Scenes were coming easily to me! ( Log Out /  Thank you again! Ha – just checked your previous suggestions for the use of ‘Dark Knight’ (not Returns, sorry! He also did the lovely, at times intense music for Polanski’s haunting TESS. Change ). I’ve not seen the film yet – though immediately bought the soundtrack when it appeared on iTunes recently. in music, writing & publishing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Military and slightly melancholy, this sits in with the Transformers soundtracks. Most lovely of his works, in my opinion, is that written for Fort Saganne, a French movie from 1984. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It’s amazing how far the music quality in video has come along. Requiem for a Dream is best known for the sweeping ‘Lux Aeterna’, which you’ve probably heard remixed on movie trailers for Lord of the Rings and The Da Vinci Code. Same goes for The Shawshank Redemption. I have another novel that I’m pecking away at to Ben Foster’s ‘Children of Earth’, which is extremely kinetic. So, since the last post, I’ve found some more very fine soundtracks and I thought I’d list them – because I’m a nice chap really. Here are seven of my favorites: 1. I’m with you on listening to music without lyrics while writing. I hope you enjoy it! Another older one worth mention is The Mission soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. Smooth Genestar Change ). 300, Iron Man and Blackhawk Down (another Zimmer) have given me good service amongst many. Posted by: Mark Newton What a fantastic post! There’s something both painful and hopeful about the Revolutionary Road soundtrack. It could be calming music or EPIC!, but no matter what I’m writing or how I’m feeling, one thing’s for sure is my writing music has little-to-no lyrics. I really like Clint Mansell (You had The Fountain on your previous post). The Inception soundtrack is also excellent for fast paced stuff. Is New Year The Right Time For Resolutions. Fila Brazillia I like what you’ve chosen to mention here. Many thanks! For my newest release Searching for Sara , I utilized my playlist of classical music to submerse myself in music of the period (the novel is set in the mid 1890s). And that’s lovely to hear of another strong composer of film music – it really is a unique art form, and difficult to find those who excel at it. There are some fine Middle Eastern influences (as you’d expect from a composer like Zimmer) and strong beats for what is a great game soundtrack. I highly recommend it, especially for screenwriting. I just started listening to Cliff Martinez’s “Neon Demon” (awesome film too!) -2014 Forest Hills Drive, J. Cole Thanks for sharing! Just from watching a trailer, where there’s just snippets of a score or a song, I can get hooked on a soundtrack. There are enough twangs and barn-raising banjos in this one to evoke the Wild West, but the piano and violin prevent it from being alienating to people who don’t enjoy that type of music. What research and Lantern have to say about the best music to listen to while writing One of my first memories of music is hearing the theme from the Pink Panther, by Henri Mancini. Don’t know why they don’t release it, but you can always rent the movie, I suppose. Reblogged this on C.M. So, one or two of these composers will make an appearance on this list more than once. Also recently picked up Battle: Los Angeles by Brian Tyler. However I found it to a case of creative juices flooding, not flowing. I’ve fallen into the habit of writing to movie soundtracks. I’m off to iTunes to explore some of your recommendations. -I Love You, Dude, Digitalism (I mean, who else could have gotten away with using both bagpipes and tribal drums for an outer space sci-fi soundtrack? I’m very fond of the music from SENSE AND SENSIBILITY and the music used in CAPTAIN AND COMMANDER, THE FAR SIDE OF THE SEA. I also have a somewhat guilty pleasure/ soft spot for the title tracks from Pirates of the Carribean and The Rock. Thanks for the recommendations, just added Being Human to my Netflix queue (so yes, it is available here in the US). Any TV score recommendations? I haven’t played the game (I don’t dare buy a console for fear of missing deadlines), but this is yet another fine soundtrack by the hugely talented and prolific Hans Zimmer. Some of my favorite soundtracks are from Lust, Caution (haunting and beautiful), The Bourne Identity, Supremacy and Ultimatum series (dark, brooding and adventurous) and, of course, all of the Battlestar Galactica soundtracks by Richard Gibbs and Bear McCreary—the last of who I think is genius in his unconventional mix of instruments. There’s a smug and somewhat old-fashioned flavour to this soundtrack that was inevitable, considering the source, but it’s also moody enough to provide a nice musical