I'm listening to this free podcast - it's called the composer's notebook. If you are a composer you should check it out, it has a lot of great ideas for organizing you thoughts and inspiration especially.

This post isn't too much of a question, more of a story. I went walking the other day, looking for some inspiration. I was amazed at how much life and beauty is in nature, that people pass by or even destroy. Things that used to annoy me (i.e. insects) became objects of great fascination. Grasshoppers make a very interesting chord when they sing, I tried to notate it. Everything has a pitch, and a rhythm. The amount of music we (or at least I had) overlook is phenomenal.

I even got an idea for a 5 mvmnt symphony all in my head. I like in polk county, Florida. While walking I saw 4 or 5 trees that jumped out at me. They looked oriental almost. Very grand and majestic. Music just started playing in my head, and I came home, sketched out a rough idea of the order and form of the work and started transcibing.

I don't imagine I'll be done for a while, It's a monsterous work, but in my opinion, it is the best I have written so far.

Where do you guys get Inspiration?

i usually just go watch band/orchestra shows on yotube or somethin

I tend to write pieces inspired by people that I know, or at least, the works with which I have been the most happy with have been inspired as such.

I also get inspired a lot by listening to other pieces of music that I enjoy, but generally, these inspirations tend to lead to compositional duds (as I seem to end up just sounding like a wannabe version of the original composer).

this might sound kinda weird but here is what i do.

I live close to fort rucker so when i want some prime inspiration i go fishing and watch the sunset. You'd be surprised at how well its worked. lol

i really like that reggae feel to music so i usually watch street performers banging away on cans or plastic bins.