Non-distracting ambient music/soundscape to enhance writing mood

Lunatique

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I listen to ambient music/soundscape when writing, because they are non-distracting, yet enhances my concentration and creates matching moods to the scenes I'm writing. I categorize them into "Dark and moody," "Light and soothing," and "Scary and disturbing," and play each playlist according to what I'm writing.

The most important criteria for this type of music/soundscape are:

-No prominent sense of rhythm or overtly strong drum/percussion
-No overtly distinct melodies
-No distinct lyrics or vocals (unless used like a synth pad or soft choral wash of sound)
-No harsh and jarring sounds or random distinct noises to jolt you out of the "trance"

Here are some examples of what I currently have on my "Writing Soundtrack" playlist:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNtOB3P4UZU#t=239

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNtOB3P4UZU#t=239

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pixFQPdhv4w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNDiPhVVrZ8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlDivIaiuMU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpty7UOqzCU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4tPd9DTXOs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4tPd9DTXOshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PagQ4PKYFZU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PagQ4PKYFZU

Those of you who's never tried writing to ambient music/soundscapes, give these a try. They really do enhance your writing mood while don't distract you at all--in fact, they amplify your brainwaves in a beneficial manner.

Those of you who are listening to really distracting music while writing, you might want to switch to these types of music, because they aren't harmful to your concentration yet still provides a matching mood to what you're writing.
 
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Lunatique

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Those are great! I've added them to my "dark" and "horror" playlists.

One important tip for those of you who don't know much about audio--I use a compressor plugin in my signal chain when I play my writing playlists, so there are no huge startling jumps between very quiet and very loud passages. It's important to squash the dynamic range if you don't want the music to jolt you out of your concentration while writing or brainstorming by jumping from very quiet to very loud in the same track. I set the compressor to about 6 dB, but with really dynamic material, I would go up to 10~12 dB. The one I use is extremely easy to use, since it's fully automated and don't require complex settings or pro audio knowledge to use, which is perfect for this context: http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-ezcompressor/

To run an audio plugin, you'll need a media player/librian/host that can run audio plugins. I use J River Media Center, which can host VST plugins. There are other players that can host audio plugins--just search audiophile forums like hydrogen audio for suggestions.
 

Caramello Koala

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100% agree on the Blade Runner soundtrack. Vangelis is a god. If you like that here are some other ambient/synth stuff that is similar.

Klaus Schulze - Moondawn
Tangerine Dream - Phaedra
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Kenji Kawai - Ghost in the Shell OST
B12 - Time Tourist

All of this stuff is on the U Toob.
 

Xelebes

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The library of Le Monte Young; Manuel Göttsching; Laurie Spiegel; Daphne Oram's Oramics; Delia Derbyshire's Blue Veils & Golden Sands; Anthony Rother's Geomatrix Suite, Magic Diner, and Art is Lunch; Eliane Radigue; Marko Fürstenberg. Just off the top of my head.

Oops, Fürstenberg's works have a lot of percussion (it being dub techno) but they are very smooth and subtle. Not something that would jar trances by any means.
 
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