background to anything you might write about crime or mystery. Another couple I listen to, The Green Mile, for those slower and more thoughtful scenes and also scarier and creepier moments. I will certainly have to check out some of your suggestions. Maybe too electronic for fantasy (but otherworldly enough it works for me). I really appreciate this list – now all I have to do is choose one to start listening to. Deeply atmospheric, it has been called “calmly unsettling” by its composers, a French band called Mogwai. You know, I quite like some of the Pirates scores, too. Another Zimmer-inspired soundtrack, it only seemed to become available well after the films (and is, on iTunes, available as two-in-one). A central component of a film's soundtrack, including the score and any other musical elements. The Ring / The Ring Two. Yes, the one for Crouching Tiger is gorgeous, no small thanks to Yo-Yo Ma. For most of us, this soundtrack should be instantly familiar, but it blends quite fluidly into the background when you’re writing. ( Log Out /  Suitable for worldbuilding or general quest tomfoolery, not to mention some underwater action. . And I’m a creature of habit, I find something/someone I like, I stick with it. Hopefully you’ll find something that suits your own writing. but I’ve not managed to watch much past the first season. It’s so beautiful that I had tears in my eyes the first time I played it. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Others prefer the dull but loud background bustle of a coffee shop. ( Log Out /  Not a soundtrack per se, but I have written some of my best scenes to The Ring (without words) by Wagner… For something a bit eerie, Nosferatu and/ or The Name of the Rose is a good bet. It’s absolutely perfect for carving up a city or for sending your beloved characters into battle. Enter your email for regular posts sent to your inbox. Can you see it? Also, the music to the MMORPG Guild Wars: Factions by Jeremy & Julian Soule was just stunning (Jeremy is the reason I started listen to game soundtracks). Gold’s Torchwood soundtrack is just as lovely (in some parts it’s downright heartbreaking), though it’s slightly more techno laced. Some need pure, solidly still silence. This song is deceptively simple before it transitions into that aggressive electronica that The Matrix is known for. Top Posts. I do not want to hear Lady Gaga warbling her kitsch electropop when I’m getting to a crucial scene. I understand this film wasn’t all that good, but David Hirschfelder’s score is very evocative. This isn’t a bad TV series at all (do you US readers have this over there?) Perfect for dark scenes in corridors, late-night shenanigans and moving your characters through the cityscape. Almost like coffee, music is a must when I’m writing (well, for me it is). I am extremely partial towards John Williams and Murray Gold’s work. I’m sad to say I’ve never attended a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Doctor Who spectacular, but it’s clear Murray Gold’s famous score is part of the show’s modern appeal. ), “Dances With Wolves”, and “Body Heat.” I’m sure I’m forgetting plenty more but hope this serves your palette nicely! It’s just the kind of thing you need when you’re plotting out your empires, setting up a huge battle, or politicking. Have I missed something? Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. I love the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon soundtrack, been listening to it on and off since the movie came out. ), and that’s EXACTLY what I used it for. This is an amazing post. I have the same problem that music is so distracting but I find I need the noise too . The Eagle. The best writing music playlist. It’s worth having a listen on iTunes to get the full impression of what they’re about. And Oh, my heart! I especially like Gladiator’s soundtrack with Lisa Gerrard. I’m a total Hans Zimmer addict too. An online magazine for aspiring writers and artists, Building Poetry Communities on WordPress.com — Blog — WordPress.com, Music Monday – Downtown – Petula Clark | Jen's Pen Den, National Young Writers Month – Day 13 – How not to get distracted while writing | Thoughts With Dreams, Enter the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers for a chance at $10,000 & a 12-month mentorship with @. It is quite delightful, I highly recommend it. You can listen to the full playlist here. As a compromise I prefer film scores, because they create a perfect ambiance without dominating my attention. What a writer listens to as they write is a very personal choice. I do freelance article writing, and the Game of Thrones soundtrack on Spotify for Season 4 is gold. Don’t forget to share your own suggestions if you have any. Great post! All the Batman stuff and Inception are like catnip for me. That’s going back a bit. I am the same way with music and writing, but only sometimes. Mogwai Really good stuff. This one’s great for your characters’ quieter introspective moments. The Yen Short Story Competition is open for entries until July 28. ( Log Out /  I never recalled quite how beautifully orchestrated and detailed it is. Seriously, it blends into the background but provides enough atmosphere and variance to keep me awake while writing in the middle of the night. Spiritchaser. -808’s & Heartbreak, Kanye West I bet the Game of Thrones stuff is going to be pretty decent, too. I rewrote most of the final battle scene chapters to my novel listening to this. