The Perfect Music for Spencerian

[AndyT]

Wow Matthew, Social Distortion!  That takes me back to c.1981, and now I find that they're still going.   

[June P]

The Gael - Last of the Mohicans

That's interesting.  I can hear a swinging quality similar to what I hear in blues.  I've heard that type of music before, of course, but never really thought about that aspect of it.

3 hours 

Video removed from YouTube. Here's the 4 minute sound track...

[Matthew_R]

Wow Matthew, Social Distortion!  That takes me back to c.1981, and now I find that they're still going.   

I just saw this, Andy.  I have positive memories associated with a few Social Distortion songs (from about ten years ago, not 1981!), so I just repeat those.

Overall, I'm finding that, for Spencerian or ornamental penmanship, I prefer music that has a steady rhythm.  Breaks or other rhythmic intricacies disrupt the flowing motions I want to use.  N.W.A and Superchunk have proven less than ideal.

[Matthew_R]

The Gael - Last of the Mohicans

That's interesting.  I can hear a swinging quality similar to what I hear in blues.  I've heard that type of music before, of course, but never really thought about that aspect of it.

*Snip*

3 hours 

That's almost enough time to finish my warm-up drills.

[MrMGWard]

When I am writing, whether is be a letter, or practice drills, I always (98% of the time anyways) have Pandora radio on the "Helen Jane Long" station. It's magic for me!

MrMGWard

[NicholasC]

Something calming and chill, like Pantera or Sepultura always works for me.   

As much as I like the old world feel of Spencerian when written with a nice steel pen and holder, I'm quite happy to keep my mindset in the present.  I usually have something weird like Godspeed You! Black Emperor or The Cocteau Twins playing in the background when I write.

[ericp]

Something calming and chill, like Pantera or Sepultura always works for me.   

mouahahaha   "Calming and chill"   

As much as I like the old world feel of Spencerian when written with a nice steel pen and holder, I'm quite happy to keep my mindset in the present.  I usually have something weird like Godspeed You! Black Emperor or The Cocteau Twins playing in the background when I write.

Quite interesting choice of music...  Even though GYBE originate from my hometown Montreal, I haven't convinced myself to become a fan     and yet IMHO a better choice for calligraphy than other "calming" options above........   

[NicholasC]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and ambient music in general, is definitely an acquired taste.  It helps to realize that the music doesn't follow the usual lyric driven model, and has more in common with silent art films or some of the more stylistic classical music.  I find ambient music to really work well with my writing flow. 

I don't actually listen to either Pantera or Sepultura when writing Spencerian, but it does make me giggle maniacally to picture someone writing with a dip pen while Roots or The Great Southern Trendkill plays in the background...

[ron_pro]

I enjoy listening to the Amazon Prime Classical music channel while practicing my writing.

[Ken Fraser]

I'm going through one of my Scott Joplin phases at the moment ... seems about right.

Has to be Joshua Rifkin at the piano, mind - and absolutely definitely not Winifred Atwell.   

Why not?......Just curious! 

[AndyT]

Haha!  Winifred Atwell - who never fails to make me smile - didn't really approach Scott Joplin in a spirit of calm and repose, did she?  I always feel like I want to hold on to something. 

Here's the Rifkin version, for comparison:

[Ken Fraser]

Just joking!   

[AndyT]

I rather thought you might be. 

Nice to hear that again though.  Winifred Atwell and Mrs Mills: the British equivalents to Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. 

[ericp]

Haha!  Winifred Atwell - who never fails to make me smile - didn't really approach Scott Joplin in a spirit of calm and repose, did she?  I always feel like I want to hold on to something. 

I'd never heard of Winifred until today.  Even though the Atwell video link above didn't work, there are plenty of other examples of her  -ahem-  stylish playing.  Very impressive stride/boogie, but certainly not in a spirit of calm and repose, I agree!! 

[AndyT]

There's also the little matter of her choice of piano ...