Ever wonder if there’s a link between creating and music? Wonder no more!
The word ‘music’ finds its roots in the Greek word ‘mousike,’ derived from the noun ‘mousa,’ meaning ‘Muse.’
Ding, ding, ding!
And, interestingly enough, the antonym of music is silence. I found those tidbits here.
Questions for today are: What is your favorite kind of music?
And, do you read/create in silence, or do you commune with your muse while you’re “in the zone”?
Me? Silence every time and twice on Sunday. But, for pure listening pleasure, give me that old time rock and roll, with maybe a little Debussy thrown in!
Happy Friday, Deb! New wave from the 80s, Rock from the 60s through to the present day, classical music, some jazz, traditional Irish music, and Johnny Cash are some of my own favorites.
When I write, it’s almost always to music. Movie scores and “synth wave” are favorites, but I’ll also listen to rock and new wave when drafting. Revision and outlining both usually call for movie scores or other instrumental soundtracks.
Hi Dale!
You have eclectic music tastes for sure. If I do have music on while reading/writing, which is almost never these days, it has to be instrumental only. The voices in my head will not suffer competition from outside. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by…and synth on, my friend!
For a long time, I couldn’t have music – it distracted my damaged brain and work ground to a standstill.
If I can manage music now, it’s the Chapman stick instrumentals that the Cascade duo (Mark White and Steffi Barthel) do such a beautiful job with. They’re having a great time traveling the world and busking at many of their stops, so the natural or man-made universe serve as backdrops.
Especially their originals – unfortunately their covers of both classical music and rock/folk classics make my brain search for the rest of the classical score or the lyrics to the others, and don’t work the same way.
Look for them on FB or Youtube or on their site, and I love having the videos of them playing when I need a break.
Hi Alicia!
I’ve never heard of these guys. I definitely will search them out and give’em a listen. And, thanks for teaching me a new word today…I’d never heard of busking before. But it sure sounds like what it means, doesn’t it?
Have a great day!
Must have silence to write (or read). Though I rarely have time for visual art, it’s not so bad listening to music while you do something like that.
I love classic country, which for me is any country music up to the early 1990’s. After that there was a definite shift which lost my interest. Gimme Merle Haggard, Jim Reeves, the Hanks, Don Williams etc. any day over “modern” country. Those were the days of the great country music storytellers.
Mornin’ Brenda!
That kind of country is what I grew up with. Brings back some great memories.
My husband and I were just talking this morning about old-fashioned stereos. You know, the kind that were a piece of beautiful furniture instead of a flash drive. And the sound of vinyl records . . . kids today are missing out. Bring back the days of a playlist consisting of stacked records on a turntable, please!
Have a good weekend!
I’ve always preferred classical music, kept my MG radio tuned to KFAC for years. But for studying, I liked R&R because it helped keep me awake, so I tuned in KFWB, with Roger Christian, Bill Ballance, B. Mitchel Reed, Bruce Hayes, Gary Owens, Al Jarvis, Bobby Dale, Joe Yocam, Elliot Field, Ted Quillin, and Gene Weed. IIRR, I was listening to TQ when Buddy Holly’s death was announced. After graduating from SC, I went back to classical on KFAC, then KUSC lately.
For dancing, I like CCR. Too much of modern pop music is lyric focused and can’t be danced to.
I write in silence.
Good morning, J!
I like your list. Having been a vocal music major in college, I listened to a lot of classical. But get me away from the padded music studios I spent so much time in, and you’d hear CCR and Buddy Holly for sure!
Thanks for stopping by this morning.
I am, not surprisingly, on the music side – from Blue Grass to jam band to singer-songwriter to pre-90’s and post-2020’s country to Americana/Red Dirt to pre-00’s rock to jazz… to… to… to just about anything except rap or opera…
And when I can, I spin the vinyl versions for two reasons:
▪ It’s “warmer” than digital
▪ There’s a built in +/- 20 minute “timer” built in that forces a brief break when I have to get up and change sides…
I find I fall into the zone faster with these “comfort sounds” whether writing or working the day job where I’m the only one in the office with a radio or CD player, designing, drafting and/or detailing plans and specs for construction projects – suddenly, it’s “quittin’ time” and there’s a pile of finished work and sense of having been productive…
Hey George!
“Sounds” like you have a plan and you work the plan. The trick for me is to play music that speaks to me, no one else, but not when writing. Background, white noise only when reading. And I’m with you on the vinyl, no streamed or fancy-schmancy modern equipment can compete. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
The best thing about bluegrass is that awesome instrument the banjo. The banjo is a very interesting instrument. I find people either love it or hate it. I LOVE it. On my looooong list of to do’s is learning how to play bluegrass banjo. I call it the happiest instrument on earth. 😎
🤩🤩🤩
I listen to cool jazz or piano when painting, or reading. I write at 0530 when the house is quiet. Vocal music is a favorite, but seems to be distracting to my ears when I am writing.
Love Buddy Holly too.
Hi Doc!
Buddy Holly’s cropped up several times this morning. What a loss!
