Amy DuBoff's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"
Writing Music: Getting in the Mood
Music can make or break my writing productivity. I know every writer has their favorite background atmosphere—mine is so-called “epic music” (with the occasional techno).
Epic music makes for my perfect writing background because of its many flavors. There are songs ranging from the textural action of a chase scene, to the heroic trumpeting of victory, to melancholy strings that conjure images of loss. Even better, most songs either don’t have lyrics or the vocals are in another (often made up) language, so there’s limited distraction from trying to listen to other words as I write. The trick is finding the right album or songs to suit the mood of a particular scene. If I get in that sweet spot of finding the perfect musical accompaniment, I’ve been known to put 40 seconds on loop until I’m satisfied with how a few paragraphs are written.
It might be because I have a background in music, but I have a deep connection between visualizing a scene and the soundtrack that only I can hear. I picture the character actions, the dialogue and how they are feeling in that moment. If music can evoke a reaction—a quickened pulse from excitement, or a heavy heart from sadness, I’m more easily immersed in the reality I’m trying to create.
More than just music to match a specific scene, sometimes a particular song can elevate to become the theme for an entire book. I think of this as the trailer for the book, or perhaps the opening credits. This first happened for me while I putting together the initial outline for Volume 5 in the Cadicle series—a musical selection that I will reveal in due time. Each of the earlier volumes has subsequently taken on a theme in my mind.
So what would be the official theme of “Architects of Destiny,” if I had to pick one? Thomas Bergersen – Starchild (“Sun”): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCvzks...
Epic music makes for my perfect writing background because of its many flavors. There are songs ranging from the textural action of a chase scene, to the heroic trumpeting of victory, to melancholy strings that conjure images of loss. Even better, most songs either don’t have lyrics or the vocals are in another (often made up) language, so there’s limited distraction from trying to listen to other words as I write. The trick is finding the right album or songs to suit the mood of a particular scene. If I get in that sweet spot of finding the perfect musical accompaniment, I’ve been known to put 40 seconds on loop until I’m satisfied with how a few paragraphs are written.
It might be because I have a background in music, but I have a deep connection between visualizing a scene and the soundtrack that only I can hear. I picture the character actions, the dialogue and how they are feeling in that moment. If music can evoke a reaction—a quickened pulse from excitement, or a heavy heart from sadness, I’m more easily immersed in the reality I’m trying to create.
More than just music to match a specific scene, sometimes a particular song can elevate to become the theme for an entire book. I think of this as the trailer for the book, or perhaps the opening credits. This first happened for me while I putting together the initial outline for Volume 5 in the Cadicle series—a musical selection that I will reveal in due time. Each of the earlier volumes has subsequently taken on a theme in my mind.
So what would be the official theme of “Architects of Destiny,” if I had to pick one? Thomas Bergersen – Starchild (“Sun”): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCvzks...
