And for The Magnetic Fields
Music is my on switch. Music means GO. Music means the door is shut, stay out, I'm working. Music is an engine.
I can't write without music. I know for a lot of people that's counter intuitive, they need silence to compose their thoughts and words. But for me, I need an almost pavlovian signal to start. That's music.
It's not only in writing. When I worked for a non profit producing events, most of the time my office door was open, the music was off and I was answering emails, phone calls, questions fielded to me from the doorway. All good, but all fairly superficial work-mode. If I needed to concentrate on budget numbers or detailed floorplans or anything at all that involved higher math skills - the door would close and the music would come on.
The kind of music I listen too is important too. When I'm brainstorming I can listen to internet radio like Y Rock on XPN or Pandora. When I need to be immersed in the world, be in the room with my MC, soundtracks work best. I've got two playlists right now on iTunes, writing 1 and writing 2 that I can use to get me in the writing groove.
Is music a motivator or a distraction for you when you are working? What do you listen to and when?
I remember in "On Writing", Stephen King mentioning he liked to write to AC/DC, Metallica, etc... I personally can't imagine being able to concentrate with such a barrage of riffage, but obviously it works for him... I can only write along to calm, wordless music like Brian Eno & Harold Budd's The Pearl or Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook's Sleeps With The Fishes... and even those can distract me too much...
ReplyDeleteI try to pick music that matches the theme and mood of what I'm writing, because otherwise the music can be a distraction. I've found that editing to Enya and Loreena McKennitt (probably butchered the spelling on that) works for me, though.
ReplyDeleteI did a shout out to you on my page in the form of an award.
If I don't have music...I can't write. Music helps me drift off to my imaginary lands..without it I would just be lost...drifting!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I found you through the Blogger Challenge..I am also taking part. Love the blog!