I also write early, and the only sound that gets through is the beep of the coffee pot announcing “Come and get it!” and our German shepherd barking at our neighbors going down the road to work.
It works.
Have a good day…
I listen to classic rock while lifting weights, and classical and New Age while working crosswords in the evening. And I get writing ideas from both.
Speaking of the link between music and writing, I recently read that many pieces by Beethoven were inspired by Shakespeare’s Tempest and Romeo and Juliet.
Morning, Mike…
Speaking of the link between music and writing, I recently read that many pieces by Beethoven were inspired by Shakespeare’s Tempest and Romeo and Juliet.
Huh! The muse in reverse…thanks for sharing that tidbit.
Have a great weekend!
I used to have a writing playlist. It ran for one hour, which was a perfect “time to take a break” when it played. Lately, I prefer quiet, although I did manage to write while I was at the car dealership yesterday and they had their choice of music playing. No clue what it was. When I’m doing my PT, I use my easy listening playlist because the tempo of most of the songs (a variety) matches the pace I’m supposed to use for the exercises. When I’m cooking, it can vary.
Hi Terry!
The car dealership? That’s a new one on me. But to hear JSB tell it, any place my feet are can be a writing place with the correct mindset.
When my kiddos were little, I played music all day long (before I was a 9-5er). Mostly classical instrumentals with some Muppets pieces thrown in. Have you ever heard Kermit D. Frog sing? Something you never forget. I think having sound in the background when they were below-the-knee height somehow kept them from maiming each other. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
When I write at home, silence. But if I’m in a coffee shop and writing, the music doesn’t bother me, I think because it’s part of the background noise. If I really need to focus, I listen to one of the tracks at MyNoise.net, which has everthing from dawn birdsong to a medieval library or a bustling town in Senegal.
For music, I love loud and fast but it gives me too much energy, so I generally listen to contemporary jazz.
Hi Janet!
MyNoise.net…I’m definitely going to check that out!
I guess we have to be flexible, right? If we’re to get anything writerly done, that is. Silence at home, but when we’re out and about, use the “background” noise to stir up those girls in the basement.
(Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve gotten some great plot ideas while sitting in church people-watching and listening to the sermon…)
Have a good one!
Silence and lots of it. I write and read in silence. I like country music (classics are better, I agree w/Brenda because that’s what I grew up with, but my daughter has introduced me to some of the current artists who still show their roots.) I like blues and classic rock n ‘roll too. In the car it’s modern Christian “faith” music on KLOVE. Much as I love music, I still prefer silence most of the time.
Hi Kelly!
Silence is definitely underrated these days. Your taste in music is very close to my own. I like a few current country music offerings, but current is fast becoming outdated in a lot of ways, right? Sometimes I mention a current artist, and I’m met with, “Who?”. 🙂
Thanks for dropping by, and have a great day!
I start to nod off in total silence. I need some music. My tastes are eclectic. Very eclectic. Probably from my upbringing. My high school friends call our music tastes “U. City Eclectic.” I grew up in University City, MO. U. City Eclectic is what happens when folk song loving parents send their children to integrated schools taught by teachers who went to college instead of Vietnam.
Yesterday was Tea for the Tillerman. Tonight is looking like a Steely Dan/Fleetwood Mac mix and NPRs Quincy Jones tribute.
Although sometimes you need more beat: https://open.spotify.com/track/3Cz16jmRA8SNqS7JRypf7O?si=848b601943624b48
Hi Alan!
I’m with you on the nodding off. My reading-for-pleasure time is usually between 2p & 4p and more often than not, there’s a power nap in there somewhere. (I use the term power loosely, I might add!)
I haven’t listened to any Fleetwood in a long time. I’ll have to remedy that!
Thanks for stopping by this morning, and have a good time tonight!
Hey all! Thanks for playing this morning. I’ve enjoyed the music talk for sure. Takes me back a *few* years to my roots.
I’ll be missing in action until about 1PM today. Have a speaking gig.
Keep talking amongst yourselves, please, and I’ll check back in later.
🙂
Mostly silence when I’m writing but if I think of it, I’ll put on classical. Or show tunes as long as there are no words…I find myself typing the lyrics otherwise instead of my story.
Hi Patricia!
“…I find myself typing the lyrics otherwise instead of my story.” Ha!
That could be good…or not!
Thanks for tunin’ up with us this musical morning!
Favorite music: mostly classical, but some R&R and Country. Also A Capella Hymns.
Favorite all time: Mozart’s magnificent Clarinet Concerto K622.
I almost always write in silence, but occasionally put on instrumental music. Words would definitely distract me, and I’d be like Patricia – typing what I was hearing.
Hi Kay!
Thanks for chiming* in today!
Agree about Mozart, although I haven’t heard the piece you mentioned. I’ll have to rectify that…I love the clarinet.
Have a great day, my friend.
One thing I learned. Scott Joplin is not good typing accompaniment.
Agreed…his music is kinda busy, I think. If you’re listening to him, you can’t divide your time.
🥸