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Muses

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
This isn't meant to be a scholarly thread, although I will start with some classical bits to show the concept has been around for a while. I'm interested in personal experiences in this vein.
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses (Ancient Greek: Μοῦσαι, Moũsai) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They are considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric songs, and myths that were related orally for centuries in these ancient cultures. <Wikipedia>.
Moreau%2C_Gustave_-_H%C3%A9siode_et_la_Muse_-_1891.jpg
Divine inspiration is the concept of a supernatural force, typically a deity, causing a person or people to experience a creative desire. It has been a commonly reported aspect of many religions, for thousands of years. Divine inspiration is often closely tied to the concept of revelation, the belief in information being revealed or disclosed through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities. <Wikipedia>.
This idea came to me <hah> recently. I was going through some stuff that had belonged to my mother, who died 20 years ago. It included a typed essay that I supposedly wrote at "age 9 3/4". I assume she typed it. This essay won a prize and was presented by the Mayor of Camberwell (London borough). She had also saved a handwritten diary entry of mine, and a couple of drawings I had made. These latter items were clearly childish. But the essay was quite sophisticated, a piece of fiction 6000 words long, and didn't seem like my work at all. I vaguely remember attending the prize ceremony. I can't imagine my mother would have carefully saved this essay from my childhood for 45 years, one of only a handful of items, if it were fake.

It bothered me for a few days how I had written this. I don't write prose fiction, although I have tried. As far as I can remember I have never written more than a few hundred words before drying up. So how come I managed to produce a coherent 6000 word essay at age 9? I have no problem writing non-fiction, obviously.

I think I had help "from above." In other words, it wasn't really me who wrote it.

Aha! Body thetans!

Not at all. Whatever "body thetans" really are -- and I think there are some genuine life-energy-containing phenomena addressed here -- I look on them as something disharmonious to be remedied, not as helpful entities to be treasured as-is without arrogantly thinking one can control or improve them.

-----

So. Any interesting personal "muse" stories to relate?

Paul
 
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DagwoodGum

Squirreling Dervish
This isn't meant to be a scholarly thread, although I will start with some classical bits to show the concept has been around for a while. I'm interested in personal experiences in this vein.
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses (Ancient Greek: Μοῦσαι, Moũsai) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They are considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric songs, and myths that were related orally for centuries in these ancient cultures. <Wikipedia>.
Moreau%2C_Gustave_-_H%C3%A9siode_et_la_Muse_-_1891.jpg
Divine inspiration is the concept of a supernatural force, typically a deity, causing a person or people to experience a creative desire. It has been a commonly reported aspect of many religions, for thousands of years. Divine inspiration is often closely tied to the concept of revelation, the belief in information being revealed or disclosed through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities. <Wikipedia>.
This idea came to me <hah> recently. I was going through some stuff that had belonged to my mother, who died 20 years ago. It included a typed essay that I supposedly wrote at "age 9 3/4". I assume she typed it. This essay won a prize and was presented by the Mayor of Camberwell (London Borough). She had also saved a handwritten diary entry of mine, and a couple of drawings I had made. These latter items were clearly childish. But the essay was quite sophisticated, a piece of fiction 6000 words long, and didn't seem like my work at all. I vaguely remember attending the prize ceremony. I can't imagine my mother would have carefully saved this essay from my childhood for 45 years, one of only a handful of items, if it were fake.

It bothered me for a few days how I had written this. I don't write fiction, although I have tried. As far as I can remember I have never written more than a few hundred words before drying up. So how come I managed to produce a coherent 6000 word essay at age 9? I have no problem writing non-fiction, obviously.

I think I had help "from above." In other words, it wasn't really me who wrote it.

Aha! Body thetans!

Not at all. Whatever "body thetans" really are -- and I think there are some genuine life-energy-containing phenomena addressed here -- I look on them as something disharmonious to be remedied, not as helpful entities to be treasured as-is without arrogantly thinking one can control or improve them.

-----

So. Any interesting personal "muse" stories to relate?

