When I write I like to have a wide variety of music playlists at the ready. A turn of the wheel and click of a button and my iPod delivers exactly what I need to stay focused on the writing task at hand. I've set these playlists up in advance so I can be ready when the mood hits. So what do I listen to? Here are a few of the many selection I use to help you get your own list started.
If I'm writing in general (like now) I tend to listen to music that fits easily into the background and doesn't distract my focus. My playlist includes...
The Ghost Composer - piano music by Quentin Fielding
Falling Water - piano music by Michael Strening Jr.
The Very Best Of Enya - along with music from several other Enya Cds
Come Away with Me - relaxing jazz by Norah Jones
Jim Brickman: Beautiful World - more relaxing piano music
If I have to write something a bit on the dark side, I opt for some pretty heavy classical stuff...
Mozart - Requiem / Augér, Bartoli, Cole, Pape, Wiener Phil., Solti - you can never go wrong with Mozart
Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti - The Ring is one of the most amazing pieces of music... this particular playlist has only some of the darker movements.
If I am angry and venting I've gotta go for the metal hair bands and monster rock of the 80's...
Monster Ballads: Platinum Edition
Monster Ballads, Vol. 2
If I'm just plain moody, then I've got a playlist completely comprised of my favorite band (The Cure) to get me out of my funk and help me write more clearly...
Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities, 1978-2001 - a great compilation of The Cure songs
If I'm writing about strange subjects or sci fi, then I've gotta go with psychadelic rock. Pink Floyd is the obvious here, but my playlist also includes King Crimson...
Discipline - King Crimson
If my writing needs to be more spiritual in nature, I will listen to rhythmic drumming...
Drum Circle - Spiral Rhythm
Of course, I have about 50 different playlists for writing. If you've got an iPod full of music, why not create a few mood enhancing playlists of your own to listen to while you write? Let me know what you're listening to... it just might make it on to one of my lists as well.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
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Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland" is in the CD player in my truck.
ReplyDeleteBluegrass in the one in living room.
wagner is a fav, too.
I watch a lot of football on TV in the fall and cannot stand the talking heads, so I mute the sound and listen to opera.
I enjoy almost all kinds of music except rap and hippity hop.
Great blog. nice content. I willkeep coming back. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI like bluegrass for listening too Frank, although for some reason I find it really hard to write while listening to it.... maybe because I get distracted by wanting to actually hear the music?! There's a week-long summer bluegrass festival in the Denver, CO area that I'm hoping to one of these years. :)
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