I think I’ll be in the minority here (especially in my age range)
but my preference is to create jewelry to hard core gangster rap.
While my regular music listening covers a wide range (Latin dance
music, most world music, reggae, rock, punk rock, jazz, etc.) when
I’m creating I almost always have on rap music, preferably at an
extremely high volume.
Daniel R. Spirer, GG
Spirer Somes Jewelers
1794 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-491-6000
@spirersomes
www.spirersomes.com
One of our jewelers commented the other day “only at [Clodius&Co.]
can you hear ABBA and Dave Mathews one after the other” A diverse
collection of music is always available here . Music can energize
the body and soul , stimulate the “muse”, put the rest of the world
at bay when your setting opals or emeralds. Consistantly we play The
Beatles ; Classical [orchestral- no opera 
] , Dave Matthews
;Reggae ;Frank Sinatra ,“classic Jazz” [ brubeck, miles, coltrain
etc] , lots of 60’s - 70’s rock’n’roll Current “top picks” include
; Les Nubians “one step forward” , " Lumin “hadra” , and a bunch
of disco Abba - Bee Gees - early Blondie , Our Wax carvers
favorite Claude Chalhoub “claude chalhoub” A good sound system is a
must…
Mark Clodius
Boy this will date me. I have about 40 1960 folk and country music
records. Kingston trio, Limelighters, Cash, Haggard ETC.
For all you young whipper snapper records are flat disks about 12
inches in diameter with the music cut into grooves. They are played
on a device that probably includes an 8 track tape player.
I Converted the records to tape. I listen to them when I am doing
grunt work. (spruing, injecting and things like that).
I played and sang folk songs in coffee houses during the 60’ s. I
break out the guitar every now and then and get the grand kids to
join me in song. Kids are great when they are young. They just
enjoy without criticizing.
For inspiration, when I create, I listen to Southwest Indian flute
tapes or a great bunch of tapes with Andes flute music.
I work at home so I can set the volumn to raise the roof. My wife
works so when she comes home the tapes get put away until the next
day.
When I am outside casting I like to get my blood boiling so I listen
to talk radio.
When I drive to shows I listen to talking books. Especially Robert
Ludlum.
Great thread.
Lee Epperson
NEVER BUT NEVER, (sorry for shouting) rap. I'd rather play a game of golf than listen to rap." (Judy Pottins)
My wife and I have the agreement that she will perform euthanasia on
me by shooting me when I ever start playing golf. We consider it as
our contribution to unnatural selection.
I never listen to music when I try to make jewelry or when I work. I
find everything difficult and I need my concentration, but otherwise
I like to listen to Bach, Beethoven, Stravinsky, Ravel, Debussy and
also to Pink Floyd, the Doors, U2 and to a Belgian band of which I
have been a member (long time ago). Our biggest hit, Suicide by
Candlelight, An hommage to Wittgenstein, went right into the Belgian
top 10). Best, Will
Great thread! What I listen to depends on what I’m doing. If I’m
doing assembly line-type soldering I listen to something upbeat like
Red Hot Chili Peppers or Stevie Ray Vaughan. These are also great
when I’m forging. My current favorite is Fountain of Wayne. Very cool
and upbeat. Their lyrics are a hoot. I have all three, but “Welcome
Interstate Managers” is their current release. Sometimes, when I’m
working late at night I like jazz, John Coltrane, Antonio Carlos
Jobim, Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto. I’m mostly into Brazilian jazz with
an emphasis on Bossa Nova.
Tammy
Well the Roger Whitaker certainly gives away a bit … but
he is an old favourite of mine too. I’ll have to experiment with the
Celtic music… Saffyr
For all you young whipper snapper records are flat disks about 12 inches in diameter with the music cut into grooves. They are played on a device that probably includes an 8 track tape player.
This gave me a chuckle! Jewelry is part-time for me out of my home
studio, but my “real” job is that of a music teacher in the public
school system. Once while putting on a record, a little voice piped
up with, “man, she got some big CD’s!”
Anyway–what I listen to when working depends largely on my mood.
When I need to be energized, I like “kick-ass” rock and roll–Bon
Jovi, Aerosmith, John Mellencamp, etc. When I design, I go for more
pensive music–often classical–I like Mozart piano concertos, any
Wynton Marsalis recordings, harp, and hammered dulcimer music. I
also tend to listen to a lot of female musicians–Eva Cassidy, Diana
Krall, Aretha Franklin and more laid back stuff like the Eagles.
Sometimes I go for Prince, U2, Sting, --just depends!
–Vicki Embrey
My best creations come when I listen to fiction (books on tape!)
Old School R&B! Then there’s Bee Gees for movin’, Al Green for
groovin’ and Norah Jones for smoothin’. But to really turn up the
heat, Latino! !Ay, que rico! Except then there’s usually more dancing
than cabbing going on… :-)~
Great thread!
Dear Daniel, After viewing your beautiful work at your store, I would
never have guessed gangsta’ rap! This is such a fun thread. . .and
utilitarian for inspiration, and gettin’ down to work!
Exactly which gangta’ rapper do you listen to?
Kay Taylor
Tom
What we play in the studio is VERY different from what we play in
the gallery. You may not have noticed the music, and that’s the
point…the gallery music is just in the background, heightening the
experience, yet barely noticeable. I like Tibetan and Japanese flute,
acoustic guitar, Zen stuff, some New Age. I look for music without
vocals, since that can interfere with conversation at the counter.
