Music to write by
 
Notifications
Clear all

Music to write by

27 Posts
14 Users
17 Likes
984 Views
Dustin Adams
(@tj_knight)
Posts: 1352
Platinum Plus Moderator
Topic starter
 

This has come up in the past, but I'd like to ask again.

What music do y'all write by?

One of my current issues is that I tend to listen to music while I work. So maybe 5-6 hours a day (I work more, but also listen to podcasts, etc). Thus it's more difficult to find writing-only music. (I do finally have a writing space tho, so at least there's that)

My #1 is still "Vocal Trance". This is my mood music and is what I put on when I'm in a writing groove (momentum, not in the moment).
Gareth Emery to be specific.

I also like Starset. They literally write sci-fi music.
From Ashes to New is a new one for me.
Red Line Chemistry is also good.

You?

Career:

1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R

 
Posted : February 18, 2021 7:18 am
(@einstein36)
Posts: 85
Bronze Star Member
 

I like to listen to Two Steps from Hell and their awesome epic cinematic music along with Audio Machina....great music to write by...:)

 
Posted : February 18, 2021 9:32 am
Rey Nichols
(@rnichols)
Posts: 63
Bronze Member
 

It depends, but my go-to is usually whatever Queen-themed radio Pandora spits out, or Final Fantasy soundtrack music.

SHM: 1
HM: 9
R: 1
www.reynichols.com

 
Posted : February 18, 2021 12:47 pm
pdblake
(@pdblake)
Posts: 463
Gold Member
 

Total silence often aided by ear plugs.

R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
My Blog

 
Posted : February 18, 2021 7:05 pm
Disgruntled Peony
(@disgruntledpeony)
Posts: 1283
Platinum Member
 

Skald when I get a chance to write and the twins are napping, because they insist on napping to Skald. My alternate choice of late is to put a playlist full of Murder By Death and The Lonely Wild on shuffle. (Really, anything I know well enough that I can zone out to it is good.)

I used to be fond of the Battlestar Galactica soundtracks, the first Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, the Lord of the Rings soundtracks, and other energetic/largely instrumental soundtracks. Still am, really, but I haven't written to them in awhile.

If you are in difficulties with a book, try the element of surprise: attack it at an hour when it isn't expecting it. ~ H.G. Wells
If a person offend you, and you are in doubt as to whether it was intentional or not, do not resort to extreme measures; simply watch your chance and hit him with a brick. ~ Mark Twain
R, SF, SHM, SHM, SHM, F, R, HM, SHM, R, HM, R, F, SHM, SHM, SHM, SF, SHM, 1st Place (Q2 V38)
Ticknor Tales
Twitter
4th and Starlight: e-book | paperback

 
Posted : February 19, 2021 12:36 am
Dustin Adams
(@tj_knight)
Posts: 1352
Platinum Plus Moderator
Topic starter
 

Ooh, soundtracks are great.
Conan, yes! But Amazon removed it...
However, if you ask Alexa to play it, she plays similar music and there's stuff to be discovered that way as well.

I listened to Two Steps from Hell this morning. Very nice. I recognized one of the songs and wondered where I'd heard it...
Monstercat on Twitch. https://www.twitch.tv/monstercat I listen to this at work because the songs are varied it's more difficult to write by, but if I wrote more often I'd adapt.

@pdblake - my wife needs silence. Like, pin drop silence. I couldn't do it. Not a chance. The voices in my head... but that's another thread entirely. Smile

Career:

1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R

 
Posted : February 19, 2021 1:09 am
David Hankins and iti reacted
pdblake
(@pdblake)
Posts: 463
Gold Member
 

It's the voices who demand silence.

R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
My Blog

 
Posted : February 19, 2021 2:41 am
Dustin Adams
(@tj_knight)
Posts: 1352
Platinum Plus Moderator
Topic starter
 

It's the voices who demand silence.

FTW! wotf009

Career:

1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R

 
Posted : February 19, 2021 3:57 am
pdblake
(@pdblake)
Posts: 463
Gold Member
 

It's the voices who demand silence.

FTW! wotf009

Gods I'm getting old. I had to Google what that means. wotf019

R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
My Blog

 
Posted : February 19, 2021 4:56 am
Alex Harford
(@alexh)
Posts: 292
Silver Member
 

I've written stories featuring particular music so have listened to the music featured on those occasions.

Otherwise, I generally listen to anything I enjoy listening to, and vocals don't usually distract me.

That can change if time is late, when Collapse Under The Empire (dystopian-esque atmospheric post-rock) and more often than not, Aural Method (melodic ambient/post-rock) - especially into the early hours - his music is very soothing. Fabrizio Paterlini (a minimalist pianist) also gets regular plays.

