Classic, man

I’ve recently dipped my toe back into the classical music pool.

To be sure, I’m no expert. I couldn’t identify Johann Strauss from Levi Straus—not yet, anyway.

But the places where I go to write often have really, really, really bad music playing. In the past, I’ve put on headphones and masked the crap with white or brown noise tracks. Then, the other day, I decided to try classical again.

There’s a Spotify playlist that offers what they call Classical Essentials. It’s got about 16 hours of the stuff. I’ve had it on shuffle, drowning out the noise around me, and I gotta say . . . I’m realizing that I misjudged the ol’ boys.

Perhaps I wasn’t in the right mental space the last time I sampled classical. Now, for whatever reason, it’s connecting with me on some level. And not just as a tool to block out bad pop music.

I have to concentrate when I write, so songs with lyrics never work. And listen, I know I’m not the first person to work to a classical background. I’m saying that I tried before—didn’t care for it—and moved on. Now, it’s working for me.

Why now?

There’s also the question of WHY it suddenly works. Is it a maturity thing? Do you just need to be ready for the classics? I also wonder if this will be a temporary fascination, like my fascination with Paula Nixon my senior year. That lasted about a month.

I’m hoping my dance with Debussy makes it beyond that mark. Here’s hoping the masters can string me along a bit longer.

Is it somehow tied in with the particular project I’m toiling over at the moment? Is there something about a pleasant cello and viola combo that provides the proper background when writing stories about government assassins taking out bad guys? Maybe. Part of the balancing act, perhaps?

Could it be I’ve finally learned to flat-out appreciate the genius of these composers? I kinda think that’s it, actually. They truly produced magical, inspired pieces of music that often get overlooked by the masses today. Hell, even back then—some of these guys got thrown into unmarked graves, for chrissakes.

Whatever the reason, it’s been refreshing and certainly helpful. I’ve cranked out thousands of words with this new background of sound. I may even have to write them into one of the stories. Maybe my spy, who normally in these novels is rocking out to 90s alt music, could drift over to a classical playlist for an assignment.

You do you

If you’re trying to create, the bottom line is this: Find whatever the hell works for you at the moment. And I think that’s the key: at the moment. It could be entirely different for your next project.

As long as it keeps you in your creative mode.

And keeps out Kesha. Am I right?

If you have your own playlist that helps you generate words by the bushel—whether it’s classical or not—consider buying Dom a tea or a beer right here. Maybe you both will create some badass art with Mozart.