Do you listen to music while writing?

[Bob]

I do :D Most of the time. And, believe it or not, it's usually RAMMSTEIN or Megaherz or other German band. I find it inspiring, to be honest.

Also, I like to listen to Mozart and Beethoven while writing. How about you?

[Who?]

I listen to music when I do everything, writing or not.

When writing, I use it to help dictate my mood. I'll listen to anything from Astronautalis to Afroman or Modest Mouse to Venetian Snares and anything in between (so long as it isn't opera or Nickelback).

But especially Venetian Snares, more after he composed My Downfall (Original Soundtrack). I suggest anyone with a taste for impressive music (that doesn't mind the occasional click and pop, even though he cut down on that a lot on this album) and doesn't mind the depressing -- and it is very good depressing music -- take a look into it.

[susabelle]

I often listen to music while writing but that is mostly because I"m trying to cut out other background noise like the television and the kids and the dishwasher. My computer is in the dining room, which is in the middle of the house, and there is a lot of traffic and noise. Putting on my Sony fontopia in-ear earphones and turning on my ipod is the only way I can manage to get something done!

[Englishstudent]

:pIt's been along time since I've heard some music! I can find no time at all to

listen; because I only listen when I'm free, which is rarely!

I love listen to Fairouz in the morning, everytime I feel lonely..She's a lebanees singer and her voice is relaxing :rolleyes:


My sister can't even study without listening to the music, I fight with her

all the time :mad: Coz I'd love spend sometime without all that noise!

I can't focus with music :o

[--Deb]

If it's instrumental, I might, but if it's got lyrics, no. I can't. With anything with words going in earshot (television, radio, whatever), my brain latches onto the external words rather than focusing on the internal ones I'm trying to capture.

I can sometimes manage the coffee-shop kind of writing and filter out other conversations, but only sometimes. Mostly, if I'm writing anything more complex than a comment or a blog post, I need word-silence.

Although, now that I'm thinking about it, that "rule" of mine mostly applies to writing fiction. Apparently, inside my head, different rules apply for non-fiction.

[tadpole-x]

I do. But strangely enough, I listen to Japanese pop or rock music when I write. I cannot write when listening to English songs. My mind will start to process the meaning behind the songs rather than to just let it fade into the background.

But I definitely need music when I write. I'm even listening to music now!

P.S. Will this turn into a habit? I'm just afraid that there will come a time when I have to absolutely write and there is no music to listen to. I shudder.

[DanielScocco]

I guess I am with the minority, but I can't concentrate at all if there is even the smallest noise around.

[Alex]

Well, noise is one thing, and music another. It also depends on the type of music.

Like Daniel, I don't like to work in a noisy environment, but nice music is not noise for me.

[Vismay]

Yes ,I listen to music when I write. It helps me to concentrate on my writing, hear the music with the volume at full blast!!! But mostly slow and romantic numbers.

[anas]

i just eating

[Ali]

Like Deb, I really can't write and listen to anything with lyrics.

I tend not to even listen to instrumental music when I'm writing, though -- I like quiet (not necessarily silence; I can write in coffee shops, etc). I almost always find listening to music too much of a distraction from the words I'm writing.

That may make me and Daniel the odd ones out so far..!

Ali

[JoeWix]

It's a toss up... Naturally, complete silence helps me when I'm writing creatively, and trying to come up with ideas, or make a story-line flow. I've even toyed with picking up a pair of those Bose noise canceling headphones.

But music can be very helpful in shaping my mood, and at times, blocking out other thoughts or concerns that might be creeping in, and otherwise distracting me.

Lately, I've found that instrumental jazz (and I'm not a jazz fan) seems to be the best fit.

Joe

[Maeve]

Like Bev, I can't concentrate if the music has lyrics. I can get into the zone with Mozart and some other classical composers, but anything modern (more recent than the 18th century) is too distracting. I'd rather have silence.

[Rhonda]

I can listen to a variety of things, mostly classical type, guitar/acoustic playing...anything that works as good "background" music.

