Music you listen to for writing inspiration...

[lavendersilk]

I was curious what you guys may listen to while writing. I sometimes like having background noise while I write. Mostly music.

Who is on your playlist at the moment?

 

[TheRedChamber]

Nothing while writing. Id mess with my process. Occasionally I need to listen to something for research. (Im currently on Verdi arias)

 

[K155]

There are two songs coming to mind that are super good for getting in the mood to write sexy things...

I want everything by ratso and the turning of our bones by arab strap

 

[Altissimus]

I don't find listening to music helpful while writing. I don't want other people's words in my ears when I'm trying to find my own.

 

[SyleusSnow]

Anything instrumental. Can't focus when there's singing. Any of the chill beats youtube things like the lofi Girl ones work for me. Even Tale Foundry has a writer's music track or two. And for writing the sex scenes-- Two Steps from Hell

Or sometimes crowd noise helps, like 10 hours of coffee shop noise.

I find music / noise helps to get rolling, but once in the groove (in the rare times that actually happens) I prefer silence.

 

[spankableBelle]

I listen to music all the time when I'm writing.

I usually have to know a song or songs by heart so I can sing along or mouth the words without even thinking about it.

I struggle a lot when I can't find the song(s) or album for the mood I'm seeking for what I'm writing and I usually have to wait until it comes to me...
Lucky for me, I'm always working on multiple projects so while I'm waiting, I can plug into something else that already has music set to it.

 

[MrPixel]

I find choral music relaxing and non-distracting. Hard to be distracted by the words when most vocals are in Latin.

Gentle harp music (currently Pandora's "Zen of Harp Radio") seems to set my mood for romance writing, although I'm starting to down-vote the "zen" tracks where the "etherial" is forced. I'll pull-up mainstream classical if I need a touch more stimulation.

And for writing the sex scenes-- Two Steps from Hell

Hah! "Epic" was a favored choice, too, back when I was writing more graphic sex. Given that the current projects have drifted more into romance with the sex scenes "implied", Bergersen's hard-driving style and over-the-top vocals haven't been working for me lately. But I have a handful of TSfH albums downloaded and on CD for the non-computer big stereo we have at the studio. Massively awesome on big speakers.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Music you listen to for writing inspiration...​

I never listen to music with lyrics when writing, too confusing.

In general, I listen to classic music more than anything else. Depending on my mood, Sibelius can be a good background track, or Debussy. If I’m writing something more animated, then maybe Bach, or even Bartok.

Em

 

[MrPixel]

...or even Bartok.

Gawd. Most Bartok makes me jumpy as hell, either listening or performing! You must have nerves of steel, Em.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Gawd. Most Bartok makes me jumpy as hell, either listening or performing! You must have nerves of steel, Em.

It depends what I’m writing .

Em

 

[lavendersilk]

I listen to music all the time when I'm writing.

I usually have to know a song or songs by heart so I can sing along or mouth the words without even thinking about it.

I struggle a lot when I can't find the song(s) or album for the mood I'm seeking for what I'm writing and I usually have to wait until it comes to me...
Lucky for me, I'm always working on multiple projects so while I'm waiting, I can plug into something else that already has music set to it.

I feel you with struggling to find the right song(s) to fit the mood I'm trying to conjure or evoke. Hit or miss...

As far as lyrics go, I really don't pay much attention to them while writing unless I've memorized them. It takes me about twenty listens to memorize a song. The melody/music is mostly what inspires me.

 

[SimonDoom]

I prefer silence when I write, because I find music distracting. If I'm going to listen to music while doing something else I'll generally listen to something without vocals and something relatively soothing, like classical guitar music.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I usually have a theme song for any story I write and I just play it on repeat. Helps me stay in the mindset for the story every time. I have a writing playlist, but generally I like to stay with the song I'm using to establish a mindset for what I'm writing

For my last story ("Gangsta's Paradise"), guess what the song was.....

 

[MillieDynamite]

For horror, epic horror tracks on YouTube. For stories other than horror, the Bridge channel 17 on SiriusXM or their Iconic Film Score channel. Sometimes I drift between 60s, 70s, and 80s music. Other times, I find their explicit channels and listen to inspire me for the sex part of the story.

