songs that inspire wip?

[Andrew Shaw]

I don't have any music that specifically inspires scenes or concepts, but I do listen to music while I'm writing, especially if I'm alone. Helps drown out the noise of the traffic outside or the neighbours' kids screaming or whatever.
I love progressive/instrumental rock/metal, symphonic metal, and that sort of thing, but I find myself singing along too often (which is of no benefit to my work rate or to our neighbours as I can't sing for toffee).
I have a playlist of mainly instrumental tracks that I cycle through randomly, but there are a fair few vocal tracks in there also.
My list includes Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment, Planet X, John Petrucci, Derek Sherinian, Jordan Rudess, Tony MacAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Mike Angelo Batio, Ozric Tentacles, Ayreon, and similar.
Then I add into all that things like the Babylon 5 soundtracks, the EVE Online MMORPG in game jukebox music, the original Conan soundtrack, and similar (even the Xena: Warrior Princess soundtracks, though I steer clear of Lyre, Lyre...)
If I'm editing or revising something I've already written I'll go all out and throw some Symphony X or Sabaton or Iron Maiden on or something and sing along. I'm sure my neighbours hate me, but they seem to be polite enough not to say.

 

[Esfires]

I listened to Dougie Maclean's album Fiddle while writing pretty much the entirety of my WIP's second act.

 

[Galacticdefender]

I don't usually listen to music while writing, but I generally listen to metal, mostly Symphonic metal bands like Nightwish and Rhapsody of fire, but Metallica is great for preparing to write a battle scene. Especially the song "For Whom the Bell Tolls".

I also listen to the instrumental song "Last of the Wilds" by Nightwish on repeat over and over sometimes, because it is one of the most epic things I have ever heard

Also I've written an air battle scene to Iron Maiden's Aces High


I frequently listen to soundtracks and epic sounding classical stuff too.

 

[crystal haven]

I listen to music a lot when I write, but need silence when editing. Sometimes I have the same song on repeat.

At the moment I am listening to King Arthur (Hans Zimmer)

 

[mtzGr]

I usually listen to quiet instrumental stuff like Ludovico Einaudi, in particular his album Divenire which is one of my favorite; anything with words or too heavy gets me distracted.

 

[Ökuþórr]

Thrice's The Artist In The Ambulance was what I was listening to when I got the idea for my UF wip.

 

[James Coote]

If I'm looking to convey a certain atmosphere or feeling in a section of writing, I might listen to music that invokes that same sense in me when I listen to it

Action scenes deserve adrenaline fueled songs.

Another thing: The first song on an album often sets the tone for the rest of the work. Whilst they often aren't classic songs that you could package and sell as a single, they are often loaded with things like foreboding or optimism

Likewise with the last track on an album. If done well, it creates a sense of ending, of completion.

 

[James Coote]

So, specific examples of an opening track:

Crystalline Green - Goldfrapp = glamorous, stylish, sleek
Angel - Massive Attack - Dark, brooding, powerful

and closing tracks:

You Look So Fine - Garbage = Loss, sadness, regret
Dead To The World - Royksopp = washed up on a tropical beach

 

[monsterchic]

Personally, I go so far as to have playlists for my characters, and for what moods I'm writing (if that makes sense...). My main character's playlist includes everything from the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack to Skillet to Altan to the Beatles and everything inbetween...some Linkin Park, Enrique Inglesias.

I find if I write without music, the ideas just evaporate. I make attatchments very easily, so even if I suddenly forget what my idea was, I'll remember the song that was playing, play it, and hey!! That's it!!

 

[monsterchic]

I also find that I'll tend to write out songs for scenes. For example, one for my wip. I'll just use he and she for the names

She is feeling alone and dejected, not loved and sobbing (Reflection, Mulan soundtrack). Then he reveals to her his feelings for her (Closer to You, Adelita's Way). Then they go to her rooms, and she is thinking about how much she really does like him (Can You Feel the Love Tonight). He takes her hand and starts going in for the kiss and hugs her. He's Hesitant (Abrazame, Camila). The kiss deepens as they move to the bed to continue IDobbin's Flowery Vale, Altan). He pauses and starts to talk about why he's right for her, and that he'll never leave her (Hero, Enrique Inglesias). Whatever happens, she won't be alone (Not Alone, Linkin Park). He'll be by her side wherever she goes and whatever she does (By Your Side, Tenth Avenue North). Then she comes back with how she loves hin and how she feels safe with him (Yours to Hold, Skillet, and Watching Over Me, Thousand Foot Krutch). Afterwards, there's All Around Me, by Flyleaf, the acoustic version, and September by Daughtry and a few LOTR songs.

 

[Jake Reynolds]

I sometimes listen to music before writing to help set the mood. But the majority of time, like Mouse, I prefer silence for writing.

This.

I have playlists entitled 'Songs in the key of [insert main character]', but I don't listen to them when I'm actually writing. I will listen to them on the way home, depending on which character I intend to write that night. Songs that reflect the personality or situation of the character helps me get into their heads beforehand. Riding into battle? AC/DC. Swashbuckling sea captain? Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack. Messiah on the warpath? God's Gonna Cut You Down.

And so on, as long as the specific lyrics are somewhat relatable to their feelings or situation I find it sets the mood nicely.

 

[Arkose]

I don't know if any music has inspired me to write, but I have received ideas for themes that I want to write about. If I had to name a few I would say Switchblade, Leaky Little Boat, and God Gave Me a Gun by Roger Clynn and the Peacemakers. Certain songs put me in the mood to write certain scenes. Two songs that always get me in to a specific mood and are just breath taking to me are; The Steward of Gondor by Howard Shore and sung by Billy Boyd, and Into the West by Howard Shore and sung by Annie Lennox. The Steward of Gondor puts me into despair, in a good way. The opposite would be, Into the West, which always gives me hope no matter what has happened.

 

[Myra]

I do that as well...because I am writing about Time, the past, the future and Time Travel I tend to listen to music directly related to that. I also have a feel of the world ending in my book so the song that inspired me the most was Forsaken by Within Temptation :/

 

[Mouse]

The Steward of Gondor by Howard Shore and sung by Billy Boyd.

I'd forgotten that song. Billy Boyd has such a lovely voice.

 

[Weird Era]

I find that the only kind of music I can listen to whilst writing, is ambient music, or something similar. its true about having something that reflects the effect you're trying to convey in the writing. Even then, thats only when I'm feeling in a particularly "poetic prose" kind of mood, where you just want it to flow, rather than think about what you're writing. As for lyrical music, I can never have that going through my mind whilst writing. Two different sets of words doesnt really work for me.

Not to say i don't get inspired when just randomly listening to something. And thats from too many songs to list, haha