The studio is noisy, but there's not a lot of conversation. A very
different environment from the gallery.
Douglas Zaruba
I like to listen to books on tape, John Sanford, John camp, Michael
Conlley, mainly cop stories, murder mysteries, but also Christian
pop on one of three radio stations in my area, we are blessed.
ROBERT L. MARTIN
Gold Smith / Diamond Setter
yukhan@aol.com
<>< john 3:16
If you like blues, check out a more obscure artist named Roy
Bookbinder. If you can’t find him in a record shop, try online at
I like all types of music but I find I’m most productive in the
studio listening to selections of New Age and Native American
music. Terri Collier Dallas, TX
I’m with the mystical non-verbal or non-English group most of the
time and especially when working up a new design: Baka Beyond,
Waterbone, Delerium, Ekova, most everything Celtic, lots of World
Fusion, heck, just about everything but ‘cry in your beer’ Country &
Western! I like to weave a tapestry of sound around the pieces I
make.
Recently though, when I’m working on repetitive beaded pieces I’ve
started listening to Books on Tape, started with Tolkien’s
Silmarilion, which I’ve wanted to read forever but couldn’t tackle
the names and pronunciations. Skipped back to The Hobbit and am ready
to take on the One Ring Trilogy. Also picked up some used short
stories CDs at the 1/2 price bookstore.
Donna Hawk
Dallas, TX
While glassworking, I usually listen to Glenn Gould CDs or Nordic
folk music, (Hedningarna, Varttina, Wimme). I learned the hard way
not to watch hockey while working with an oxy/propane torch!
Evalynne
http://www.beadsuncommon.com
Think Uncommon Jewellery
Couple of years ago for mother’s day my honey ran wiring through the
attic to put speakers in my studio so I could shunt my music back
there. Do you know how hot it can get in an Arizona attic? 
I enjoy a variety of music and for fabricating, buffing type work I
tend to switch off every few weeks between Japanese Kodo drums, steel
drums, Ottmar Leibert - especially “Viva”, Tuck Andress, or smooth
jazz. I don’t do well with much vocal and I select shuffle so that I
can’t anticipate what’s coming up next so easily.
Like many here, the music I choose for designing (and problem
pondering) is more meditative. Quiet instrumentals, Indian flute,
loons and water sounds, or chanting are useful but I’ve found one of
the most effective backgrounds for me is the didgeridoo. It’s
low-pitched tones must energize my personal harmonic resonance; I
seem to slip into harmony with “the flow” more easily. Something
like a primal consciousness?
This has been a fun thread and as a result of seeing some of the
favorites here I’ll be looking to add to my own collection. Pam Chott
Song of the Phoenix
Tonight I caught a Boston Pops with John Williams. His guest was
Nancy Wilson, now that was a great program. Her interpretation of
Embracable You, When October Goes, and two other vocals was
outstanding. I am a total romantic with music. Love Rimsky-Korsakov,
Borodin, Gershwin, and all of that genre. Jazz, now that is great.
My grandson’s tried to run Emnem by me, and it did not pass. I took
them to an all day open air concert, just to see Blink 182, who
happened to be the last act. My ears were boiling, I abhor that
language, and angry Rap does nothing at all.
Just an Old Fashioned Girl, who was lucky to grow up with the
Dorsey’s, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Trini Lopez and got to dance
to all of them live. Teresa
I think trance is the ideal choice. You can choose from many
different dj’s using mellow, groovy tunes Martin Medeski and wood
does some nice jazzy funk. Uplifting not to over
bearing. Dj Kicks same thing. Feel good music
My tastes run to jazz, eclectic, new age, classical, hard rock from
the 60’s. Sorry Daniel, rap I cannot take. In the “fabrication
zone”, Led Zepplin, Cream, Iron Butterfly, Emerson Lake and Palmer,
Styx and Queen. For designing, “air pudding” also known as New Age.
The Buddhist chants work well too. If anyone one would like a CD with
my music collection, I would be glad to send it along. If you send
$20 to Orchid as a donation, I will burn you a CD and post it first
class mail as my donation. It will be a compilation of my favorite
music. Please specify if you can read MP3’s or need a plain CD. If
any others would like to do the same, I would be glad to purchase
your CD and add your favorite tunes to mine. Either way, Orchid gets
a nifty donation and we get some cool Orchid Music for our studio. I
also have a Mac with Itunes. Got myself some nifty new speakers for
the studio and bought an iPod. Right now all I have been doing is
cleaning, and going through four years of precious junk. But for the
music, Buddha Bar Led Zepplin Dead Can Dance H. Gorecki Kater and
Nakai (Native American Flute) MOBY The Sound Track to Solaris Sacred
Buddhist Chants Peter Gabriel Mickey Hart Soundtrack of Almost Famous
My tastes run to jazz, eclectic, new age, classical, hard rock from
the 60’s. Sorry Daniel, rap I cannot take. If anyone one would like
a CD with my music collection, I would be glad to send it along. If
you send $20 to Orchid as a donation, I will burn you a CD and post
it first class mail as my donation. It will be a compilation of my
favorite music. If any others would like to do the same, I would be
glad to purchase your CD and add your favorite tunes to mine. Either
way, Orchid gets a nifty donation and we get some cool Orchid Music
for our studio.
Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA 02451
Ph: 781/891-3854
Fx: 781/891-3857
www.metalwerx.com
email: @Karen_Christians
Board Member of SNAG