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Honorable Mention, Albums/Playlists Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Just picture your kick-ass main character strutting along to this music. It possesses a wonderful range of emotions and styles; it’s deeply evocative stuff, ideal for any quieter pieces you have to write: conversations, intimacy between characters, or even contemplating strange yet pleasing landscapes. Only heard Trent Reznor. I’ve never even heard of the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack. While I like writing to music, I hate writing to anything with lyrics. Hadn’t considered the Being Human one. Some of my favorite soundtracks are from Lust, Caution (haunting and beautiful), The Bourne Identity, Supremacy and Ultimatum series (dark, brooding and adventurous) and, of course, all of the Battlestar Galactica soundtracks by Richard Gibbs and Bear McCreary—the last of who I think is genius in his unconventional mix of instruments. I love getting new albums to listen to while writing. I’ve been a jazz aficionado ever since. Agree entirely about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, it’s terrific. 23 Comments. Cheesy, no? Listening to music helps the process of writing, but sometimes it’s better not to have anything featuring lyrics. An American remake has also just started, so it has a fairly similar setup, but of course with their TV seasons being much longer I’m curious about where they will go with the characters. Battlestar Galatica is technically a sci-fi epic, but Bear McCreary’s score is so heavily influenced by military drums that I think it would be equally inspiring if you were writing about war or battle. It certainly elevates the series to something filmic. From the languid, haunting melodies that define The Returned to the unforgettably thrilling 28 Days Later score, here are some of my favourite soundtracks to write to, broken down by genre. And nice, Call of Duty. Oh, how about The Human Target, its what McCreary moved to after BSG. Probably one of the best television soundtracks you’ll ever hear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so10dKbhorI) Inception is awesome, as well. G. F. Haendel Thanks for the suggestion Angela! Others that come to mind are “Baraka”, “Samsara,” “Last Tango In Paris” (just try not to think about butter! ( Log Out /  I flit between the two depending on the pace I’m looking for. Thus the humble soundtrack is often required. -Random Access Memories, Daft Punk I don’t think anyone has mentioned Morricone yet, but he’s scored tons of films. It’s also quite an inward-looking soundtrack, the kind of thing that almost hints at insanity for your characters. The Solaris soundtrack is good too, very minimal though. It’s the best thing ever. http://blog.jeffabbott.com/2011/01/myfive-5-great-soundtracks-for-writing/. I love the piano-centric refrains in this movie; they’re so nostalgic they draw you right into the past. Likewise I do not need Tom Waits’s whisky-soaked grumbling when I’m striving to write something epic. It’s evocative and romantic without being sappy, which brings to mind the equally stunning American Beauty soundtrack, also composed by Thomas Newman. I’m amazed how many other people are writing to his scores! I love sharing writing resources and tips, book reviews, random research, and inspiration for making the rest of your life the best of your life. He scored Moon too, worth a listen. The Social Network, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, 4. The Sanctum. Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The music was simply that evocative. If you’re keen to write something dark, depressing and full of torture, then you can’t go wrong with the Game of Thrones score. I wrote a list of five of my favorite soundtracks as well on my blog a few months back, it was hard to only limit it to five: made a list of the best soundtracks that I liked to listen to while writing, Yussef Kamaal – Calligraphy // Brownswood Basement Session, Bruce Springsteen – New York City Serenade, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so10dKbhorI, http://blog.jeffabbott.com/2011/01/myfive-5-great-soundtracks-for-writing/, April 13, 2011 Links and Plugs : Hobbies and Rides, The Great Geek Manual » Geek Media Round-Up: April 13, 2011, The Great Geek Manual » Geek Media Round-Up: April 15, 2011, Geek Media Round-Up: April 18, 2011 – Grasping for the Wind. Since a few years, I’ve walked away from lyrics and never heard any of your’s recommendations. