What genres of music do you listen to while writing/reading?

SurfAngel_1031

AKA: Gabrielle Morales
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How the heck are you able to listen to music while you write :blob_dizzy: I hear a slight noise from 50 chicken-lengths away and I lose my focus for 2+ minutes
Since I use lots of music references in my books, I tend to hear the music in my head or even put that particular song in Spotify while I do the scene.
 

Representing_Tromba

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I always listen to specific genres to set the atmosphere and tone of my writing!
Most of them are Jazz and classical, with a mix of electronic music

Here are some examples:
My way of life
Over and over (the world we knew)
As the world caves in
Sway
Autumn leaves
Rachmaninoff piano concerto 2
Sibelius concerto in D minor op.47
Fontaine theme
And game music like Arcaea Final Verdict

I think you can guess the premises of my story :blob_cookie: Feel free to drop some song suggestions!

These are some that I frequent.
 

Yuin

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How the heck are you able to listen to music while you write :blob_dizzy: I hear a slight noise from 50 chicken-lengths away and I lose my focus for 2+ minutes
I thot it’s normal to listen to music while writing? I even listen to hardcore rhythm game sountracks :blob_joy:
Usually music is a must when I write to fully focus and feel immersed in the scene I'm trying to write. I have like a dozen playlist, from cheerful fantasy adventure music, to epic things when i'm writing intense action... i dont really understand the people that can't write without listening to music
Exactly, someone gets me. It just set the mood and helps me visualise, especially when writing emotional scenes (need music to feel smth)
In my humble opinion, I dont think it's a good habit.

Especially when I'm trying to set the tone for the story, Listening to music makes me more biased with the music I'm currently listening while reading what I wrote.

I create the story expecting the tone to match the music I'm listening before, only to realize the story I have written is "lacking" in tone.

For me, A story should be able to set tone, theme, mood, without a need of listening the music that the writer listens during writing.

Otherwise, music is good company when setting initial drafts and framework of the story, things that wont be affected by the tone of the music.

And something to know, I'm a person who's aware that I'm being affected by music too easily. I have to hold back the urge to turn on the music when writing.

I advise you to see for yourself whether writing with music or no music affect you whe youre teying to set the tone and mood of the writing.

I would rather use poem and poetries, which is known reliable method, and very effective to set the mood and tone in "writing", then I would try to rewrite them into the narrative text in my stories. Like sprinkling lemon aromatic into the room.
Ohhh I‘ve never thought of that before. I listen to music every single moment, walking, eating and even showering. It’s just boring without it since I don’t think much to entertain myself. It’s true that music affects my writing but I think it has an opposite effect on me. I get more inspired and generate ideas better with convincing emotional tone! I guess it works differently for everyone, but interesting theory about how music may affect the tone of writing. I’ll see whether this is true. Thanks for your input tho!
 
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Yuin

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RepresentingWrath

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Are you the fabled 'I-listen-to-everything' friend?
Yep, I listen to everything. The only thing, I don't really listen to bands or musicians, nor do I have favorite albums. I am more of a guy who listens to whatever song I like, exceptions are songs that aren't really songs; meme songs, weird noises, etc.
 

Clo

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I listen to a lot of different things.

Music with no lyrics, like epic trailer music or videogame music,
Music from singers or bands I like, which ranges a lot: from Orbital, Prodigy, Muse, Garbage to Nena, Paramore, Grumpster, Aimée Carty...
AI generated theme songs for my story/characters
Anime openings from shows I like
Or any music I have memories strongly associated with. Which is a lot since I am auditory.
 

Madmcgee

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Can't listen to music when I write. It's silence or nothing.
I genuinely wish I could, but every time I try, I get distracted and my thoughts wander away from the story :blob_teary:
 

Navillus

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While not specifically songs I personally like listening to S3rl, Metallica, Apashe, NF, Sabaton, 21 Pilots, Coldplay, Ava Max, Jelly Roll and on occasion I’ll just listen to random Nightcore in the background-nyah.
 

OneiroTrove

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My brain constantly switches up what kind of music helps focus and it rarely has anything to do with the subject or theme that I'm writing. It's always a bit of a guessing game what's going to work each day ?

In general, classical is good and video game soundtracks. Looove Zelda tracks on loop.

Outside of those, what works at the time varies wildly and with little sense. Here's some of the recent ones-

Niyaz
Lebanon Hanover
Caravan Palace
Vendredi Sur Mer
 

Our_Lady_in_Twilight

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The 'White Palace' theme from the game Hollow Knight, set to just barely audible, via a longplay ASMR Youtube vid. Best served on a big comfy armchair with a laptop on your knees and all the lights off. Hot drink is optional, but if you do it right you'll be so immersed that the mug will be stone cold before you look up from your work :)

 

SirDogeTheFirst

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Osts are the best choice for me, if I am trying to get into the mood. A bloody fight scene, put some Mick Gordon, a slow scene in my sci-fi story, put some Stellaris (Words alone are not enough tell how much I love faster than light,) am I in an emotional scene, then put some undertale, but make it orchestral and slowed down.

But, I usually just play something random on my enormous Spotify list that I put whatever sounds nice to me at the moment.
 
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