Young Writers Society

I read that it hurts your language system if you listen to music with lyrics but I was thinking if I listen to Jpop and not understand what their saying would it hurt?

@Redbox275 Wah... Really? I listen to J-Pop a lot while writing in English, while randomly switching to reading a French book and answering to my Mom's calls in Portuguese. Or when I find myself in international chatboxes in Massively Multiplayer games, I have to speak Spanish, English and sometimes French at the same time, while playing. I'm not the only guy doin' that, too.
...And I'm perfectly fine :/ So are my languages, too. That's how I'm actually getting better. Maybe it depends of how much you're used to it?

How does that... What? How does music with lyrics hurt your language system? If that's the case, wouldn't people talking in general hurt your language system?

@JKHatt, listening to music with lyrics (generally lyrics that you understand, but other languages can be iffy, too) distracts your focus from your language center while writing, because the words you're hearing mix with the words you're thinking and writing, respectively. So it's not so much "harming the language system" as "confusing yourself subconsciously while attempting to harness the meaning of words". It would be kind of like listening to music with lyrics while reading—can you imagine trying to read a book with words in the background that you're actively listening to?

As for music with lyrics you don't understand, I'd be a bit iffy on it myself. Mostly because it's still a distraction to the part of your brain that's putting together words—I can barely listen to instrumental music while I write, actually, because it distracts that part of my brain to think about the music. (That's just me, though, because I have a fascination with music.) I actually prefer white/pink/brown noise, because it fills in that part of my brain and drowns out the chatter in the background without actively using my attention.

A couple of noise generators in case you're interested (including background noise, like fires etc., and even some music or tonal sounds): myNoise.net; myNoise's Ultimate White Noise Generator; and SimplyNoise.

Oh, I get it now, thanks @Arkhaion. I thought they meant it messed up your understanding of other languages. Like if you're learning Spanish, listening to music with lyrics would mess up your knowledge of Spanish
Your explanation makes much more sense, and that's what I thought they meant, but there wasn't much clarification (or at least not enough for my brain).

I've written with music that has lyrics playing before but it's not easy. I think that my brain is okay with lyric-less music while writing though.

Thanks guys for the replies and sorry for the confusion. I was actual going to reply with this but it never showed up.

"The article actually makes sense to me because when I am writing I may accidently write the lyrics of that song I am listening to or I just can't work because while auditory information is being process I am writing my story. Honestly the article was not doing homework while listening to music with lyrics but I feel it's the same thing because when you do homework you write. Also there is an article here talking about not listening to music when editing."

Also I would like to say the music helps me escape along with the writing. I feel confortable and productive with music. It also gives me energy which I lack sometimes. Is it worth it?

Honestly, I think it varies from person to person. Like I said, I can't listen to music at all while I'm writing, unless it's very low or toned-down instrumental music (or in a personal made-up language). Some people may swear by instrumental music until the day they die; some people may achieve results with music with lyrics.

It depends on how your brain works, and how much you're willing to put in to figure out how your brain works. I would probably recommend seeing if the music with lyrics is really necessary, even if it's J-pop—there's no doubt some really energetic J-pop-ish instrumental music out there, too, just to keep your brain on track with the words you want to write instead of the words you're listening to.

But yeah, it really just comes down to you. What works for other people may not work for you, after all.

Ark pretty much covers it, music with lyrics and rhythm will demand your brain's attention to focus on those as well as your writing. That being said, I have known many people who likes to listen to songs as they write to set the mood and it doesn't affect them at all. The best type of songs are usually instrumental songs that doesn't contain as much rhythm as said, classical musical or as lyrical and expressive as the romantic era. Listening to J-pop is fine, and it won't hurt your language system but it might distract you. If it doesn't, by all means go for it.

I listen to Chinese music with lyrics when I'm writing too, but frankly, I end up watching the videos and singing along than writing, so there you go.

Like Ark said, everyone's mind and taste differs. Figure out what works the best for you, that's the great thing, you've got time, you can experiment. Write and listen to different types of music and decide which one works and which one doesn't.

If you ask me if it's worth it, I say is, because music gives a lot of inspiration and even prompt new ideas. Unless you're working against a deadline, in which case, I suggest you turn off the music, it can be distracting.

Whenever I write and study, I'll have the entire Lord of the Rings soundtrack on low in the background. I don't know what it is about it, but it really relaxes and focuses me. I guess it's because I don't want it to be too quiet when I study, but I want something in the background.

The fact this I think it's the best soundtrack ever composed also helps, as well that I can visualize whatever scene is going on in my head to all the different tracks. <3

But yeah, if you're listening to music with lyrics, that's going to distract you.

With me and my writing, it depends. On one book, I listen to classical music or soundtracks and it really helps me. On another book, music with lyrics and a beat helps (many of them are complicated songs, oftentimes with lyrics in other languages), while the soundtrack music, in that case, just sits idle in the background - not doing anything to help or hinder the writing.

I'd say there is no "should you listen to music with lyrics or not" or "does music hurt your writing", but rather how does it work for you individually. With some people, any music is a distraction. With me, it retreats into the back of my mind and, I dunno, allows the writing to take off. Others have different experiences. So it depends on you.

That's my take, anyway.

Birkhoff wrote:I guess it's because I don't want it to be too quiet when I study, but I want something in the background.

@Birkhoff, I totes agree with that is my reason for playing music in my headphones. It calms me down and makes me concentrate. I used to never listen to music on headphones until I came to YWS and now I literally can't write without music.

I would say,just like everyone has commented before, that it all depends on you and your interest in music. Be willing to experiment,and if something hurts your ears or you don't like it then just x it. You should never listen to music that you dislike or that displeases to your ears.

Idk man. Idk.

I can do it for storybooks/roleplaying. But for novels/shorts? Nah. And poems? Lol. I can't think with music on when doing that. But it works with writing for a roleplay. I have no idea why but hey, not gonna fight it. The muse wants what the muse wants.

I would never write poetry while listening to music because the rhythm of the song would interfere with the rhythm of the poem you're trying to write.

Other than that, if listening to music helps you write, then it helps you write; If it doesn't, it doesn't.

As for me, music draws my attention to the point where if there's music playing and I can hear it, it will keep me awake even when I really want to sleep. Writing with music in the background is not something I can do. XD

Not Jpop but I do listen to Kpop sometimes when I'm researching. Often times I put my device on shuffle (esp for classes where u just do the work independently like comp. apps), and I usually have a diverse list of songs (e.g. Kpop, Bollywood, like 3 Jrock, and 1 Jpop, some latino, and a lil french, also Nepalese and Chinese, and obviously English) and I haven't seen any difference from me working without music. Though when I'm creative writing, I don't like disturbance.