Again if it's late or my mind's distracted, I also dip into these shoegaze and dream pop playlists (the second being instrumental):
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Dm7Z ... iez7nbBvMV
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2MM8W ... ZVk4RMldsS

35: - R R R | 36: R HM R R | 37: HM HM HM SHM | 38: HM HM HM HM | 39: HM HM HM SHM | 40: HM R SHM SHM |
4 SHM / 12 HM / 7 R

 
Posted : February 20, 2021 6:41 am
(@einstein36)
Posts: 85
Bronze Star Member
 

You will also hear some of their music with movie trailers...so you know their music is epic:)

Ooh, soundtracks are great.
Conan, yes! But Amazon removed it...
However, if you ask Alexa to play it, she plays similar music and there's stuff to be discovered that way as well.

I listened to Two Steps from Hell this morning. Very nice. I recognized one of the songs and wondered where I'd heard it...
Monstercat on Twitch. https://www.twitch.tv/monstercat I listen to this at work because the songs are varied it's more difficult to write by, but if I wrote more often I'd adapt.

@pdblake - my wife needs silence. Like, pin drop silence. I couldn't do it. Not a chance. The voices in my head... but that's another thread entirely. Smile

 
Posted : February 20, 2021 10:09 am
(@rkcapps)
Posts: 16
Active Member
 

On Spotify, I've complied mood listening from soundtracks. But my go-to is the Pacific Rim soundtrack. It has such energy, I write faster when I'm in the zone. Thx to Alexa, just discovered Run and Experience by Daniel Hope (classical) - playing right now.

Disgruntledpeony, my hats off to you for getting any writing done with twins! Mine were 3 under 3. I had to stop writing for 10 years, I just couldn't do them and work (I was a city lawyer back then, very demanding) 🙁

Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten - Neil Gaiman

 
Posted : February 20, 2021 6:27 pm
DoctorJest
(@doctorjest)
Posts: 835
Platinum Member
 

I completely missed this, I think I was locked too tightly to just one forum board. However--

For writing music, I like music without lyrics of almost all types. My tastes run wild, but it can be anything really. If I'm looking for a very dark vibe for a scene, I'm quite fond of picking out the instrumental tracks by Cradle of Filth, but I have a wide range of classical mixed in also. Other favourites are the Daft Punk soundtrack to TRON: Legacy, Samael's Lessons in Magic instrumental album, Isao Tomita's Snowflakes Are Dancing album (which is the first music I have any memory of), and AirMech from Frontline Assembly. I also have some music set aside for RPG themes, which include things like background music from the Resident Evil games, and some bits and pieces by Dance with the Dead that are good if I'm leaning into a Cyberpunk vibe.

There are some songs with lyrics that I can listen to, too, but those are definitely more individual and specific. And as a rule, I find lyrics in music a lot more distracting if I'm trying to write dialogue.

 

DQ:0 / R:0 / RWC:0 / HM:15 / SHM:7 / SF:1 / F:1
Published prior WotF entries: PodCastle, HFQ, Abyss & Apex

 
Posted : May 8, 2021 1:32 pm
Dustin Adams
(@tj_knight)
Posts: 1352
Platinum Plus Moderator
Topic starter
 

I love Tron: Legacy Reconfigured.

I think there was another release before they became Daft Defunkt.

Just discovered Tycho. Heard of them? Mellow, lyric-less music.

Career:

1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R

 
Posted : May 8, 2021 1:40 pm
Cray Dimensional
(@craydimensional)
Posts: 641
Gold Star Member
 

I am torn between country and Disney. I guess it's a weird mix.

Small steps add up to miles.
V38: R, R, HM, HM
V39: RWC, HM, HM, SHM
V40 : HM, RWC, R, HM
V41 : RWC, WIP
"Amore For Life" in After the Gold Rush Third Flatiron Anthology
"Freedom’s Song” in Troubadour and Space Princesses LTUE Anthology

 
Posted : May 8, 2021 2:20 pm
storysinger
(@storysinger)
Posts: 1503
Platinum Plus
 

Over the years I've played hundreds of gigs in many different venues, so I listen to a lot of different stuff. When I'm writing I like to keep the volume low enough I can't hear the words. Pink Floyd, Yes, ELO, Rush, well you get what I like.

Today's science fiction is tomorrow's reality-D.R.Sweeney
HM x5
Published Poetry
2012 Stars in Our Hearts
Silver Ships

 
Posted : May 8, 2021 2:35 pm
DoctorJest
(@doctorjest)
Posts: 835
Platinum Member
 
Posted by: @axeminister

I love Tron: Legacy Reconfigured.

I think there was another release before they became Daft Defunkt.

Just discovered Tycho. Heard of them? Mellow, lyric-less music.

I had not, but I looked them up, and the music definitely has a vibe that I would be happy mixing into my general writing playlist. Thanks for the rec! 

DQ:0 / R:0 / RWC:0 / HM:15 / SHM:7 / SF:1 / F:1
Published prior WotF entries: PodCastle, HFQ, Abyss & Apex

 
Posted : May 8, 2021 3:52 pm
(@wind_caster)
Posts: 1
New Member
 

Listening to music while working has been one of my oldest habits and it has proven to be quite handy to be honest. I have often found myself to be working for several hours at a stretch, without even moving, when the music is playing in my ears. However, it is important for me what music is playing, because, I cannot concentrate on work if there are lyrics heavy songs playing (such as hiphop). I mostly play instrumentals, classic jazz and country music., anything that has a good flow to it. helps to keep my mind in a rhythm. 

