Why do humans like music?

[jgweed]

While we can never know the earliest origins of music, we can say for certain that music was important by the time we have evidence. We would suspect that even at an earlier time, music and dance were inseparable, and more likely than not were a form of social interaction (Stravinsky's Rite of Spring may be more significant than just a ballet score).

Perhaps the earliest rhythm was 2/4 (march time) which matches the human heart beat. The most common key has been C; it is said that the sounds of nature are always in that key.

[CarolA]

Originally Posted by BMW

Hello, CarolA:

Well, why do we all assume that stopping to hear music is more like stopping to sleep rather than like stopping to smoke?

Haven't you considered the possibility of it being sort of an intellectual drug? Of course there might be some good side effects -calm, a feeling of happiness- but there might as well be some bad ones.

For example, don't you think that it would be much better to learn how to solve each problem we face rather than playing something or hearing some music? Don't you think there is a chance that our bad temper is more related to the fact that we know there is an easy option and therefore we don't want to face whatever is upsetting us? (And we are upset or sad or... hungry or something most of time... else we wouldn't even move).

As I have said before I also use part of my time to play and listen music, and lately it worries me...

Well, I guess if you want to sit in silence and do nothing it might be a good alternative, I prefer to do things and stay happy. "Facing" what is upsetting us can often mean using something like music or a brisk walk around the park to calm ourselves down. Oddly enough, sitting in silence and stewing over problems has never solved a single crisis in my life.
Being sad, upset or even hungry most of the time could also be a sign of ill health, it doesn't sound like a good way to feel.

[CarolA]

Originally Posted by jgweed

Perhaps the earliest rhythm was 2/4 (march time) which matches the human heart beat. The most common key has been C; it is said that the sounds of nature are always in that key.

Hmm! and often having to work with amateur musicians I would say it is also the most popular because of the lack of flats and sharps!

Most European and Middle eastern folk music seems to be based on a pentatonic or minor pentatonic scale. Keep in mind that writing down music was a fairly recent idea, so C major was probably just a middle of the sound scale key. Before we had a tempered scale all the keys would have had a different sound, but that doesn't really matter so much with modern instruments.

[BMW]

Originally Posted by CarolA

Well, I guess if you want to sit in silence and do nothing it might be a good alternative, I prefer to do things and stay happy. "Facing" what is upsetting us can often mean using something like music or a brisk walk around the park to calm ourselves down. Oddly enough, sitting in silence and stewing over problems has never solved a single crisis in my life.
Being sad, upset or even hungry most of the time could also be a sign of ill health, it doesn't sound like a good way to feel.

I don't mean I am precisely sad, upset or hungry all the time! . It was a way of speaking.

I meant that whatever we do, we do it with te purpose of achieving something. I don't think a perfectly satisfied person would bother to move. You need to know that the move will not be a waste of energy.

Maybe, even being happy, you see the way of being even more happy. Or you fear stopping doing something would make you unhappy. For example, if I stopped working I would be in trouble. So, even if my job isn't exactly what I crave to do every single day, I still come.

Another example: Prozac will calm you, and, in case you are close to a crisis, maybe it is a good idea to take a pill not to go out of the window. But to take it everyday instead to learn to calm yourself doesn't seem adequate.

What I fear of music is that it isn't useful for itself. But for the effect listening to it, or playing it, produces. And you can easyly achieve the same efect, say, learning to solve a differential equation.

I think we accept music as a treat just because apparently there are no side effects. Happiness for free. But I am no more so sure about that... To have an easy option doesn't always pay, I think.

Hope my English is understandable enough... I'm not used to write, and reading is much easier.

Regards,

S.

[Ennui]

The possession of tranquil is inside music.

[Khethil]

Originally Posted by BMW

(From the point of view of a being evolving towards better characteristics to survive somehow it doesn't make much sense... excepting the evident cultural one).

My doubt is, should we like music at all?

Absolutely! It's another form of communication... but one that leans towards the emotional. Sharing emotions has its own utility - not the least of which is strengthening the bonds between us. It can rally support, evoke empathy, calm the mood and much, much more!

• The flow of a string quartet, in andante, communicates relaxation and flow
• A soaring chorus, the swell of volume; elation, anger, desperation, etc.
• The dirge; morose, loss, pain
• A warm, lingering spanish guitar piece; tranquility
• Moonlight Sonata; floating on warm air on a summer night
• Rebellion, Angst, Worship, Adoration, Pleading, Elation, Dismissal, Loss and much, much more.

Yea, I'd say completely-useful and infinitely-flexible part of human communication that is indeed grounded in utility (use).

------

[mattpresti.com]

i think because music precedes humans in the wave, music is a preceding free flow of idea and inspiration which produces a desired effect upon our sensing spirit, heart, and mind. We manifest the idea in song as the song manifests the idea of us which stimulates the pineal and satisfies the right brain...i like it because it's imagination driven.

[seerskater]

Originally Posted by BMW

Hello, CarolA:


For example, don't you think that it would be much better to learn how to solve each problem we face rather than playing something or hearing some music? Don't you think there is a chance that our bad temper is more related to the fact that we know there is an easy option and therefore we don't want to face whatever is upsetting us? .

when you are upset about something, you are not upset because of whatever is bothering you, you are upset because you know there is an easy way out?

I dont know about you, but i dont like to spend all of my time solving my problems. i guess in the way you consider music a "drug" you could consider anything recreational a drug.

[BMW]

Originally Posted by seerskater

when you are upset about something, you are not upset because of whatever is bothering you, you are upset because you know there is an easy way out?

I dont know about you, but i dont like to spend all of my time solving my problems. i guess in the way you consider music a "drug" you could consider anything recreational a drug.

I enjoy enormously music. In fact I play the trumpet regularly. I like reading novels, and riding a bike. I have lots of fun playing with my youngest brother with paper planes. And I don't like spending all my time solving my problems. Many times, when I do have some problem, I choose to solve some logic puzzle instead.

Here is where the doubt arises. When I solve some real problem, be it as silly as figuring out the best configuration of my data files or how to keep my desk ordered or as serious as choosing the job that suits me better and manage to get it I feel just as great as when I just go to a concert.

And sometimes, after "disconnecting" a whole afternoon listening to or playing music, I find neglected stuff. Normally not important stuff, I'm quite responsible. It's stuff that can wait a day, a week, even a year. But I started to think of it and I don't recollect a single day of my life when I would have been able to say everyting was done (and I wonder if someone is ever able).

I know no human being will move a single finger in case they can't feel better by doing so. And, for me, music is one of the most efficient things to make me feel well enough to calculate I couldn't possibly feel any better whatever I do.

It's happiness for free. And that is economically unsound . If happiness is meant to be our objective so that when we work to survive we feel happy (at least there seems to be little other explanation handy), whenever we do something to feel well that isn't really helping us, then we aren't doing as much as we could to really improve our life.

As for music, I wish very much to find out that it really is of use.

[CarolA]

Originally Posted by BMW

And sometimes, after "disconnecting" a whole afternoon listening to or playing music, I find neglected stuff. Normally not important stuff, I'm quite responsible. It's stuff that can wait a day, a week, even a year. But I started to think of it and I don't recollect a single day of my life when I would have been able to say everything was done (and I wonder if someone is ever able).

My feelings are that when you get to the stage of having nothing more to do then you either have a real problem or you have reached a stage of Nirvana. My rather restless spirit can always find another goal or a way of improving something, whether it's my musicianship, the garden or studying something. As for doubting whether something is "economically unsound" - that is the worst possible reason for liking something. Remember - everyone know who Mozart was, no-one remembers his accountant.