Paul
I've had that happen on occasions where a fully formed passage hits me out of the blue while I'm totally preoccupied with something else entirely such as driving. While driving, or traveling by any means whether bus or plane, I often get flashes of inspiration. My best poetry has tended to hit me while drifting off to sleep at which point I know from experience, either get out of bed and write it down or it will be a lost memory by morning, never to revisit me again.
I had my best racial prejudice poem hit me right between the eyes when I was pissed off at some black dude I'd had trouble with on my bus when I drove city transit at a moment when I was NOT filled with good will or understanding:

Sad the color of the container can so segregate a soul
When one's brand of pigment so limits one's role
In a sinners world, a living quicksand of souls
Where as deep as your hatred
So deep is your hole

I forget the rest as I generally forget all of it if I don't jot it down and save the paper.
 
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DagwoodGum

Squirreling Dervish
I saw an interview just last night on "The Big Interview" where Dan Rather interviewed some of the band mates of Styxx.
Tommy Shaw who wrote a lot of their best songs discusses this very thing where he'll get a song pop into his head, either melody or words and tells of how desperate he becomes to somehow capture the song on tape or on a page because once the inspiration fades, it's gone and will likely never come back again. He relives the events that led to the development of the songs from the moment of initial inspiration through all the stages the song went through with the band trying to build upon the skeleton of the song through the trial and error of layering on various accompaniment tracks. It was very interesting.
 

programmer_guy

True Ex-Scientologist
Yes, the inspiration for a poem (or song lyrics) can come from something you experienced that day.
The initial words (rhythm and rhyme) should be written before the inspiration fades away.
After that, for example, it can be expanded/altered to fit a typical A-A-B-A pattern.
Then, for music chord progression/melody, you can also pick whether you will use major-to-minor or minor-to-major in progressing into and out of the Bridge.
 

strativarius

Inveterate gnashnab & snoutband
I saw an interview just last night on "The Big Interview" where Dan Rather interviewed some of the band mates of Styxx.
Tommy Shaw who wrote a lot of their best songs discusses this very thing where he'll get a song pop into his head, either melody or words and tells of how desperate he becomes to somehow capture the song on tape or on a page because once the inspiration fades, it's gone and will likely never come back again. He relives the events that led to the development of the songs from the moment of initial inspiration through all the stages the song went through with the band trying to build upon the skeleton of the song through the trial and error of layering on various accompaniment tracks. It was very interesting.
Ah, Styx. They issued the world's first (and probably last) laser-etched single (The Best of Times). It's a very neat looking object which I bought in a charity shop about twenty years ago for a few pence and thought might become a collector's item. Currently a copy is on sale at eBay for £6.50 ($8.21) so I was sort of correct. :biggrin:
 
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strativarius

Inveterate gnashnab & snoutband
Edward Van Halen consistently says that the music does not come from him but through him. He is merely the medium.
Well, for a start I'm not putting myself on a par with Van Halen, but I occasionally tinker with composing little tunes, and speaking personally I get no sense at all that it's coming from 'somewhere else'. I listen to what I've done, get an idea of what to add that might improve it, try it out, and so it goes on. Inspiration might come from somewhere outside of my head initially, but then it's up to me alone to make something of it. That's my ten cents.
 

DagwoodGum

Squirreling Dervish
Well, for a start I'm not putting myself on a par with Van Halen, but I occasionally tinker with composing little tunes, and speaking personally I get no sense at all that it's coming from 'somewhere else'. I listen to what I've done, get an idea of what to add that might improve it, try it out, and so it goes on. Inspiration might come from somewhere outside of my head initially, but then it's up to me alone to make something of it. That's my ten cents.
Yeah, I think most people do it like you, I used to do that too when I wrote songs but many find that the really good stuff just pops into their head's out of the blue when they are not actively writing. It may be that the subconscious is still working on a song and when you least expect it and are doing something else that it suddenly gives birth to something you couldn't consciously come up with. Something much better than any of the rest of what you've come up with heretofore. That's when you start wondering where do these out of the blue ideas come from?
I saved a video of an interview with Bad Company and Paul Rodger's talks a lot about how he get's his best songs like Shooting Star. He said he feels like the songs are written through him and he was walking along one day at his cottage and starts singing to himself "Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatles song..." and thought "Oh that's pretty good, I must have overheard it on the radio". Then realizes that he's singing a brand new song and rushed back to the cottage to work out the rest of the song details. Paul Rogers is the man!
But no one really claims to know where these "other" ideas spring from.
 

