What's your writing song?

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Everyone has heard of 'thinking hat' or 'writing desk', but has anyone heard of 'writing song'? Basically it's the song that you hear to get yourself upbeat and in the mood to write something. Or it can also be a song that inspires you to do more than without. As for me, while I have plenty of imagination, I can't get in the mood to write if I don't have my writing songs on.

Right now, these are the songs I listen to in preparation of writing. Most of the time, I listen to it while driving, cooking or reading. Among the songs in my preparation list are:
1) Silent Siren 恋哀 (can't find any online source, the only source I could find was a Live on Youtube, it doesn't sound as good as the one I have)
2) Silent Siren: Stella
3) Silent Siren: Crazy Lady
4) Kyary Pamyu Pamyu: Fashion Monster
5) Perfume - ナチュラルに恋して

Then, while writing, I usually listen to my Ar Tonelico Concerto Album. For those who don't know, Ar Tonelico series are games in which the backdrop are set on massive floating towers in a world with no land. People live on these massive towers and the issue of overpopulation and corruption are shared between all the games. Some people play the Ar Tonelico games just for the awesome soundtrack. I've only played Ar Tonelico 2 so far, because I don't have PS3. I can play AT2 using emulator on PC. Among my favourites of all songs are:
1) AT2: Method Replekia (note that the words weren't Japanese, they were Hymnos, a language created specifically for the three games, see the writing above the sounds)
2) Harmonics Frelia (partly hymnos, partly japanese)
3) Method Metafalica probably one of the easiest hymmnos to sing along to. AMV of Method Metafalica
4) hartes ciel, melenas walasye probably the sweetest and happiest song in the doomed and overpopulated world of AT2. It means Beloved World, Beloved People.
5) Method Implanta

Comments

Well, just one for me.

I would tell you it was Sounds Of Silence but that would give a completely wrong impression.

Ooh Ooh - I know that one...

Hope Eternal Reigns's picture

Simon and Garfunkle, right? It is a very pretty song.

with love,

Hope

Once in a while I bare my soul, more often my soles bear me.

Indeed

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Everyone listens to it but only hears phrases of the lyrics. Which is ironic really.

But I was making a joke. I can neither write nor read when there is noise. So, I really do prefer the sound of silence.

My current choice

is the Grateful Dead back catalog. Listening to their extended version of 'Not Fade Away' is great.

Some of the items on my current iPod playlist is

Snow Goose - Camel
Tales from Topographic Oceans - Yes
Beethoven Piano Concertos (various)
Deep Purple in concert at the Royal Albert Hall (i woz there)
Book of Talesyn - Deep Purple
Kashmir - Led Zep
Atom Heart Mother - Pink Floyd

There is a lot more as the list takes 57 hours to repeat.
And yeah, it really dates me but I don't care.

No one thing

erin's picture

But the only music I can listen to while writing is instrumental classical or jazz.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Instrumental

shiinaai's picture

The only lone instrumentals that I can tolerate are those from Vanessa Mae and Marc-Andre Hamelin. Others just made my brain sleep.

It really depends on what I'm writing

Writing Princess For Hire I tend to gravitate toward a lot of indie pop; Architecture in Helsinki (a personal favorite no matter what,) Fol Chen, and people like that. For Switcheroo it was usually techno and dance stuff: Basement Jaxx (another all-time personal favorite,) Glitch Mob, etc.

For the new rewrite of Oh, Cheers I've usually had silence oddly enough, considering the role music plays in the story, but when I have had music it's been high-energy and fun punk and pop-punk type stuff, so Public Image Ltd., Reverend Horton Heat, The Real McKenzies, and similar stuff.

Melanie E.

I must agree with this

Raff01's picture

I listen to music from the era I am writing, or towards the age group of the person in question. But keep in mind I have very little love for modern music, so in my universe, the kids today all listen to Glee, and assorted Muse songs. :)

Honestly for Through the years right now, I have an all 80's set-list. Things like the Go-go's, the Clash, The Bangles, Huey Lewis and the news, Billy Joel. Stuff like that. When focusing on a William or Maggie part, it tends to be John Denver for William, Elvis and Hank Williams sr. For Maggie, because I molded them after my parents. Modine, Connor, Bernice, and Marion would be big band and stuff like that. Lok would be Chinese instrumental music (yep, a stereotype)

As for hte girls, in my mind each of them has a different taste, only two have made themselves know to me. Like Sage will be a huge Billy Joel fan, while Rachel has a thing for Duran Duran and will love U2 as she gets older.

For Hope's ranch, I would say the music is all over the place. I see Bishop liking classic rock, while her crew are split. Two to country and two for pop. In my rewrite of it, Tech is leaning towards easy listening, while a girl named Alison is a Heavy Metal fan and a hiar band fan.

So when I write, I just have the tunes set to random and hope for the best.

I will admit

Raff01's picture

that sometimes I don't listen to music when I write. I have Netflix and when writing things like Through the years, I watch old TV shows like Knight Rider, the A-Team, The Incredible Hulk. The stuff I watched way back when. Now to dust off my Greatest American Hero dvd's and I'll be all set.

And if it isn't a show, I watch movies from that time. Star Wars is always fun, so is Raiders of the lost Ark

Similar to Lee Hyori

I've listened to her music quite a lot, but when I sit down to write, it is often "Spem in Alium".

G

Soundtracks

Are my favorites. John Williams, John Barry, and the older composers are good. Hans Zimmermann has his moments, but not a favorite. With my hearing, too many songs with lyrics are just noise that I can't understand. There are exceptions such the tracks to Shrek One and Two. Yes, I'm much more likely to be listening to Nancy Sinatra sing "You only live Twice" than to anything Lady Gaga or her fellows have sung.

It's about the memories and the emotions those songs rises within me. The great majority of modern music only reminds that I'm on the far side of the generation gap. :)

Right now I'm listening to John Barry's "High Road to China" while finishing up the "The Last Valentine". The soaring themes help put me in the 'place' I need to be. :)

Hugs
Grover