“Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music.” – George Eliot
Summer is officially here, and although we are not taking a break from our work, we are trying something different here on the Livingston Communication Inc. blog.
My colleague (and father) Kirk and I both love music. The music and soundscapes that fill our offices invigorate our writing. Let me talk you through some of our favorite artists and songs for different tasks and moods. Feel free to share suggestions in the comments!
Writing – folktronica, film soundtracks and instrumental bluegrass
Kirk’s top picks for writing tend towards a mix of orchestral and electronic sounds, or “folktronica,” and film scores. Here are some favorites:
- The Imperfect Sea, Penguin Café
- “re:member,” Ólafur Arnalds
- “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” soundtrack, Thomas Newman
I need the fast-picking strings and soaring melodies of bluegrass to get any writing done. Here are my must-haves for getting thoughts onto paper:
- “Finch In The Pantry,” The Arcadian Wild
- “Snowden’s Jig,” Carolina Chocolate Drops
- “Song for a Young Queen,” Chris Thile
Afternoon work – soundscapes, lo-fi beats and folk
Kirk switches to soundscapes from myNoise.net for his afternoon work. Check out the following:
I choose low-fidelity (lo-fi) music while researching and editing and female folk vocalists when working on marketing and prospecting tasks. Here are a few favorites:
- “Wanderer,” Sebastian Kamae
- “Nightflyer,” Allison Russell
- “Thunder Road,” Sara Watkins
Music helps us get work done. And the beautiful thing about music for working is that the choice is different for everyone. Stephen King listens to heavy metal, I listen to bluegrass, and Kirk listens to folktronica. What do you listen to?