Exercise: Writing into music

The purpose of this exercise is to generate raw material which can later be used in creative writing. The idea is to have fun and get past writer's blocks. Writing into music can also stimulate memories and help participants discover new connections to intangible cultural heritage in their own lives.

Ideal number of participants: 6–20

Duration: 10–15 minutes

Materials required: Pen and paper. Preferably live music but the exercise can also be done by listening to recorded music.

Step-by-step description

1. Someone plays (traditional) music with an instrument or from a record.
2. The participants listen and write at the same time as long as the music continues, without stopping their pens. 
3. After writing the participants are asked to underline from their text some parts that are relevant to them.
4. The underlined parts can be shared by talking if the participants wish. 

Tips to the instructor: The most important rule for writing into music is that the movement of the pen shouldn't stop. It is good to stress that the idea is to hurl yourself into the music and writing, not to produce finished text. Sometimes this is all the instruction that is needed. If writing like this is new to participants, or if you want to investigate a specific theme, you can also give the writing a topic, to release and direct creativity. If you decide to do this, describing a place is a good option. You can ask the participants: "What kind of place does this music bring into your mind? Describe it as long as the music continues."

Video example

Watch the attached video to see how this exercise was run in our Finnish pilot, and what kind of ideas the Kaustinen style playing evoked for the participants.