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Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Feb 26, 2015 17:30:24 GMT -5
www.huffingtonpost.com/natalie-kalin/a-nature-vs-nurture-debat_b_6740086.htmlThis is an interesting article I read that questions why one's music taste is the way it is and it is an interesting question. Why do you think our music taste is the way it is and why do you think it might be so different from siblings or friends? Why do we have a natural reaction to liking some songs and disliking others? Can you help liking the music you like?
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2015 18:28:14 GMT -5
There's definitely an underlying biological component to what sounds and types of music are appealing and unappealing, but I don't think that's where the vast majority of differences in music taste come from. I definitely think music taste is developed and refined mostly through one's own life experiences.
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spooky21
Diamond Member
Secretly I'm so amused that nobody understands me.
Joined: April 2005
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Post by spooky21 on Feb 27, 2015 8:01:34 GMT -5
The nature bit is how we respond to music cords, i.e. sound. There is the prevailing theory that all songs are pretty much made up of the rearrangement and progression of 4 chords and that each of those cord evokes a certain feeling, i.e pleasant, suspense, angst, resolution, etc. We are likely biologically wired to have a general reaction to those chords when isolated. The progressive arrangement of those chords, which is influenced by nurture, is what can override the nature bit. The style of arrangements that you hear on repeat during developmental and pivotal moments of your life will generally associate certain feelings with that period hence you will end up naturally searching for those similar note progressions and arrangements. And since we are all human, we eventually stop evolving and end up going back to things and behaviors that previously defined us, hence our music choices at some point become static. Not a music theory expert in any sense of the word but logically this makes sense to me. Here is an interesting read about those 4 cords on Reddit. The second comment shares some additional thought on feelings associated with cords: www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ekl67/
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Post by K. on Mar 1, 2015 18:06:43 GMT -5
If the experts think there is a "nature" component, I have no basis on which to disagree. Obviously there's something innate in us that is drawn to music, as music has been around essentially since there were people. I would think, however, that music taste is mostly a cultural, i.e. "nuture" phenomenon. How else to explain the progression of music trends and taste over time? Why does a song grow "stale"? Does biology explain that?
I think the musical sweet spot occurs when a song feels vaguely familiar but then does something unexpected. This is what we perceive as "fresh," even though it falls into a well-established genre. There maybe something biological/psychological in that -- that we like things that are just a little bit new -- and that causes the constant evolution of music.
I don't know, just thinking out loud.
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