The Search of an Ecology of Music, Reading Response Post

I really enjoyed this essay. It was really interesting how music, math, sound and the earths actions can somehow all be interrelated. While I do have some Hindu views, so I do believe in transmigration, a circular view of time and an interrelated aspect of all things, I never really considered it was something that could really be proven or shown so efficiently.

The first thing was the use of computers involved in The Place Where You Go To Listen. It really proves the human tendency towards paradox because he speaks about how we use computers to create things that do such immense harm to the world, but as well things that truly enhance and benefit our world. Also the fact that when I think of a computer I think of technical, robotic movements not art. While I do know that computers are very very often used to make art now, it just seems like these two aspects would be miles away.

Again a paradox showed up when he wrote of the reality, or unreality of sound. From what I know of philosophy and sound I believe that sound and many aspects of the world are based on vibrations. The man who is doing my tattoo actually told me of a study where a person would put his or her hands over a droplet of water and would think either angry or happy thoughts and after they did this they would look at the droplet of water under a microscope and when angry thoughts were thought the water would be erratic and chaotic. And when the happy thoughts were thought they water would be very fluid and make beautiful patterns. When I actually went to The Place Where You Go To Listen the first thing I thought of was the sense of vibrations I felt. I have had a tattoo done before and when I did I could feel the vibration reverberate through my body and this almost made my thoughts sort of erratic. Now this is debatable because of course it hurts so maybe my thoughts were erratic for that reason, but we will never know. Again, the human tendency towards paradox.

While I really, really enjoyed the concept of this essay it seemed sort of like one very long run on sentence. It seemed to throw all of this technical music terminology that didn't quite make sense. While I am no music major I do know quite a few of the technical terms, it just seemed that they were a little jumbled. The description of the sound and the intricacy of the making of this room were great and almost made me feel like I could hear what it would sound like before I even saw the room. His writing really did the job of asserting his complex understanding of music, math, sound and the connection they all bare, as well as with the rest of the world. It makes me wonder if maybe a painting could be made in the same way, possibly by channeling the vibrations into a paintbrush or something of that sort. His piece made me think and question and that is always very very good.