Music is also something to consider.
I was inspired by Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" for my 2012 April blogging challenge. It was a blog opera that turned into Neverlove, the first novel in my Shadow Jumpers trilogy.
Musical numbers are a staple part of most, if not all, Disney princess movies (I swooned to "Ma Belle Evangeline" in The Princess and the Frog and will always adore "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast). And Star Wars is certainly known for some epic compositions.
Some of the music that can be heard in the background during Qui Gon Jinn and Obi Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Maul battle scene *chills*
So what music, soundtrack, singers or groups do you find as musical inspiration, whether it's for writing or the perfect background for a relaxing - or exciting - read?
I'm not much into soundtracks, although the soundtrack for Tron: Legacy inspired my last book. (My wife digs it and plays it all the time.) Otherwise, give me some fast and hard metal - Insomnia, In Flames, Dream Theater, etc. Those are great inspiration for battle and fight scenes!
ReplyDeleteOh I love that John William's piece with the full choir-it is riveting even if the film is not. I love Beethoven especially the 6th symphony as it reminds me so much of nature which is what he conveys in the music. I love Carmina Burina (Carl Orff)-That is also powerful. I love the music from The Lord of the Rings and May It Be is so dreamlike and haunting. There are so many pieces of music that inspire me and send me to beautiful places whether they be places filled with joy or sadness but always inspiring
ReplyDeleteA line from a Concrete Blonde song inspired a lot of the atmosphere of the Backworlds... it went something like, the war is over, but the good guys lost.
ReplyDelete@Alex - That's interesting that the soundtract for Tron: Legasy inspired your last book.
ReplyDelete@Brigit - Classical music and compositions in that style are truly inspiring.
@Mary - that line is certainly too powerful to ignore. It's got my brain's gears moving.
I don't listen to much music when writing, but I have found songs that inspire me, whether it be a movie soundtrack, a musical, or a pop song.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten away from listening to music the last few years. Maybe it's time to revisit it. :)
ReplyDeleteI also adored Ma Belle Evangeline from Princess and the Frog. It's by far the highlight of the movie, although I did enjoy it. :-D
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm a classical musician, I seldom listen to music when I write, or find inspiration for my writing through it. But music certainly does evoke a lot of feeling and emotion.
ReplyDeleteI love the music in Star Wars. I have to have it quiet when I write or read. I usually only listen to music when my son is listening to it. The Fox was cute the first 50 times we listened to it! *LOL*
ReplyDeleteI am always listening to music. I cannot get enough of it. It is so relaxing and helps me concentrate.
ReplyDeleteMusic cannot be background for me - so I tend to step away from it. If it is there it claims all of my attention.
ReplyDeleteI can listen to music before or after I write, but not during the process. My brain is funny that way. :o)
ReplyDeleteI love the soundtrack to Last of the Mohicans, and the first Conan, the Barbarian movie.
I'm like Maria - never during, but songs, whether the music itself or the lyric or the actual singer - inspire me all the time.
ReplyDeleteThe music I listen to is like the support base of my imagination, it just lets me zone out and retreat into a story, and the genre definitely affects how the words hit the page. But I don't have specific writing playlists, I just write to whatever I'm listening to at the time :)
ReplyDeleteI used to listen to Classical music when I wrote, but I've got out of the habit. Also Lord of The Rings soundtrack is very inspirational. Maybe turning the sound back on might make me more productive.
ReplyDeleteI love heard some music when Im working:)
ReplyDeleteI don't like noise when I write, but when I paint I always listen to anything country. I'm sure the heart in many of the songs inspire some of my stories. At least I hope so.
ReplyDeleteDeb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com
You’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI have a playlist for each of my books and novellas. Each one is very different, and you're right, both the music and words of the songs can evoke all kinds of ideas. For my second novella, Imagine Dragons, Radioactive and Demons are inspiring me. Also, I like to write with Harry Potter in the background. LOL!
ReplyDeleteSoundtracks to musicals or films? Not so much . . . but I do love electronica, and good classical (emo classical) like the Russian Romantics. And my iTunes playlist is full of old school rap: Biggie Smalls, Tupac, Jay Z etc etc. Plus Pharrell, Usher. Yup, I'm a Philly soul girl.
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ReplyDeleteWay too many to name! Haha. Let's just say each of my books definitely has it's own particular soundtrack, and I love Pandora for writing nights.
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