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panik: (Angel Dust)
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Ambient Music...

posted by [personal profile] panik at 10:55am on 09/12/2007 under , ,
Is brilliant to write to! I usually have a problem getting anything done when Mark has the telly on; I just can't write - or read, either - it's too distracting.

So last night and this morning, I've been playing ambient music, fairly loudly, through my lappy's headphones while I write. I find regular music as distracting as the TV, but ambient stuff just drifts through your head like morning mist and blots out the TV and other annoyances without in any way impinging on the conscious, writing bit of my brain. If anything, it seems to be enhancing the writing - I've just written 2,700 words of Angel Dust while Mark watches The (bloody) Gadget Show.

The last little bit of the story's more than half done and I am well pleased.

We're heading off back to Yorkshire as soon as I've drunk my coffee; it'll be interesting to see how ambient music holds up against the level of distraction found at Dad's house. (o:
location: Still home, for the time being.
Music:: Angels in the Architecture; Hyperborea.
Mood:: 'pleased' pleased
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There are 18 comments on this entry. (Reply.)
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posted by [identity profile] snailbones.livejournal.com at 12:36pm on 09/12/2007
it'll be interesting to see how ambient music holds up against the level of distraction found at Dad's house. (o:

Good luck with that one! I wouldn't mind ambient music playing in my head most of the time - it would make all sorts of things much better *g*

Safe journey.
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posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 03:49pm on 09/12/2007
I haven't had a chance to test it yet, but I shall keep you informed as to my progress. (o:

The journey was fine, thanks; a little foggy, nothing to text home about. How's your weather now?
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posted by [identity profile] andeincascade.livejournal.com at 02:56pm on 09/12/2007
::: is intrigued ::: What is this ambient music of which you speak?

Ande who is currently typing away to the King's Singers
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posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 03:44pm on 09/12/2007
It's a whole field of music with no real beat, melody or form. Brian Eno is the best known proponent...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambient_music

There's a lot of it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6gpS_9zjaQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jSWwtqr6IQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdYrUQQkTdU&feature=related

The Kings Singers? Really? Gosh... See, I'd find that too distracting; my brain would be listening to the music and not thinking about the writing. Ambient is mindless. (o:
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posted by [identity profile] t-verano.livejournal.com at 04:20pm on 09/12/2007
Brian Eno as in early Talking Heads? ::adores Talking Heads::

I've never tried ambient music -- I know I sure as hell can't do anything at all when I can hear 'ordinary' music or television or radio in the background. 'S cool it works so well for you -- I hope it helps equally well at your Dad's.

And I know I have a bunch of Angel Dust to catch up on reading ::hums with anticipation, which might be delayed a wee bit longer yet, but I'm about to put my foot down on this 'not having time, or else feeling too guilty that I'm behind on so many fronts that I don't deserve the pleasure of reading new fic' business (at least I hope I am)::

::thoughtfully removes hair-shirt before hugging Gilly in a general-principles thinking-about-you-muchly kind of hug, then exits singing "Psycho Killer" nostalgically to herself, sounding very much like David Byrne...::
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posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 04:51pm on 09/12/2007
'as in early Talking Heads...?'
And Roxy Music; yup, the same. Music for Airports is the big ambient album. Give it a try, there's loads on You Tube. I find it really does something for the creative juices.

I shouldn't worry about catching up to Angel Dust, I'm pressing for the end now and there's very little left to write, just one more chapter when Jim finally makes it over to Blair, and the end, which is already half-written and is only a little epilogue designed to tie things up and take it into part three; I'd guess about 3,000 words then I'll be looking for a beta so, no worries hon.

Are you sure that hair shirt isn't contributing to your troubles? Hmmm? (o:

You sound like David Byrne? ::loves TV even more than before::
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posted by [identity profile] t-verano.livejournal.com at 10:13am on 10/12/2007
I shouldn't worry about catching up to Angel Dust

::raises eyebrows at you:: It's not worry, it's want. (And yes, the hair shirt contributes to the troubles. :-) I need a fashion makeover...)

