Thread: What kind of music inspires your writing?

Lately, nothing, because my muse is on hiatus. But generally it's voiceless movie soundtracks used as background noise.

I normally listen to classical music, or at least music without words. Words distract me when I am writing, so just instrument music, classical or movie soundtracks, keeps me focused on my writing. But having music in the background I just like, nothing to do with inspiring or not, most of the time.

Great forum topic!

Just my thoughts,

Jazz fuels my prose, but classical helps my poetry

Hillbilly. Calypso. Sailor's Hornpipe.

I listen to a song or artist that captures the kind of atmosphere I want to evoke in a poem.

Lately that seems to hover around the Velvet Underground, the Doors, Replacements/Paul Westerberg, and the Fall. Other times, hip-hop works. Usually Qwel.

Originally Posted by RoundEye

I listen to metal music too, but not when I’m writing, nor do I listen to death metal or music with cookie monster lyrics.

I noticed when I write I tend to listen to music without lyrics or mellow music. Some types of techno without lyrics. I tend to listen to Blues or bands like Pink Floyd most often when I write though.

Pink Floyd is an all purpose writing tool. What kind of blues do you listen to? I find that the rhythm of blues music is great for calibrating the rhythm and cadence of poetry.

I like to write without music, but love a bit of weather as a backdrop. Rain or wind!!!

Some of the best zen music for me is hard, hard metal. One album, Iron by Silent Stream of Godless Elegy, I must have played, damn, alot. Probably as many times as that new largest prime number they just discovered.

The title of my first book is nicked from a Fall song. Which might lead to legal problems, or Mark E Smith beating my brains out, if it ever got published. But, hey, little chance of that

It depends on what I'm writing, but it's usually something intense. I love Two Steps From Hell (movie trailer music, AMAZING), Blue Stahli, Fort Minor and older Linkin Park.

I believe that a big part of musical inspiration is if you like the music or not. I wouldn't bother listening to something you can't stand. In my personal preference, I would say that most pop and rap is bad for the objective. Anything with very generic lyrics or lyrics in a ranting form is usually bad. I would either suggest instrumental enjoyable music or music with unique lyrics or storytelling lyrics. A good band for lyrics is Thursday, but it is very different.

Classical is my best.

Hi Dreamworx95, I don't listen to any music as it distracts me in an unusal way, but if I did then it would be The Doors - The End or The Music's Over. Real trippy.

I usual listen to soundtrakc, like Pirates of the Caribbean, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. But I also listen a lot to wrock depends on what part of my story I'm in

When I want some sort of inspiration, I usually tune in to some Hans Zimmer or John Williams. Some Wagner or Korsakov don't hurt, either.