 

[lavendersilk]

I usually have a theme song for any story I write and I just play it on repeat. Helps me stay in the mindset for the story every time. I have a writing playlist, but generally I like to stay with the song I'm using to establish a mindset for what I'm writing

For my last story ("Gangsta's Paradise"), guess what the song was.....

Yesssss, I listen to one or two songs on repeat once I find the one(or two) that speaks to the character(s) I'm writing.

 

[HordHolm]

Mostly I find music distracting if I'm writing/editing, but sometimes I like a bit of background. It has to be instrumental, though - any human voice will drag my attention to it.

 

[Fatdog25]

I don't listen to music when I'm actually writing but I do when I'm brainstorming ideas or mentally constructing scenes. Depends on the characters or mood as to what I listen to, though. They all seem to have different tastes in music so I listen to a lot of different genres.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

I listen to quite a bit of Classical, Smooth Jazz and Metal. Depends on my mood and the vibe I’m going for, if the song has words it’s best kept low so it’s more like ambiance because I’m super easily distracted.

Lately in classical: Tchaikovsky, Handel, Haydn, Stravinsky… and of course the usual better known composers, Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Chopin.

Oh! And musical scores by modern composers are freaking amazing too, I’ll listen to anything John Williams or Danny Elfman!

Lately in metal: Morbid Angel, Belphegor, Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus.

Lately in oh so random: Savage Daughter - Ekaterina Shelehova, Can’t Get You Out of My Head - Kylie Minogue, and this epic Lo-Fi Star Wars playlist I found on YouTube.

 

[theWollstonecraftWoman]

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Sim Shalom. Just fucking with you, they don't do Jewish shit.

 

[K155]

I don't find listening to music helpful while writing. I don't want other people's words in my ears when I'm trying to find my own.

Agree. It has to be silence when I'm writing but I'm saying that I listen to music pretty much the rest of the time. So it's inspo but only to get the ideas or general creativity going.

 

[Altissimus]

Benefit of living in a chaotic household: I can tune people out like you wouldn't believe!

Downside is I sometimes tune my husband out without meaning to.

(Voices are not a distraction for me at all.)

Just so long as you remember they're there when you get to the 'fun' bits and don't start... you know...

 

[lavendersilk]

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Sim Shalom. Just fucking with you, they don't do Jewish shit.

For some reason I read The Book of Mormon as in the musical.

 

[Euphony]

Pregame: Lyrical bend, ambiguity preferred. Radioheads, Bon Ivers, Death Cab similar.
All about tripping neurons into a creative inclination.

Actual writing: Ambient, drone, curated classical and movie soundtracks.
Competing interests when it comes to lyrics. Other narratives short circuit my ability to craft my own sadly. Jazz, lots of classical too brassy.

Emotional passages: Tori, Phair, Mitski, Wolf Alice, Maniacs/Merchant, Sade, Mazzy, earlier Norah, Bridgers.

Sexy passages: Can handle myself but Björk has a special place in my heart.

These work for me for whatever confluence of reasons but no assumption they'll work for everyone.
Hence my favorite (free) music & writing tool:

Music-Map

I need a fairly specific sound/composition when in various writing states and this algorithm tool gives me better branches off of my standards than any streaming service. (Spotify is best if forced/don't want to spend $99 for purpose built software)

Input what musician/band is currently working for you, get a map of similar bands with a decently accurate similarity distance scale. *



*Why use Stars? There is a lot of crossover/other projects for the SotL elsewhere yet, the algo is smart enough to not lump "same member = same sound" Music is ultra subjective but I found the sound of bands Map ranked closer actually closer to SotL than member projects elsewhere. Some smarts under the hood.

It's imperfect but I've been amazed enough and discovered enough I wouldn't otherwise to make it a key tool in my toolkit.

 

[madelinemasoch]

My latest story (if it ever comes out) is heavily inspired by The Smiths.

 

[AchtungNight]

The music of the spheres. You decide the exact artist and tune.