Um. I don't think of myself as a 'real' beta (there's an awful lot of stuff I don't know how to beta for), and tons of people would be better than me (and way, way *way* faster, especially right now), but if worst (for you) comes to worst, I'm here if you need me (even if I'm best regarded as a sort of 'Gilly covers eyes with hand and moans quietly, wondering where all the *other* betas went' kind of solution). Sort of a back-up offer on the (very off) chance you need it -- I'm probably the wrong person for it (and definitely the slow person), but I just wanted you to know that the spirit is more than willing if it's ever needed.

And oh, I sound *exactly* like David Byrne. Weird chicken-like noises and all. Heh-heh-heh....
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posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 10:50am on 10/12/2007
Oh, I'm sure you're a wonderful beta; you have some of the very best writers just lining up to use your services! (o:

I'm still a few days from wanting a beta; I'll need to read it through myself first, its taken so long to write - I need to be sure it's coherent and makes sense - I can always don the fishnets and walk the streets of Sentinel Betas if necessary.

I posted a new bit this morning, btw - only one more chapter and a mostly-written epilogue to do now (thank all the Gods).

::eyes TV's David Byrne impression like a covetous Magpie with a shiny, sparkly thing::
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posted by [identity profile] cross-stitchery.livejournal.com at 09:41pm on 09/12/2007
ambient stuff just drifts through your head like morning mist and blots out the TV and other annoyances without in any way impinging on the conscious, writing bit of my brain. If anything, it seems to be enhancing the writing

actually, it does. it's a bit like Jim's whitenoise generators, except that it helps the brain to "switch off" the (usually dominant) left side of the brain that is analytical and fact oreinted and allows the "creative" right side of the brain to come to the fore. there's a rather good explanation of this in a book called Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. it's all about drawing and art, but the effect is the same for any creative endeavour.

good luck with the writing :)
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posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 10:44am on 10/12/2007
Thanks for the heads-up; I've googled around and it's all very interesting.

I'm pretty much a right brain person anyway - as the spinning woman attests *G* (and why I'm such a rotten beta) - but the music really does seem to take my concentration on the writing, as opposed to anything else around me - to a whole new level that I'm enjoying very much. Usually my powers of concentration are pathetic. I have the attention span of a two year old.
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posted by [identity profile] miwahni.livejournal.com at 09:41pm on 09/12/2007
Ambient music, you say? That has to be worth a try. My house is always silent as tv/radio impinges on my concentration making it difficult to read. Thanks for the tip.
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Too cool for subject

posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 10:14am on 10/12/2007
I hope it works for you; I'm still exploring different styles of ambience and finding what works - I'm really enjoying the experience, it's really interesting to see the way different music affects the mind.
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Too cool for subject

posted by [identity profile] snycock.livejournal.com at 02:01am on 10/12/2007
Hmmm...interesting! I know I like to play new age music on cable when Jason's still asleep and I'm writing; it helps me along a lot. But I've never tried to listen through my laptop. Where do you download the music? Or is it a streaming feed?
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posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 10:15am on 10/12/2007
I just keep a load of MP3s on my lappy, stuff I've downloaded from all over the place at various times - there's a lot on YouTube too, though mostly shortish bits; 9 minutes or less.
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posted by [identity profile] earth2skye.livejournal.com at 08:45pm on 14/12/2007
Thank you sooooo much for pointing me toward ambient music. I'm like wrt to normal music when writing. I just can't not let it distract me, but I frequently find myself in situations where I need to block out other noise around me to be able to concentrate on my writing. Ambient music is perfect!

So, in case you have the possibility to listen to podcasts, this is my current source of choice for the ambient music:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=260468549
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=143671674
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=81481347

I prefer podcasts to youtube, because they play for a longer time without me having to do anything. Well, and they're free, too :-)
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Too cool for subject

posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 10:00pm on 14/12/2007
It's great isn't it? I find it hard to write without it now - (glad to be of service (o:)

Thanks for the links.
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posted by [identity profile] maybeatdawn.livejournal.com at 07:21am on 17/12/2007
thank you for sharing this, I will try and paint with ambiant music some day.
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Too cool for subject

posted by [identity profile] gillyp.livejournal.com at 09:28am on 17/12/2007
Oh, I'd love to see how you get on. I find it has a very positive effect on creativity.
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