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Other & Off-Topics => Bar & Grill [Public] => Topic started by: R H Auslander on September 21, 2018, 05:47:16 AM

Title: Musik to write by
Post by: R H Auslander on September 21, 2018, 05:47:16 AM: Do you listen to musik when you write, and if so, what? Here's mine. Our valley is very quiet, but even the quiet sometimes needs drowning out. Selection depends on my mood.

Or, sometimes I'll loop in a long play list.
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Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: DrewMcGunn on September 21, 2018, 05:52:55 AM: I put the headphones on and turn on the white noise.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Mark Gardner on September 21, 2018, 07:55:14 AM: I put together an instrumental playlist on Amazon Music. It's got a bunch or trailer length/style music.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: RCoots on September 22, 2018, 10:50:16 PM: My music depends on writing or editing. Editing usually gets film scores or other instrumental music. Halo, BSG, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, etc. Oh, and Danheim, looooove Danheim.

Writing gets music with lyrics. Usually metal and hard rock. I've noticed that if I try to write WITHOUT it, the words come very slowly.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Maggie Ann on September 22, 2018, 11:00:29 PM: Quote from: R H Auslander on September 21, 2018, 05:47:16 AM
Do you listen to musik when you write, and if so, what? Here's mine. Our valley is very quiet, but even the quiet sometimes needs drowning out. Selection depends on my mood.

That music is beautiful but it is too relaxing to write by.

I never used to write to music. I had to go places where there are people and noise and tea. Now I can't get out because my furbaby gets way too upset when I leave him.

Music is the solution. I get the illusion of people and noise and tea is just two rooms away. Here comes my age. I listen to The Everly Brothers.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: R H Auslander on September 23, 2018, 12:53:21 AM: Quote from: Maggie Ann on September 22, 2018, 11:00:29 PM
That music is beautiful but it is too relaxing to write by.
I never used to write to music. I had to go places where there are people and noise and tea. Now I can't get out because my furbaby gets way too upset when I leave him.
Music is the solution. I get the illusion of people and noise and tea is just two rooms away. Here comes my age. I listen to The Everly Brothers.

I use the first two as background musik, looped. The third one, I play whole strings of the various musiks that choir, Pyatnitsky, and others do. It's for a little more action in the writing. If it's something quite active, I use other musik, generally 'local' but it can be quite stirring. I write in my little office on the second floor, generally, weather permitting, with the window open. With 7 'children', there are distractions, and we have a 12 grade school 100 meters up the street, so afternoon when school is out it can get, not noisy, but not quiet. Normally in this bucolic little valley, one can hear the dogs breathing as they sleep.

I remember the Everly Brothers well. JFK was assassinated the day of my senior class play dress rehearsal for school.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on September 23, 2018, 01:34:03 AM: I listen if I need to do a sprint. Not while writing longhand. One of my favorite and most effective music is Paulo Arruda's Lounge Beats 8. :band:

I use wireless headphones :banana: and use Google keyboard on Android and use the word suggestions for faster typing.

I avoid noise cancelling headphones as they can make you unaware of the environment and can create accidents.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Maggie Ann on September 23, 2018, 01:41:51 AM: Quote from: R H Auslander on September 23, 2018, 12:53:21 AM
Quote from: Maggie Ann on September 22, 2018, 11:00:29 PM
That music is beautiful but it is too relaxing to write by.
I never used to write to music. I had to go places where there are people and noise and tea. Now I can't get out because my furbaby gets way too upset when I leave him.
Music is the solution. I get the illusion of people and noise and tea is just two rooms away. Here comes my age. I listen to The Everly Brothers.

I use the first two as background musik, looped. The third one, I play whole strings of the various musiks that choir, Pyatnitsky, and others do. It's for a little more action in the writing. If it's something quite active, I use other musik, generally 'local' but it can be quite stirring. I write in my little office on the second floor, generally, weather permitting, with the window open. With 7 'children', there are distractions, and we have a 12 grade school 100 meters up the street, so afternoon when school is out it can get, not noisy, but not quiet. Normally in this bucolic little valley, one can hear the dogs breathing as they sleep.