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Game of Thrones (season 1), Ramin Djawadi. Once I marry a soundtrack and story, I can’t usually convince myself to repeat. I could listen to ‘In the House, In a Heartbeat’ on repeat, it’s so palpably hopeless. I too am a fan of soundtracks, and there have been many times when I’ve had them playing while writing. Both should prompt your muse, whether you’re writing something in the science-fiction genre or not. The repetition also helps, because it isn’t overwhelming when you’re trying to concentrate. As a compromise I prefer film scores, because they create a perfect ambiance without dominating my attention. And you have to admit that uplifting theme (you know the one – when they see the island for the first time) turns your heart to putty. I agree that anything by Hans Zimmer is great. If you’re not reduced to tears at least once during this two hour mix… well I’m not going to say you have no soul, but…. Don’t know if I write to make the music better or the music makes me enjoy the writing more. A bummer it is not available, but I listen to the soundtrack of The Orange Thief – in my head. Thanks for this list! Bowen and commented: Actually, it’s great to listen to for activities other than writing…like cleaning. I could go on and on, I suppose, but I did want to mention a few of my favorites. Yeah music is ever present while I write. -San Halo playlist, 8. My all time favorite film soundtracks to write to would have to be “Last Of the Mohicans,” by Trevor Jones & Randy Edelman as well as several of Mel Gibson’s films: “Braveheart,” “Apocalypto,” and “Passion Of the Christ.” It would also be an injustice not to mention “Blade Runner” by Vangelis and “Sorcerer” by Tangerine Dream. It doesn't take me long to start singing and bopping along and then I forget all about what I'm actually supposed to be doing. I’ll have to check these out, my writing tracklist needs some new blood. The music in GHOST STORY introduced me to French film composer Philip Sarde, who has done quite a range of things. The theme is 'spoon'. Recommended to horror writers for all those nasty little moments. Born in 1981, live in the UK. This is a great blog! They sound great! ‘Dark Knight Returns’ is also useful, though I used that for a previous book, so can’t go back. Thanks for this. Scott – good to hear from you! It’s a great series, you should watch the rest as it has just been picked up for a 4th season. Check out these ideas to get you inspired! It’s about the music, the instruments, and my story is the lyrics. I’ve pretty much got everything by Zimmer that’s available on iTunes – been a big fan of his stuff for a few years now. There’s a mix of African influences here, and some effects that make it seem rather otherworldly, and this is generally great music to evoke far-off lands. That’s going back more than a bit, and maybe too dated now for writing, but still worth a listen. Up there with Inception and Invincible for THE soundtrack of 2010. Being Human. I’m going to have to check that out. So let’s get started. Some soundtracks that come to mind… The moody, lovely classical-sounding music from THE OTHERS, written by the young fellow who wrote and directed the film. Almost like coffee, music is a must when I'm writing (well, for me it is). I write about strange things. Words being hollered in my ears interferes with my creative juices. This is a really good compilation. , Pingback: April 13, 2011 Links and Plugs : Hobbies and Rides, Pingback: The Great Geek Manual » Geek Media Round-Up: April 13, 2011, Pingback: The Great Geek Manual » Geek Media Round-Up: April 15, 2011, Pingback: Geek Media Round-Up: April 18, 2011 – Grasping for the Wind, Pingback: Mark Charan Newton (@MarkCN) (@MarkCN), Pingback: Game Soundtracks | Mark Charan Newton. I can imagine the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack by Bear McCreary would be good for getting the pulse racing. Soundtrack to new film ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ is also brilliant writing music. It could be calming music or EPIC!, but no matter what I'm writing or how I'm feeling, one thing's for sure is my writing music has little-to-no lyrics. ( Log Out /  I’ve got HBO’s Rome soundtrack, of course. It is ridiculous how beautiful he plays. The more I thought about this (and the more soundtracks I bought), I realised how important film scores were to the act of creation, and