If you're a musician or are pursuing music, what do you specialize in? any artists or groups in particular that inspire you?

I used to sing with a group at my local Renn Faire, mostly Celtic folk inspired stuff, but then Covid happened and the last few years have really just been a string of one awful thing after another. I thought about doing some stuff on my own for shits and giggles, but I haven't had time. I can play a 16 string lyre and it's been years but I could probably still play a flute if I picked one up.

I don't think any particular artists inspire me, I like traditional/historical things and sea shanties.

...Though I mostly listen to old emo and punk rock like the 90s trash that I am.

That's really fascinating. A lot of what I'm inspired by are from Super Nintendo and other similarly adjacent retro games. There's just something intrinsically captivating about creating a backing track that directly pertains to a character or setting. I mainly use digital software with a midi-capable keyboard to make music. I've never performed any live music, though I'd like to eventually.

I have a degree in music performance - I'm a professional harpist... or at least, I WAS, before the pandemic happened. Even though most of my life was dedicated to becoming a better musician, I realized around age 25 that the professional, classical music world really isn't for me, so I actually haven't played my harp in about five years now. I'm much happier working retail part-time and selling my art at local anime conventions!

I do still use some of my degree, however - I'm composing a soundtrack for my upcoming video game, and a lot of my music theory background comes into play there. I use FL Studio.

As for artists/musicians who inspire me... please talk to me about Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. I love their music so much!

I'm not a musician myself, but my friends and I shot a music video in my backyard. I was glad I was able to help them create that, it was a lot of fun and it makes me want to do more like that in the future.

I'm not sure if this counts, I taught myself to play the keyboard, but it is just for fun.

Soundtracks have always inspired me. The first thing I learned to play was the theme from the movie Empire of the Sun, and I recently learned the theme from the show Murdoch Mysteries.

Sorry if this is not what you are talking about (I realised might not be after I posted, but apparently we can't delete anymore).