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Brooks Garten Hauschild

9 Years Ago

Music, Help Or Hindrance In Your Creative Process?

When I paint, I usually prefer quiet solitude. But, sometimes, a particular piece or type of music, blues, opera, gospel or a soulful instrumental, seems to be just what I need to get the creative juices flowing. Maybe it's the musician in me; I've played piano by ear since I was a child. Last summer, I created a group of acrylics painted to the tune[s] of 'Afterglow' [Hoppe-Tillmann-Wheater] which touched a certain chord within. I've never grown tired of it...and some of those canvases are my favorites. Here's an earlier work, 'Noteworthy', created while listening to some of these jazz & blues greats. What kind of music, if any, inspires your work?

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Richard Rizzo

9 Years Ago

Mostly nowadays I find it a distraction while working in my home studio but when I was doing faux finishing in homes years ago I found it somewhat helpful keeping me in pace while working against paint drying times on very large walls. Music varied from jazz to light classic rock.

 

Shelby Young

9 Years Ago

I love to listen to music! Sometimes I listen while I photograph but other times I honestly forget about it! I like to listen to mostly pop and some John Mayer/Jack Johnson type stuff :)

 

Stanislav Killer

9 Years Ago

its a must for me, otherwise im too disturbed by normal noises and cant properly focus into my inner world.

 

Kenneth Agnello

9 Years Ago

Ongoing play of music--classic Rock, the great lyricists in particular--is critical for me when I am beginning a painting, as the hours unfold. The mood, rhythm, and charge stimulate my thought-process, keep the juices going. Silence is a distraction, but can be tolerated late at night when I may be doing modest touch-up or fine-tuning.

 

Joseph C Hinson

9 Years Ago

It's not entirely relevant when I am photographing, but if I am in the car between trains, the Beatles help me get along. If I'm writing at the computer, I like to have music drown out the other parts of life and will listen to anything from Tom Petty to U2 to my new favorite type of music lately, classic blues from the 20s, 30s and 40s. In the past year, Lighting Hopkins music from that time has blown me away.

 

Robert Frank Gabriel

9 Years Ago

When I am taking photographs from my car of urban images, I listen to jazz such as Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Ahmad Jamal. I then drive thru Uptown (Chicago) which has an abundance of great faces for me to photograph.

When I am home and processing my photographs, I listen to classical music (calm classical) from the likes of Philip Glass, Arvo Part, Ravel, Eric Satie, Claude Debussy.

 

Edward Fielding

9 Years Ago

I live in the country, I listen mostly to the sounds of birds.

I find in the car if I'm driving around looking for shots, NPR is too distracting, keeps me from pulling over.

 

Robert Frank Gabriel

9 Years Ago

EF...
Yep, I can't listen to NPR while in my car looking for images. I get too distracted and listen to the darn good stories and forget about the images. I suppose we are complementing NPR, but it is a distraction rather than an inspiration in that way.

 

MM Anderson

9 Years Ago

I almost always listen to music when I do traditional art, not so much when working on the computer. I find it distracting then.

 

Kelley Lee McDonald

9 Years Ago

Dear Brooks, When I was working as a product designer I had music going 24/7. Paul Oakenfold, John Digweed, The collections of Euphoria, buddha-bar collections, Aria, etc…Now I really like it quiet.

 

J L Meadows

9 Years Ago

Helps. I listen to Bach sometimes. Other times, I listen to Irish music. And sometimes Scott Joplin.

 

Lori Lovetere

9 Years Ago

For me I need music playing and songs that have emotion. I guess it helps me in the creative process and how I am feeling. I could not have it quiet or I would go nuts!!!! lol Lori

 

Mary Armstrong

9 Years Ago

Oh, love to have music when I am painting or drawing! I can do well when quiet, too, so just is a matter of how I feel at the moment.

