Typewriter music to write by

Ambient, inspiring

I’ve never not had a typewriter to clack away on but when the documentary, California Typewriter, came out in 2017, I became obsessed with typewriters and started collecting them. At one point I had 35. I found them on Shopgoodwill.com, eBay, at garage sales, and I was given a few.

Today I have eight favorites. My son Travis has three. The image of the typewriter floating in a sea of clouds is a Hermes 2000 from the 1950s, which Travis used to make the music in this EP titled, Music for Typing, Volume II (and in Volume 1, also on Spotify—look for the artist, Just My Type). My favorite song here is “Inspiration.” So emotional, and I have no idea why.

If you like to listen to music without lyrics when you write, this might work for you. I like how it draws me in and blocks out the sounds of the neighborhood; lately there’s been a lot of construction going on around here. I also love the little typewriter bell that rings now and then in the songs.