New Musical Category

Saturday 22 November 2008

Sheesh, three posts in one day. I hardly know myself. The reverb will probably hit tomorrow and I won't post for six months :)

Anyway, I am just about to sit down and draw something and I'm looking for music to play. I have discovered that "music to create by" is something akin to a new musical category in my head. I want to listen to stuff that I normally wouldn't listen to. I want to listen to way out weird stuff or African drumming music, or Indian music. Exotic stuff. Stuff I wouldn't necesarily listen to for relaxation or enjoyment. I have a desire to purchase said music. I have a world music CD here that I have never even listened to before, and I am going to sit down and draw to it.

Just wondering, what music do you listen to if you are doing something creative? If you are sewing, cooking, painting, drawing, sculpting, chiselling, do you find your musical tastes are different from when you are listening to rock out, or mellow down? It is an interesting phenomenon. I would be interested to hear what you listen to and if it varies from your usual listening enjoyment stuff.

Pic: Perla

14 comments

  1. I find myself listening online to Sky.FM's World Music Channel. It is awesome, although if you were to listen to it for hours on end you will find it repeats after awhile. But I love the variety -- African, Cuban, Celtic, Native American -- all kinds of stuff.

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  2. good question Sue

    depends on the nature of the creative activity and what one hopes to embody

    music therapy is an art in itself

    i use a range of music when facilitating creative workshops, from classical tunes, world music, new age music

    generally i look for music that is 'unfamiliar' and won't hold other memories or stimulus for people

    world music is always good and is what i favour for my own creative work
    thanx erin for the link to that great online radio station :-)

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  3. Hey Sue!

    I write poems alot and I've been writing alot of them lately on my blog and the type of music I've been lidtening to is Lionel Richie and that son "Lady" by Kenny Rodgers. Yes I know I write alot of romantic type of things. I'm one of those romantic types. I also write other things too though but the romantic things are my favorite.

    Oh! I also listen to some worship songs for inspiration. The romantic type ones though. Anyway....

    Come by my blog and check out my poems if you want. I know you like poetry. I'm nothing spectacular. Just average.

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  4. Oh Sue,

    I forgot to mention Pink Floyd. :)

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  5. Erin - oh cool. Thanks for that link. I love celtic music, ain't it beautiful :)

    Kel - I think the key for me is that it be instrumental, so that I'm not actually listening to any words or left-brain concepts. At least, that is what I am learning from my drawing book, which is really cool.

    Cole - that's a diverse range, from Lionel Ritchie to Pink Floyd :) I shall come and visit you on your blog :)

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  6. Gosh, all sorts, it really depends on the mood and what I'm wanting to create. I'm more into playlists for moods - weird but effective. Although last year, while completing my major work for exhibiting, I listening to a lot of El Perro Del Mar - strangely haunting 60s candy pop.

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  7. Sting's Songs from The Labyrinth, or Paul Simon usually fit the bill for me. I especially like Diamonds on The Souls of Her Shoes for some reason...

    Hammered Dulcimer, Swinging on A Gate is another favorite, but I can't ues cassette tapes anymore and that's what mine is so I haven't listened to that in a long time.

    There's a group from Peru that I love to listen to at a friend's house, but I can never remember their name. It's more of a cooking sort of creativity for that music though...maybe because I've been brainwashed by Chocolat`.

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  8. What you listen to definately has an influence on what comes out in the creative process. I never choose music intentionally for any kind of creative endeavour. Sometimes I intentionally avoid it to not "taint" the "vision" or idea.

    But everything is tainted by something.

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  9. JJ Cale
    Kenny G
    Light Classical
    Pink Floyd
    Dire Straits

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  10. Sorry, Sue - Toward the Right is my new conservative crony ID. It's just me :)

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  11. Wow, such variety here. Interesting.

    Yeah, Jennifer, I thought it was you :)

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  12. Hey Erin, just dropping back into November (when I was still 37 - sob) to say thanks for the link to this station. It's really COOL!

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