I took part in research today and was wired up to check for emotional responses to music by a psychologist.  Interesting.  It will be great to see the results.  This is such an exciting area with such possibilities for therapy, healing and mood enhancement.  Anyway, today I was one of  the "experts" group and the study will try to find if there is any difference between experts and non musicians. . 

I was reminded of Dido and Aeneas the other day. It the amazing baroque opera by Henry Purcell.  It was set to a wonderful short film by Gabriel Gauchet called Mass of Men.   The opera is a tradgedy and the music was used for a scene in a job centre where one of the staff had been attacked (possibly killed - we don't know) with a nail gun following the humiliation that claimants were put through and the inhuman sanctions placed on people for minor transgressions.  It was very effective although I  might have chosen a slightly different track.  Anyway, here is Ah Belinda.  It has a famous ground bass and is a great example of melismas and word painting.  If you are not used to opera, it grows on you with a few listens.

One of my art music compositions which I made this video for.  Hope you enjoy it.

I am in the middle of a new composition just now.  On taking about it today, someone said rather than writing transitions, make a point of arrival and simply change to the new idea.  Edgard Varèse was great at this.   Every composition is an adventure!  

Really exciting to hear my composition being played.

I went to see Whiplash tonight at the Filmhouse.  Ouch!  The desire to be the best drummer is quite painful to watch.  All of us who are musicians will be able to identify with the feelings, and practice.   But drumming is on another level of physicality.  Interesting film.

Had a very nice night playing fiddle in Leslie's Bar , in Edinburgh tonight.  Lots of new tunes being played.  

As a composer, I get my inspiration from many places.  The awesomeness of the universe is a huge inspiration from me.  I recently wrote a piece inspired by the Rosetta mission.  I made a "tape" part which has actual space sounds on it and it has a great flute part.  Its pretty cool.   Have a wee listen over on Soundcloud or on my Composing page and give it a Like if you enjoy it? Be great to have some feedback. Thanks.  

"A Composer is someone who goes around forcing their will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians"  Frank Zappa (1940 - 1993)  

A great quote from the wonderful Frank Zappa.  He was very interested in all music and worked with the avant-garde classical composer Edgard Varèse.  If you don't know who he is,  go and listen to Hyperprism,  Amériques and Poème Electonique.   Amazing music which influenced rock.