https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lkPfgzR6Hw
I was listening to a playlist of songs on shuffle on the commute into the office this morning when Wolfmother’s Joker and the Thief came on.
The song’s steady build to a crescendo put me in mind of the build up to an action sequence, and within a few seconds of the songs beginning I’d thought up the next set-piece for one of my current projects.
Film-makers use music, special FX and sound stings to enhance scenes; an exercise I remember from my A-Level Media Studies days was watching scenes, particularly in the horror genre, on mute, or with a completely different piece of music playing; its fascinating to see the difference in tone that sounds effects and music (or lack there of) can have. Writers of works to be read can’t offer the same influence over the consumption of their written work in conjunction with an auditory experience (unless utilising some modern tablet/mobile app technology, or a children’s singing book or similar).
But the great thing about music is its ability to paint a picture in your minds eye; the auditory experience can paint a vividly visual one. Because of this, music can continue to be a source of inspiration for writers like myself. By listening during the creative process (or even simply on the drive into work) it can inspire ideas, and help maintain the tone of the creative environment.