I remember the Everly Brothers well. JFK was assassinated the day of my senior class play dress rehearsal for school.

I was in college, so we are about the same age.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: R H Auslander on September 23, 2018, 02:30:34 AM: Quote from: Maggie Ann on September 23, 2018, 01:41:51 AM
I was in college, so we are about the same age.

You might have a day or two on me, but not many. We are both lucky, we grew up at the apex of American Culture. Lots of good memories from those days.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Kate Elizabeth on September 23, 2018, 06:27:11 AM: My first choice is always 90s music, but I enjoy an eclectic mix of favorite artists, too.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: MelanieMRodriguez on September 23, 2018, 06:54:05 AM: Enya tends to win or Cowboy Belop. Depends on the mood I am in, as well as how tired I am. If I'm writing something more provocative, I need old school Boyz II men or the like.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Rick Partlow on September 23, 2018, 07:00:31 AM: I often put on Awesome Mix Volume 1 from Guardians of the Galaxy when I'm writing.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: JustZoe on September 23, 2018, 07:33:42 AM: Quote from: AmeliaFaulkner on September 23, 2018, 03:39:48 AM
I create a Spotify playlist per book that I'm writing so that each playlist reflects the mood of that book (and thus the headspace I want to be in while writing it).

For the most part this is what I do while I am writing. Music with the wrong tone can throw me off the story.

I do have a warm up playlist if my brain is being too stubborn to start. It's usually something upbeat, energetic and uplifting.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: JustZoe on September 23, 2018, 07:40:21 AM: Quote from: Rick Partlow on September 23, 2018, 07:00:31 AM
I often put on Awesome Mix Volume 1 from Guardians of the Galaxy when I'm writing.

I am groot!

(translation: I like that soundtrack.)
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: dgcasey on September 23, 2018, 09:13:05 PM: I have hundreds of hours of long videos set up on Youtube. Music that is battle music from games and movies, dark, evil music from horror, lots of videos "to write and study by," and a boatload of others. I like the three hour videos of epic music the most.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VanessaC on September 23, 2018, 10:05:11 PM: Great thread!

I have very eclectic musical taste. For writing, soundtracks are great - love Lord of the Rings (I write fantasy, so that always feels like a good match).

If it's music with words in it, unless its choral, it has to be stuff I know well otherwise I get distracted by the words - my current favourite album is Dougie Maclean's Inside the Thunder which is about 40 minutes long, and for me a good length for a writing session (fitting writing in alongside working full time).
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: R H Auslander on September 24, 2018, 04:52:39 AM: I know the feeling. Nothing like writing about a herd of bad guys coming over the hill in a highly irritated mood and Sacred War glitches to Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: feste on September 24, 2018, 05:21:42 AM: Music is way too distracting for me; I have a collection of natural sounds that help me focus. MP3s, so I don't have to rely on stuff being available online. (I digitized some vinyl records from the 1980s--the old "Environments" series, which has some excellent stuff in it, but didn't make it to digital.) I've also just used earplugs. What with air conditioners, clompy person who lives upstairs and a dog woofing in another apartment, I could do with some silence right now!
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: PJ Post on September 24, 2018, 05:38:25 AM: +1 on Cowboy Bebop. Amazing soundtrack..well, if you like jazz. Cowboy Bebop (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2rVnRwW0h8&list=PL65E33789AA7052BC)

I'm all over the place, everything from trip hop to heavy metal to bedroom prog to 60's pop music to punk/new wave. Just depends on what I'm writing. I try to match the vibe of the music with the mood of the book. But I always write with isolation headphones to better block out the world. It can be pretty annoying sometimes.

A few recommendations for people looking for new, mostly instrumental, original music.

Chon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQcp3UWQOmM)
Covet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHVRjTe4_Gs)
Sarah Longfield (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1-1CAwPPM4)
Hiatus Kaiyote (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozr4KsZBTvQ)
Animals as Leaders (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ2WrN93vno)

And for the fantasy folks...

ELUVEITIE - Slania's Song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfQmEIIkMFc&list=PLp9jKQ2ObDwcasHlVQDgSIVJkAIfnLoGD&index=8)

And just because he's so f*cking cool...