that many of them were suitable for various different scenes. An old film, but a wonderful one; and it’s really worth revisiting the soundtrack. My top ten favorite soundtracks to listen to while I’m writing is the official long-ass title to this top-ten segment. You know the ones I mean. Go to this playlist for the full score. What do you like listening to when you write? I love these posts. Mood Music! It's about the music, the instruments, and my story is the… Mark, thanks for these recommendations. While I like writing to music, I hate writing to anything with lyrics. I have never written better material than some stuff I wrote to the humble soundtrack of some random indie movie called the “Goddess of of 1967”. There were 4 season of the new TV show, plus a couple of TV movies, so there’s lots of choice there to choose from. It doesn’t take me long to start singing and bopping along and then I forget all about what I’m actually supposed to be doing. How to Describe Happiness in Writing: A Master List for Writers Some good new soundtracks there. There are almost three hours of tense, sprawling instrumentals here. I’ve been meaning to check out that movie. If you don’t know Sicilian, then it might work. Current novel being written to James Newton Howard’s ‘The Village’ and ‘Batman Begins’, which is of course co-written by Zimmer. There are lots of the BSG soundtracks by Bear McCreary. He did a bunch of Westerns, including The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. This broad range of styles helps me create a writing soundtrack, as it were, for a specific scene, character, era, or particular intensity I want to impart to my readers. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. If you’re looking for middle-eastern / african influences, look at Black Hawk Down by Hans Zimmer. and the “Contagion” soundtrack. First of his soundtracks I’ve bought but this one is really, really good. Mood Music! It’s lush and atmospheric, but also melancholic and then at times agitated. However, the soundtrack has some great moments – very dark, nicely varied, reasonably intricate, and very non-invasive. John Murphy’s brutal score establishes a sense of tension that isn’t easily forgotten. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. I’ve mainly been using existing soundtracks as I’ve been editing, but aside from more Doctor Who soundtracks, two new ones that have been used extensively for chapter rewrites: Tron: Legacy by Daft Punk. J. S. Bach Amazing prizes to be won. I love writing to music and I have so many playlists built between my phone and computer it’s hilarious. This is wonderfully creepy, intricate and delivers some delightful Tim Burton-esque images in my mind. Mine’s are: But every track juxtaposes violent beats with a plaintive violin symphony, which is just perfect for a moody piece of literary fiction. The other one you might like is Moondog, “The Viking of 6th Avenue” classical with native american beats mixed in, my all time fave writing music. ( Log Out /  Either way a cracking soundtrack. It sometimes pulls up emotive scenes from the series in my mind, although not often enough to be distracting. I didn’t even know The Name of the Rose had an available soundtrack! I second Den’s comment about the BSG soundtracks. Writing Scientific Research Articles is designed for early-career researchers in the sciences: those who are relatively new to the task of writing their research results asa manuscriptforsubmission to an international refereed journal, and thosewho want to develop their … There are times when I am writing a poem and I want to mix the feeling of music to the poem, and then there are times when I need silence. 10. Several months ago I made a list of the best soundtracks that I liked to listen to while writing. Less room for conflict between what I’m working on and what’s happening in the music that way. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Lastly: yes, we’ve got Being Human here in the U.S., too, though frankly I haven’t thought to go near it, lol. The music is wonderfully atmospheric and with a whole host of subtle world music influences, as well as that evocative, Celts versus Romans vibe – what’s not to like? MASTER LIST of Words to Describe Facial Expressions; Badass Latin Phrases For Tattoos! You might like the old Philip Glass soundtrack for “Powaqqatsi”, a bit different but great to get you moving. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. It’s not a bad habit – the moods and the tempos help me find my own characters and pacing – but an addicting one. I’m definitely going to have to get the Mogwai album you recommend, it sounds great. The playful whimsy in this soundtrack would be great for writing a children’s book or fairytale.

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