Toons

I prefer music when writing, unless I'm really strapped for time.

I generally put together a list of music that will fade into the background, but at the same time really symolizes a particular character or scene. Intersperced I'll have a few instrumentals that to keep me going.

I'll be working on my playlist this weekend, although, I admit I also tend to get really bored of the same music over and over, so I'll constantly add more music to it when I get a chance.

My list for this year includes a few Paramore songs, a few "Lestat" songs from the Queen of Darkness movie, some of my favourite J-Pop tunes and an album of Christopher Caouette's for the instrumentals. I also have a list of Pagan songs that I'll be throwing in, and a few of my favourite love songs.

For those that love me, no explanation is needed. For those that don't, none can be given.

www.writersretreat.darkbb.com - The forum for Writers who know that Imagination is the essence of all Creation

Pagan songs? I'm intrigued. What exactly is that? I know what Pagan is but just wondered specifically what you had in mind.

Part of my playlist will also be several Deva Premal CDs

--
Paul Webber

Don’t settle for shampoo! Demand real poo!

Silence when I'm writing just drives me nuts. I have to have some sort of music. I do get distracted easily (as I've done at least three times while trying to write this post), so lyrics tend to be a no-no if I'm working on something requiring concentration. For that, I have movie and video game scores (the score from the first Transformers movie is my 'secret weapon'; I focus better and write more with that playing than anything else.). Foreign music and random radio stations are also good to avoid that trap of knowing the songs so well that I start singing along with them and forget the writing.

...and I'm totally giving this too much thought. *sigh* Procrastination.

I always listen to music. Always.
I have so many distractions when I write as it is anyway. The chat, MSN, videogames, movies, people, the reflection of my pure awesomeness off my monitor... music with lyrics is trivial in comparison.

Is something missing in your novel? Want to coat your novel in a layer of awesome? Do you understand how pile driving a shark is awesome? Check out The Book Of Tim.
Make your novel awesome.
Put Tim in.

Pagan music comes under a whole bunch of different types of music, but like Christian Music it's all about the Pagan way of life.

For example:
Elemental Chant by Wendy Rule is a song about the Elements
Every Sacred Thing by Gaia Consort is about the destruction of what Pagans consider sacred by a society that looks at our beliefs as off kilter.

I could name a few other ones or pagan artists if you're interested. I will warn you, a lot of the music (although not all) does have a bit of a "Folk" sound to it.

For those that love me, no explanation is needed. For those that don't, none can be given.

www.writersretreat.darkbb.com - The forum for Writers who know that Imagination is the essence of all Creation

If it wasn't for music I'd have to listen to my own thoughts so I always listen to music whether driving, working, or writing. Since June part of my weekly schedule revolves around Saturday write night. 92.9 has a 4 hour, no commercial play list starting at 9 and going to 1 am which I've adopted as my must wrtie time of the week. Normally I can coax 4-5K words out each Sat. although I did have one 10K day in August when I was finishing my second book.

Regardless, I crank my music loud whether is it Korn, Tool, Metallica, Iron Maiden or Neil Young, Loreena McKennit, or Mozart, Bach or Orff. I don`t preprogram my music but it definetly is a necessity.

Earphones, and one of three distinct 'moods' of music:

1. Deep Forest, Delerium, Leatherstrip's "Serenade for the Dead" album

2. NIN, KMFDM, Leatherstrip's other albums, Front 242, Ministry.

3. Older Testament (the band, not the book), Faith No More, Marilyn Manson, The Cult, Warrior Soul, Rob Zombie, Sepultura.

Ranked in order of productivity.

...It's the only thing that keeps the voices at bay.

Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run...
...where in the *Hell* are they going?

I'm ASHAMED IronKite!! HOW DARE YOU, DARLING

(He forgot one of our favourite bands! Oi.)

My choices are Infected Mushroom (which the man forgot lol), Loreena McKennit, Enigma, eRa, Tool, NIN, Vitas, and a lot of techno music which falls under house, happycore (aka happy hardcore), ambient, chill out, trance, and breaks.

I like a lot of eclectic music that includes celtic and spiritual instrumentals. :)

Argh!

Yes, I forgot Infected Mushroom... AND Tool.

But I also forgot A Perfect Circle.

(sobbing quietly in a corner, somewhere)

WWWAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaahaaaahaaahaaahaaaa.... (*SNORK*)

Okay, so APC and Tool in #3, Infected Mushroom in #2. My apologies to those three fine, fine bands.

Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run...
...where in the *Hell* are they going?

