It’s the turn of the ‘Inspired’ card, which is defined as, “Feeling the desire to do something.”  Frankly, I’ve issues with ‘Feeling the desire’ to do anything at the moment; nevertheless, I am most certainly inspired by two very specific stimuli. I wonder if, today, you’d share what inspires you this February, even if you, too, are not quite feeling the desire.

‘Inspire’, of course, means ‘to breathe in’. It is something in your life that is like the proverbial, “breath of fresh air.”  I’ve been watching a drama series where the phrase, “I need to get some air,” repeatedly appears in the script. Air and inspiration are literally linked, and figuratively too. The science is simple – good oxygen flow to the brain fuels our thinking. This is why so many conscious breathing disciplines are so effective.

What are your sources of inspiration? As someone who self-identifies as a ‘creative’ – ideas inspire me, as do opportunities. Also, that which is ‘novel’ is like a breath of fresh air. Thus, even though January was a low month for me, I have been inspired by two opportunities. 

The first was to make art using Artificial Intelligence. I use an application that needs no coding or deep understanding of AI. It’s called ‘NightCafé Studio’ – and is the easiest system I’ve tried. Whilst it seems like ‘cheating’ to me, the results are so pleasing that I’ve found it inspiring and addictive. More than this, the work of other Digital Artists is often so amazing that their work becomes a foundation for developing an idea of my own – I am inspired by others.

There’s another bonus. Many of the experienced users will reference famous artists in their prompts. A great many of these are new to me – which means that the application is opening doors of discovery to classical artists who then inspire me further.

The second source of inspiration is the world of MIDI. MIDI stands for ‘Musical Instrument Digital Interface’ – and is a set of codes that can tell a digital interface the notes to play, their duration, and their volume. This means that a clever writer can transcribe music that others can then use even without the technical skill to play the piece. Here’s what I’ve been doing… I listen to Classic FM and note the pieces that inspire me. Then I find the MIDI file and load it into my computer…

Interlude: I grew up with pioneers of electronic music such as Wendy Carlos, Isao Tomita, Vangelis, Jean-Michel Jarre, Tangerine Dream, early Pink Floyd, early Genesis, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Yes, and many more who were literally ‘pushing the envelope’. Due to technical advances, many of the hugely expensive instruments purchased by the above list of keyboard heroes are now available as affordable emulations in software. Even better, people produce presets that have the signature sounds of these giants.

Once my computer is ready, I ask myself, “What would it sound like if Vangelis played this Classical Masterpiece?” I assign the instruments to the parts, and the magic begins to emerge. Again, it feels like cheating, but the beauty of the sound makes it worthwhile.

Would you share what inspires you?

Lex

A Moodscope member