Music to write by

[TheRuleofThirds]

Do you guys have anything in particular that you like to listen to while you write?

I guess I listen to film scores while I write. Of course I do that when I don't write too. For "By Fire", I think I've listened to Glory and maybe Empire of the Sun and Saving Private Ryan while I write. Of course, I wish some of those movies would rub off on my writing. :P

[okaybrass]

Well, I've found that depending on what I'm listening to affects the way I write. If I'm listening to; for instance, the Theme from Forest Gump while I'm writing, I'll start writing this incredible drama, even if I'm working on a Comedy. This can get annoying, expecially if I'm trying to finish something. Usually, I'll just put some movie theme at a really low level, and write on.

[Mama Kin]

9 times out of 10 John Coltrane. If not Coltrane then Miles Davis, Les McCann...etc

[Joe Calabrese]

Lately, I've been listening to the screenwriters podcast (see my other thread here). I also groove to some Jazz, like Ray Brown or Jeff Lorber, but alot of times I put on some movie soundracks of the same genre I am writing in.

[Joycia]

I find music inspiring. My two favorite artists to write by are David Arkenstone and Nicholas Gunn. If I had to limit myself to two (or even one) cd-roms, it would be them. I think of music as one of my tools, with my "book" of music (cd case) being second in importance after my computer. Silence can be inspirational - but ah, the right music at the right moment can be magical... :Guitar:

[zagoraz]

I'm weird. I tend to listen to the same cd on repeat when I'm writing a first draft. The last screenplay I wrote the entire time I only listened to Jack Johnson's 'Brushfire Fairytales.' The screenplay before it I only listened to Neutral Milk Hotel's 'Aeroplane Over The Sea.' To each his own.

[scripter1]

usually listen to music while I write. I tend to end up dancing instead of working.


I do have one script that is based off a popular 1970's song and I would play that over and over again to keep me in the mood of the script.

While working on my Australian brumby script I played a CD of bush sounds, birds warbling, squawking, etc. There is one section where this Kookaburra is just screaming and it sounds really threatening, like mad, hysterical laughter.

I wrote those sounds into the scene where my protag is delusional from heat stroke and she thinks the laughter is the antag coming to kill her.

The next scene contrasts that with pleasant bird songs.

Hearing the ACTUAL bush sounds really helped me visualize the scenes. It was like I was actually there and could hear and experience what the character was hearing.

Sometimes when I do need to hear something in the background I will put in a classical CD. Boch, Brahms, Tchaikovsky.

[maestrowork]

I like listening to soundtracks before or after I write, but not during. I like to listen to dance music when I write -- something in the background, repetitive... puts me in a dream state. But for inspiration, I listen to soundtracks. My current favorite is Friday Night Lights and Gladiator.

[TheRuleofThirds]

So do you guys listen to soundtracks because you feel like you ought to, since you're into movies, or just because you pretty much would like them even if you were a garbageman too?

[maestrowork]

I just love soundtracks, that's all.

[loquax]

Soundtracks are frowned upon by classical types, but they tend to evoke even more emotion than the normal stuff (probably because they're designed to).

A billion points to anyone who listens to the work of Nobuo Uematsu, or the Black Mages. That's what I listen to when I'm writing.

[StephieM]

I have to have music when writing. I am a firm believer that when listening to music of a certain mood it will magically appear through your pages. It depends on the mood of my script what kind of music I will listen to. I will listen to pretty much anything. If it evokes the mood I like it. Sometimes there is only one song that I listen to over and over again. Currently the CD I am using is Evanescence-Anywhere but home. I also like Lincoln Park and definitely Journey. I haven't tried listening to any soundtracks-maybe I should. :)

Steph

[Kiva Wolfe]

I write to The Boss. Springsteen never fails to inspire.

[Enigma]

It's good to know I'm not the only one who listens while he writes - for a reason.

A friend of mine who is a music freak rigged me up a small computer, speakers and a 120gb HDD loaded with music. She divided that music into 34(!) different "moods." So, when I'm writing something that's, say, tense, all I do is highlight "tense mood" and....

It sure works better than NetScape Radio.

[TheRuleofThirds]

Hehe yeah, I've got a Driving playlist on my iPod that comes in pretty handy too. :-D

[kevacho]

I humbly submit, that some of the best stuff to write to (Victoria and I have been over this before ;)) are Dead Can Dance and Peter Gabriel, most especially his composition for the movie, "The Last Temptation of Christ", entitled, Passion. As with everyone else, I also like soundtracks... Michael Mann's are always good- everything from "Manhunter" to "Collateral". Strangely enough, some other fine works for putting a writer into the "mood" are the three soundtracks to the Myst video games- Myst, Riven, and Exile. If you can find 'em, I highly reccomend 'em.

Kevin
www.kevacho.com (http://www.kevacho.com)

[taggart44]

A bit of downtempo/lounge tempo always produces the perfect background music for pages

check it out - can't miss

les nuits - nightmares on wax
la mer - lemongrass
so com voce - thievery corporation
pabadam - yonderboi
a time to lounge - alkemyx
les femmes d' argent - air
whistle song - fantastic plastic machine
lebanese blonde - thievery corporation
east end - stargazer
riders on the storm - yonderboi
all i want - dalminjo
la maison - gabin
ina - christophe goze
venice beach - the egg
sparks - royskopp
solara - fenomenon
joy - joe del mar
bklyn bobbi - jaffa
best days of our lives - weekend players
departures - karminsky project
day one - deadly avenger
what's your number - ian pooley
every day a story - fragile state
manana - christophe goze
your girl - blue states
villa blue - end of orgey
to ulrike - doris day
waltz for koop - koop
scmooz - alex cortiz
Suzuki - Tosca
Starfish - wondabraa
Starlight - UNN
Love - Patrice
Who do you love - Jose Padilla
Universal highness - thievery corporation
I'm walkin' - enrico riva
se - bebel gilberto
Little sign - akmusique
Ready for us - Fug
No use - Jazzanova
Poppy's song - big muff
Koobesq - King Kooba
Love music - east west connection
Rememberance - caia
It's complete - at jazz
Love beat - yoshinori sunahara
moving cities - faze action
pacific memories - fenomenon

[Kiva Wolfe]

Enigma:

Check out Gloria's Eyes on Springsteen's Human Touch album. Not to sound too locked into one groove, but I wrote the second half of my first novel to it, along with La Walley.

The first half I credit Joan Osborne, Shawn Colvin...to name a few.

Sacred Cow.

[Nicholas S.H.J.M Woodhouse]

It depends on the scene as to what I may listen to get me into the necessary mood. For example, a scene where betrayal comes clear, or someone goes over the edge (in the bad way) - Godspeed You Black Emperor!'s 'east hastings'.


Nique