Random
Writing to Music
Do you write to music? I used to constantly, I thought what I was writing to a large part affected what I write. Now I find it pretty hard to concentrate in anything except total silence.
When the mood strikes me, though, I think my most common writing soundtrack is Fennesz. I wrote a lot of my novella to Fennesz, as well as a lot of the recent things I’ve been working on. ‘A Year in a Minute’ seems a perfect backdrop to me. I often find that ambient music with no beat and/or layers and for certain no words, is vital to me to writing.
I’ve also written quite a bit to Fantomas’s hour+ 1-track album DELIRIVM CORDIA. The panic house of collage and weird sounds that it compiles is a great thing to rub off of, at least if you’re writing about nausea and babies and crap.
Here they are performing a section of it live (the record is much different but the video is cool):
MEGA BONUS LITERATURE MUSIC TREAT: Gian sent this super sex mash up he made of Dr Dre vs. Dylan Thomas. I always knew Dre had it in him.
Download: DRE VS DYLAN
There’s a Christmas present for ya, courtesy of the Tyrant.
Anyway, I am curious: what do other people write to?
Tags: dr dre, fantomas, fennesz, write to music
I tend to listen to the same songs- ones with words- over and over again before writing buthten write in silence. Sometimes, I write while listening to the songs. Sometimes, if a story that was really written around a song gets published, I try to contact the musician (if alive) and let them know. So far, no one has gotten back to me. But I want to send Paul Westerberg something. I think he might get back to me, but I don’t have an extra copy. Or maybe he wouldn’t. I like to think he would. I’ve got a bit of the stalker in me.
Right now, I am listening to Sun Kil Moon’s new cd, ghosts of the great highway. sometimes, i replay “carry me ohio” over again. Mostly, I listen to the whole thing. lyrics don’t bother me, but of course, the mood of a song is often key. That’s the most important thing. The song “Kill the Bottle” by Some Girls (juliana hatfield’s side project) turned into a story for me. That one worked out nicely.
I used to be really against listening to anything but silence, but just this year, and writing the novel, I found it was easier to get first drafts of things out with some kind of music going on. Nothing special though, just stuff I always listen to, folk or classical usually, some huge playlist on shuffle. But going back and editing sentences, especially for rhythm and meter, I need silence because the meter of the song will clash with it.
I used to be really against listening to anything but silence, but just this year, and writing the novel, I found it was easier to get first drafts of things out with some kind of music going on. Nothing special though, just stuff I always listen to, folk or classical usually, some huge playlist on shuffle. But going back and editing sentences, especially for rhythm and meter, I need silence because the meter of the song will clash with it.
Sleep – Dopesmoker
Sleep – Dopesmoker
I used to be big into listening while I wrote. i think maybe it’s a sort of adolescent notion– I don’t mean that as an insult, just as a chronological marker. I remember as a teenager basically thinking “well, Nirvana is the best shit ever, so it must be really inspirational, so if I blast Nirvana and write, it’ll obviously be inspired writing.”
Nowadays, I usually take the silence, though there are exceptions- like sometimes I’m trying to intentionally riff off a particular piece of music, though even then I’m more likely to take the approach ‘pr’ described, and play a song or album a few times over before working, then work in the quiet which follows.
I used to be big into listening while I wrote. i think maybe it’s a sort of adolescent notion– I don’t mean that as an insult, just as a chronological marker. I remember as a teenager basically thinking “well, Nirvana is the best shit ever, so it must be really inspirational, so if I blast Nirvana and write, it’ll obviously be inspired writing.”
Nowadays, I usually take the silence, though there are exceptions- like sometimes I’m trying to intentionally riff off a particular piece of music, though even then I’m more likely to take the approach ‘pr’ described, and play a song or album a few times over before working, then work in the quiet which follows.
Nothing in particular, but it has to be the same song on loop. If the song changes it distracts me too much.
Nothing in particular, but it has to be the same song on loop. If the song changes it distracts me too much.
