Music or silence?

Do you listen to music when you write? Or can you only create in total silence?

Most of my writer friends prefer silence.

If you listen to music, what do you listen to?

I need to have music at crushing volume in order to create. I don't know why that is so, but it is. I like to listen to something at least marginally related to the thing I'm working on. I listened to a lot of Frank Sinatra and cheesy 50s music when I was working on my cocktail book. My current favorite is the Desperado soundtrack, which gets me juiced to work on my novel.

People tell me this is odd, but it's the only way I can work.

Let's hear it, fellow scribes. What's your pleasure?

Though occasionally I can handle music with lyrics not in English.

1. My favorite would be trance/techno (the steady rhythm and energy are calming and they help me focus).

2. Second would be Bach or some other baroque musician, same reasons as for trance

3. Silence

4. Just about any good music without lyrics (i.e., no Lawrence Welk, white church music, or screamo)


But I usually end up writing in a busy kitchen with the TV going and people chatting.... :-)

--as an isolation device, cutting out other sounds and distractions

--it has to be music with few or no lyrics. can be repetitive

--different music for different moods. I seem to use it same way as you lapislzi, in order to enter the zone. It's almost like changing channels, a kind of brain-switching device. It a trigger that says "OK now I am going to work."

--it's not at all about avoiding silence. I like silence, but am the type to need energy assistance while working. I don't do caffeine. Music is a kind of stimulant.

--those who like silence--what do u like about it?

I'm channeling a certain emotional or cultural note that I pick up from the music. I did an adaptation of the Kama Sutra a few years ago. I spent months listening to nothing but Indian music. I had to be "in" it to "get" it.

I like the idea of energy assistance. Like a cosmic booster signal.

Cher

Generally somnething punk rockish. The Pougues and Flogging Molly and even high energy Springsteen are all good. I need the infusion of energy to get words down.

when I am in the groove, I don't hear the music I have playing.

I get the greatest ideas when I'm listening to music, but I need silence to actually write.

i am so easily distracted that i can't do anything with any noise around! it is almost impossible to accomplish anything with kids in the house! i need silence for anything, but esp creative endeavors. it lets my mind flow and my expression is more genuine coming from a much deeper place.

just for some background noise.

The soundtracks are compilations of music that embodies the character. I seach a long time and then burn a CD or create an iPod file. When I'm writing in the POV of a character, I use the soundtrack. It's inspiring and swirls with mood. In addition, I often use specific smells when writing particular character POV. Smell is the most potent of the senses. I use different candles for each character.

As for music, I'm in the "no words" category. I just got the Bose headphones -- the ones that take out all the noise. Sometimes I just leave them on without music. Makes it very quiet.

Long ago, I would use music to get me in the mood -- for example, I used Barbra Streisand's first Broadway album every time I drove to my seminar on writing. Somehow that was a muse and sent me off to write after the return trip. Every time I hear a song from that album now, I go immediately visualize the short story I wrote during that seminar.

Writing takes a long time. The screaming of some kids in the background doesn't help, although it can be done that way--it just takes longer.

Music inspires the way visual art inspires.

:toast:

I like classical music some times, but mostly I just listen to my regular music. Which is very eclectic. :)