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Post A Note > The Lounge > Life, The Universe, and Everything > Writing to music revisited
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dale_ivan
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« on: May 20, 2012, 11:16:52 AM »
I vaguely recall this being a forum topic a few years ago (time does indeed fly). I do write to music, and in fact create playlists in iTunes for my stories and novels that I listen to as I write. I'm currently tweaking one for my serial project, and in fact just put up a post about putting together a playlist at my site: http://www.daleivansmith.com/?p=323

How about you guys? Do you listen to music as you write? If so, instrumental only, or are vocals okay? Do you have a particular genre you prefer to listen to when you write? My indie author friend, Tammy Salyer, told me on Facebook, commenting on my post, that she builds a playlist for particular characters. I think that's a great idea.

Oh, and "building playlists" sounds a lot harder than it is. I discuss how to do this with iTunes in my post, but it's truly is easy  Smiley

Dale
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Sundale
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« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2012, 12:13:56 PM »
Well I'm not as specific as that, but I do listen to music, and it dose change depending on the story and the moment.  Somehow something like "We Will Rock You" just doesn't work when my main character just lost his parents.  Nor dose heavy techno and electric music quite fit in a story all about wolves.

Mind you as a writer, I try to put myself in the situation.  I try to become my characters to understand what they're thinking, feeling, doing ect.  Sometimes music is just back ground.  Sometimes it helps me key into the moment.  But the type dose always matter.

So for the wolf story, I keep things simple.  Flute music largely, but I'll listen to a lot of softer, or at least simpler, music as well.  Which dose include Mark Shultz and Michael W Smith when I'm in the mood.  Rarely anything rock and roll, though it dose happen.

For the sci-fi, just about anything goes really.  In the midst of a battle I might edge toward something.... well.... edgy.  In the midst of pain, something more soulful.

It all depends on what I need, even if it's just a break in the silence.
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lizbeth
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« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2012, 03:18:26 PM »
No, I can't! It's way too distracting.  I have to have total silence. I take that back, I like noise from outdoors, but that's it!   Smiley
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Marly
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« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2012, 11:05:22 PM »
Sometimes I write to music, other times I don’t.  When I do, I prefer Celtic music (anything by Celtic Thunder), or instrumentals by The Piano Guys.  And I can’t have it playing too loud or it does become distracting.  Smiley   
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Marzipan
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« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2012, 11:18:55 PM »
I totally have to write to music! I'm the same way Dale, I create playlists. I don't do playlists for each character, but for each story. Lately, I gain a lot of inspiration for plot and character development by watching music videos. The latest story came to me while I was watching a music vid. So here's what I do lately: I put on the story's playlist, play the music video on mute, and make the word processor window really small so that I can listen, watch and write all at the same time :-D

As far as genre, I use the songs that I think will best preserve the original spirit of the idea. What I usually end up with is a group of songs that share a common emotional feel, but that are still different from one another. That way, it feels like I'm thinking about/developing different parts of the same story. I used to write to a lot of movie scores. Now I like words. I have a couple of instrumental songs on the current story's playlist, but that's it.

I find, though, that when revising, it's best if I leave the music off. That way, I can just listen to the words themselves without the emotional influence of the music.
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Humi
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« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2012, 12:25:00 AM »
all my characters have a song to their name. i listen to music (lyrical, instrumental, anything) while i'm writing in my head. it clarifies the plot for me, brings out the story, paints the characters' true colors.

music gives me that high so necessary to be excited to write about something. and its my writer's block breaker.
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ann
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« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2012, 12:40:10 AM »
I remember this topic from before. If ever I want to remember a time or place often a song is a great reminder. A complete scene shows up.
Ann
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spellbound
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« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2012, 09:23:55 AM »
I put music, tv programs or movies on for back ground noise. Have to have that noise, but they generally have nothing to do with the piece.

Sometimes I'll pick a specific show or song to help me with a scene.
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ann
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« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2012, 08:16:21 PM »
Mine definitely has nothing to do with the song...it was simply on at the time. Eg Our kids entertainment of a night was dancing/mimicking with the record player or tape full blast.
"I hear the two-way radio crackling turn it down." One child runs and turns it down, two stand still with the here we go again look on their face.
"Repeat, repeat, repeat." I call down the mike. "Where. The mountain. Be safe. Over and out." I turn to the kids. "You can turn it on again now, Dad won't be home for hours. Lost the load over the side of the mountain."
Kids shrugg. One runs and turns the music back on.
At that time I remember it was Meatloaf "You took the words right out of my mouth." The kids kept dancing/miming. I sat on the steps peering into the night...waiting.
Ann
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