~Post by Chris M.
I don’t know about you, but it’s near impossible for me to read a book without some sort of musical accompaniment. I’m not sure why this is, but I suspect it has something to do with being easily distracted. In order for me to fully invest in a book, I need to set the proper mood and having the right soundtrack is paramount to ultimate enjoyment. I’ve spent a lot of time honing my soundtracking skills and I would like to share a little bit of that knowledge* with you, dear readers. Below you will find 5 easy steps to aid you in finding the perfect soundtrack to your next text adventure.
*Please remember that these tips are based on my personal preferences, and may sound like total BS to you.
1. Understand what you are about to read: This is pretty easy. You know what type of book you’ve chosen. It’s probably a safe bet that if you’re about to crack into a violent thriller set in the icy fjords of Finland you don’t want sunny pop or pulsing electronic music blasting through your headphones. Sure, it might be interesting if that rouge detective solved a heinous murder with Robyn’s Body Talk Pt. 2 thumping in the background but, let’s get real, it’ll get old quick. Instead you want to look for music that will enhance the overall mood of the book. Choose something to help you visualize the story instead of dividing your attention between two dissimilar moods. A good way to figure out the mood you want to create for your new book is to read the first chapter in silence and then think about what sort of music would make it more enjoyable.
2. Don’t choose your favorite album: The reason for this is simple; your favorite album is your favorite for a reason and it might be difficult to re-contextualize when using it as background music. If you choose your favorite album to soundtrack your next read, chances are you will spend a lot of time listening to the music and less time investing in the story. It all goes back to distraction.
3. Lyrics: Music that is lyric-heavy can present a problem when reading. Think of it this way, can you listen to two people talking to you at the exact same time? Well, listening to overly lyrical music while reading can have the same effect. It’s hard to pay attention to the goings on of a novel when you’re constantly distracted by the lyrics being pumped into your ears. That’s why I tend to choose music that’s lyrically sparse or completely instrumental; it helps me focus on the story and lets the music function as an atmosphere enhancer.
4. Album vs. Playlist: This choice is yours and yours alone. There are obviously several advantages to making a playlist before starting a new book. Playlists allow you to control the mood more easily and let you vary between musical genres, but they also take time to make and you might not want to sit around contemplating your book before you’ve started it. Albums can be tricky because they relegate you to one genre, and it might be difficult to find an entire album that fits the mood of your new book, but when you do find an album that can sustain an entire novel you will have something you can return to again and again without having to think about it too much.
5. Don’t be afraid to scrap your soundtrack and start over: Remember that choosing a soundtrack is essentially a process of trial and error. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to stop reading and scroll through my iPod because the music I chose didn’t fit. You’ll know what works and what doesn’t. If the music you chose is distracting, change it. Find something that feels natural. That’s the point.
I hope these tips proved useful for some of you. I understand that every reader is different and that many of you can read anytime anywhere, or need total silence in order to enjoy your book. If you’ve never thought about books as things deserving of soundtracks, maybe now is the time to reconsider? Who knows, you might find it more rewarding (or you might think I’m crazy). As a parting gift, here is a list of a few books and the albums I used to soundtrack them:
| Book | Album (and genre) |
|
Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin |
Float by Peter Broderick (neo-classical) |
|
The Leopard by Jo Nesbo |
Lumiere by Dustin O’Halloran (classical) |
|
Lucifer’s Tears by James Thompson |
Black Earth by Bohren and Der Club of Gore (dark jazz) |
|
Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami |
El Extasis de Las Flores Pequeñas by Federico Durand (ambient/field recordings) |
|
Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon |
On Patrol by Sun Araw (psychedelic/drone) |
Xoxo,
Chris
BookPeople 
A thought provoking post. My choices would be mostly classical as it is easy to read to music that doesn’t have words. However, I would think of listening to Jazz for some books. I will have to ponder this some more.
I usually think of what programs to have on TV when reading. Sports are usually good as you always know when something exciting is happening when you hear the crowd. You can then look up and watch the event.