[Weekend Discussion] Do you listen to music when you write?

[misterecho]

Wagner reminds me of Frontier elite 2. I don't listen to classical an awful lot i have to say though.

When i'm writing I usually go down the absolute silence route if i'm perilously close to submission date, otherwise an unhealthy mixture of ramstien, prince and the clash.

[WittyDroog]

I listen to crappy music no one likes, like psychobilly.

[BloodSweatSteel]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post here, and it's an interesting topic to me, because I am a musician by trade. As a magician/musician, I have written and recorded my own music, as background music for effects as a magician, and as original music as a musician. I really love that creative process. I've been gaming almost my whole life (well, since the 6th grade), and have recently been working on my own game. I always listen to music when I'm working on my game. Since it's a Sword & Sorcery game, I love listening to soundtrack music from movies like Conan, 300, King Arthur, LotR, etc.

Now that I think about it, I have music playing around me almost all of the time. Some of my best gaming ideas come when I'm listening to Soundscapes in bed at night, trying to fall asleep. I keep a notebook on my nightstand to jot down ideas as they come. I find music to be one of the most inspiring influences in my life.

[Rob Lang]

Welcome, BSS! (James!)

As a musician, does the opposite happen? Do you find yourself reading/creating/playing an RPG and thinking a certain music would fit to the game? Is the inspiration intertwined or mostly unidirectional?

[BloodSweatSteel]

Yeah, it definitely cuts both ways for me. I catch myself thinking up background music as I prep for my games, and imagine a potential scenario. I also imagine music a lot when I read books, although I admit to enjoying movies much more than books, mostly because of the musical soundtracks. Now, if books came with music soundtracks, I'd probably read more books!

[WittyDroog]

Recently, while writing Ghoulwood, I've been listening to the soundtrack for The Assassination of Jesse James By That Coward Robert Ford, it's really good.

That said, I just recently picked up Johnny Cash's final, posthumously released album "American VI" and the title song "Ain't No Grave" is both apt for my game, as well as an amazing song. Given the context of Cash himself, it's a very spooky song with lines like "There ain't no grave can hold me body down"

, it's fantastic.

[Sanglorian]

It depends on what I'm writing. If I'm gripped by what I'm writing, I can listen to anything but I doubt it influences me. However, if I don't want to write then instrumental music (something I'm not usually keen on; I mainly like pop) can help keep me working.

[Kinslayer]

Mostly I work in silence. Music is for breaks. When writing Midian's Codex, I listened to a mix of punk, classical, gothic-industrial, and metal, lots of metal.

For the game table, I have difficulty working with music. It's way too distracting.