The soundtrack to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
The soundtrack to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
“I thought what I was writing to a large part affected what I write.”
heh
“I thought what I was writing to a large part affected what I write.”
heh
I listen to music constantly when I write (and most of the time when I’m not writing). Generally, I pick something that I know pretty well so that it doesn’t really grab my attention much, but I also like music that is loud and weird and has bizarre lyrics, because I think it makes my thoughts go a little crooked. Man Man is good for this.
A new thing is to keyword search my way too big iTunes library for words about whatever I’m writing about and then just listening to the results while I write. I wrote a story about a cartographer recently, and just listened to all the songs about cartographers.
There were not many, but I did get to listen to a great ES Posthumus album I hadn’t really listened to, and it definitely infiltrated the writing. Good stuff.
I listen to music constantly when I write (and most of the time when I’m not writing). Generally, I pick something that I know pretty well so that it doesn’t really grab my attention much, but I also like music that is loud and weird and has bizarre lyrics, because I think it makes my thoughts go a little crooked. Man Man is good for this.
A new thing is to keyword search my way too big iTunes library for words about whatever I’m writing about and then just listening to the results while I write. I wrote a story about a cartographer recently, and just listened to all the songs about cartographers.
There were not many, but I did get to listen to a great ES Posthumus album I hadn’t really listened to, and it definitely infiltrated the writing. Good stuff.
NIN-Ghosts or Philip Glass’s soundtrack to Mishima, but the BEST is Aphex Twin Ambient Music Volume 2.
NIN-Ghosts or Philip Glass’s soundtrack to Mishima, but the BEST is Aphex Twin Ambient Music Volume 2.
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. I dunno why I like to listen to these things in particular, but Cage’s Works for Prepared Piano, Don Cab, Converge, sometimes This Heat, or super repetitive stuff like Steve Reich (I really like Six Pianos) or noisy jazz like Albert Aylor or Brotzmann. Mostly lately I don’t listen.
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. I dunno why I like to listen to these things in particular, but Cage’s Works for Prepared Piano, Don Cab, Converge, sometimes This Heat, or super repetitive stuff like Steve Reich (I really like Six Pianos) or noisy jazz like Albert Aylor or Brotzmann. Mostly lately I don’t listen.
If I put on music, I try to find something on my computer I don’t know well or haven’t listened to very much. It keeps the music and silence from being too distracting.
If I put on music, I try to find something on my computer I don’t know well or haven’t listened to very much. It keeps the music and silence from being too distracting.
What I listen to is really dictated by what I’m writing. Once the words start moving I tend to get inspired to pick music that fits the pace of the words and that won’t distract me. Lately Don Cab, Nick Cave, and Romance of Young Tigers have been the background for the spewed out words.
What I listen to is really dictated by what I’m writing. Once the words start moving I tend to get inspired to pick music that fits the pace of the words and that won’t distract me. Lately Don Cab, Nick Cave, and Romance of Young Tigers have been the background for the spewed out words.
“it feels good to be a gangster” – Ghetto Boys
“it feels good to be a gangster” – Ghetto Boys
Ekkehard Ehlers (Plays) and Satie (Complete Piano Music) and Panda Bear and Nonesuch Explorer Stuff. Sometimes Martha Argerich or DJ / Rupture. Amadou and Mariam. Sometime Springsteen’s Nebraska . . .
this topic has me momentarily de-lurked.
Ekkehard Ehlers (Plays) and Satie (Complete Piano Music) and Panda Bear and Nonesuch Explorer Stuff. Sometimes Martha Argerich or DJ / Rupture. Amadou and Mariam. Sometime Springsteen’s Nebraska . . .
this topic has me momentarily de-lurked.
i can’t listen and write sentences. i have a hard time even reading while listening, but one that i have done that w/ is the one you said, Blake–fennesz, the Endless Summer album. except not the first song. the first song is too fucked up.
i can’t listen and write sentences. i have a hard time even reading while listening, but one that i have done that w/ is the one you said, Blake–fennesz, the Endless Summer album. except not the first song. the first song is too fucked up.
Like others here, I wrote with music on in the past but find it hard to now (in my older age!). I will put on something more instrumentalish from time to time and that will work for a while until I get to a part where I really need to focus.
