Music and Writing?

I personally like to listen to whatever artists makes the kind of music I'm in the mood to write a poem like. Like certain soft music for love and romance or rock for dark angst, there are many a mood for many a writing style.

Do you like to listen to music while writing? If so, who? What types and why?

ALL RIGHT! Now here is a poll that makes sense. Yes, I sometimes listen to music as I write. It can be anywhere from rough metal to classical. Today it was Dream Theater, Night Wish, and another one from my oldest daughter, then some Bette Midler. Vivaldi is in the player, but I have not turned it on. I will probably listen to Vivaldi tomorrow, then some Pink Floyd. No telling.

I consider music my wall and timer. If the music is going, I don't want to be bothered. If somebody asks me to do something, the response is, "Wait until the music is over." Does it put me in the mood to write? No. In fact, it often has me singing alone so I am not writing at all, which is why I listen to classical -- you cannot sing to it. Movie scores do the best at setting a mood, although it works against you when you are writing a love scene and listening to "Speed Racer" (good soundtrack) or writing a fight scene and listening to "Glory." Aw well, anyway, yes, I sometimes listen to music.

I couldn't be in a room, write and listen to music the same time. I'm a total music fan and if I'm into music, I focus on the lyrics. So the only thing I would write down while listening to music would probably the lyrics itself.

For the most part I don't listen to music when I write. I find it a bit distracting, but a television blaring in the background doesn't bother me at all. Go figure.

iTunes is always running when I write. It could be Peter Murphy, Rob Zombie, Iggy Pop, or even Crash Test Dummies depending on what I am in the mood to create. I feel like it takes the pressure off and gets my head in the right place.

I get distracted often. If my frog hops from one side of his tank to the other I drift off. So it is very rare but I sometimes do listen to music while writing.

Foir me, music is inspiring far more often than it is distracting. I find it hard to write in silence, so if my music doesn't inspire then in will normally calm me down and put me in the right frame of mind to write.

Sanareth wrote:

Foir me, music is inspiring far more often than it is distracting. I find it hard to write in silence, so if my music doesn't inspire then in will normally calm me down and put me in the right frame of mind to write.

Agreed.

I see you're from Bristol? I don't know what you like, but some old friends are playing round the corner from you. Attrition at The Junction, Stokes on Croft on the 27th I think.

Music inspires me much more than it distracts, though I say that generally, because I can find lyrics distracting at times. When I'm just writing generally, like here on the forums, I usually have my phones in and my tunes on shuffle; it doesn't really matter. If I need to get in The Zone, though, like when I'm writing my own stories, I'll put something without lyrics on. Classical, or (especially) Celtic works good for this. The only rock I'll really listen to while writing in Deep Hack Mode is Pink Floyd, or something of that nature (melodic more than rhythmic).

I listen to music while I write.
For all I care, music is the gateway to writing. It puts you in this mood and this place you can't explain.