 
Posted : May 12, 2021 8:04 am
Wulf Moon and DoctorJest reacted
Álex Souza
(@alexvss)
Posts: 64
Bronze Star Member
 

I constantly listen to electronic music. My current favorite band is "Mega Drive", and favorite artist is Max Brhon.

V38: Q3-R; Q4-HM
V39: Q1-R; Q2-N/A; Q3-P
Critters.org MPCx4
Slush reader for The Common Tongue Magazine.
Debut short-story "Invisible Bodies" published in HyphenPunk and reprinted in MetaStellar.

 
Posted : July 29, 2021 2:23 pm
pdblake
(@pdblake)
Posts: 463
Gold Member
 

I've lately taken to leaving a game running in the background so all I can hear is the wind rushing over the mountains of Skyrim or a nuclear storm crackling through the ruins of South Boston. smiley  

R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
My Blog

 
Posted : July 30, 2021 1:18 am
(@morgan-broadhead)
Posts: 444
Gold Member
 

I'm one of those lucky souls who is easily distracted when it comes to writing. No windows, no activity going on around me, and definitely no music playing.

Strangely enough though, sometimes I write in Starbucks with all the hustle and bustle going on. That doesn't seem to bother me, but only sometimes.

"You can either sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing. But you can’t sit here and do anything else."
— Neil Gaiman, Masterclass

Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
SFx1
HMx4
R/RWCx5

 
Posted : July 30, 2021 5:20 am
OwenTyme
(@owentyme)
Posts: 15
Advanced Member
 

I listen to Musopen Radio on very low volume.  It's all classical music.

I accidentally discovered with that playing in the background, my daily writing output has roughly quadrupled.  I'm getting about four or five pages of my novel written each day.  Sometimes more.  It's been an amazing thing for me the past month and a half, since I made the discovery.

On the day I forgot my music, I couldn't write more than a page or so.  The music helps quite a lot.

Released novels, available for purchase: Troll Song and Forgotten Legends. More books are on the way, waiting only for cover art.

 
Posted : August 5, 2021 9:06 pm
Dustin Adams
(@tj_knight)
Posts: 1352
Platinum Plus Moderator
Topic starter
 

@owentyme Seems like this gets you into a flow state. Are you familiar with that term/concept? There's a book, and you'll hear it from time to time. I think it used to be called a trance.

Good for you though. Part of why I started this was to see if it worked for others as well as for me. Smile

Career:

1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R

 
Posted : August 10, 2021 12:02 pm
(@morgan-broadhead)
Posts: 444
Gold Member
 

Thinking about this post made me wonder what kind of music my main character would listen to. What would get her all revved up and her blood flowing? Maybe if I listened to her music, I'd get to know her better AND get into some kind of writing flow.

Then I thought, I'm the writer here. I'm the one who's gotta write this story. And I say turn the music off and let me concentrate! LOL

But maybe something like that might work for someone else...?

"You can either sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing. But you can’t sit here and do anything else."
— Neil Gaiman, Masterclass

Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
SFx1
HMx4
R/RWCx5

 
Posted : August 10, 2021 12:57 pm
Dustin Adams
(@tj_knight)
Posts: 1352
Platinum Plus Moderator
Topic starter
 

I don't think I've ever had a single character listen to music ever.

Wow.

Career:

1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R

 
Posted : August 11, 2021 7:05 am
David Hankins and Morgan reacted
(@morgan-broadhead)
Posts: 444
Gold Member
 
Posted by: @axeminister

I don't think I've ever had a single character listen to music ever.

Wow.

It's an interesting thought because I think about how much music influences my own life, and I imagine it must affect others as well. Music brings up a lot of feelings and can trigger strong memories. Musical scores for movies drive action and impact us emotionally. Is my character a heavy metal kinda person? A country person? A classical person? Pop? Alternative? Some future music genre not yet invented? We have certain expectations about what type of person someone is based on the music they listen to. Back in high school, pretty much everyone who listened to Depeche Mode had a certain style. Music is linked closely with one's personality, I think, and determines to some extent the friends we hang around with, our attitudes, whether we are introverted or extroverted, how active we might be, etc.

Thinking specifically of Starlord here.

 

"You can either sit here and write, or you can sit here and do nothing. But you can’t sit here and do anything else."
— Neil Gaiman, Masterclass

Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
SFx1
HMx4
R/RWCx5

 
Posted : August 11, 2021 11:27 am
Dustin Adams
(@tj_knight)
Posts: 1352
Platinum Plus Moderator
Topic starter
 

Agreed.

Although it's tougher in say fantasy, or one guy on a starship, which is what I tend to write. But my next contemporary I'm going to work this in for sure.

Career:

1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R

 
Posted : August 12, 2021 3:15 am
Morgan reacted
Share: