Interesting problem, and the answer is that the answer depends on each individual; Richard Williams gives that same advice in the Animator’s Survival Kit, and while I do see the benefit (no noise = no distraction), I actually disagree and do listen to music and find it helps me. Sometimes if something is complicated or I have a headache I turn it off, but not very often! I do, however, have some rules about the music I listen to;

1) Do not listen to sad, slow music! You will draw much slower than usual- my digital ink and paint teacher taught me this, and would even go around pulling out our headphones to check we weren’t listening to slow music. Listen to tragic music all you want when you’re coming up with ideas by all means, but it will slow you down when it comes to doing stuff!

2) Listen to music without lyrics, or at least music that you know so well that you don’t have to ‘listen’ to it. If you start focusing on the words you will stop focusing on your work! I find that film soundtracks in particular are great for drawing.

3) Try to match the mood of the music with the mood of what you’re making! If you are drawing something exciting, get some epic adventure music, if you are drawing something funny, try something upbeat, if you’re drawing something sad, go for something big and powerful rather than slow (see above). Music affects our emotions, so this is where my argument for drawing to music comes in; it can give you just that little extra inspiration in what you’re looking to visualize.

Art and music are inherently linked, experiment with it! Don’t feel that anything I’ve said or anyone else says is the law; these are just things I’ve observed myself, try things out and find the path that’s right for you.