I shall now propose a theory that is hybridly composed of physics and philosophy. This theory may or may not have already been proposed by someone else, with its recording in academic textbooks worldwide. I don't recall ever reading about this particular theory elsewhere, so I'll consider this an original idea. If I'm wrong in my consideration, oh well. That's ok. It was a fun thing to think about anyway, and I look forward to sharing my thoughts in the following few paragraphs.
Simply put, my theory is this: sound is not *created*, but merely *released* when all necessary physical factors come into play.
Simply put, my theory is this: sound is not *created*, but merely *released* when all necessary physical factors come into play.
Read on.
Imagine you're about to raise a toast at your brother's wedding rehearsal dinner. You clink your fine silver in a location on the shiny glass goblet that's full of whatever drink you've consented to ingest. Did you actually create that musical note which was the effect of the clink, or did you merely release a sound that was already waiting to be listened to?
(Whaaa? you say...)
Let's attempt relating the goblet clink to an 8-second ride on a bronc at the rodeo. Picture yourself with a vintage Stetson atop your skull. You're about to open the gate to let the horse-and-rider have their go in the arena. The end of the brief countdown is your cue; gate opens according to your muscular power, the cowboy and his animal burst out, the bronc commences jerking the cowboy to-and-fro, and the crowd goes wild. For kicks and giggles, let's imagine the cowboy achieved his 8-second-ride and scored big points.
Did you, as the gatekeeper, create that 8-second-ride, or did you merely release from the bullpen the ride that was already waiting to occur?
A number of factors always lies behind the concoction of a sound, and a sound happens only if the final factor shows up to the scene. Often, that final factor is a person's voluntary or involuntary momentum that engages with all its fellow factors in order to produce the sound. For example: applause is queued-up noise that's awaiting its release into the atmosphere, which can only occur if the "gatekeeper" wills their palms to rhythmically collide.
Another example: if you're blessed with a healthy enough phonation system----larynx, vocal cords, teeth, tongue, lips, palate, and diaphragm----any word of any language is ready to be spoken by you. All the physical factors are there in your body. But all those phonation system components of yours can't do diddly if the one final factor isn't engaging, and that final factor is your will to utilize your phonation system to release the word of whatever language.
Now, many of you may heartily argue that, No, the sound is still being created. And that's fine; theories are meant to be debated, mine included. But consider this:
Several months ago I taught a special music theory workshop, and I focused the lesson on aural skill development. I concluded class by spouting out my passions about music in general, and said something that I didn't expect myself to say----in fact, I had no idea I even had this opinion in my mind... Paraphrasing what I said: "You know how there's major and minor scales and chords, and all these different harmonies? One thing that is so cool about music is that mankind didn't create those configurations that naturally sound so great together. It seems to have been something that was already there, waiting for mankind to discover and do and enjoy."
I believe this example from my teaching life also illustrates and supports my theory that sound isn't created, but simply released.
There. That's my theory. Got any thoughts about it? Your comments are welcome!
