Music for Writing Moods

~ crossovercreativechaos

Writing takes a lot. A good idea, an intriguing mental image, a bloody-minded stubbornness that would fit right in with the Cimmerians of Conan’s Hyborian Age. But sometimes, especially if RL has knocked you around a bit, even that needs a bit of assist.

Enter music.

Here’s a few AMVs I’ve used when I need the plotbunnies in a specific mood.

Bemused romance.

omg what’s happening – Sui Zhou & Tang Fan

Epic “Heroes rise to the challenge.”

Together As One

Creepy fight scene – this is specifically MDZS, but could work for a lot of action horror.

「AMV」Mo Dao Zu Shi – Courtesy Call

A Sarcastic Hero/ First Person Snarker.

Shen Qingqiu amv – Boss Bitch

And wistful wonder.

Fate Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front Babylonia AMV The Last Of The Real Ones

What are some tunes you use to get the muses going?

13 thoughts on “Music for Writing Moods”

  2. I can’t listen to songs when I write – two sources of language crosses the wires for me. Although songs with lyrics in languages I don’t know/can’t pick out (not English or Latin, probably not a romance language) can sometimes work. Samuel Kim’s Demon Slayer covers are the bomb.

    Mostly I have a very long playlist of various instrumental pieces, with moods ranging from angst to romance to combat to general adventure, and just put it on shuffle while I write. Most of it is ambient enough that it can fade into the background no matter what kind of scene I’m writing, but if a piece comes up that just clashes too much (e.g. a fast tempo, strong brass action piece when I’m doing an introspective dialogue scene) I’ll just skip it.

    Although if I’m doing a fanfic I’ll often pull up the OST of whatever it’s based on. Seems to help keep me in the right headspace.

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    1. Unfortunately I’ve found I can’t really do a “music pre-game” for writing, outside of maybe a specific OST selection or maybe a song I associate with a character. I’m a musician as well as a writer; it leads to too much temptation to technical analysis and rabbit holes. 🙂

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  3. Lots of video-game music. Video game music is usually designed to be not so distracting that people can’t… play a game… a listen to it at the same time. So that usually keeps it from being so distracting I can’t multitask while listening to it. Favorites include anything by Umeatsu (main Final Fantasy composer), the Final Fantasy 14 OST (*lots* of different music styles in that one) and anything by Darren Korb (composer for Supergiant games). You’ll find tons of playlists for those on YouTube. Darren Korb in particular, as the game studio he’s a part of puts up all their offical OSTs up on there for people to listen to wwithout the hassle of copyright issues.

    Other than that… almost any artist I’ve listened to enough that I’ve memorized their songs. That way they’re not too distracting.

    Ironically this means I *never* listen to Classical music; I understand what it’s doing too well and it’s therefore too interesting to serve as white nose. JS Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Hyden… really, just about any Baroque-era composer… those are easily the least helpful composers to listen to. Not because their music isn’t great, but because it’s so musically interesting I drop anything I’m doing to listen to it.

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      1. Maybe! Oh… and I can’t forget I didn’t mention either of the NieR game OSTs. Those are god-teir for both ambience and fighting music.

        Really, anything with a predictable beat that does something mildly interesting with it’s melody I’ll probably like.

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  4. I admit music for me is less used more when I’m trying to imagine scenes and/or reading to serve as BGM. When the proverbial pen hits the paper, the music can be a distraction more then anything.

    Honestly can’t remember if I’ve recommended these before or not.

    For dramatic moments etc.
    Solomon/Romani In The End-Epic Cinematic Cover

    I admit I get less use out of this, but I just like the music.
    Border of Life remix by EastNewSound

    This one for planning out the more high-octane scenes
    .StarCraft II: Skillet – Back From The Dead

    And this one cover the darker action scenes.
    Hostage-Mo Dao Zu Shi

    Of course if and when I really need to turn things up to 11 I turn on the Sabaton remixes.
    Sabaton – Stormtroopers

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  5. Dan Vasc’s metal covers get a *lot* of work-out for active guys who are genuinely nice, and trying to do stuff.

    Not sure why, they just work.

    Sabaton when I want to remember *why* people fight– stuff like 82nd all the Way, and Devil Dogs.

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  7. Heh.

    Ironically, unlike most of you, I love listening to music while I write, generally folk/filk songs, pop, soft rock, some OSTs, 60s and 70s rock – no metal, no hard rock (Queen is the hardest I listen to), no rap. I sometimes listen to classical when I’m writing, but I have to be in a specific mood for that. More often classical is when I’m reading (and I listen to all the others when I’m reading as well).

    I’m quite happy to have music on almost all the time, except when I have a headache. I generally don’t play it very loud – I have sensitive hearing – but I enjoy having the sound around me. So, naturally I have it on when I’m planning/figuring out characters/scenes as well.

    And Our Hostess has introduced me to a number of AMV music pieces. I will occasionally listen to Sabaton (again, I have to be in the proper mood for that), or music like “Angel With a Shotgun” (to name one song she’s introduced me to in a few AMVs). [Note: This should not be a surprise. The vast majority of my fandoms have Our Hostess to blame for them being my fandoms. Including Rurouni Kenshin, Airwolf, and Modao Zushi, to name just three.]

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