Writing while listening to Music...

I'm one of those guys who love looking back at something I've written, and think "Man, writing is awesome!" Unfortunately, I've always found the physical act of writing to be, at times, tedious. My apartment has, putting it kindly, alot of distractions. I'm talking about things like noise, being constantly pestered, and generally being in an environment that is not conducive to good writing. The tedium comes from, at least I think it comes from, my frustration from all these distractions. A friend made the suggestion that maybe I should try listening to music while I'm writing. I've never tried it. I didn't even try it to write this. So my fellow bombers, I ask you humbly, which music, if any, do you listen to when writing? Does it actually help? If not, what suggestions do you have for someone who is forced to write in an environment like mine. Thanks.

I'd recommend it, but don't listen to something with lyrics. You'll end up focusing on the lyrics, instead, and honestly, what's a better way to spend time: writing a blog about Mary Kate & Ashley or wondering who the 一番の姫さま is.

Classical all the way. Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Ludovico Einaudi and Bach are all stellar. Contemporary music triggers my ADD or something, can't get shit done when I listen to it

Movie or Game scores help a lot, anything without lyrics, or perhaps with lyrics and just can phase into the background, and sets a mood.

Though honestly, as someone who does a lot of writing, those distractions ain't your main problem. The distractions themselves never are. Obviously, do what you can to minimize people pestering you and noise and whatnot, but when it comes down to writing something meaningful, we as humans are excellent procrastinators. Distractions are just that, in the mind, and obviously if they can be avoided simply, this is best, but getting hung up on trying to improve your environment means you're not writing! Music can be a great help with that, especially without lyrics, but if you find the act of writing tedious (as I can do many a time, it does get tedious) there's really no musical or sensory solution besides just working through it, and forcing yourself to, otherwise you lose your flow, and it takes ages to get that back up.

But yes, Music can be good, but if you want to write, just do it. Don't let shit stop you, my friend!

@wmaustin55: Any particular compositions to recommend, my good man?

I've found that it's good to have a little warm up mix, but when it comes to time to actually start writing, music can also be distracting. I struggle with the same thing because it's really hard to find a time/place that's quite enough.

Classical, or any instrumental for that matter. I recommend lots of Rush. Red Hot Chilli Peppers also works, because while they have lyrics, they're fucking mental, so they wont distract you or anything.

@Tylea002: You're absolutely right. A little PMA, with a dash of willpower, make all the difference in the world. I couldn't tell you the amount of times I've been in the middle of writing something, or outlining what I wanted to write, only to end up finding some reason to stop if even for a moment. Getting back on that horse can be Herculean sometimes. Your right though, I'm projecting my flaws outwardly. What movie/game scores light up your creative juices, my friend?

Put in the idea into your head that... It's Bussiness Time.

Well it varies from person to person, but i myself listen to music when i write and it definitely helps with any distractions and somehow gets the cogs in my brain turning. But the music depends on my mood a lot so I would suggest something that you find soothing or helps you get charged up. If you find yourself distracted by the lyrics then i would suggest the same as wmaustin55 i.e classical music. Good luck with the writing.

I prefer film and video game scores, though classical music would probably good as well.

@High_Nunez: Pat Metheny - One Quiet Night album more specifically

I have an entire Pandora station set up and perfectly tuned with dubstep and Mozart. Its great.

I used to listen to music at college to drown out the morons talking loudly about Call of Duty all the fucking time.

Depends on what you're writing. I find whatever I'm listening to definitely influences the tone of my writing, so I put something on that gives off the vibe I want. I was writing something that was rather dark, so I put Opeth's Ghost Reveries on and the ideas started flowing. Reached a point where the feel needed to be spacey, ethereal, and vibrant, so I threw on some ambient space music like Steve Roach or Michael Sterns.

I'm speaking entirely of creative writing though, like short stories, poems, and lyrics.

I don't really have specific recommendations, sorry about that.

EDIT: I speak from the mind in flow, however. Getting into that flow can be frustrating, but just keep listening to music, watching movies, reading books, and doing things you love; inspiration strikes at anytime. Also, always carry a pad and paper, because you never know where it's gonna hit.

@SexyToad said:

Put in the idea into your head that... It's Bussiness Time.

Smiling ear-to-ear, brother. Thank you.

I'm not a writer but I do have the same problem for when I draw, and I do listen to music to cope with it. I usually listen to film or game scores, in particular scores from games and films I draw inspiration from. The music doesn't just help me deal with the distractions, it gives me a little creative boost because I'm reminded of what inspires me to do what I set out to do.

I can listen to really lyric-heavy stuff myself and write without any problem. However singing while writing makes for the most awkward texts ever. Don't write essays like that.

Stones usually do it for me

I always listen to music that fits the mood of whatever I'm writing. For my current project, that's Pansy Division. For my last one, it was Radiohead.

Depends if you can focus on the writing and not the lyrics. If not, use instrumental stuff, or orchestral music. I also find that soundtrack music works wonders for me. Especially the Doctor Who soundtrack.

Music while writing can be a fickle bitch, man.

When I was working on my screenplay/thing/not sure what it is, I was listening to deadmau5's 4x4=12. That was the only album. I need things that will keep my pace going, so I can't listen to something that is "in the mood". I need something that makes me move my foot and keeps me going.

