Do you listen to music while you draw/animate?

[Hana]

I used to always listen to music and loudly while I drew but the last two-three years that has stopped and I usually draw in silence or maybe have an animated movie on in the background. I only listen to music if I really need to heighten the emotion of an image if that makes any sense or if I'm really bored and not actually working. Working music is usually orchestral because usually I get too caught up in listening to the lyrics.

How about you guys?

[lavallelee]

I'm half and half. Sometimes i like to animate with music but sometimes music is too distracting then i animate in silence.

I think if someone is animating to music it should be a song or music you already know, because new music i think would stimulate your mind more.

Music you already know, your mind is probably more comfortable listening too. :D

[Hana]

I actually find for if I want to for the whole emotion thing it actually has to be music I either don't listen to much, haven't heard in a long time or never heard at all as the emotional value of a song disappears rather quickly for me.

[jtq3]

My drawing instructor in college would never let us listen to music while we were drawing. He wanted total concentration from us. I do listen to music while I work at my day job but, when I'm trying to concentrate on something difficult or challenging. I have to have silence.

Last night while trying to work out a walk sequence for the Cyber Garage Competition, I had to turn off my music. It's not coming out as quick and easy as I had hoped. Oh well.

I have also heard Richard Williams speak about an encounter he had with Milt Kahl. He asked Milt if he listened to classical music while he worked. Milt angrily responded by saying he wasn't smart enough to do more than one thing at a time. How could he be expected to concentrate on the subtle nuances of drawing and acting in the animation while music was playing?

[TimothyB]

Sometimes when I need to concentrate, not saying while doing animation or anything, I'll put music on, usually classical or something soft and mellow, as it keeps me focused. Or more importantly, keeps me from turning on the tv in the background which always ends up more distracting.

Oh, but it's pretty nice when my roommate is practicing her large harp in the background :)

[Mithmeoi]

I always have music running, sometimes I'll put in a movie though but if I need to focus the tv never goes on. Music helps me to focus if I have no music at all my mind tends to wander off to la la land and I lose my focus anyways. XD I mainly listen to scores when I really get into drawing but sometimes rock and metal. :D

[Snapai]

I play music when I'm ustreaming, mostly for my audience's benefit.

Working on my own, I usually don't though, because I've noticed that animation usually involves trying to pay attention to five different things at once anyways.

[Regan]

I like to have my TV on while I draw...I even like to have it on while I read and take naps.

The danger of it, though, is that pretty much every night "Poker After Dark" comes on and I don't realize it for a while...that show is nothing but people twiddling poker chips. It is so annoying it makes me want to drink poison.

[Amourwolf]

Almost all the time. Music inspires me and keeps my focus, it also puts me in the right mood to draw/paint/sculpt/etc.
I usually listen to movie scores/soundtracks.

[Alexandra Poston]

I used to only draw or animate while listening to music, since I get sleepy when I'm not. But, after reading the survival guide and realizing that, according to Richard Williams, rule one is : Unplug! I'm now tryting to gradient my drawing habbits into no music. If I am listening to music, I try to make the music emotionally appropriate for the scene or drawing - as Don Bluth said he often listens to classical or emotionally appropriate music when he's animating scene in his movies.