1 Topic by J. W. Nobles (edited by J. W. Nobles 2015-02-16 17:07:59)

Topic: Using Music

I covered this topic briefly in my last post, but again, only briefly. Music can help you to develop a style of writing, as well. Not only would be surprised by how much it can change things, but it might also turn out to be a style of writing that you've been working to achieve, or, even better, a style that you have never seen before (of course, you may not like it, but who cares? For the love of God, that style is original!) However, if you don't like that style, try listening to something else.

Music can also help you define characters, especially if you set aside two or three different songs for a specific one. You can always judge people by the music they listen to, and you can do the same for characters. If you can imagine Leonard listening to "What Is Love" on a daily basis, you have just developed a good piece of character for the readers (and you) to build on.

Now, as for me, I listen to a lot of rock, but I have the occasional electronica song thrown in there. Guns N' Roses, Huey Lewis and the News, AC/DC, Skrillex, Queen, Led Zeppelin, and, once in a while, Bill Withers. Not only do I like the songs that these artists put out, but they help me develop a style that I'm in love with.

Tell me if you listen to music while you write, and if you do, who and what. I'd like to see what I could do to add a little variety to my style, and to my characters. Tell me if you have any other uses for music, as well.

Quote Post 1

Re: Using Music

I don't listen to music as I write because it distracts me. However, I have used songs that inspire emotions that I'm trying to achieve with a certain character to help me slip into that persons mind to write their character better. I've mentioned songs to set the mood of a scene if my characters are dancing, at a club, eating dinner, or whatever the scene might be. It helps the reader establish the atmosphere.

When reading a book that I like, I will usually research the song if one is mentioned and catch myself humming it. It's a great way to connect a reader to a character/story.

Quote Post 2

Re: Using Music

I'm the opposite of PByrd. I need to drown out other noises because they distract me, so I put on headphones and listen to Celine Dion blast out my favorite tunes. For those who've never heard her sing O Holy Night, I couldn't recommend it more highly. I keep expecting my computer monitor to explode when she hits those high notes.

Quote Post 3

Re: Using Music

Music is great for quick fight scenes. Gives the action movement.
Don't like it for dialogue as it gets in the way.

For dialogue I put the TV on Home and Garden and then tune it out like white noise.


smile

T

Quote Post 4

Re: Using Music

I have trouble listening to music with lyrics as I write, so I often have on classical. However, music does help define your characters. For example, Larkin in Lucky Thirteen cranks up Debussy's "Claire de Lune" as she takes a bubble bath. Troy, in Last of an Exceptional Breed, plays and sings "Highway to Hell." What does that indicate about a young teenager? And I have Alain Richter, my favorite hillbilly from my Hillbilly Hijinx series, belting out a slightly modified "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" just after the woman he's always loved skips town.

As a teacher, I often played music during tests. Melodic classical for reading and language arts and highly mathematical Mozart for math test.

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6 Reply by R.R.H (edited by R.R.H 2015-04-10 03:32:04)

Re: Using Music

I use both methods. When I just want to write I listen to music. Sometimes lyrics distract me, but it depends on the music type like rock. Turning down the volume helps unless I'm listening to music for the purpose of drowning out outside noise. Sometimes when I want to work on an individual character in both writing and drawing I listen to a specific type of song or type of music. Depends on what is available. I have a variety of music on Itunes which is useful when my internet is slow, but youtube give me a larger variety to songs.

When I was drawing the royal fairy family, which is something I do to help visualize the character, I listened to 'Let me be Your Wings'. It is because it is the song form Thumbelina which has fairies in it. Plus the light tone goes well with them especially the Fairy King who is a romantic towards his Queen.

I had listened to this video I found that had the reprise of 'Part of Your World' with different languages when doing the mermaids. "The Little Mermaid" is obvious, but the reason for that video is simply because it is really long so I don't have to look for another one every five minutes

I listened to 'For the first time in Forever' from "Frozen" while writing my short story 'The Youngest Monarch." The Elf Queen has some similarities to Queen Elsa. Not with the who ice power thing, but that the Elf Queen has a lot to prove to the other kingdoms. I just relate those two characters.

Etc.

It is not always easy to find a specific song so I settle with a specific genre that would go with the character or if I'm working on a chapter I deal with a genre that would suit the chapter instead. At times I'm not always picky about the music, but I almost always have t have music and if nothing else just the tv in the background.

I actually got emotional while writing a short story that was sad at times because It was about a lost character and I was also listening to "Street Rat" from 'Aladdin' which is reallly moviing.

Quote Post 6

7 Reply by Tom Oldman (edited by Tom Oldman 2015-04-10 13:22:32)

Re: Using Music

I have a service-related hearing loss in both ears (Morse code and static crashes for 20 years will do that). So, when I get ready to do some serious writing, I take my hearing aids out and go for it! Music, at that point, does not compute. Sometimes, to put me into the mood, I listen to classical or very old rock (circa 1950's) records on my turntable. Ear buds cannot compete with suitcase-sized speaker enclosures and a recliner between them.

~Tom

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8 Reply by max keanu (edited by max keanu 2015-04-11 19:51:50)

Re: Using Music

In the past, I wrote daily words until I burned out, then I picked up my practice guitar and wrote instrumental music in the style of Andrew York, Villa-Lobos, Barrios Mangore, etc. After burning out on daily guitar composition, I returned to writing words, day after day. However, three years ago, I suffered a physical breakdown and mental disease. My right hand muscles failed work, nixing my professional guitar life and my brain went to Mars. Slowly, slowly my brain is recovering...I hope.

So presently, I'm hooked on listening to, while I write, Chopin piano/violin duets and Glen Gould's interpretations of Bach's Goldberg Variations... with a bit of Pat Metheny thrown in for those emotional and ephemeral uplifts he creates so well. Vocal music is out, as those words in songs will influence a writer's mental, subconscious groveling for the right words.

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Re: Using Music

TO listen to music with lyrics while writing would be kind of like multitasking to me. I really put my heart into what I'm listening to when it comes to music. I think it would distract me too much. But I like the ideas that people wrote about in the posts on how music can help with variations in form, character development, style variation in speech, etc.

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