 

Rich Franco

9 Years Ago

When I had a studio, we had the music all the time, but stuff like Andrea Bocelli or semi-classical stuff,while the clients were in the building, but once they left,KaBoom! Lot's of high energy stuff,cleaning up and putting stuff away.

When I'm actually creating images, never listen to music,too distracting, but now, I'm working on my images and have on Jack Johnson and Slacker Radio,which seems to work for me,

Rich

p.s. There was one time, I was out in Utah, way out in the midddle of nowhere and this huge thunderhead was coming and I was waiting for this perfect light to hit this old dead tree and I had the Bocelli Romanza on my car speakers, full blast! That was until that first lightening strike a few hundred yards away hit! Cloud was still about 1 mile away, but I was on this point and then only metal for miles around!

 

Barry Lamont

9 Years Ago

When I'm not creating Art...I'm creating music! The two so often go hand in hand...I've played in bands all my life and recently taken to digital production.
I usually listen to music when sculpting, but I have to be very selective. When doing roughing I can get into a rhythm and a beat.. I love a bit of funky Steely Dan..but I'm just as much at home with House, DnB, Ragga and Reggae etc... Finishing requires something more subtle and laid back. My current favourite is Prokofiev's sonatas, although I have to skip the allegros :-)

Edit:.I recently discovered Gabriel Prokofiev's "Concerto for turntables and orchestra". This is essentially an amalgamation of all the above named styles and I highly recommend it. (go for the D.J.Yoda version;-)

 

Kyle Gray

9 Years Ago

Music (if any) really gets reflected in my work. If I am listening to hard rock, usually my paintings become quick and messy. On the other hand if I am listing to soft classical or video game music (like sonic the hedgehog, pokemon, or legend of zelda) my artwork is more calm and detailed.

What I usually do is put iTunes on shuffle so I get some detail in and also doesnt take me 3 weeks to finish.

 

Robert Frank Gabriel

9 Years Ago

At home when I am editing my images, I listen to Pandora. They give me (us) an amazing selection of music from obscure classic to should be obscure rap.

 

Joseph C Hinson

9 Years Ago

I prefer Spotify to Pandora. I can make my own playlist of my favorite artists or types of music and then select the actual songs and artists Iwant to hear.

 

Tony Murray

9 Years Ago

Usually helps depending on the genre or medium I am working on.

 

Thanks for your replies, everyone. Interesting stuff. Good to hear from you, Tony. Kyle, we are in agreement re the music being reflected through our work. Barry, fellow artist-musician, appreciate your comments. Certainly all our creative abilities/offerings help the other & work together. I'm a poet, as well, and you sculpt; it's never-ending! A blessing when we can utilizing each. Recently, put together a video of my artwork w/me reciting an original poem [voice-over] & a piece of my piano music as background. I imagine you have done similar projects. Rich, always enjoy your comments. Lol, re opera for the clients & the big switch-up after hours! Loved the Utah-Romanza-thunderhead story. Mary, we are the same. Music on, sometimes; quiet works, too. Totally understand Lori's emotional connection to the music while creating, as well. Some people don't work as well in silence. JL, Bach, ah! And, those Irish melodies are some of my faves. Dear Kelley, good to 'see' you. Great taste in music, btw. I, too, prefer creating in peace & quiet. I have the music IN me, so there's already a lot going on inside. Lol. But, there are times when a bit of blues, an operatic aria, a soulful instrumental & such can really move one to create, eh. Couldn't agree more, MM, re music being distracting while on the computer. As a rule, computer work takes SO much of my attention that I wouldn't hear the music anyway. Hi Edward, you are right, nature's music is the best & purest...the songs of birds, wind in trees, etc. Lol, re NPR being a distraction-while-driving & taking shots, with your camera, that is! Robert, great visual w/you listening to those jazz greats & garnering urban captures from the car. Love the transition to Glass & Debussy while processing. Funny re 'obscene rap' line. Joseph, the Beatles can 'get us by' almost anytime, anywhere! U2 is on my favorite's list...and lotsa blues, too, of course. Good to hear from you. Interesting process, Kenneth. Thanks for your reply. Yes, silence can be strangely distracting. Funny about that. Stanislav, understand what you're saying. Thanks for the comment. Shelby, good to see you. Thanks for your reply. And, finally, Richard, thanks for your input & for being my 'first responder'. Looking forward to hearing more!

