In phonetics class they told us that listening to music with lyrics in it while studying or doing something that involves language is not a good idea, since your brain gets distracted analysing the lyrics. But then, if you have enough musical training, if you listen to any music, your brain gets distracted analysing the music! (raises hand ) So I guess if it works for you, go for it. I can't live without a soundtrack, as my coffeeshop coworkers knew - I make my own if I don't have one, and I bet they thank their lucky stars that I do have a somewhat okay voice and pitch. I abused iTunes relentlessly while making a Keynote slideshow (and I had ulterior motives in wondering if my friend who owns the iMac would freak out at the weird music I like. He didn't, the resistant creature) listening mostly to Russian and Italian stuff that I now firmly associate with that setting.

Edited 'cause me can't talk English

But it puts me in dee MOOD....

Ahem.

I was about to say I have no musical training but then I remembered that I know how to play the harp and guitar. Anyway, it's focus tool for me, much the way BPAL is for certain characters.

I was about to say I have no musical training but then I remembered that I know how to play the harp and guitar.

I am jealous now. I have always wanted to be able to play a guitar to sing along with. Since I spent twelve years being forced into and later courting the violin, the upper strings should not be a steep learning curve if it is tuned in fifths; trouble is, my hands are small (I am small and my hands are smaller. Though stretchy), so all of the guitars I have held twist my left hand in an awkward position I do not like. A ukulele would work, but saying I can play the ukulele is not quite the same.

Is it Celtic or concert harp? A girl I went to school with started playing the Celtic harp in grade 6. Now she is in McGill University's music program (really really good) and earns ridiculous money playing at weddings, the casino, and other events. Sigh.

And I at first could not tell whether you were being sarcastic or not because I could not recognise the songs. Then I realised that hey, I do know "Sweet Dreams Are Made of These" (somehow I have heard this song a lot in shoe stores, of all places) and I have heard "Everybody Knows" although I kind of prefer the Leonard Cohen version. Deep deep voice talking, basically.

Edit: and of course I have heard "House of the Rising Sun."

Celtic harp, but I wouldn't say I'm good at it. I realized pretty early on that I had time to practice harping or practice drawing, and I'd best pick one. I have a really lovely harp though — someday it will go to someone who will make proper use of her.

I bet you know "Behind Blue Eyes" too...or at least you would if you heard it. It's pretty classic. A few other others are admittedly more obscure.

omg, I know I'm way late to this party (keep forgetting to check the blogs), but I had to chime in and let you know that could soooo out-geek you on this, Macha. If you ever want to have dorky writing habits dance-off, let me know

Details! I want details!

I love da GEEK!!!

Details! I want details!

 

 

I love da GEEK!!!

You want geek, honey? I'll give you geek, and I am not a geek since a geek drinks blood at carnival sideshows and although I am far from vegan I do not drink blood...

Here is some of my music to write by, and it is as cheery as yours...isn't. It is not a playlist, as I just randomly pick mp3s from my desktop.

The Beatles: Back In The USSR, She Loves You, I Feel Fine, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, and the exception that proves the rule: Girl.

Queen: Don't Stop Me Now, The Seven Seas of Rhye

Boney M: Sunny

Afric Simone: Hafanana

Adriano Celentano: Stivali e Colbacco

Army of Lovers: La plage de St. Tropez

Ace of Base: Travel to Romantis, and another exception that proves the rule, My Deja Vu (how do you do accents in this great interface?)

Shakira: Suerte and Wherever Whenever, depending on what language I am in the mood for

Savage Garden: I Want You (the last time I actually cared what was the hip music was when they were the hip music, and I like it for the lines "I don't even try to explain, I just hold on tight, and if it happens again I may move so slightly...Come stand a little bit closer, breathe in and get a bit higher, you'll never know what hit you when I get to you." They summarise aikido quite well for me.)

Vanessa Mae: Red Hot, Contradanza, Classical Gas, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (the latter I have on CDs in several arrangements, but only the VM one on mp3 so far)

V.Monti: Czardas (my version is by Leahy, whose other songs I despise, but I will listen to Czardas by even my high school's intermediate orchestra)

Nightwish: Moondance

Mozart (Capella Istropolitana): Symphony 25

Darkmateria: The Picard Song, The Worf Song; no I am NOT a Trekkie. As proof of my non-Trekkieness, I misheard "I am Locutus of Borg" on the Picard Song as "I am as cute as a ball" for a very long time... until my brother corrected me (and I transcribe audio text for my living, or at least my jewelry); and I like Worf simply for the line

"I now take my place as first officer. I serve the captain, but I stand for the crew. It is clear to me that none of you are worthy of my blood or my life; but I will stand for you."

Lordi: Hard Rock Hallelujah from Eurovision 2006

Dschingis Khan: Dschingis Khan, Moskau, Hachi Alef Omar, Corrida

And the rest of the stuff I have no hope of you ever hearing of, but I occasionally translate on my blog. Conclusion: I like to get up and dance when writing; it relaxes me. And if I like eurodisco to dance to, I stand by my choice! I also found "Without Me" by Eminem to be very danceable, but

Step right up with a playlist that beats the revealed part of mine for geekiness.

Sorry, Indocolite: things have gotten busy so I quite forgot to reply to this.

Except to say: You WIN!!!