Frog Leap Studios - Sultans of Swing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0RV0kgdqJU)
Frog Leap Studios - Africa (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH9FyLsfDzw)
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: ashleycapes on September 24, 2018, 11:29:00 AM: Quote from: PJ Post on September 24, 2018, 05:38:25 AM
+1 on Cowboy Bebop. Amazing soundtrack..well, if you like jazz. Cowboy Bebop (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2rVnRwW0h8&list=PL65E33789AA7052BC)
Very much agree!

A lot of VGM works a treat too - lately I've been using the Chrono Trigger OST a lot. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chrono+trigger+ost (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chrono+trigger+ost)

Also, Judas Priest's Painkiller is pretty tops - though, a lot of metal in general tends to work for me, especially when it comes to writing action scenes.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Captain Cranky on September 24, 2018, 02:39:09 PM: I listen to mostly metal and rock, and it inspires all sorts of cool scenes in my head, but I just can't write to anything with lyrics. I usually listen to brain fm, or some random 'studying' playlists on spotify or youtube. If everything is going well, I'll tune it out anyway. But when it comes to plotting etc I can listen to whatever. Not sure why I can't when I'm trying to write a draft specifically :icon_think:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: WasAnn on September 24, 2018, 09:32:42 PM: Love your music choices everyone!

Confession here too: I'm a pantser, but not really. I don't write my plots or outlines much, but I do create the books with songs. Then I simply write them down from what's in my head. So, I do my plotting while on the elliptical with earbuds in my ears.

I like everything from Skrillex to soundtracks. Some of the Portals songs were on the soundtrack for Interstellar and BSG.

One of the novels to go in Volume three of the Dark Collections has the penultimate scene to Journal of Ardency by Class Actress. Now that's a song to write to!

I can't do classical for writing though. It's too soothing or too complex, requiring me to listen.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on September 25, 2018, 02:08:41 AM: Anyone knows how to randomise the playlist residing in the SD card of your wireless headphone? :HB
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: JimJohnson on September 25, 2018, 02:30:40 AM: I collect movie scores and soundtracks, and have playlists for various genres set up on itunes. I fire one of those up when I need something to listen to tied in to my WIP's genre/subgenre. Been listening to a lot of MCU scores lately.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Anarchist on September 25, 2018, 02:54:44 AM: My current writing music...

My current AMS music...
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Jeff Tanyard on September 25, 2018, 06:44:25 PM: Quote from: Captain Cranky on September 24, 2018, 02:39:09 PM
I listen to mostly metal and rock, and it inspires all sorts of cool scenes in my head, but I just can't write to anything with lyrics.

Perhaps this will work for you. :banana-riding-llama-smiley-em :icon_cool:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: dgcasey on September 26, 2018, 04:07:55 AM: Good for writing battle scenes:

Good for horror or scary parts:

Good for just general writing:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Ghost5 on September 26, 2018, 08:29:04 AM: Quote from: feste on September 24, 2018, 05:21:42 AM
Music is way too distracting for me; I have a collection of natural sounds that help me focus. MP3s, so I don't have to rely on stuff being available online. (I digitized some vinyl records from the 1980s--the old "Environments" series, which has some excellent stuff in it, but didn't make it to digital.) I've also just used earplugs. What with air conditioners, clompy person who lives upstairs and a dog woofing in another apartment, I could do with some silence right now!

This is kind of what I do--I listen to nature soundtracks, mostly storms with rain and occasional thunder. Amazon Music actually has a station dedicated to nature sounds and I just play that (included with Prime).
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Captain Cranky on September 26, 2018, 09:47:50 AM: Quote from: Jeff Tanyard on September 25, 2018, 06:44:25 PM
Quote from: Captain Cranky on September 24, 2018, 02:39:09 PM
I listen to mostly metal and rock, and it inspires all sorts of cool scenes in my head, but I just can't write to anything with lyrics.

