The language of music

[youngmusician]

Recently I watched a an interview with the composer of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. And I was amazed to find how he believed that music was a language and even dared to go to Egypt without knowing a word of arabic. So I thought, why not have a thread in which people communicate using just music.

[Thorn]

You might be interested in these books:

The Language of Music- Deryck Cooke
A generative theory of tonal music- Lehrdahl & Jackendoff

The first is a bit forced in places and only really looks at Renaissance/Baroque/Classical music. The second book is brilliant- I still find it a bit heavy because I'm of the mind let's just enjoy music and leave it be, but as an analogy of how music is like a language, it's the best out there.

Also, I can see this thread turning into a discussion and probably belonging on the other board- unless you mean for people to write music to post in order to communicate?

[Ander]

Recently I watched a an interview with the composer of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. And I was amazed to find how he believed that music was a language and even dared to go to Egypt without knowing a word of arabic. So I thought, why not have a thread in which people communicate using just music.

Is that even possible? People using music to communicate? I can see how we can get our feelings across, but a whole detail of a conversation? I find that hard to believe.

[Emeraldshine]

From what I've heard, interpretation of meaning in music is not an innate ability—it must be learned. Arabic quarter-tone music might sound jarring and dissonant to western ears, regardless of intended meaning. That being said, I think some music is more universal than others. I'd imagine that John Mackey's Asphalt Cocktail sounds like insanity, no matter who you are. Which is the whole point.

[BlazingDragon]

From what I've heard, interpretation of meaning in music is not an innate ability—it must be learned. Arabic quarter-tone music might sound jarring and dissonant to western ears, regardless of intended meaning. That being said, I think some music is more universal than others. I'd imagine that John Mackey's Asphalt Cocktail sounds like insanity, no matter who you are. Which is the whole point.

While what you said regarding quarter-tone music holds true, I have also heard arguments in favor of the universality of music. Some go so far as to say that the pentatonic scale (or at least some form of it) is cross-cultural. here is a short, fun video about it: http://vimeo.com/5732745

I don't know exactly where I stand on the issue, but it's certainly interesting.

[izacki]

Every way of communication must has a rule, so that people can base on it to understand what the others saying ) as : C -sol - c means : I love you
But we can feel a sad or a happy melody right ? So I think it's a better way to use music as a way of expressing feelings :">