I really wish I could listen to music while I write though b/c I feel like I have little time to listen to music now and I want to keep up with what’s going on (soooo much music, so little time). Sometimes I get mad at how much time writing takes when I’d rather just chill to The Fiery Furnaces or something.
Like others here, I wrote with music on in the past but find it hard to now (in my older age!). I will put on something more instrumentalish from time to time and that will work for a while until I get to a part where I really need to focus.
I really wish I could listen to music while I write though b/c I feel like I have little time to listen to music now and I want to keep up with what’s going on (soooo much music, so little time). Sometimes I get mad at how much time writing takes when I’d rather just chill to The Fiery Furnaces or something.
Oh–but I’ll often read and listen to music at the same time, but it’s best if it’s something familiar.
You know what I miss?
When you’d buy a CD or album and bring it home and sit and listen to it like you’re watching a movie.
Oh–but I’ll often read and listen to music at the same time, but it’s best if it’s something familiar.
You know what I miss?
When you’d buy a CD or album and bring it home and sit and listen to it like you’re watching a movie.
i definitely miss that too kevin.
god are we old?
i definitely miss that too kevin.
god are we old?
Silence.
But last night, rare mood, I listened to Red Right Hand by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 15 times before I started.
Goo.
Silence.
But last night, rare mood, I listened to Red Right Hand by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 15 times before I started.
Goo.
i remember when cd’s came in large rectangle boxes filled with 75% free air.
i am old.
i remember when cd’s came in large rectangle boxes filled with 75% free air.
i am old.
those boxes were great. i had them hung all over my fat kid 14 year old room, before i started hanging up titties
those boxes were great. i had them hung all over my fat kid 14 year old room, before i started hanging up titties
James Blackshaw, Papa M, and Fennesz, also. But occasionally The Cool Kids and Kate Bush, to shift up.
James Blackshaw, Papa M, and Fennesz, also. But occasionally The Cool Kids and Kate Bush, to shift up.
I always try to keep Dr. Dre’s and Eminem’s “Forgot About Dre” in my head as I compose: “Nowdays ever’body wanna talk like they got somethin’ to say but nothin’ comes out when they move their lips just a bunch of gibberish ya muthafuckas act like you forgot about Dre,” and especially: “So whaddya say to somebody you hate and anyone tryin’ to bring trouble ya way, ya wanna resolve things in a bloodya way? just study a tape of NWA.”
I always try to keep Dr. Dre’s and Eminem’s “Forgot About Dre” in my head as I compose: “Nowdays ever’body wanna talk like they got somethin’ to say but nothin’ comes out when they move their lips just a bunch of gibberish ya muthafuckas act like you forgot about Dre,” and especially: “So whaddya say to somebody you hate and anyone tryin’ to bring trouble ya way, ya wanna resolve things in a bloodya way? just study a tape of NWA.”
the new portishead.
the new portishead.
This is an interesting conversation to start, Blake. I’m always curious about other writer’s habits.
When I write, I tend toward the wordless: Miles Davis, Eric Satie, etc. & lately it’s been beat-heavy wordless: Blockhead, J Dilla, Metaform, Dj Shadow, etc.
I also find inspiration in Wu-Tang’s two disc extravaganza “Forever.” I use that album like Popeye uses spinach: it helps when I need some aggression.
(as a sidenote, I very much enjoyed the Dre./DT mashup)
This is an interesting conversation to start, Blake. I’m always curious about other writer’s habits.
When I write, I tend toward the wordless: Miles Davis, Eric Satie, etc. & lately it’s been beat-heavy wordless: Blockhead, J Dilla, Metaform, Dj Shadow, etc.
I also find inspiration in Wu-Tang’s two disc extravaganza “Forever.” I use that album like Popeye uses spinach: it helps when I need some aggression.
(as a sidenote, I very much enjoyed the Dre./DT mashup)
dvorak’s “largo”
prurient “black vase”
black dice “creature comforts”
dvorak’s “largo”
prurient “black vase”
black dice “creature comforts”
satie is good.
music for airports when i am angry
instrumental beats are a good idea
satie is good.
music for airports when i am angry
instrumental beats are a good idea
i used to write to barbara streisand.
i used to write to barbara streisand.