Music That Helps you Write?

[evolution_rex]

Whenever I write, I tend to listen to music as I do it. The music usually relates to whatever I'm writing so it can help me get in the mood. Anyone else do this? If so, what are some of the music you listen to?

Here are some stuff I listen to whenever I write fantasy. It's mostly soundtracks to movies:

(for happy scenarios or the beginning of a character's journey)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pGaz_qN0cw

(I'd recommend the whole soundtrack for this one, but I can't find the whole soundtrack on youtube, so here's a 'best of' moments. I'd recommend the soundtrack for any emotional page turner suspense scene or any emotional action scene.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBfk37Fa3H0

(Character discover something great or the realizes something important)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwoqmbpV4-g

I can post more if anyone is interested. I'd also recommend to not listen to any 'fun' music that you regularly listen to when it doesn't fit with what you're writing, it messes up how I write, but that's just me and no one writes the same way. I'd love to hear others who do this and what kind of music they listen to.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Whatever is playing at Starbucks helps me write.

No, seriously… I had to write a paper the other day, and I left the house and went to Starbucks so I could finish it with no distractions. I've written stories at various Starbuckses and Pacific Coffees, especially back when I lived in Hong Kong. The Pacific Coffee near the school I worked at in Kowloon Bay played the White Album a lot, so for a while I liked writing to the Beatles.

For me, fun music doesn't mess up writing, but if I like a song for the lyrics and am in the phase where I'm trying to learn the lyrics (a thing I do), then I can't listen to that song or it'll pull me out of my own story. Boring music might mess me up if I feel compelled to skip the track.

 

[ChasingSuns]

Two Steps From Hell is awesome for writing sci-fi and fantasy

 

[Penpilot]

I actually like silence or just background rumble. I find everything else distracting.

 

[Deleted member 4007]

I'm interested to hear these responses. I know that some music really helps me, but I rarely get the right music for the right mood I want.
When you don't know what you need, and you (like me) dislike working in silence, use this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ9OWMsJBTk
Rain and thunder for 10 hours. Very refreshing.

 

[Svrtnsse]

Like LS, I spend quite a bit of time in cafes (and also in pubs) writing, and I tend to enjoy what they play there. It's more about the overall atmosphere than the music as such though.

As above, I like music that fits the mood of what I'm writing.
I write fairly laid back stuff, low on action and high on atmosphere so I'm listening to a lot of stuff that supports that. I'm also interested in electronic dance music and how that can be used to stimulate emotions and imagination so I'm listening to that a lot.
This also includes chillout music such as this:
https://www.mixcloud.com/johnny-blue/johnny-blue-boom-festival-2014-chill-out-gardens/

I also put my own mix-sets together (see signature), and as they're done by me, they often reflect back on what I'm writing in one way or another.

 

[Ayaka Di'rutia]

I also enjoy listening to Two Steps From Hell. Globus, Audiomachine, and Loreena McKennitt are also helpful to me

 

[Miskatonic]

Certain songs actually spark scene ideas visually when I listen to them. They just put me in a state of mind that brings the right inspiration.

 

[Gryphos]

My go-to is the soundtrack to the game Transistor. Specifically the special soundtrack with Red's humming along to the music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57cOmxB12XI

 

[FifthView]

The Children of Dune soundtrack works very well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZdj5NJj-Bk

 

[evolution_rex]

I listen to the Blade Runner soundtrack often, mainly with science fiction but it could work when writing about any strange environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x3UNHNo1LA

 

[Nobby]

Paul Weller's back catalogue works for me...then again, I'm old :_)

 

[Kobun]

Two Steps From Hell is awesome for writing sci-fi and fantasy

I love Two Steps From Hell!

Honestly, I'm a little iffy about writing with music. I use it for brainstorming constantly but not much for putting down words. I started to notice scenes lacked the impact I thought they'd had originally because upon later reading information wasn't listening to the music I'd had while writing. Basically the music made me think my stuff was better than it actually was.

On the other hand if I've got a scene I just can't make happen despite my best efforts, music is a good story laxative to fix it. lol

 

[SugoiMe]

Anything epic, like Two Steps from Hell or Epic Score. But I don't need music to write. I use it more to visualize certain scenes while I'm out for a jog or travelling.

 

[Miskatonic]

This puts me in the mood to write more lore and storyline information regarding Osyrica, the desert empire and oldest human remnant of the ancient world, liberated from the first continent on Earth when it was shattered in order to save mankind. It's culture is a combination of Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt and pre-Islamic Arabia.

 

[Svrtnsse]

I started to notice scenes lacked the impact I thought they'd had originally because upon later reading information wasn't listening to the music I'd had while writing. Basically the music made me think my stuff was better than it actually was.

Ooops...
This is a bit of a concern. I hadn't even thought of that. I guess I'll have to make sure to re-read my stuff without music at some point - or at least re-read it in a different setting.

 

[Mythopoet]

I actually don't like listening to epic/fantasy-esque songs and soundtracks while I'm writing. I find it more distracting than music that's unrelated to my writing. I've found that I like listening to jazzy soundtracks like Cowboy Bebop, Baccano and Blood Blockade Battlefront. I find that jazzy music gives me energy.

 

[evolution_rex]

Honestly, I'm a little iffy about writing with music. I use it for brainstorming constantly but not much for putting down words. I started to notice scenes lacked the impact I thought they'd had originally because upon later reading information wasn't listening to the music I'd had while writing. Basically the music made me think my stuff was better than it actually was.

That's a pretty good point. I edit and reread my stuff without music (I write with music, cannot stand to read with music), and so I feel I have a good idea on how good my writing is but now I'm second guessing. I already have the epic music already intertwined with scene I wrote and thus I'll have a biased look on it, and that's adding the to bias that I was the one who wrote it. It's wasn't something I thought about but it makes a lot of sense.

I also use it for brainstorming. With brainstorming, I surround myself with stuff related to what I'm writing. I read relevant stuff, I watch relevant movies, I listen to relevant music, and I look at relevant art.

 

[Kobun]

I also use it for brainstorming. With brainstorming, I surround myself with stuff related to what I'm writing. I read relevant stuff, I watch relevant movies, I listen to relevant music, and I look at relevant art.

I do the same. I'm currently wrapped in a thick blanket of Martian colonization and giant robots.

Truthfully what works for some won't work for all. It's good to keep in mind the pitfalls of using music but is it really works for you then just keep doing what works for you.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

I enjoy listening to two steps and also tycho and other mellow music. Sometimes I like having extreme metal bands like Nile or Amon Amarth just in the background playing quietly. But most of the time I don't listen to music while I am writing.