PianoMaster107

Yay for Lifehouse! Though it is not what I listen to while writing. Since I like to write fantasy I find the Lord of the Rings soundtrack perfect for writing. If I am ever stuck on a scene I try to pick a song that has the same theme or mood that I want to write.

Scarecrow's Arrow

I like soundtracks, and some rock stuff.

Siglark

Simon and Garfunkle
Pink Floyd

huxley

here 's a joke ,if you want music that will push you to write .
listen to :sam spencer (nfl films) songs like the equalizer.among others.

Mr. Blix

I think its funny whenever I really get into writing and I've got no other noises besides my computer humming, and when I'm finished I realize how utterly silent the room is. Its such a wierd feeling when running because your brain takes over your consiousness so entirely.

bryce

When I write there's no room for anything except the voices inside my head. They don't like to be distracted by any other noise, natural or man-made. I give them silence. They give me words. It's a nice arrangement and a good partnership.

Bryce

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Kittyful

It really depends on the sort of scene I'm writing.

Let's say the main character has just found out he's been completely betrayed, and now he's going to get his revenge -- I'll flip on some heavy rock music to get me in the mood. Maybe there's been a death in the story and now it's a time for mourning, sadness, and grief? On go the mellow songs, usually Placebo or something of the sort. Sometimes I might be trying to just picture myself in a more "medieval" time, and I just want inspirational music; I'll just turn to Enya and the like.

Sometimes, music doesn't help at all.

SilkFX

I'm asking this with all due respect:

I know there are as many different ways to write as there are writers but...how much of this (writing with music playing) is a result of the culture we live in? So much of popular visual media has a soundtrack to it. When we write with music in the background, are we (consciously, subconsciously, or unconsciously) incorporating visual images from other peoples' (visual) stories? Does that add to, or take away from, creativity?

As you've probably guessed, I almost never write to or with music. The few times I've done it in the last 10 years has been largely for exercise. When I was younger, I imagined (usually fantasy) stories behind certain works of classical music. For example, I wrote a story that was inspired by Bartok's third piano concerto.

The only way I can write with music is if it's literally something I can tune out. I have left coffee shops where the music's been too loud or the lyrics have distracted me. If I'm going to tune out the music anyway, I might as well not have it on at all.

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Bob Loblaw

I don't usually write with music on--but when I do, it's for the feeling that the piece of music gives me, which I transfer onto the scene I'm doing; in such a case, I imagine the piece of writing I'm working on as a scene from a movie and the music the soundtrack. But this is only for highly emotional scenes and when I'm not in the mood for feeling sad (I don't write a lot of sad things)

To help answer SilkFX's question:

With instrumental songs, I don't think writers incorporate visual images from other's stories since it's all instrumental and subjective and people can imagine whatever. For me, for example, a song can inspire me to write about an elephant floating in the air; but for others the same song might inspire a battle scene, for yet another person it could be a romantic scene full of hot and raw passion.

As for songs with lyrics, I usually don't put the images from the lyrics into my writings (I usually tune out or sing-a-long so at the end of the day I've listened to about 30 songs without any writing done), but I'm always afraid of that happening. Heck--maybe it's happening and I don't know it! But I don't see it happen usually, and if it does, it has different meanings in context of the writing from the original lyrics.

Anyway, my overall point (if there must be one) is that music inspires creativity, not take away from it (usually).

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suzakugaiden

I mentally soundtrack my writing, yes, but the songs I've mentally soundtrack NEVER are what I'm listening to when I'm actually writing it.

Samy :]

i listen to underoath when i write.
i don't know about you guys, but hardcore screamo & death metal
helps me get in the action mode to write crazy scenes.
so yeah, it usually helps me out with anger in the character or
a much need emotion that speaks frustration.

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eMb

The Doors
Zeppelin
Hendrix
Clapton
The Who
Grateful Dead


Stuff like that.

Randatos

I tend to find that almost any sort of outside noise inturrupts me when I'm writing, save one exception. Could be music, the TV running in another room, an IM ding, anything. The exception? Anything I hear in school. Ironically enough people yelling, teachers talking, and announcements always go unheard.

Samy :]

classical music, especially lord of the rings style, is actually very good to listen too while you write. its soothing and the style always seems to match the mood of fantasy. which is just great

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rbradley_80

I agree with Samy, Enya's the shit when it comes to writing. Damien Rice usually puts me into a pretty good writing mood as well.

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