I have always enjoyed having music on while I write but as I get older I find that lyrics are too distracting, so I go for instrumental stuff.
I was thinking about this because of something I discovered this week on Freegal --
A word of explanation (or explanation of a word.) Freegal is a free legal (hence the name) music streaming service which is available through some libraries.
It's a mixed bag; clearly some companies are not cooperating with it so you may find all the works of a performer and none of another, or an odd assortment based on what shows up on, say, a compilation album from some minor company. And before you ask, I don't know how much the artists are paid per stream. I know at least one librarian is trying to find out.
Back to our story. While searching for something else I found Nathan Barr's soundtrack album for Carnival Row, a fantasy TV series I had never heard of. And, boy, it just worked for me. I tend to like soundtracks as background for writing, I guess because they are dramatic, emotional, and mercurial.
I sent a link to my sister, Diane Chamberlain, who also writes with soundtracks and she approved, so it is good to have my opinion confirmed by a New York Times bestselling author.
Other soundtracks I like? Danny Elfman's brooding, hypnotic work for the Batman movies.
Also the Star Trek themes by many composers.
But there's more to life than soundtracks. I am not a big fan of classical music, preferring early music. One group I love is Hesperion XXI, which focuses on 16th-18th centuries, especially Spanish and Sephardic music.
Don't confuse them with the equally excellent Hesperus which performs early American music.
I also enjoy the Belgian cafe jazz of Jacques Brel. You may say that' isn't instrumental, to which I would reply: If you don't speak French it is.
So, writers, what do you listen to when you are creating your masterpieces?
And just for funsies, here is my favorite recording of a Jacques Brel song (not sung by him), complete with subtitles.
