Im a bit obsessive about writing soundtracks and have different ones for different moods. I loved writing about Cobain because I got to listen to Nirvana non-stop while writing. Looking forward to spending time with the Beatles soon!
I could add "Something In The Way" to a writing soundtrack for sure, maybe a few others from Nevermind. Smells Like Teen Spirit is great for cranking up the energy but I'd get too caught with playing air guitar or using my pens like drumsticks to be productive!
Personally love post rock for working, with Irish band God is an Astronaut a particular favourite (e.g., https://youtu.be/yhXHH2sZlQU). Also, John Murphy the composer. And electronica. And We Lost the Sea, City of the Lost. And streaming Where Post Rock Dwells on YouTube... 😀
Yes! BUT... "On the Nature of Daylight" pretty much stops me in my tracks. That one gets me in my feels and I'm not sure why. Anything else by Richter is golden writing music.
How timely! I just had a discussion on notes asking for music recommendations.
The sounds of nature, I found don't work as well for me while writing. I used to love the background noise of a thunderstorm or campfire while studying in college but it just doesn't translate to writing music for me.
And the music I write to depends on the type of post I'm working on. For the more contemplative work I turn to classical artists like Bach, Liszt, Chopin or Satie. Delius or Holst also work well. But lately I've also found myself loving the sound of more Folk/ Americana music for the weightier topics as well. Nothing too fast of course.
Now for the lighter topics I can handle the likes of Latin Jazz or even Chill-hop.
As far as tunes with lyrics go, 90s and 2000s rock work great as I know it so well that I can tune it out. But newer artists like Jamestown Revival, The Lone Bellow and Dawes usually work well too. Especially if I'm writing specifically to about their music.
Also, glad someone else also admitted that it is possible to write to the likes of Metallica and Led Zeppelin. I've done this as well but it sound crazy on the surface.
Wow, you didn't mention LoFi Girl, AKA LoFi HipHop Beats to Study/Sleep To. Those and associated LoFi channels, including the new LoFi Boy, have swept the world for zoning out -- productively and otherwise. It's legit.
Also worth going to Bandcamp and looking up ambient and dark ambient music. The labels Golden Ratio Productions and Cryo Chamber are excellent starting placed (I prefer dark ambience to ambient because it also tends to be low key).
To add to your rock band list, Godspeed You! Black Emperor (and in fact a lot of post rock) works, as does Deftones and Tool specifically.
Note that whenever listening off of YouTube, have an ad blocker ready to go. YouTube ads are amongst the loudest and most disruptive. And are very easy to block.
Grab any scores by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Better still, create your own playlist of greatest hits. The tracks combine an excellent blend of pace, immersion, and ambient sound, all without distracting lyrics.
I listen to Indian classical music (with vocals) and instrumental Western music while writing. They help me get to that flow state and over time, it’s become a signal to my brain that we are now going to focus. 😀
For technical work, I'm a silence person. For creative work, it varies. For writing, my standbys are Radiohead's "Amnesiac" and the album "Glass Piano" with Bruce Brubaker playing piano works by Phillip Glass. For everything else I tend toward music that's upbeat and danceable, but I prefer that vocals be in a language I don't know. When I really need to shake things up, I reach for unusual rhythms and time signatures, which often means Frank Zappa.
In a glorious ideal world (where I’m not the solo librarian I am), I’d listen to ambient sounds or instrumental music. But because I’m a librarian and need to be always approachable as well as not playing music in the library, I rarely have music on.
Really like this post - I listen to a lot of music, though it's mostly for the purpose of putting my next playlist together for The Bus. Saying that, if I have to do some serious, tedious work I find either Bach or the Grateful Dead work perfectly ...
As a music journalist, I'm usually listening to the music I'm writing about. But when I'm doing my other thing, editing other people's manuscripts, I listen to highly aggressive techno (do a Spotify search for playlists labeled "Berlin techno") and it really helps the pages fly by.
I love radio (not music radio, but documentaries or radio plays, mostly) and podcasts, but I can't have those on when I'm doing anything other than cooking, housework or (sometimes - not often) driving. I can't bear noise of any kind when I'm trying to concentrate on something - I feel about background music when I'm trying to work, write or think the same way as I do about that awful concept of 'wallpaper TV'. I know several people who have the TV on literally all the time in the background, and it would drive me absolutely up the wall.
The only time I really listen to music is when I'm cross - in which case I'm listening LOUD! Your post has made me feel as if I'm missing out - perhaps I should ask Siri to play something now and again!
Solfeggio Frequencies are my go-to when I'm working and writing. All the different frequencies activate different aspects of us. It's all about vibration and resonance. You can find loads of them on any of the streaming apps.
Im a bit obsessive about writing soundtracks and have different ones for different moods. I loved writing about Cobain because I got to listen to Nirvana non-stop while writing. Looking forward to spending time with the Beatles soon!
I could add "Something In The Way" to a writing soundtrack for sure, maybe a few others from Nevermind. Smells Like Teen Spirit is great for cranking up the energy but I'd get too caught with playing air guitar or using my pens like drumsticks to be productive!
Personally love post rock for working, with Irish band God is an Astronaut a particular favourite (e.g., https://youtu.be/yhXHH2sZlQU). Also, John Murphy the composer. And electronica. And We Lost the Sea, City of the Lost. And streaming Where Post Rock Dwells on YouTube... 😀
***starts Googling***
Haha! Same!
must add one more: almost anything by Max Richter.