Perhaps this will work for you. :banana-riding-llama-smiley-em :icon_cool:

Now why didn't I think of that? I'll add that to my playlist and see how I go 😁

This is a song I go to a lot when thinking about my UF fight scenes, especially when they involve demons:

Apocalyptica is awesome for some instrumental music too:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on October 03, 2018, 12:44:55 AM: Giorgio Moroder's "Chase" is just superb for action scenes and sci-fi :Tup3a:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: oganalp on October 04, 2018, 03:58:20 AM: I prefer game soundtracks. No vocals (choirs and chants accepted).
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on October 16, 2018, 01:46:35 AM: Fairytale - Elena Ferretti AKA Rose

A nice prologue to your historical romance writing session.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Jo on October 16, 2018, 03:18:58 AM: I listen to ambience sounds while writing. At the moment to "train travel at night", "thunderstorm and train whistles", "people in a café" and "rain on a tent roof".
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: YouMeWe on October 19, 2018, 07:26:52 PM: Part of my planning process is to create a playlist for each main character. Can't write without my music. Like it loud, too, so when I first take my headphones off I'm usually a little shouty.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on October 21, 2018, 12:02:56 AM: 19 (12 inch) - Paul Hardcastle

A nice prologue to your writing session involving Vietnam war.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Maggie Ann on October 21, 2018, 12:13:32 AM: Sometimes old rock like The Everly Brothers. Sometimes folk like Martin and Neil. Yesterday, it was Liszt. Today, it's Rachmaninoff. Maybe tomorrow it will be Streisand. It just depends what thought pops into my head when I'm telling Alexa what to play. I just need something in the background.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Tonyonline on October 21, 2018, 01:34:02 AM: Quote from: feste on September 24, 2018, 05:21:42 AM
Music is way too distracting for me; I have a collection of natural sounds that help me focus.

Same here. If I listen to sounds it has to be something like this...
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on October 23, 2018, 02:19:38 AM: Gigolo by Green Ice

A nice prologue for your bad boy romance writing session! :icon_mrgreen:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on October 28, 2018, 01:33:20 AM: Especially for you by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan.

A nice prologue to your sweet romance writing session. :heart: :kiss: :band: :lalala :angel:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on December 21, 2018, 02:14:25 AM: A nice prologue to your erotica writing session:

Girl's got a brand new toy - TXT

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_wmqe73zs5g
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: JRTomlin on December 21, 2018, 03:36:26 AM: I can't have lyrics in my writing playlist. The mood depends on what I am writing.

Tchaikovsky Slavonic March Op 31
Romeo and Juliet Overture
Last of the Mohicans soundtrack
Tchaikovsky Symphony #6
March Slav
The Ride of the Valkyries

A few others but those are the main ones.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: LilyBLily on December 21, 2018, 03:30:02 PM: I listen to foreign-language operas. Even if I know the piece well, including what each line means, my brain can ignore the other language. But not Mozart, or Purcell, or any of those baroque guys. They make me fidgety.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: cecilia_writer on December 23, 2018, 01:10:54 AM: My favourite playlist is mostly violin and piano concertos (Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Bruch, Shostakovich, Sibelius) plus the 1812 overture. That covers most of my writing. I generally find vocals too distracting.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on May 20, 2019, 07:52:35 PM: A lovely prologue to writing something hot and steamy! :icon_mrgreen: :kiss: :band: :lalala

Caution: Please use your headphones! :icon_mrgreen:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on June 10, 2019, 01:17:57 AM: Repeat forever!

A wonderful prologue for writing vampire fiction. :tup3b

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aDlKbvoHDNw
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on August 25, 2019, 01:15:30 AM: A lovely prologue for your YA Romance writing session.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Jeff Tanyard on August 25, 2019, 11:54:46 AM: Quote from: VanessaC on September 23, 2018, 10:05:11 PM
For writing, soundtracks are great - love Lord of the Rings (I write fantasy, so that always feels like a good match).

You might also like this...

Years before the Peter Jackson films, composer Johan de Meij wrote a Lord of the Rings suite for concert band. This music was actually my first ever exposure to LOTR in any way. I wouldn't read the book for the first time until a few years later.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on August 25, 2019, 08:22:42 PM: Quote from: VisitasKeat on October 28, 2018, 01:33:20 AM
Especially for you by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan.

