The Soundtrack to Creativity...

by Jeannie Ruesch

Think on your favorite romantic movie.  Or heck, think about your favorite movie, period.  Now imagine your favorite scene.  Can you see it? Do you hear the witty dialogue between the hero and heroine clipping through your head? Or perhaps someone’s head being whacked off their body, if you’re a fan of horror movies. (Me? Not so much…One watching of Poltergeist as a child scarred me for life.)  Or the best chase scene from your favorite action flick.

Got the image? Remember the words?

Now… do you remember the music?

I’m going to guess with very few exceptions, the answer is no.  And yet, the music score and soundtrack from a movie plays an integral part in setting a mood.  Can you imagine Scarlett’s fierce decree that she’ll never go hungry again without the orchestra swells of Tara’s Song? How about Chariots of Fire?  Or really, who can look at a cool, quiet ocean without hearing Dum dum…dum dum… and wondering if a shark lurks just underneath.

Music plays a big part in my creative process.  In fact, it’s a bit of a quirk — when I’m writing, I only listen to piano versions of songs.  The song can be anything from classical to a piano-only version of a Disney song.  But it has to be piano. For me, that’s a connection to a passion of mine from my childhood, when I trained as a competition pianist.  I started playing when I was eight years old and fell in love.  Carpel tunnel syndrome at the age of fourteen slowed the progress of that and into my twenties, I had to make a choice — computers or piano.  Since computers paid the bills, the choice wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.

But to this day, hearing the sounds of a piano feeds my soul in ways I can’t explain.  So when I’m writing, I need that connection.  It truly is the soundtrack and score of my creativity.

When it came to select music for my book video for my recent release, SOMETHING ABOUT HER, one thing was certain. It had to be piano, but the song had to be just right.  Mournful, a little sad, a little dramatic…yet romantic all at the same time.  I searched for more time than I should admit for just the right song. What I chose? Serenade, by Schubert. This video is only a shortened version of the song, but it’s a beautiful one.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGOYdgKqH8Q[/youtube]

What do you think? What mood does it provoke for you?

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What music feeds YOUR soul? To one lucky commenter, I’ll give away a CD of your choice —
you pick it, I’ll buy it.

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Jeannie Ruesch

www.jeannieruesch.com

The Soundtrack to Creativity...SOMETHING ABOUT HER

NOW available : Amazon |BN.com | ebook @ The Wild Rose Press
“…a rich, well-presented story.”~RT Book Reviews
~ “A wonderful debut!” ~NYTimes bestselling author Gaelen Foley

Read Chapter One & See the Book Video | www.jeannieruesch.com

18 Responses to The Soundtrack to Creativity…

  1. Shelby Lahey

    This is a really good article with a lot of truth in it. Thanks for sharing this insightful and motivating advice. I am going to forward this post to a good friend of mine as I am sure he will love this excellent article together with it’s great advice and tips. Keep up the great work!

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  3. Anthony L

    I have frequented your port before. The more I visit, the more I keep coming back!

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    Who ever wrote this artcile really knew what they were talking about.

  5. Lindy

    I’ve been feeling it for Spanish guitar lately for some reason. The song “Malageuna Salerosa” has me looking for more artists that I might enjoy.

    ~Lindy

  6. Jeannie

    Winner is commenter #5! Margaret E. Reid. Please contact me via my website and we’ll get you your favorite CD!

  7. Jeannie

    Hi MarthaE — I LOVE Evanescence music. Haunting is the perfect word to describe it, and yes Immortal is a wonderful song.

  8. MarthaE

    Nice trailer and the music was haunting. I love that haunting feeling from Evanescence soundtracks. I love My Immortal which my 22 year old son reminded me was in the movie Daredevil. I agree that we hear the music in the movies but do not always focus on it – unless maybe it becomes a theme song related to the movie. Like Mission Impossible, Pink Panther, 2001 Space Odyssey.

  9. Jeannie

    Hi Margaret- Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the video.

    Music is a deep, deep part of me. From the years I played piano, to doing musical theater to singing in choirs and with friends at karaoke. It’s always part of what “feeds” my soul, I absolutely agree.

  10. Jeannie

    Hi KH — Thanks for sharing. Smokey Robinson is a classic. Great voice. 🙂

  11. Margaret E Reid

    Well done–music and video. Really got my attention. I use music all the time to keep my creative, feed my soul, and songs have inspired stories.

  12. kh

    i like all kinda of musci

    i like love songs and now i amreally likeing smokey robinson

  13. Jeannie

    Hi Silver — Interesting, isn’t it, how music “gets you in the mood.” ? LOL

  14. Jeannie

    Hi Nicky! Thank you! And music is very special to us both! There are certain songs, to this day, I always associate (and always will) with you! 🙂 And I completely understand what you mean about the commercials — Hubby just shakes his head with a smile at me. LOL

  15. Jeannie

    Hi Mary — Actually, this particular rendition of Serenade wasn’t free. I bought a royalty-free version to use from premiumbeat.com. I couldn’t find what I wanted from the free sites, and it was worth it to spend a little extra.

    And yes, I remember the music from Braveheart well! It went well with the emotions of the movie.

  16. Mary Ricksen

    The first word that comes to mind is mournful, that’s the first feeling I get. Then it moves on to sad yet with a touch of hope.
    I think it’s a beautiful piece that goes very well with your trailer.
    This music is really the best I have heard. Most free music doesn’t make me feel a thing, but this I liked.

    You’re totally right about the music to the movie that first comes to mind. It was Braveheart, I do remember there was some moving music in it. But what the music was is in my brain somewhere, in a place that I cannot access. But I do remember how strong a feeling the whole thing evoked in my heart.

    Good luck with the book!!

  17. Nicky Randall

    Tears well up; tightness in chest…the feeling of overwhelming joy and sadness at the same time. A feeling that my husband doesn’t understand when he watches me cry over a sappy commercial with a great piece of music in the background. Music has a hold on me like nothing else.

    Beautiful piece of music to choose for the “foundation” of your book video!

  18. Silver James

    G’morning, Jeannie! I love the trailer and the music you picked for it. Very evocative. It sets the time period and mood beautifully. I “soundtrack” (yes, I know, not a verb, lol) when I write, too. Loreena McKinnet is my artist of choice for the revisions on Faerie Fate. Duran Duran goes in the CD player when I’m working on the urban paranormal, and I have a whole slue of artists I listen to when working on the romantic suspense WIP.

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