Bear wrote: I think it really depends though. Like you said, I find it difficult reading while there is music on - that is to say, music with vocals on it. I eventually start thinking of the song, followed by some singing so lol. Anyways, I think if you were listening to just instruments (classical, jazz, or blues), it might actually enhance the experience.
Bear, you've brought up a wonderful point:
I actually had a similar request from my dad and sister when I started. I already have on the back burner (once I'm done soundtracking all 4 books (why bother doing MS if it's not complete?)) to do an entire playlist for each book of just classical, jazz, and other instrumental music, with no words or have the words be in Italian or French or some language I don't know/communicate with. To quote my sister: "It's hard to follow along with the words you're reading if there's other ones being put in your ear..." and to a degree I agree.
In other words/ to sum up, that's Phase 2.
I already have a few in mind: Rachmaninoff's Etude-Tableau #2 in A Minor, Opus 39 starting on page 354 of New Moon, for example. (The scene where Bella goes to jump off the cliff). I like the version by Evgeny Kissin best (if you can find it!).
The main problem I run into in trying to do this such that it can be shared is that there's really not that much classical or jazz available in a free share-able format. There's maybe enough appropriate classical on playlist.com to soundtrack one, maybe two books, but not all four. I mean, really popular classical is on there like Beethoven's symphonies, but what about smaller pieces like Chopin's preludes, mazurkas or nocturnes or even, heaven forbid, one of Mendelsohn's Barcarolles (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfjzFg_Kz0A is an excellent version of one of the ones I learned to play when I was younger)?
Although I have to admit that doing this would set me on the Holy Grail path/snipe hunt of having to choose a piece of music to play as the Edward-composed "Bella's Lullaby", to which I faint at the thought.
Thoughts?
(By the way, I'm almost done with soundtracking New Moon!!!!!!! Can't wait to post it.)