A nice prologue to your sweet romance writing session. :heart: :kiss: :band: :lalala :angel:

One more for sweet romance! :kiss: :heart:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: spin52 on August 26, 2019, 05:18:04 PM: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVqZmdQzTxv_hecNKwdu73A/ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVqZmdQzTxv_hecNKwdu73A/)

'Morning Call' -- Some good, original instrumental music to listen to or write by.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on September 18, 2019, 05:38:39 PM: Quote from: VisitasKeat on October 28, 2018, 01:33:20 AM
Especially for you by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan.

A nice prologue to your sweet romance writing session. :heart: :kiss: :band: :lalala :angel:

:kiss: :heart: One more awesome song as a sweet romance prologue :kiss: :heart:

Get into the right mindset. Get writing.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Jeff Tanyard on September 18, 2019, 06:49:37 PM: I guess I'll contribute to the "sweet romance" trend here...
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Lorri Moulton on September 19, 2019, 03:06:37 AM: I wrote one scene in my Scottish romance to a section of music from a famous TV show. Now, every time I hear the music, I think of that scene. :angel:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: Maggie Ann on September 19, 2019, 03:34:05 AM: Quote from: VisitasKeat on September 18, 2019, 05:38:39 PM
Quote from: VisitasKeat on October 28, 2018, 01:33:20 AM
Especially for you by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan.

A nice prologue to your sweet romance writing session. :heart: :kiss: :band: :lalala :angel:

:kiss: :heart: One more awesome song as a sweet romance prologue :kiss: :heart:

Get into the right mindset. Get writing.

Waayyyy too distracting. :heart:
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on September 19, 2019, 01:34:12 PM: Quote from: Maggie Ann on September 19, 2019, 03:34:05 AM
Quote from: VisitasKeat on September 18, 2019, 05:38:39 PM
Quote from: VisitasKeat on October 28, 2018, 01:33:20 AM
Especially for you by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan.

A nice prologue to your sweet romance writing session. :heart: :kiss: :band: :lalala :angel:

:kiss: :heart: One more awesome song as a sweet romance prologue :kiss: :heart:

Get into the right mindset. Get writing.

Waayyyy too distracting. :heart:

It's only a prologue to your sweet romance writing session! :cheers

And now, a lovely prologue to writing horse stories!

Get into the right mindset. Get writing.
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on April 11, 2020, 02:21:44 AM: Thought it would be a great idea to make a playlist out of songs in my WIP, which is now in pre-order stage. I keep listening to these songs through chores, and yes, it keeps me motivated and pumped up. I keep thinking of the scenes that happen in this new novel...the intensity and the energies are conveyed. Gosh, why this never occurred to me previously?! I think I will publish the book after 3rd or 4th pass.

Anyway, a small selection of the songs...

The devil you know - Jesus Jones

Eat you alive - Limp Bizkit

99 ways to die - Megadeth

Posession - Acid Bats

Snake - Fangs On Fur

Alarma - 666

Welcome to the jungle - Guns N' Roses

O Fortuna - Carl Orff

Bring me to life - Evanescence

Deuxieme Ombre’ - Gestalt

I wanted to tell her - The Ministry

Femme like you - KMaro

Independenza - IAm

Slide - French Montana
Title: Re: Musik to write by
Post by: VisitasKeat on July 19, 2020, 06:04:12 PM: In my 17th fantasy episode, for which I wrote a 1 page synopsis in 2016, the building 5 girls are having a party in MC's classmate and best friend's apartment. In fact, MC and her apartment mates are also invited that Friday evening. However, simultaneously, the transgenders are also having a party upstairs, in the top floor. Things swing in ways, making the girls to join the top floor party. However, all hell breaks loose when a particular song gets played by chance. More bloodshed and murders follow.

Some relevant songs for my playlist:

Sycho Sid (WWE entrance theme)

Vader (WWE entrance theme)

Mankind (WWE entrance theme)

The Brood (WWE entrance theme)

Demonic Decibels (Entrance theme for Shyla - TWA wrestler and one of the top floor occupants)

Hey hey guy - Ken Lazlo

Shoot your shot - Divine

Action - Pearly Gates

Baboushka - Rashni