on heavy rotation at the moment.

I do use music in my stories quite often, so occasionally I play stuff for fact-checking purposes.

 

[MSTarot]

I set up U-tube to play these 1-8 hour Epic music blocks. It's all kind of music from movies, and maybe video games it plays the back ground for hours while i write.

M.S.Tarot

 

[TinyBeth]

It strongly depends on my mood and mindset from day to day. I'm also a musician so it can be distracting when I am trying to write, but if I am listening to someone with especially good or inspiring lyrics it can actually help me. Some days though I have to just have quiet. Oddly enough it's different when I am working on photos. If it is too quiet or still in the house I find it distracting and NEED to have loud music or even the TV on in the background.

 

[RodenAddison]

.....

 

[nicecthulhu]

If the wife and kids are away (rarely), then I turn up the volume and play anything from Loreena Mckennit, Great Big Sea or the Moody Blues to Rush, Styx or The Tragically Hip. If I'm in the mood for something heavier then Metallica or Iron Maiden usually works (or old Rush).
Usually the kids are asleep in their bedrooms when I write, so there's no music.
If I had my druthers, I'd have music on whenever I'm writing. In fact, I'd buy a turntable and bring my LPs out of storage.

 

[_Lynn_]

I may be in the minority here but when I am working/writing I need silence. Later in the day, during my relaxation phase, then the music gets put on.

I don't have music on very often when I'm writing either.

 

[JamieJ424]

Depends on what I am working on, sometimes the character I am writing. The music has to feed my mood and the jive with the tone of what I am working on. I have been known to put the same song on repeat for an hour soild while I write, if it's the perfect song.

J

 

[TE999]

I tune in a 'Classic Rock' station on the 'net, put in the ear buds and start typing. I know all the tunes by heart, so to me it's only pleasant background noise. It also drowns out any exterior noises such as "Will you PLEASE take the garbage out!"

 

[Handley_Page]

I sometimes don't understand it.

How can ANYONE merely have music on - like musical wallpaper ?
It's there to be heard & enjoyed; with passion.

How can anyone with ears to hear, ignore the majesty of Bach, the Rhythm of decent Rock, the intricacies of Mozart and the rest, and conjure mere words?
Even the most deathless prose takes concentration.

For example try this.
Put your headphones on, turn up the wick and bathe in it!

 

[topace]

I sometimes don't understand it.

How can ANYONE merely have music on - like musical wallpaper ?
It's there to be heard & enjoyed; with passion.

How can anyone with ears to hear, ignore the majesty of Bach, the Rhythm of decent Rock, the intricacies of Mozart and the rest, and conjure mere words?
Even the most deathless prose takes concentration.

For example try this.
Put your headphones on, turn up the wick and bathe in it!

I do enjoy my music, HP.

Just that some of songs are so familiar to me that I could sing them word perfect at karaoke without looking at the screen! That little fact scares me sometimes... as I can't sing word perfect my favourite songs there without looking at the screen!

 

[nicecthulhu]

I sometimes don't understand it.

How can ANYONE merely have music on - like musical wallpaper ?
It's there to be heard & enjoyed; with passion.

How can anyone with ears to hear, ignore the majesty of Bach, the Rhythm of decent Rock, the intricacies of Mozart and the rest, and conjure mere words?
Even the most deathless prose takes concentration.

Everyone has a different reaction to music. If it's something I haven't heard before then I like to concentrate on it. If it's something familiar then it evokes certain memories, emotions, etc in me.
I tune out music while reading scientific literature. For fiction, the right song summons images and ideas that can take my subconscious to places it normally doesn't go. While I listen with half an ear while I'm writing, I don't listen at all while I'm reading new fiction.