Hey, we should put together a playlist. You may have heard of it but you can sign up for a free www.playlist.com account. Then we all go there and add favourite songs so at any point when we are writing you can just go to the account (which can be shared publically) and listen.

If anyone is interested I can set one up.

--
Paul Webber

Don’t settle for shampoo! Demand real poo!

I usually just shuffle my entire collection, and see what comes out.

Like tonight, I've heard some Nirvana, Tracy Chapman, The Hives, Infectious Grooves, Headstones, The Smalls, Marilyn Manson, Danzig, Arctic Monkeys, Queens of the Stone Age, Death From Above 1979, NIN, The Animals, Everlast, Beastie Boys, A Perfect Circle, Weird Al, CCR, Monster Magnet, Primus, Natalie Imbruglia, Dave Mathews, and Puscifer.

I tend to work better with that unpredictability; that the next song could be Sinatra or Slayer, and either way, it'll be what I need to hear.

I agree about the Transformers score. My wife picked that up, and it's phenomenal.

My secret weapon is Rodrigo Y Gabriela. They never fail to get me going if I'm feeling less than motivated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-qgum7hFXk&feature=related

Oh, another great soundtrack, and going by whata lot of people here are saying I think they will agree or try it out. The Crow (Brandon Lee one) OST. I personally think that is the best OST ever.

--
Paul Webber

Don’t settle for shampoo! Demand real poo!

I loved that Crow soundtrack...someone borrowed it and apparenlty really liked it. They returned the case with some other cd in it and promptly disappeared from my life. It's always good for the esteem to know that friends consider an album more worthy of keeping then yourself...

I'm rather fond of techno. Hard to sing along when all there is, is beats.

My Playlist for writing is a jumbled collection though, that includes:

Happy 2B Hardcore, Final Fantasy music and game sounds (I know sad but it works), just a touch of aqua, avenue Q, Some songs from the blade soundtrack, DJ Tiesto and DJ Cammy.

I'm likely going to add to it before the end of NaNo but thats it for now.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I may be a freak but I'm a happy freak among other happy freaks. XD

The Soundtrack and the Musical Score.

Both are gold. I used to play the musical score in my studio during my art college days, great mood music. Especially for the kind of stuff I was doing at the time.

And I'm sorry, but NIN covering a Joy Division track? That was just awesome.

Shoot... now I have to go listen to it again.

Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run...
...where in the *Hell* are they going?

I definately listen to music when I write. I used to use a cd player, I now have an ipod and it currently has about 2000 songs on it. So definately prepared.

I like anything orchestral or celtic. Really great for just.... writing. ^.^

But I also have oodles of various genres for different scenes, because something calm will NOT work for a fight scene. :P

Enya. Is. Awesome. Especially if you can find an hour-long song. Then you can time your writing by your music!

[Insert witty comment here.]

Akita, what is the name of this hour long song. I'd love to check it out! :)

I am writing now and have Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Whatever Happened to my Rock and Roll.

great song for writing.

--
Paul Webber

Don’t settle for shampoo! Demand real poo!

I had Tool spinning tonight...man do I ever just lose myself in that music. I wrote for an entire album and it felt like it was only 5 minutes look. (10,000 days...easily one of my top ten of all time favs.)

GOD Ryan, you had damn fine taste! 10 000 Days is THE best album in my opinion! :)

10,000 days is epic. Wings pt 2 makes me cry.

But then again, I cry at those phone commercials.

... you know, the ones with the cute animals?

(sobs) "I'm so happy I don't work there any more..." (blows nose on sleeve)

Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run...
...where in the *Hell* are they going?

There is nothing wrong with crying, especially when it's you making other people cry. In my role of god I often hurt my character on purpose just so I can make them cry... Vi-cariously, I, live, while, I watch all my characters die....from a distance. (Sorry for the comma abuse, I'm trying, to, cut, back, but, failing; horrbily in, my punctuation! misuse?)

I think they named the album 10,000 days as that is how many days in a row it takes to get tired of listening to it...not sure how they tested that but with modern physics anything is possible.

You worked for Telus? Man I feel for you. Some scars never heal.

I've never heard Tool.

So when I emmigrated to Canada and someone called me 'a complete tool' that is a good thing, yeah?

--
Paul Webber

Don’t settle for shampoo! Demand real poo!

What we're talking about when we say 'Tool' is the band called Tool.

When someone calls you a tool, it's actually an insult. It means you're dumb. Tell whoever said that to sod off.

Hey don't tell me to sod off...Paul deserved it, he's British. :)

OK, now I'm confused. So when I go to Walmart and ask for the Tool Department why do they send me to the staff room.

--
Paul Webber

Don’t settle for shampoo! Demand real poo!