July Contest: Gossip

[D.H. Miltz]

Ready, steady, go.

[mellotronaut]

[evo2slo]

[robogone]

Started on mine early this month so should be me a few opportunities for u-turns as and when needed

[V'ger]

Lol, too obvious. Expecting a lot of horns nevertheless..

[waltercruz]

Cool theme, I'm thinking about entering the contest this month.

[furrytoes]

"Alien Music" is a really good theme - a lot of scope without being so amorphous as to allow practically anything.
For realism, don't forget, that for creatures from another planet to have 12 notes within a scale all conforming to our classical equal tempered system, I would say, is very unlikely.

[PurpleCatfishBettie]

indeed, this contest theme has 'exotic scales/intonations' written all over it.

[evo2slo]

No matter what planet you live on pi is 3.14..., and a perfect fifth is a 3:2 ratio, so aside from possible scale and frequency (based on biological size) differences the basic mathematical intervals would be the same.

And just as probable as it is that they would use a different tone scale (53?) than 12, it's also equally likely that they would use the same 12-tone scale that we do for the same practical reasons. It has become by far the most popular on Earth, so is it that far-fetched to think it would also be popular on other planets as well?

[furrytoes]

And just as probable as it is that they would use a different tone scale (53?) than 12, it's also equally likely that they would use the same 12-tone scale

What makes you think they will have ears like ours, tuned to hear the same tones as we do, that pick up the same dynamics and range that we do?
That their planet or place of residence even allows for sound waves to travel the same way ours do.
And that they will have evolved just like us and are at the same stage of evolution and that their brains will be tuned just like ours to find tones like the ones we like, pleasing?
It seems to me, that you assume an extraordinary amount of similarities.

[evo2slo]

I'm assuming these similarities because of the theme:

"Some type of contact with extraterrestrials has been made. The aliens have sent music. Let us hear it."

The aliens have intentionally sent us music. That implies that they do have access to the same tones, dynamics, and range that we hear. But maybe they listen through their noses, who knows.

If their planet doesn't allow for sound waves to travel in they way ours does, then how would they send us music? I guess they could do it telepathically, but the theme says, "let us hear it." The music will need to be transferred into sound waves at some point.

Just as musical tastes differ within our own species, I wouldn't expect their tastes to be the same, even amongst each other. I'm just saying the basic harmonic principles, because they are based on mathematics, would probably be similar. And those mathematical ratios in addition to practical performance issues are what led us to develop the 12-tone scale, so it's likely that they may have done the same. Occam's razor.

[JJBiener]

I am always amazed at what people find to argue about. This is supposed to be fun. Why bother arguing exobiology when obviously no one has any practical knowledge on the subject. If we are going to speculate about something, it should be exomusicology. Start with ethnomusicology and then take it one step further. For the purposes of this contest, I think we can assume we are in contact with another carbon-based lifeform similar enough to ourselves as to make communication relatively easy. They would have to be fairly similar to even have a concept such as music compatible with out own. The really interesting question is what would their culture be like and how would that be expressed through their music?

I would hope with all the creative people here, we don't end up with anything that sounds like the soundtrack of 1950's sci-fi flick. There are so many possibilities to explore. As already mentioned, is a 12-tone scale likely? Or would it be 8 or 15. You don't even have to leave our planet to find microtonal scales. If you choose to stick with 12 tones (any why not since it is just as likely as any other number), what can you do with timbre, rhythm, harmony, melody, structure, etc. to create a piece that feels alien, but is still accessible as music?

I look forward to hearing the entries.

[evo2slo]

I am always amazed at what people find to argue about. This is supposed to be fun.

Who's not having fun?

Good points regarding exomusicology, but I don't think exobiology should necessarily be ignored. Gigantic creatures may create very different vocal sounds than tiny creatures, and a ten armed drummer could come up with some very unique rhythms.

I love discussing this kind of stuff, so I hope my enthusiasm doesn't come off as argumentative.

[JJBiener]

Good points regarding exomusicology, but I don't think exobiology should necessarily be ignored. Gigantic creatures may create very different vocal sounds than tiny creatures, and a ten armed drummer could come up with some very unique rhythms.

Evo, just remember that evolution is a harsh mistress. Very large creatures have equally large energy requirements. Constantly searching for and gathering food would cut down opportunities for intellectual development. This of course assumes a relatively Earth-like planet. If the planet was smaller with lower gravity, larger creatures with modest energy requirements could exist, but that would also mean a much thinner atmosphere which would of course change how sound is transmitted. You see, it gets complicated quickly.

Evolution leads to animals that are adapted to their environment. Any discussion of exobiology would also have to include exogeology, exoclimatology, and even exoecology. Beyond that, we have the stipulation and the aliens we are are talking to are not only intelligent, but are advanced enough to have developed technology compatible with our own, and they have a culture that has been able to create music, something fairly low down on the hierarchy of needs.

As you can see, we have now wandered pretty far afield from the discussion of what alien music might sound like. I would like to people put their assumptions about their alien race into their submission posts. It would be interesting to see their thought processes.

[mellotronaut]