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Writing with music

by lontau
Posted to Exercises, Ideas on Fri Apr 05, 2002 at 12:41:50 PM PST
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Music can ease tension and enchant casual listeners, but more importantly, it can even inspire.

This exercise suggests writing words in a sort of free response fashion while listening to various songs. It can be a lot of fun, and maybe even enlightening.

Have you ever listened to a song and felt like it was written just for you? Did the words and the music envelop you and fill your head with ideas?

I have a wide variety of music, ranging from celtic to country to swing to deathmetal, and covering every point of the compass. I've listened to love songs, hate songs, and songs about nothing at all... no matter what I hear, my mind loves to get wrapped up in it.

When I'm stumped for ideas, or even when I'm just really worn out, I turn on some music and let the sounds paint pictures in my mind. I wanted to pass the idea along... I'm sure I'm not the only one who does it.

Basically, I just open up a text editor on my computer or get a pen and pad and just close my eyes and let the music play. I write whatever comes to mind. In the process, I've come up with ideas for characters and settings in some fantasy work.

Has anyone else tried this? This is one of my favorite things to do in my spare time... try it with all different types of music!

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Writing with music | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)

Never works for me. (3.00/0) (#9)
by kitten on Sun Jan 23, 2005 at 07:58:53 PM PST

I listen to music sometimes when I write, but any suggestion like the following:

Basically, I just open up a text editor on my computer or get a pen and pad and just close my eyes and let the music play. I write whatever comes to mind.

has never worked for me, ever. I feel like George McFly after Marty tells him to say to Lorraine "whatever comes to mind". He stands there a moment and then says, "...nothing's coming to mind."

Music works for me if I already know what I'm going to do. Otherwise it's simply a distraction and doesn't help me invent an idea that wasn't there previously -- like most things.
kitten .

Write with music (none/0) (#1)
by Andrea on Fri May 03, 2002 at 01:18:21 PM PST

This is something I find myself doing. Music is the other side of the coin. It describes without words and so inspires images. I think the the subconcious is stirred up by music. You can bring things to the surface that were forgotten.
If teabreaks exist all things are possible...

: Write with Music (none/0) (#8)
by Aethne on Sun Nov 30, 2003 at 04:43:19 PM PST

I know that suggestion was written in 2002, but since I'm new to the site, I thought I'd add to it. The other day (Friday), I took my computer and some favourite c.d.'s to a favourite cafe. I sat down, put my ear phones on, put Simon and Garfunkel into the c.d. rom and began to write. About an hour and a half later, I'd written a piece that I was quite pleased with. I don't know if I would have been able to write so freely if it hadn't been for the music. It was great!

[ Parent ]

Writing and music... (none/0) (#2)
by zonker on Mon Jul 01, 2002 at 02:57:47 AM PST

I use music to help me write all the time - but most of the writing I do right now is non-fiction and not very inspired. I'm a freelance technical writer, so it helps me get into the mood to write to have the stereo on and put in some of my favorite albums or just go to MP3.com and find one of their "stations" that has some good stuff I haven't heard before.

Oddly, I have trouble writing to pop if I'm trying to write fiction or poetry. I find that if I'm listening to The Beatles or XTC that I get too distracted by the words and melody and I get too caught up in the music to concentrate on what I want to write. I find them very inspiring, but it's better for me to write to instrumental music. I've found that it's really good to listen to stuff like The Beatles, XTC, Robyn Hitchcock and Pink Floyd when I'm playing with my sketchpad though...
Dissociated Press - A Boy and his 'blog

I have the same problem (none/0) (#3)
by janra on Mon Jul 01, 2002 at 09:26:58 AM PST

And I think I know what the reason is.

When you're writing, you're using the language centre of your brain pretty heavily. When you're listening to music with lyrics, that's taking "processing time" from your language centre away from your task at hand. Instrumental music (classical or otherwise) doesn't engage your language centre at all, so it won't distract you.

I've heard somebody say that foreign language music also doesn't distract them; that's probably because it doesn't resemble a language you know and therefore doesn't trigger your language centre.

--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

: Amorphous cellular music (none/0) (#6)
by Wordmixer on Tue Mar 18, 2003 at 04:54:24 AM PST

I find myself listening to music quite often when I write and I am in total agreement that lyrics are a distraction that use valuable `processing time'. I have a sub-section in my CD box called `floaty fodder', this contains all the music with no lyrics, no huge dynamic changes, not to complex harmonically and with a reasonably long track length.
I would suggest the reason that I listen to music is not because I need the music itself but because of what it masks. Chosen carefully my music can erase the yapping dog in the street below and the builders next door as they break dance on the roof.
The other good source of music is web-stations. I often select these as they play for hours and I do not have to get up and change CD's.
Bx(f)

Benjamin F Jones
[ Parent ]

Music with words is difficult (none/0) (#4)
by wedman on Wed Jul 24, 2002 at 10:52:22 AM PST

When the music is a substitute for what I have a hard time saying... :(

Writing with music. (none/0) (#5)
by jt752 on Wed Nov 13, 2002 at 03:04:35 AM PST

Music can set the mood and bring out ideas. I am currently working on a story set during World War Two and have started listening to Glenn MIller while writing it. I would not be able to get the right mood in my writing if I was listening to the Beatles or current music.

film music... (none/0) (#7)
by jacobsteel on Sun Nov 02, 2003 at 06:06:23 AM PST

I've been working on a novel script for three years now, and it would have been impossible without music.
I use different playlists for various chapters, and very familiar upbeat tracks to get me going when motivation is low.

As a special treat I use film music, although this might add drama not really intrinsic to my text... ;-)

Writing with music | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)