As a Creative Director by day and an artist by night, I’m especially interested in tips and tricks to stimulate creativity. As I’m writing this, there is a base line pumping through my office wall. Every once in a while, a “wiki, wiki, wiki” floats over. This is one of our graphic designer’s music of choice while she gets creative. On days she’s out, the designer she shares a workspace with tunes in to the softer sounds of adult alternative. Somehow they make it work. Me? I need silence if I’m writing and something soft and slow if I’m painting. We’re all creative, we just use different types of music to fuel our creativity.
Two recent articles in Psychology Today shed some light on these differences. The first, “Your Music, Your Personality” talks about how taste in music can reveal key components about the listener’s personality, including creativity levels, open-mindedness and extroversion. It may even reveal the intelligence level of the listener. (Hats off to you jazz and classical lovers.)
The other article, entitled “How Music Feeds and Steers Your Imagination,” provides insights on how music can specifically boost creativity and energy – as anyone who has ever compiled a gym playlist can attest.
So, here’s the challenge. I’m converting a corner of my basement into a den of creativity. In the back of my mind, I’m compiling the ideal playlist to boost my creativity while I work in this new studio. While musical tastes are subjective, I’d like to know what music works for you when you’re getting into the creative flow. I’ll compile the responses into an ideal creativity playlist and share with our readers. Bonus points for obscure tracks. Thanks for your feedback . . . and thanks for listening.
Always inspired by Pink Floyd’s “Mother” performed live at the Berlin Wall by Sinead O’Connor, Roger Waters, Rick Danko, & Levon Helm. Sinead is one crazy chicky but man this is her at her finest. Very passionate performance. I never grow tired, always inspired by this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ2tluarzZs
Whether it’s Click-n-Clack, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Lyle Lovett or an unwanted Michael Bay movie in the background, when I’m in the zone, I don’t hear a thing. If you want my attention, throw something at me… – j
My new go to girl is Priscilla Ahn. If her soft, soulful voice doesn’t get your creative juices flowing, I don’t know what will. I especially love the song about a life well lived, “Dream”.
Ok so, “wiki, wiki, wiki” isn’t ALL I play…
If I really NEED to be creative I prefer all instrumental like Art of Noise or anything by Charo–yes the 70s Love Boat regular. She plays a mean Spanish guitar. Above all, if I really need to concentrate, the songs can’t have lyrics with which I’ll want to sing along, like: “…hip, hop a hibby to the hibbidy hip hip hoppin ya don’t stop rockin…”
Charo?! For reals? I am alot like Patty in that I usually need things pretty quiet in my office to stay focused. Theresa can attest to that! Besides turning her speakers down on the sly more than once, she was pretty surprised to hear music coming from my office the other day. One of my top picks of the moment is a self-titled album released in ’09 by the band The xx. Quick side note, one of their songs was in my favorite ad from the Olympics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Mm2csc_rw
If you are one of the lucky ones to have tickets to their Philly show on the 29th, I’m jealous!
My Alstin memories involve Melissa (you must be the worst person ever to try to work alongside, based on the stuff above), techno, and Jay furrowed in the corner, eating nuts.
Ronni, let’s snuggle.
My art teacher in High School used to have us listen to Thievery Corporation and bcs. I was in art class most of the day, I heard their songs over and over again. To this day when I want to get creative I listen to them. Check them out, I’m sure you’ll love them.
My Pandora station for the last few months at work has fallen under the genre “Electronica”…hahahaha. I’m a little embarrassed by that title because I think it conjures incorrect images in people’s minds when I say it. And I try to turn it down at times, in case Anne, Nikki or Jamie are going nuts. Let me know, girls! My Pandora category also comes up as “Indie”..which leaves a whole world open.
Some groups I recommend are: Passion Pit (Mike T is a fan!), Miike Snow (I am seeing them live tonight), MGMT (so weird but so creative), Metric (Canadians as you can tell by the band name
, Phoenix (there is a great remix of Lisztomania called Classix Version…but now I am just sounding downright nerdy). See You Tube links below.
I do think it depends on what I am working on, as well. If I am writing something on my own, I do like quiet. I think certain classical music inspires me as well. BTW, wasn’t there a controversial study on “The Mozart Effect”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart_effect
Bands:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScC_pi3PJ9k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niKT-kJfUz4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9hw8n7RQ5A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7U16stsEmc&feature=related
I always sound like the old geezer of the group, but I think you have to start with classical music. I think most classical music has those complicated arrangements and soundscapes that get the mind working but still remains “quiet enough” to stay in the background. I find super-melodic, “catchy” stuff like Beatles (who I love) too distracting and pulls me out of whatever I’m trying to concentrate on. Funny, this is one place where those ultra-long epic songs by bands like Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis (with Peter Gabriel), etc. work well.
I like to sing along, so I need it quiet for the most part, or the only thing that comes out of my office is “Once I needed your love, but that was just one thing left on my mind”. If I need something to get me energized, I would go with Prince or War (esp. “Smile Happy”)
Like you, Pat, it depends on the mood. My musical tastes are all over the place but for getting creative I go for something soulful, like the R&B and funk of the 60′s and 70′s. Curtis Mayfield’s Movin on Up, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, The Bottle by Gil Scott Heron, William DeVaughn’s Be Thankful for What You’ve Got, What You See is What You Get by the Dramatics, anything by War, Parliament or the Average White Band. From that era check out Mama by Queen Esther Marrow and Peaches en Regalia by Frank Zappa. Yes, Frank Zappa. Some of the newer stuff from John Legend, Robin Thicke, and more obscure artists like Mayer Hawthorne and Eli Paperboy Reed are pretty good.
For chilling out and thinking, bossa nova and reggae (esp Bob Marley) are always good choices. If you’re painting in the vein of Jackson Pollock try Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group, Burn and Highwar Star by Deep Purple, Hocus Pocus by Focus and Trampled Under Foot by Led Zeppelin.
Also try I Like It I Love It by Lyrics Born, Don’t Stop by Michael Franti, Juicy by Better Than Ezra, Black and White Town by the Doves, Hard to Beat by Hard-Fi, Righteous by Dag. Let me know if any of these make your playlist and if I get any bonus points!
I need music to help me think, my radio is always on when I am at my desk and 93.3 WMMR is my favorite station.
Jen S.O.S. who are you?
I’m not allowed to play anything I like at work…unless there’s no one else here. Instead we keep a little plastic radio tuned to easy listening that no one really likes. And leave Jay and his nuts alone. He’s switched to nice, quiet oatmeal.
Geezer, schmeezer, I’m with Tony. I love classical and classic jazz as background when I’m reading or working, and when I’m stretching before or after a workout. To me classical, especially, just takes your mind on a journey. It elicits the whole spectrum of emotion, and if emotion helps you to be creative, it may be for you. If you stay quiet and listen, for me it really gets creative juices flowing. (Too bad I have not found an outlet, that I have any particular talent in, to express that stirred up creativity!) 90.1 fm is my station for classical. It relaxes me when I’m driving as well.