strativarius

Inveterate gnashnab & snoutband
Yeah, I think most people do it like you, I used to do that too when I wrote songs but many find that the really good stuff just pops into their head's out of the blue when they are not actively writing. It may be that the subconscious is still working on a song and when you least expect it and are doing something else that it suddenly gives birth to something you couldn't consciously come up with. Something much better than any of the rest of what you've come up with heretofore. That's when you start wondering where do these out of the blue ideas come from?
I saved a video of an interview with Bad Company and Paul Rodger's talks a lot about how he get's his best songs like Shooting Star. He said he feels like the songs are written through him and he was walking along one day at his cottage and starts singing to himself "Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatles song..." and thought "Oh that's pretty good, I must have overheard it on the radio". Then realizes that he's singing a brand new song and rushed back to the cottage to work out the rest of the song details. Paul Rogers is the man!
But no one really claims to know where these "other" ideas spring from.
I 'write' my music on my synth. Usually I have a piano sound going on and I just aimlessly tinker with chords and if I'm lucky I'll hit upon something I think is worth developing and go from there.

Serendipity can have a hand in it all as well. One day I had my synth programmed to produce one sound and my computer software programmed to produce another and I accidentally played them both at the same time and I rather liked the result and went on to construct one of my favourite pieces. An accidental 'wrong' note can play a part as well sometimes when trying to develop a melody.
 
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DagwoodGum

Squirreling Dervish
I 'write' my music on my synth. Usually I have a piano sound going on and I just aimlessly tinker with chords and if I'm lucky I'll hit upon something I think is worth developing and go from there.

Serendipity can have a hand in it all as well. One day I had my synth programmed to produce one sound and my computer software programmed to produce another and I accidentally played them both at the same time and I rather liked the result and went on to construct one of my favourite pieces. An accidental 'wrong' note can play a part as well sometimes when trying to develop a melody.
I used to write on guitar and base and had a little white and blue parakeet who would dance on the guitar neck or bed next to me when she liked what I'd come up with.
Now I have a dog that jumps up in my lap and smashes his ear up against my mouth and throat when I sing something he likes.
His favorite is "You are my sunshine" which I started singing to him as a puppy.
That's the one that I impress guests with so they can see how he gets and what a groupie he becomes when I sing to him.
 

strativarius

Inveterate gnashnab & snoutband
I used to write on guitar and base and had a little white and blue parakeet who would dance on the guitar neck or bed next to me when she liked what I'd come up with.
Now I have a dog that jumps up in my lap and smashes his ear up against my mouth and throat when I sing something he likes.
His favorite is "You are my sunshine" which I started singing to him as a puppy.
That's the one that I impress guests with so they can see how he gets and what a groupie he becomes when I sing to him.
From what I've read here, parakeets seem to be great music lovers if what Sheila says is anything to go by. I haven't tried singing to mr crow yet, but he seems quite taken with my whistling. :biggrin:
 

programmer_guy

True Ex-Scientologist
Edward Van Halen consistently says that the music does not come from him but through him. He is merely the medium.

That's a weird way of describing it. :)

He should just say that he and his brother were raised by a musician father and that was their huge influence during their early childhood years. (I also wonder if their father grew up with musician parents.)
 
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lotus

stubborn rebel sheep!
I always believed that when we are connected with our true nature, inspiration arise and we create beauty and do beautiful things. We may think that another energy is at work through us, but I think it's our higher self at work.

Think all what de do when we fall in love and how we suddenly become inspired to create wonderful moments. As soon as they born, our kids inspire us in finding strenght to protect them.
 