Yes! BUT... "On the Nature of Daylight" pretty much stops me in my tracks. That one gets me in my feels and I'm not sure why. Anything else by Richter is golden writing music.
This always gets me: Max Richter , Mari Samuelsen -Dona Nobis Pacem 2 (extended) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xanwvL3UeI4
Thanks for sharing. Absolutely lovely.
He’s on my rotation too
Have a suspicion you might like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Zpz0fIPMo
Ooh, listened for 30 secs and that does sound promising, thanks!
Sometimes the YouTube algo works a miracle!
Such terrific recommendations! Here's ones that always help put me in "the zone"...
* The Skyrim soundtrack, yes from the game.
* Celtic, or "fantasy-ish" instrumental music
* The soundtrack from any of the seasons of Game of Thrones television show
* The soundtrack from The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, or Return of the King
* Natural sounds like a thunderstorm & falling rain
* Almost anything from this YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@PandoraJourney
So many more, but those are my top go-to faves.
How timely! I just had a discussion on notes asking for music recommendations.
The sounds of nature, I found don't work as well for me while writing. I used to love the background noise of a thunderstorm or campfire while studying in college but it just doesn't translate to writing music for me.
And the music I write to depends on the type of post I'm working on. For the more contemplative work I turn to classical artists like Bach, Liszt, Chopin or Satie. Delius or Holst also work well. But lately I've also found myself loving the sound of more Folk/ Americana music for the weightier topics as well. Nothing too fast of course.
Now for the lighter topics I can handle the likes of Latin Jazz or even Chill-hop.
As far as tunes with lyrics go, 90s and 2000s rock work great as I know it so well that I can tune it out. But newer artists like Jamestown Revival, The Lone Bellow and Dawes usually work well too. Especially if I'm writing specifically to about their music.
Thanks for the recommendations!
Also, glad someone else also admitted that it is possible to write to the likes of Metallica and Led Zeppelin. I've done this as well but it sound crazy on the surface.
While not a huge fan of most current pop/hip-hop trends, I do find this playlist soothing but with just enough energy to keep me working.
It’s solo piano takes (with the occasional pad/synth for atmosphere) on trending music...for 20+ hours!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2dFYbLO2e91eiXispfv616?si=rRNGad8iT6-QeHHXqCnHTA
Wow, you didn't mention LoFi Girl, AKA LoFi HipHop Beats to Study/Sleep To. Those and associated LoFi channels, including the new LoFi Boy, have swept the world for zoning out -- productively and otherwise. It's legit.
Also worth going to Bandcamp and looking up ambient and dark ambient music. The labels Golden Ratio Productions and Cryo Chamber are excellent starting placed (I prefer dark ambience to ambient because it also tends to be low key).
To add to your rock band list, Godspeed You! Black Emperor (and in fact a lot of post rock) works, as does Deftones and Tool specifically.
Note that whenever listening off of YouTube, have an ad blocker ready to go. YouTube ads are amongst the loudest and most disruptive. And are very easy to block.
Lots of great suggestions, thanks DB!
Grab any scores by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Better still, create your own playlist of greatest hits. The tracks combine an excellent blend of pace, immersion, and ambient sound, all without distracting lyrics.
Good call.
I listen to Indian classical music (with vocals) and instrumental Western music while writing. They help me get to that flow state and over time, it’s become a signal to my brain that we are now going to focus. 😀
I think you've made an excellent point: that the music we work to can effectively prime our brains for the work to come!
For technical work, I'm a silence person. For creative work, it varies. For writing, my standbys are Radiohead's "Amnesiac" and the album "Glass Piano" with Bruce Brubaker playing piano works by Phillip Glass. For everything else I tend toward music that's upbeat and danceable, but I prefer that vocals be in a language I don't know. When I really need to shake things up, I reach for unusual rhythms and time signatures, which often means Frank Zappa.
In a glorious ideal world (where I’m not the solo librarian I am), I’d listen to ambient sounds or instrumental music. But because I’m a librarian and need to be always approachable as well as not playing music in the library, I rarely have music on.
A very efficient and effective delivery of information, I'd expect nothing less from our resident librarian aka resident Millennial.
Really like this post - I listen to a lot of music, though it's mostly for the purpose of putting my next playlist together for The Bus. Saying that, if I have to do some serious, tedious work I find either Bach or the Grateful Dead work perfectly ...
As a music journalist, I'm usually listening to the music I'm writing about. But when I'm doing my other thing, editing other people's manuscripts, I listen to highly aggressive techno (do a Spotify search for playlists labeled "Berlin techno") and it really helps the pages fly by.
Such an interesting post, Mark!
I love radio (not music radio, but documentaries or radio plays, mostly) and podcasts, but I can't have those on when I'm doing anything other than cooking, housework or (sometimes - not often) driving. I can't bear noise of any kind when I'm trying to concentrate on something - I feel about background music when I'm trying to work, write or think the same way as I do about that awful concept of 'wallpaper TV'. I know several people who have the TV on literally all the time in the background, and it would drive me absolutely up the wall.
The only time I really listen to music is when I'm cross - in which case I'm listening LOUD! Your post has made me feel as if I'm missing out - perhaps I should ask Siri to play something now and again!
Solfeggio Frequencies are my go-to when I'm working and writing. All the different frequencies activate different aspects of us. It's all about vibration and resonance. You can find loads of them on any of the streaming apps.
This one is a good one to start with:
https://music.apple.com/gb/album/all-9-solfeggio-frequencies-emotional-physical-healing/1213298589