Music in the darkroom

Music in the darkroom

  • Yes, while getting started and during the process

    Votes: 40 58.8%

  • Yes, just to get started

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Sometimes, it depends

    Votes: 13 19.1%

  • No, just silence, it's distracting

    Votes: 16 23.5%
  • Total voters
    68
Lauffray

Lauffray

Invisible Cities
Local time
11:54 AM
Joined
Jun 9, 2009
Messages
1,449
Do you guys listen to any particular music while developing/printing or do you prefer silence in the dark ?

I've personally never done it while printing, but for developing I always start with some Dave Brubeck (that stuff just gets me going !) and have some jazz in the background playing as I work
 
I do it Canadian way, listening nation wide internet station D-moos.com which is broadcasting from nearby town.
Tuning in from Iphone or Ipad where I run timers.
 
Not just the darkroom. If I'm concentrating on anything -- writing, fixing a Land Rover, cooking -- I don't want distractions.

But some of the best printers I've ever met prefer music. Then again, so do some of the worst mechanics. I don't think it's possible to draw broad conclusions.

Cheers,

R.
 
Yes, I have music on when in the darkroom. I keep the volume high enough so nobody will hear my swearing! Just kidding.
 
Many years ago when I had a darkroom I enjoyed music when working. I had one special tape, I think it was something Brian Eno, and I had added time signals to the tape. When I was working in total darkness I would hear a signal every thirty seconds and could time things that way. Joe
 
Years ago, I was a member of a co-op darkroom (Nova Scotia Photographers Co-Operative). I would go in and print in the quiet. Inevitably, someone would show up to do some work and would ask "How can you stand the silence?"

I like the quiet, but if there is good company, put on some music!!
 
Music in my darkroom......

Music in my darkroom......

I must have music. I recently took apart my Pioneer SX-650 and installed leftover red filter sheeting from my Thomas safelight overhaul into the display window. I usually listen to BlueGrass, but also Jazz from the Blue Note era, MJQ, Dave Brubeck, and the like. I read that Eugene Smith would smoke in his darkroom, something I've never tried (have been guilty of drinking a lot in there, but no more).



 
When I'm playing music and concentrating it doesn't bother me, but I don't hear it, either, so it's essentially wasted.
 
Yep. Bose 301s, Marantz 2230 receiver; Bye, Bye miss American Pie, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, NPR.
 
I used to rent darkroom time in the basement of a cafe a few blocks from my house. I supplied the "sound system" there - a Panasonic cassette recorder. I still have the trove of tapes I played there. Early Thievery Corporation, Utah Phillips and Ani DeFranco, The KoStars - a Luscious Jackson sideband, and the amazing Ghosteyhead album from Ricky Lee Jones. Hearing any of these tunes will produce a Pavlovian response to pour some Neutal WA into a tray in my poor, deranged mind...
 
A problem is cover the light of the music device. Absolutely no electronic device on, when charging the tank! Also the small light of an air conditione may be harmuful. All off, only me, the film and the tank.😏
 
I listen to my foreign language podcasts lots and lots when I load film for developing and during developing. Goes hand in hand nicely. I can perform these task basically on autopilot, without much higher-level thinking. I get to use the time by listening to interesting stuff in languages I love. I would get around to listen to less of that, if I just sat and listened and did nothing else. Likewise the listening takes the tediousness out of the more or less mechanical tasks. Win win.

Now for serious darkroom work... it's a bit a different matter.
 
Yes, classical music from a Baltimore public broadcasting station. A tiny Tivoli radio does the trick, even in a basement darkroom. Wouldn't be without it.
 
Fi there's a cricket match on cricket commentary is just the best background sound in the darkroom witty informative you can dip in and out of listening without missing much and if it's a test match it lasts 5 days !!!!
 
National Public Radio, or Classical Music. It helps me to concentrate with the task at hand:
Good people at work :)
 
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