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Voodoo

Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow
This isn't meant to be a scholarly thread, although I will start with some classical bits to show the concept has been around for a while. I'm interested in personal experiences in this vein.
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses (Ancient Greek: Μοῦσαι, Moũsai) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They are considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric songs, and myths that were related orally for centuries in these ancient cultures. <Wikipedia>.
Moreau%2C_Gustave_-_H%C3%A9siode_et_la_Muse_-_1891.jpg
Divine inspiration is the concept of a supernatural force, typically a deity, causing a person or people to experience a creative desire. It has been a commonly reported aspect of many religions, for thousands of years. Divine inspiration is often closely tied to the concept of revelation, the belief in information being revealed or disclosed through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities. <Wikipedia>.
This idea came to me <hah> recently. I was going through some stuff that had belonged to my mother, who died 20 years ago. It included a typed essay that I supposedly wrote at "age 9 3/4". I assume she typed it. This essay won a prize and was presented by the Mayor of Camberwell (London borough). She had also saved a handwritten diary entry of mine, and a couple of drawings I had made. These latter items were clearly childish. But the essay was quite sophisticated, a piece of fiction 6000 words long, and didn't seem like my work at all. I vaguely remember attending the prize ceremony. I can't imagine my mother would have carefully saved this essay from my childhood for 45 years, one of only a handful of items, if it were fake.

It bothered me for a few days how I had written this. I don't write prose fiction, although I have tried. As far as I can remember I have never written more than a few hundred words before drying up. So how come I managed to produce a coherent 6000 word essay at age 9? I have no problem writing non-fiction, obviously.

I think I had help "from above." In other words, it wasn't really me who wrote it.

Aha! Body thetans!

Not at all. Whatever "body thetans" really are -- and I think there are some genuine life-energy-containing phenomena addressed here -- I look on them as something disharmonious to be remedied, not as helpful entities to be treasured as-is without arrogantly thinking one can control or improve them.

-----

So. Any interesting personal "muse" stories to relate?

Paul
I've had songs come out of me fully formed, lyrics and all. One in particular is hauntingly beautiful, and very unlike most of the other material I've written. Even my singing style on that song is unusual for me.

Who knows how that just popped into existence?

Personally, I think if you're a creative person who practices your craft every day, this sort of thing can happen easily. I don't think it's supernatural at all.
 

programmer_guy

True Ex-Scientologist
Yes, the inspiration for a poem (or song lyrics) can come from something you experienced that day.
The initial words (rhythm and rhyme) should be written before the inspiration fades away.
After that, for example, it can be expanded/altered to fit a typical A-A-B-A pattern.
Then, for music chord progression/melody, you can also pick whether you will use major-to-minor or minor-to-major in progressing into and out of the Bridge.
Patterns:


Pattern recognition and prediction.
 
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JustSheila

Crusader
From what I've read here, parakeets seem to be great music lovers if what Sheila says is anything to go by. I haven't tried singing to mr crow yet, but he seems quite taken with my whistling. :biggrin:
:biggrin: Oh cool! Whistling is bird language! So glad you have the whistle skill!

If you whistle a short little ditty regularly to say hello or goodbye or where are you, he'll recognize it means that and if he's elsewhere and you whistle it, he'll know it's you. I always taught my birds whistles so they could recognize me if they got lost and it worked every time. :) They seem to like the type of short tunes they play for commercials. Like the Armour hot dog song.

My little ones know the chorus to Jolly Holiday, the Armour hot dog song, a few bars of Beethoven's 5th (they love the da da da DA! da da da DA!), the Colonel Bogey March, and a few misc others. Fargo (the female) has a good knack for whistling along with Chicago blues, too, and a few other favorite musicians. I've been tempted to record her and send it along to some of the musicians, just for the heck of it, cause she's pretty good and has some unique improvisions! :laugh:

I know next to nothing about parakeets, though, never had one, so wouldn't personally know how they feel about music, but I'd think since they're tiny parrots, they'd like it. I know for sure that cockatoos, cockatiels, magpies and corellas love music. All the parrots I knew danced, too, but the other birds didn't.

I play YouTube vids of big cockatiel flocks for mine. They love it. You might see how your crow reacts to hearing crow videos. You never know.
 
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