As I write this, my bedroom is flooded with the soothing sounds of Yann Tiersen. I remember the day I heard his piercing song, Comptine d'un autre ete l'apre midi, for the first time. The notes filled my pores, and vibrated through my body. It had such an effect on me, that with eyes closed, I cried. I cried because the notes spoke so clearly to me. I cried because I felt so much within the few minutes that the song lasted. It was a wonderful feeling, because after listening to the song I was charged. I was deeply inspired, and my words flowed so smoothly as Tiersen’s fingertips did upon the keys of the piano. And since then, I have always found my inspiration in music.

The trick, however, is to find the appropriate song that fits your mental state of the moment, or something that can alter your mental state. There are times that I desperately want to write, or draw, or come up with a new photo series, but cannot. I run to play my favorite instrumental melodies, and nothing comes up. I have realized that despite these songs being magnificent, their euphoric effect, has now been dulled. This can happen from over playing, and over using them. So, I am always on the search for new music.

When it comes to finding a tune to inspire, I prefer to search for instrumentally strong songs, with violins and/or pianos. However, there is something magical about the deep luscious cords of a cello. It being the instrument closest to the human voice, has so much warmth and tragedy behind it. As the violin, it too easily brings me to tears, and therefore also motivates me to write.

The best places to find musical inspiration is either through Spotify's playlists or soundcloud. I have found many melodies, otherwise unknown to me just by selecting a playlist under a certain category and listening. What I enjoy about Soundcloud, is that once you select a song, it automatically starts playing songs it believes are of similar taste, genre, or feel. I have also found several up and coming artist this way, and some of my new favorites are found through Soundcloud.

Music, has a magical all to its own. It can make us relive certain moments in our lives, make us feel things, and bring us to tears, just within a few minutes. For example, whenever I hear Bach's Suite No. 1 in G Major, I immediately have goosebumps. I am returned to my grandparents apartment in Bogota, the rain splashing against the ceiling, the living room lit with a faint orange glow, and this track playing through the speakers. I am 15 again, dressed in my school uniform. My eyes are closed, and I pay attention to the slow rise and fall of the notes, and thousands of sonnets, and poems fill my mind.

Music speaks a language that can only be felt, and its words remain within your mind. It attaches itself to feelings and memories, and with it you can create whole worlds painted by melodies. Love stories, tragedies, comedies, characters, and paintings all can be created with rhythms and beats. So go on, put on some music, and let it carry you to your muse.