What music do you listen to for inspiration?

[Book+Ocean]

I personally find it easier to write while listening to music. For me, listening to movie soundtracks have kept my pen flowing for the type of genre I normally tend to write in-which is usually some type of young adult science fiction fantasy mix so I tend to listen to those kinds of movie soundtracks i.e. superhero movies as of late. When I want to get to a serious mode I play classical music or I'm in epic action scene mode I go for the epic movie trailer music online. I think it would be fascinating to learn what other writers find inspirational or if there are writers like me who use the same type of muse.

[SidnayC]

Rock music! Sometimes it's hard and ruff but other times its tender, sad and poetic. I think it can cater to all the different moods in my scenes.

[Vimtuous]

Movie soundtracks are usually pretty good. Lord of the Rings is one of my favorites! The music is already kind of tailored for actions and it definitely helps motivate me.

Really any kind of instrumental music is usually good though, just as long as it doesn't have lyrics. Lyrics tend to distract me from what I'm trying to do.

[Apogea]

I haven't written anything in a while, but before I have listened to Classic Rock while writing.
I found that so many of the songs brought inspiration, that is just helped me write!

[thsavage2]

It depends what sort of mood I'm in. Usually stuff like classical music is the best because it doesn't have any words, which I find distracting. Some of my favorites are Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Gershwin, and Dvorak. I also like listening to movie soundtracks, Pirates of the Caribbean and LOTR are especially good for feeling epic. I also love the Star Wars soundtrack.

Occasionally I can listen to classic rock if I need to increase my energy level (or I'll get some coffee...). But sometimes silence is best, when I really need to do some thinking before I put anything down on paper.

[untiltomorrow_28]

In my experience, and in talking to classmates, everyone has a tendency to listen to music. I love hearing about what people listen to when writing, reading, learning etc. For me, it has to be Smooth Jazz. I love the way songs are slowed down and you have a dark silky voice crooning on about a love that is lost or found.

Classical and Country music come in close behind. Mostly they are background music to fill the void.

[Sciadoe]

I like to put the several thousand songs on my ipod on shuffle when I'm writing but there are some times when I'm in the mood to listen to something a bit deep. I've found that in those times Florence and the Machine is a good choice. I don't know what it is but that music sounds a bit melancholy and I've found it to be very inspiring.

[9bit]

I can't listen to anything with vocals. Way too distracting. For me it's either rain sounds or, like Book+Ocean said, something genre-appropriate. Movie soundtracks are great for this.

[manoj01]

I listen Linkin Park songs for my inspiration...

[Phlo]

I constantly have the Internet Radio on and listen to both Classical and Jazz!

[novemberdays14]

Listening to music definitely helps me write. I have to listen to music with no words. Just instrumental music. And I usually pick my favorite songs from movies I've seen. Some movies have some incredible scores and I put a song on repeat and then just listen away

[luigiymario2]

i like hard music, do when i want inspiration, I listen to rock, dubstep,etc.

[thenameisZelda]

Anything I usually like, but at a lower volume than normal. Sometimes it will be character specific, anything I think that character would listen to. Just to give a deeper insight into that character.

[sbcarlisle]

For me, it really depends. If I'm trying to get the mood right, I go for the music of the period or setting (e.g., WWII music for a scene set in Britain in 1943). I make character and story playlists both. The character lists tend to be music with vocals, but the story playlists tend to be a mishmash of different movie soundtracks.

[dirtsmithy11]

I was going to post a link but alas, as a new user I cannot. Slow magic has a great new album out that has been on repeat in my house. It is free to listen to on hype machine for now! Go check it out.