A great CD my husband found that is really nice to listen to (if you don't let it put you to sleep) is kill to get crimson by Mark Knopfler

[swimmergirl15]

Sometimes I do sometimes I don't. If I do it's usually something like Green Day or whatever. For some reason that helps me concentrate.

[wolfatthedoor]

I do listen to music while writing. In doing so, I have to make sure the vocals are not intrusive though. I like to listen to Radiohead a lot during my writing sessions. Other then that I stick to movie soundtracks. Depending on what I am writing, I will listen to the soundtracks for "Requiem for a Dream," "Little Miss Sunshine," or "28 Weeks Later."

The first and last are very haunting and can really get my spooky writing juices flowing. The "Little Miss Sunshine" soundtrack is quirky and fun and gets me in the mood for that type of writing.

[Alice]

I do a lot. What I listen to depends on what scene I'm trying to write. Despite my large collection of cartoon MP3s, I'm not gonna turn on The Best Day Ever while writing the gruesome death of my hero's love interest. Nor will I, while writing that intense final battle, turn on the Animaniacs theme song.

In the former situation, if I needed a cartoon song, and I often do, it'd be So Long, Old Friend from Garfield. In the latter, I'd crank up some good final boss music from a video game.

There are some cases where lyrics distract me, but an instrumental track won't seem to do. When that happens, I listen to something foreign. It usually just fades into the background, but sometimes I actually pick up the lyrics without paying attention. :p

[Justin]

I didn't think I could do it. The other day I put on Soundgarden's "Superunknown" record and it worked well to write with it on. I'm trying the novel-writing approach of just letting the rough story out and then going back later and revising the hell out of it. It seems like listening to music might help with this style of writing. I didn't seem to get stuck analyzing the crap out of every word written. I'll have to try it again.

[Catievee]

Always! (: I made a playlist for writing and everything. My friends think it's weird how I concentrate so well with it. I'm usually blasting Cascada, Iron Maiden, Metallica, AC/DC, State Radio, and Britney Spears. (Odd combo, I know.) :D

[rdwriter]

Not usually. I could probably write with classical music on but other than that, I either need quiet or white noise.

[M.S.M]

Try listening to Pavarotti while you write, it is magic. M.S.M

[jonathanandhissite]

i listen to music while i write
i do it every time i write
i am not a good writer at the moment because i am updating my site.

[philipop]

I always listen to music occasionally it inspires me but most of time it just helps me concentrate :)
I usually listen to P!NK because she is just amazing! :D

[ellanovella]

usually, while writing, i'll listen to John Williams, Beethoven, other classical, or songs from the Edward Scissorhands or Pirates of the Carribean soundtracks

[idiedforloveat3am]

I'm in the boat with folks that can't listen to music with words, especially while writing poetry or something where my language is intentionally lyrical (hopefully). I realize I have a mimetic habit and will subconsciously include what reaches my ears. I think writing is a musical process and if one's listening to music it will influence the language (which might be a good thing) but I usually prefer to try to develop my own sound, time and rhythm.

[wilfriedvoss]

I don't write without music. I usually close the door to my small home office, trying not to annoy my wife with my weird collection. Everything goes, classical music, rock, new wave, and more.

[Mikes]

*Pulls out defibrillator and revives thread*

Old thread, but I think it's one which is still, and always will be, relevent.

Anyway, me; Ideally I need silence, and would only put on music if there's some kind of background noise in te house i find distracting. however, I'm still developing writer who has a full time job and infant son, and as such I get alot of my writing done on the train to and from work and my lunch break.

I've been writing for so long ith my laptop perched on my knee or the lunch room though that I've learned to blank most of the background noise, a skill which I'm veeeeeeeery thankful for. For those times when I can't (the lady with the mobile phone, I'm looking at you - you don't have to yell, you know, that's the beauty of the technology) I get the ipod out and hit suffle. One moment it could be Metallica the next it could be Ludavico Einaudi (great Italian pianist, highly recommended), the tune is uninportant, what is the volume.

[Maeve]

I can write with instrumental classical music in the background. Vocal music distracts me. Mozart's the best.

[nowisforever]

I prefer New Age--without the vocals.

-- Charles