Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
From a young age, I have always gravitated towards instruments and the variety of sounds that they produced. This interest led me to pick up the guitar, piano, trombone, and mridangam--an Indian percussion instrument. But my passion for composing music truly began when I discovered hip-hop and rap music. The hard-hitting beat, the witty lyrics, the undeniable swag of "A Milli", the first Lil Wayne song I heard, made me fall in love. Hip-hop was something I wanted to identify with, and soon became an art form through which I expressed my feelings.
My curiosity drove me to explore the world of music production when I first downloaded Garageband, a music-making iPad application. I spent hours on the app playing with instrument loops and recreating my favorite songs. The more I practiced, the more I learned about music theory and composition. In eighth grade, I was introduced to Ableton, a digital audio workstation software with unlimited capabilities, allowing me to pour all my thoughts and inspirations into these hip-hop instrumentals.
Over time, I have become a perfectionist, meticulously choosing every sound to place into my beats; every kick-drum, snare, and hi-hat needs to blend flawlessly into a song for me to be satisfied. I also try to capture different emotions with my music. I can create a mellow mood by emphasizing harmonies and melodies, and I can add more energy with loud, complex drum rhythms. The knowledge I acquired from learning multiple instruments is useful when I incorporate them into my pieces: strings, pianos, synthesizers, guitar, bass, and mridangam all play a role in my tracks. By fusing my influences of hip-hop, jazz, and Indian classical music, I can create a sound that is completely unique.
I feel a sense of freedom when making music. It provides a way for me to unwind from the stresses in my life, and allows me to express my ideas and emotions. From recreating instrumentals to composing original tunes, I have always poured my heart into music. My creativity and passion have been driven by music, and will continue to thrive through it.