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

[Rob Lang]

I never used to but when I was writing my 24 Hour RPG, , I bunged on a mix of 'Victorian Steampunk' music I had on my computer. A mix of industrial music and some flights of fantasy classical-seque music. I think it definitely helped me write Cloudship - particularly to stay focussed. At work, I always write to music, the tempo depending on the type of work I'm doing.

Now I've started writing to music (Bladerunner OST by Vangelis, The Prodigy, Pendulum, Pop Will Eat Itself, One Minute Silence, Pitchshifter, 2001 A Space Odyssey Soundtrack)

[Groffa]

Never. I find it too distracting. I want complete silence!

[tadk]

I have music in the background at work, surfing online, writing, creating, basically as much as I can.

[koipond]

I totally throw on music. It's more along the lines of stuff like I feel like, it eventually fades in the background but it's just nice to sit back and have a break and listen to something pleasant to recoup.

[kumakami]

I alway try to write to music, a combo of needing to muti-task to focus and Tenits (constent ring in one's ears) dictate its so.

my mix is so random its astonding....but Rob get's +3 point for "pop will eats itself" I have trouble finding their music....

[Rob Lang]

Kuma, stick "Pop Will Eat Itself" into Amazon.com and you'll get a super selection!

[Wolfboy]

Generally I listen to stuff I can ignore when I'm writing. So I'd listen to cool jazz or non-intrusive electronica, but I probably wouldn't fling on Tom Waits in full "banging on all the pots and pans" mode - even though I love him dearly. Music helps me focus, but I'm very prone to distraction, so it can't be too interesting or it'll steal focus from what I'm working on.

[madunkieg]

My designs don't really move until I begin to groove.

Every game design I make has a soundtrack that slowly gets assembled as I work on them, but usually there's one song that really captures it. I can sometimes zone out, working while a song plays on continuous repeat for hours. Other times I'll write in silence, just replaying the song now and then, pausing writing to get back into the groove.

I'm not sure how useful the music would be to anyone else who checks out my games. Interpretation is such a personal thing. Then again, I've found the soundtracks suggested by some games (Vampire: The Masquerade comes to mind) proved to be a fun part of experiencing those games.

[maledictus]

I can't work without music, or cook, or read. As Rob, I listen to different songs acording to what I'm writing. I found it very inspiring.

It's very curious, when I listen to some songs, I remember the book I was reading when I listened it. Some songs remember me video games I've played!

[Rob Lang]