Music while writing?

[JasonX1140]

The music from what novel that I'm working on. It usually gives me the feeling of the current situation. Like actually playing the novel while writing it.

[SelLi]

I very often find that writing without any music helps me write better than writing with music, but sometimes I like to listen while I work. When I do, I like things that don't have lyrics (or have lyrics that I can't understand). I like to just have it in the background at a low volume. I'll just link you to some songs
Careless Whisper Instrumental:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxnSwiR40MM
Yosyonke Shop from Megaman Legends 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBuJzwIlCZ4
Space Lion from Cowboy Bebop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRxPFRHwjcI

Sometimes I listen to more upbeat stuff though when I write more intense scenes.

Celestial Symphony (Miku):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGJvGjy_ucw
or this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ogOnwE0CWs

I donno. I listen to others but I thought I'd just share.
150 postsssss woo ^_^

[SelLi]

The music from what novel that I'm working on. It usually gives me the feeling of the current situation. Like actually playing the novel while writing it.

That makes a lot of sense.

[FlamesOfPower]

When writing anything in general, I do fine with or without music. But of course, being the music lover I am, I always listen to music when doing so. I tend to listen to Metal, whether that be Melodic Death metal, Metalcore, Deathcore etc. I find that the less complex or the more predictable a song is, the easier it is to work with. Although, I do like to mix it up a bit with either Country music, Soundtracks Anime Openings/Credits and J-Pop. But I guess this could be applied to any form of work I am doing.

Just personal tastes though I guess.

[Yomuchan]

Is it weird that I listen to stuff like this, this and this when I code/write for games?

[GreatestDownfall]

I used to just listen to rock/pop, but I found out somewhat recently that dubstep and electronic music really put me in a creative zone. Now that's usually what I listen to when I write. Though I still listen to more classical music every now and then. I just tend to do better without lyrics.
Oddly enough I can't really take electronic music when I'm not trying to write.

[Lyyli]

I prefer listening to immersive soundtracks with choirs that projects emotions of mystery, exploration and darkness.
A few examples: Elder Scrolls series (Auriel's Acension, Standing Stones, Aurora), Divinity series (War and Peace, Song of the Wind), Dragon Age series (Camp Theme, Fenris Theme) and more.

I also like Agnes Obel and Love Solfege.

[Ophelia]

It depends. Sometimes I want happy, energetic music that gets me into a good mood so that I can sit and type like crazy. For that purpose I make a playlist of my favourite kpop/jpop/vocaloid/anime songs. Sure, at the beginning the singing is distracting, but after I've listened to a few tracks I stop notice it as much and can start working.
Happy, energetic music doesn't really help me if I want to write a sad/dramatic music, so I simply play the playlist of emotional/dramatic BGM songs that I've collected to use in my projects.

[rakada]

Haha I listen to my favourite kpop/jpop/vocaloid/anime songs. While writing too ^_^

[SBG_Eric]

Hmm... a topic that I haven't given much thought prior to this moment. It depends a lot for me I guess, to be honest. I used to have the OST for Phantom of the Opera as my go-to, but I haven't pulled it up in a couple of years. Sometimes I'll listen to the soundtracks of some visual novels, specifically Clannad and Katawa Shoujo. Recently I've been most productive listening to Decrepit Birth's album "Diminishing Between Worlds", Corelia's "Nostalgia EP", and a variety of live Dream Theater concerts.

The music from what novel that I'm working on. It usually gives me the feeling of the current situation. Like actually playing the novel while writing it.

Very nice technique. More writers should do this, so if you don't I highly suggest starting!

[Akai85]

I shall just drop these here:

(1) http://musicforprogramming.net/

(2)http://foundsoundspodcast.com/

Also, the LSD Dream Simulator OST (Old game, kinda like Yume Nikki) is some trippy shit and it breeds ideas in your mind. I don't know if I'd write to it, though...

Actually, I know a heck about the subject cause I randomly researched it one time and I have piles and piles of recommendations. I like listening to Binnaural beats and ambient music while doing stuff, myself. White noise and shit but I've got a heap of sounctracks.

Also, Beyond Good and Evil has some of the best sad/tense music I've heard. Similarly Castlevania has some epic boss battle themes. You just kinda have to look around and decide what inspires you.

[171]

Usually, I don't listen to music when I'm writing, but when I feel like it, I listen to upbeat or rock.

[Spectre]

I always create a playlist for whatever I'm writing to fit the tone and characters. I'm huge into music, so I can focus with anything on in the background pretty much. Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins, Burial, Apparat, Moderat, Massive Attack, Asa and Sorrow are all constant staples in my writing soundtracks so I'd recommend any of those for writing if you operate like me. It's very rare that tracks from these guys don't end up somewhere in my writing playlists. There's plenty of amazing ambient stuff on Soundcloud too.

[RotGtIE]

I'm part of the "write in silence" club. I'm envious of all of you who can write with music on. I can't hear dialogue in my head with music in the background, as much as I'd love to have something on.

Feels more like a crutch than a blessing. Without the music I lose the atmosphere and struggle to put anything out. I'm heavily reliant on the audible cue; it enables me to envision scenes that I otherwise simply could not do. Without that ability to envision the scene I am aiming for, my words come out in a pathetic trickle rather than a flood.

[truefaiterman]

It entirely depends on the situation, how am I feeling and what I'm writing.

But when I listen to music, it tends to be anime/videogame OSTs and various metal/rock/J-stuff.