However, there are times when I just need a clear head, and music can be too much noise.

It's really something to play by ear. Nonetheless, when I do choose to listen to music, it is typically a lot of dance/trance/trip hop/DnB. The funny thing is that the stuff I write is typically pretty somber, sullen, or downright depressing in mood (at least for that thing it was).

I find most music to me more distracting while doing anything, but as of late I have found an album by "Mewithoutyou" called "Catch for Us the Foxes" that is fantastic background music for a productive work day.

@Skyfire543: I tend to listen to music that's evocative, at least for me, of whatever kind of imagery, and atmosphere strikes my fancy at the time. Sometimes it gets so vivid, I wish I was adept at drawing. Awesome that you are, duder! What kind of artwork are you into at the moment, if you don't my asking?

I just listen to my Pandora stuff when I write. It usually works out. Sometimes, I listen to my music instead but it just depends.

When it comes to my first draft, I never have any problems listening to lyrical music and writing at the same time. My brain tends to be good at not focusing on the lyrics. The point is just to get words down on the page and I can look for mistakes later. On edits and later drafts, it all depends on how focused I am that day.

@High_Nunez: I really like architecture. The art aspect of it, of course. I'm not to adept at math. I'm also into the landscape paintings of Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, even though that seems kind of cliché for a Canadian.

Animation has always interested me as well. It doesn't matter if it's an anime or something like Adventure Time, I just like looking at the characters and seeing how cool some of the art can get.

It varies, completely dependent on what I'm writing.

Explosions in the Sky

Dvorak

@Video_Game_King said:

I'd recommend it, but don't listen to something with lyrics. You'll end up focusing on the lyrics, instead, and honestly, what's a better way to spend time: writing a blog about Mary Kate & Ashley or wondering who the 一番の姫さま is.

I kind of agree with this, unless they're lyrics in a language you don't understand, at which point they just become another instrument. Although a lot of trance music has lyrics that are nonsensical or repetitive enough to not really worry about, either.

My personal favorite writing music is trance and D&B. Pendulum and Infected Mushroom stuff generally works well for me (disclaimer: what works for me may not necessarily work for anyone else). Sometimes I'll just put on a random A State of Trance episode and that does the job.

@PixelPrinny:

Eh, not entirely. I'm shit at Japanese (and I'm certain I've made this clear many times before), yet while listening to a Japanese song, I still tend to focus on the lyrics. Keep in mind I don't understand 80% of the words flying my way.

@Video_Game_King said:

@PixelPrinny:

Eh, not entirely. I'm shit at Japanese (and I'm certain I've made this clear many times before), yet while listening to a Japanese song, I still tend to focus on the lyrics. Keep in mind I don't understand 80% of the words flying my way.

Well that's just because you're a Lunarian.

@PixelPrinny:

I wouldn't recommend listening to music with vocals, as the lyrics may influence your own words. I find classical/instrumental music helps a lot.

@Video_Game_King: So you're Kenji...? Well that explains a lot, then.

@PixelPrinny:

I can become Kenji when I want to. I thought you knew that by now.

I listen to instrumental music only when I'm writing, but if I'm doing math then I listen to lyrical music.

When I decide to write listening to music, I choose one that fits what I'm writting.

But I prefer writing outdoors mostly, in some quiet place I stop by.

@wmaustin55 said:

Classical all the way. Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Ludovico Einaudi and Bach are all stellar. Contemporary music triggers my ADD or something, can't get shit done when I listen to it

Is minimalist, not classical, and very much still alive, as opposed to the others you listed. I don't mean to be an ass, I'm just saying.

Anyway, this^. Find some music, any music, that doesn't have lyrics and whose beat doesn't particularly draw you in. Classical/minimalist/baroque/etc works pretty well.

@Video_Game_King: The very idea that you would -want- to become Kenji explains a lot.

@PixelPrinny:

What? You're saying I shouldn't want to become one of the crazier characters of video gamedom? But you've no idea how fun it is to transform into random video game characters by your random will.

@Video_Game_King: If you want crazy, you could at least transform into Kefka.

@PixelPrinny:

I played that bastard out quite a while ago, though.

@Jeust: Hmmm, that seems like it's worth a try.

I usually go with video game or film soundtracks, electronica, jazz, classical. Like many others have said...anything without lyrics.

The Tron Legacy soundtrack is perfect for this.

@High_Nunez said:

@Jeust: Hmmm, that seems like it's worth a try.

Try it!

I find ambient, jazz, post-rock, and classical music to be pretty good for writing. Anything without lyrics is not distracting for me.

Listening to The Weeknd actually really gets my creative juices flowing.  

As others have said, no lyrics, or at least no lyrics I can understand, too distracting, and my favorite music is very lyrical (e.g. Rap, Tom Waits). I found Rock en Espaniol very effective, the genre of music is familiar (having gone to high school in the 90s), but the songs were new to me. When rock band came around, I bought every Juanes song they offered. I still don't know what he is saying, but I dig it.

Finding I can't write well when listening to music with lyrics in, find it mixes with my mind to much if that makes any sense.  
 
Classical music or soundtracks are best suited for me.