 

Joann Vitali

9 Years Ago

When I'm out shooting i find music too distracting but when I'm home i have to always have the radio going. It could be anything from NPR, Michael Buble, or John Denver to Simon and Garfunkle or the Rolling Stones, depending on my mood.

 

John Wills

9 Years Ago

Plini and/or Sithu Aye are top choices if you like progressive rock instrumentals. Anything instrumental really, just NO RAP or country.. I do Gregorian chant sometimes, metal crystal bowls, Tibetan bells, etc etc etc..!! Silence is louder than having music on and is distracting to me, it actually makes me edgy not having something playing.

 

Hi, Joann! Yes, the music affects your mood and your mood the choice of music. I am a fan of all those artists you mention as well...and NPR, too! Thanks for your comments. Hi John! Not a big country or rap fan either. I do love instrumentals & chants, as well as 'the silence', as it allows me to get lost within my own depths and/or the sounds of nature, if I'm painting outside. Good to hear from you.

 

Stanislav Killer

9 Years Ago

it amazes me that some of you are into modern music styles, i was afriad to mention dnb, but since the cat is out of the box .. now you know what i listen to lol
im especially surprised at kelley, bc your avatar picture would tell me something completly different, hats off for oakenfold and digweed madam :D

 

Kelley Lee McDonald

9 Years Ago

Dear Stanislav, You see, you just never know about someone. Other favorites are Sasha (of course), Nick Warren, and Seb Fontaine. It's music that really gets your creative juices flowing!

 

Dan Richards

9 Years Ago

When I am working, on art or writing, I always have my Pandora on, or I am listening to one of my operas or some piece of classical music, or the few scattered artists I like. It helps keep the mind clear for the work to flow.

 

So true, Kelley. Thanks to you & Stanislav for sharing more of your favorites. Appreciate Dan's reply as well. Opera & classical music have certainly helped me get into the creative flow over the years.

 

John Hauschild

9 Years Ago

Artists who listen to music while they work cannot avoid an influence on some level. Whether a direct, literal interpretation or just a referential mood, the effect can be profound. As a musician, almost all works of art seem to have a musical component or, at very least, a musical companion piece could be easily found.
Soulful expression in any form has a common thread.
I can imagine,the wrong piece of music could really divert an artist's imagination so I can surely understand some artists need to work in "silence" so they march to their own internal drummer. And, conversely, a musical kick in the pants could be exactly what's needed to get motivated at times!
I'm in awe of all those who have the creative spark, however it gets lit!

 

Thanks very much for your thoughts & insightful comments, John! Any relation? As artist/musician, one always possesses that inner creative spark ready to get 'fired up', outside musical influence or not! I agree wholeheartedly. One could also say that their is no 'wrong' piece of music, just personal choices that may or may not affect your flow one way or the other. Appreciate your reply! Hope to hear from you again.

 

Jim Taylor

9 Years Ago

I like a lot of different kinds of music but mainly listen to Americana.
Music being of the human spirit definitely inspires me and lifts my spirit while painting. How could it not. Nothing like listening to a great tune you have not heard in years and has that wonderful freshness back.
Silence is good at times for good balance.
I have my guitar near by for breaks in between doing Art Work also.

I thought of a tune and artist a couple weeks ago I had not listened to in probably 5 years, it inspired me to do a painting about it.
Willard by John Stewart

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Appreciate your comments, Jim...and shared artwork! I play the piano for added inspiration as you do your guitar. Works for me. Thanks for your reply.

 

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