Music and Evolution

[IronDuke]

I just got to thinking about music.

I couldn't think of a reason why music affects people the way it does. Why does some music compel us to dance about in a seemingly spastic and unruly flailing of the limbs. Why does some music get us pumped. Why can good music evoke emotion through simple or complex sounds?

I wonder whether it is the result of the music itself, or whether we experience things at a young age that shape which music will have the greatest impact or meaning to us in later life. Is it all the result of subconcious nostalgic association eliciting a response in us or do certain people simply have an inherent appreciation for certain rhythms and styles.

How did music first come about? Why did we evolve these auditory sensations that don't seem to have any bearing on natural, non cultural life?

So many questions, I need some answers or atleast some vague postulation based on raw guesses. Anyone?

 

[The King of Rock and Roll]

Perception. Music is perception. Take a minor chord for instance, it creates a dark, ominous, forboding presence, not because of what it is, but because of how you hear it. Thats all music theory is, simply understanding what sounds good to people and how to make those sounds in certain ways.

 

[IronDuke]

Any idea why said chord is percieved as slightly sinister?

I'm kind of curious as to why things are percieved that way, if it's all cultural or otherwise.

 

[Sevre]

Perception. Music is perception. Take a minor chord for instance, it creates a dark, ominous, forboding presence, not because of what it is, but because of how you hear it. Thats all music theory is, simply understanding what sounds good to people and how to make those sounds in certain ways.

You truly are the King of rock and roll.

 

[The King of Rock and Roll]

Perception. Music is perception. Take a minor chord for instance, it creates a dark, ominous, forboding presence, not because of what it is, but because of how you hear it. Thats all music theory is, simply understanding what sounds good to people and how to make those sounds in certain ways.

You truly are the King of rock and roll.

I'm humbled. Yay.

OT: There honestly is no answer. It just is. I don't know how to wrap my head around it, it's like certain philisophical issues that I can simply think about for hours, but not ever understand completely. I'm sure there is an answer there somewhere, but I have no idea how to find it. Music theory is really a combination of phsycology and technical profiency on any given instrument. I can't delve into it any deeper because my mind isn't able to, I don't know any more. It's like getting an error message when trying to open a file that doesn't exist.

 

[Ibanez887]

I think its mainly because all good artists and composers put a piece of their emotions and souls into the song/piece they are making
Like Stairway To Heavens' solo at the end, you can tell Jimmy Page is pouring his soul into his Les Paul