What is art?

Undertoad · 12-01-2018, 11:14 AM

People like music because they like *patterns*. If the patterns are too obvious, we say the music is lame. When the patterns are typical enough to recognize, but unusual enough to be surprising, we like it. When the patterns are too unusual and unrecognizable, we say the music is confusing.

We then apply meaning and story to those patterns, so we can recognize them and codify them. This is actually all because recognizing patterns is important to all animals' survival in nature. One beat is a predator's footsteps, coming for us. Another beat is our family's footsteps, or even our mother's heartbeat in the womb. The sounds of both danger and of safety are a deep part of our evolution and our understanding of the world.

People like songs with lyrics, because they present patterns that are already given meaning. Before the development of writing and printing, early humans advanced by creating stories, poetry, and songs they could remember across generations. By using sounds that were similar in pattern (i.e., rhymes) they could more easily remember them. This gave stories, poetry, and music much greater importance as knowledge and wisdom could now spread across generations more easily.

This is why art is a part of human evolution, why it is deeply spiritual, and why nobody much lives without some form of it in their lives.

Griff · 12-03-2018, 08:20 AM

The re-admission of middles and highs into my brain has reawakened my interest in different musical styles, it's been a blessing. I really think that losing touch with music and sound in general can have a profound impact on the brain and not in a good way.

From the department of familiar sounds: Paul Simon, who still has a beautiful voice, played two of his classics on SNL but with ymusic backing him. Honestly it looked pretentious and out of touch much like SNL generally, but maybe I'm a stick in the mud.

Flint · 12-03-2018, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

... our mother's heartbeat in the womb.

Blues. The standard form of the blues shuffle.

You'd think that people would get bored with a form of music that generally does the same basic patterns over and over. But...

ba Bump
ba Bump
ba Bump
ba Bump

It feels so good.

Griff · 12-03-2018, 01:58 PM

Coming Home by Leon Bridges is cozy as the womb.

12-03-2018, 08:20 AM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	The re-admission of middles and highs into my brain has reawakened my interest in different musical styles, it's been a blessing. I really think that losing touch with music and sound in general can have a profound impact on the brain and not in a good way. From the department of familiar sounds: Paul Simon, who still has a beautiful voice, played two of his classics on SNL but with ymusic backing him. Honestly it looked pretentious and out of touch much like SNL generally, but maybe I'm a stick in the mud. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

12-03-2018, 01:58 PM	#4
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Coming Home by Leon Bridges is cozy as the womb. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

12-01-2018, 11:14 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	People like music because they like patterns. If the patterns are too obvious, we say the music is lame. When the patterns are typical enough to recognize, but unusual enough to be surprising, we like it. When the patterns are too unusual and unrecognizable, we say the music is confusing. We then apply meaning and story to those patterns, so we can recognize them and codify them. This is actually all because recognizing patterns is important to all animals' survival in nature. One beat is a predator's footsteps, coming for us. Another beat is our family's footsteps, or even our mother's heartbeat in the womb. The sounds of both danger and of safety are a deep part of our evolution and our understanding of the world. People like songs with lyrics, because they present patterns that are already given meaning. Before the development of writing and printing, early humans advanced by creating stories, poetry, and songs they could remember across generations. By using sounds that were similar in pattern (i.e., rhymes) they could more easily remember them. This gave stories, poetry, and music much greater importance as knowledge and wisdom could now spread across generations more easily. This is why art is a part of human evolution, why it is deeply spiritual, and why nobody much lives without some form of it in their lives.

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