Musicians Are Good Mathematicians

[LIwayway]

Hi guys. Who among you here do math at the same time plays music?
Music is a lot of mathematics, right?

yeah! (Music)(Music)(Music)(Music)

I too play drums and a little of guitars..
How about the others?

 

[MarkFL]

I've moved this thread here to our Chat Room, since it is more of an informal chat among our members, which is always welcomed, and enriches our site too. :D

There are quite a few here who are musically inclined. I play just a little piano, and also play E-flat alto and B-flat/F tenor trombones, and have a decent bass voice. On a good day I can hit B-flat below low C (the pedal tone of my tenor trombone in first position in B-flat "mode").

 

[LIwayway]

I've moved this thread here to our Chat Room, since it is more of an informal chat among our members, which is always welcomed, and enriches our site too. :D

There are quite a few here who are musically inclined. I play just a little piano, and also play E-flat alto and B-flat/F tenor trombones, and have a decent bass voice. On a good day I can hit B-flat below low C (the pedal tone of my tenor trombone in first position in B-flat "mode").

Yah. it's fine. I'll get use to the categories soon. :)
Quite great to hear from you mark. Such a talent yet so humble.

Are you a math teacher or something who makes time playing on gigs on some music bars?

 

[MarkFL]

I do both simply for my own enjoyment. My "humility" in both areas is well-founded, believe me. :D My paying gig used to be computer programming, but I am retired now. :D

 

[Ackbach]

Definitely agree that math and music go together. They do with me, at least. I, too, dabble in music: piano is my main instrument, but I sing as well, and play recorder (F instruments) and the Highland snare drum. It's a terrific avocation.

 

[Deveno]

Mathematics and music have some nice features in common:

1. An internal logic sufficient unto itself
2. An internal aesthetic of beauty
3. A flexible language appropriate to situations of varying complexity

I think musical aptitude and/or appreciation naturally lends itself to a similar attitude towards math. Neither one is necessary in order to survive, but both have the capacity to stir feelings of amazement, even awe.

(Possible connections between math and music are explored quite beautifully in the book: Godel, Escher, Bach which ought to be required reading, in my humble opinion).

 

[soroban]

In high school, I got straight A's in math. My math teacher (Martin
Van de Visse) was furious when I announced that I wanted to major
in Music (like my music teacher, Robert Remais).

Well, I studied Music for two years until the Dean said something
I didn't like. (He said, "Get off my campus!")

Seriously though , I flunked out and joined the Marines. Afterwards,
I majored in Math, figuring it was something to do while I figured
out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Thanks to several
of my professors, I was completely turned on by Mathematics and
found my calling: Teaching Mathematics. .But I digress ...

While at music school, I "invented" a mode of music which I called
a "beer bottle band." By filling beer bottles with various levels of
water and blowing on the necks, you produce musical tones.
I arranged music so we could play popular songs with harmony
and rhythmic accompaniament.

The trick was to arrange the music so each "player" had at most
two bottles to play, and to make sure that no one had to play
two consecutive notes. You also had to select people who could
read music, who could count rests and play his/her note when
needed.

At one of our fraternity parties, we put on a short concert.
We play a lively version of "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue".
Later we played backup for a flute solo of "Swinging
Shepherd Blues". The finale was a rich arrangement of
"September Song" with syrupy chords and a Stan Kenton
type set of final chords.

Ah, those were the days!
As the old timer said, "The older I get, the better I was."

 

[Deveno]

In high school, I got straight A's in math. My math teacher (Martin
Van de Visse) was furious when I announced that I wanted to major
in Music (like my music teacher, Robert Remais).

Well, I studied Music for two years until the Dean said something
I didn't like. (He said, "Get off my campus!")

Seriously though , I flunked out and joined the Marines. Afterwards,
I majored in Math, figuring it was something to do while I figured
out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Thanks to several
of my professors, I was completely turned on by Mathematics and
found my calling: Teaching Mathematics. .But I digress ...

While at music school, I "invented" a mode of music which I called
a "beer bottle band."...

Interestingly enough, the composer Harry Partch composed an entire body of work based on similar "home-made" instruments, one of my favorites is "On a Japanese Theme" from Delusion of the Fury.

 

[ModusPonens]

One of those things I wanted to do for a long time is to make a computer program that, every time it is executed, it plays a new version of the Terry Riley composition "In C".

In fact it would be cool to program it in the language C so I could say that I programmed "In C" in C.

 

[Deveno]

One of those things I wanted to do for a long time is to make a computer program that, every time it is executed, it plays a new version of the Terry Riley composition "In C".

In fact it would be cool to program it in the language C so I could say that I programmed "In C" in C.

Would that make "In C" an idempotent operator?

 

[ModusPonens]

Would that make "In C" an idempotent operator?

Excelent! ;)

 

[LIwayway]

I do both simply for my own enjoyment. My "humility" in both areas is well-founded, believe me. :D My paying gig used to be computer programming, but I am retired now. :D

Hahaha. We'll definitely, such a witty reply. It made me laugh. hahahaha ;) ;) ;) ;)

- - - Updated - - -

Mathematics and music have some nice features in common:

1. An internal logic sufficient unto itself
2. An internal aesthetic of beauty
3. A flexible language appropriate to situations of varying complexity

I think musical aptitude and/or appreciation naturally lends itself to a similar attitude towards math. Neither one is necessary in order to survive, but both have the capacity to stir feelings of amazement, even awe.

(Possible connections between math and music are explored quite beautifully in the book: Godel, Escher, Bach which ought to be required reading, in my humble opinion).

hey. This one's a good insight. thanks!

 

[LIwayway]

In high school, I got straight A's in math. My math teacher (Martin
Van de Visse) was furious when I announced that I wanted to major
in Music (like my music teacher, Robert Remais).

Well, I studied Music for two years until the Dean said something
I didn't like. (He said, "Get off my campus!")

Seriously though , I flunked out and joined the Marines. Afterwards,
I majored in Math, figuring it was something to do while I figured
out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Thanks to several
of my professors, I was completely turned on by Mathematics and
found my calling: Teaching Mathematics. .But I digress ...

While at music school, I "invented" a mode of music which I called
a "beer bottle band." By filling beer bottles with various levels of
water and blowing on the necks, you produce musical tones.
I arranged music so we could play popular songs with harmony
and rhythmic accompaniament.

The trick was to arrange the music so each "player" had at most
two bottles to play, and to make sure that no one had to play
two consecutive notes. You also had to select people who could
read music, who could count rests and play his/her note when
needed.

At one of our fraternity parties, we put on a short concert.
We play a lively version of "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue".
Later we played backup for a flute solo of "Swinging
Shepherd Blues". The finale was a rich arrangement of
"September Song" with syrupy chords and a Stan Kenton
type set of final chords.

Ah, those were the days!
As the old timer said, "The older I get, the better I was."

hey. I enjoyed reading your story. You are a man with rich experience.
By reading it, I have recalled mine... andddd teneneennen! THOSE WERE THE DAYS! :)