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 Someone Once Posed a QuestionJune 6, 2008 at 8:09 AM If a violinist plays in a forest and no one hears, does she make a sound?From Antonello Lofù
I would say...Posted on June 6, 2008 at 10:11 AM I hope bears can't hear you!!...In that case however none could hear you screaming!!
From Tobias Seyb
1. Why "she"? ;-)Posted on June 6, 2008 at 10:51 AM 2. Yes. I suppose violinists are not deaf, so "she" can hear her own playing. (Sometimes I wonder if some of my students are in fact deaf to their own playing and my comments as well.) Tobias
From Bill Busen
If a man makes a comment in the forest, and there's no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?
Posted on June 6, 2008 at 4:19 PM From Pauline Lerner
Tobias, my sympathy. My students are sometimes like that, too.
Posted on June 6, 2008 at 4:19 PM From jake bush
The sexist answer would be, "No, SHE doesn't make a sound, but HE does."
Posted on June 6, 2008 at 5:18 PM From Ruth Kuefler
If a violinist plays in the forest, and no one hears, wouldn't that make the violinist deaf??
Posted on June 6, 2008 at 6:00 PM From Tom Holzman
Ruth's point is a good one. Suppose further, that there is one person who hears but only claps with one hand. I think this discussion may be getting beyond metaphysical.
Posted on June 6, 2008 at 6:21 PM From Bill Busen
"If a violinist plays in the forest, and no one hears, wouldn't that make the violinist deaf??"Posted on June 6, 2008 at 6:35 PM Why do you think the violinist has to go into the forest to play?
From Antonello Lofù
Common.....He makes a sound!!! it's not like these space movies where you can hear the collision or an explosion even though there is not air in the space
Posted on June 6, 2008 at 7:22 PM From Rosalind Porter
It would be one very strange forest if there was no "life" at all present which could hear the violinist. What about the birds, the mammals like squirrels, bears, rats etc. depending on what continent you were playing. We know that insects can hear and even some reptiles. Posted on June 6, 2008 at 7:42 PM So, don't think we can get all philosophical about this one... ;-) However, one thing I would love to know from any scientific types here is - if a violinist went to the Moon, got out the spacecraft with his/her violin and bow and started to play - would they make a sound? No air to transmit sound waves on the moon... so I am assuming you'd hear nothing? Other thing is, if you took a violin out of a spacecraft onto the Moon's surface, or indeed on a space-walk from the ISS, would it survive, or would it suffer a horrid fate?
From Anne Horvath
If a violinist plays in the forest, and no one hears, does she make union scale?
Posted on June 6, 2008 at 10:00 PM From Carol Cook
at least no one will fault her intonation...
Posted on June 7, 2008 at 12:10 AM From Yixi Zhang
If no one hears is one thing, no one in the whole universe is capable of hearing is a different story. It’s the later puts the existence, or the concept, or the term of 'sound' into question.
Posted on June 7, 2008 at 12:41 AM From Drew Lecher
Anne,Posted on June 7, 2008 at 4:39 AM "If a violinist plays in the forest, and no one hears, does she make union scale? " Is that Major or minor scale……pay?
From Anne Horvath
Pardon my vagueness. Specifically, Union Phrygian Scale, e.g., "This Alaska gig is so cold, our fingers are Phrygian."
Posted on June 7, 2008 at 11:31 AM From Bob Annis
Interestingly enough, I believe a violinist on the Moon would be able to hear her violin thru bone conduction. Briefly, and assuming she took care not to hold her breath, which would cause lungs to burst and eardrums to rupture, from trying to contain the expanding gases. Meanwhile, eyeballs would burst, and ice formation would freeze the various bodily fluids which, being relieved of atmospheric pressure, would be boiling away merrily.Posted on June 7, 2008 at 6:12 PM The varnish on the violin would outgas quickly, the bow hairs would snap from the pressure of being played while frozen, and any mosture left in the violin wood would freeze and rupture wooden tubules. The violin would remain viable longer than the violinist, whose exposure to vacuum and near absolute zero temps (assuming she's in shadow) would render her into a dessicated wreck in a short while. Unconsciousness would occur in seconds, mercifully enough. I think that's the rough scenario.
From Mazz Swift-Camlet
I have to say - I've enjoyed Bob's response the most. you are a very entertaining group of people!
Posted on June 7, 2008 at 8:14 PM From Rosalind Porter
Cool response Bob, thanks for that! It definitely satisfies my curiosity (though I was assuming the violinist would be wearing a space suit!) Interesting how the violin and bow would react.
Posted on June 7, 2008 at 11:15 PM From Ruth Kuefler
Emily, I do believe you have just made a record for number of comments outweighing length of blog. ;)
Posted on June 8, 2008 at 3:08 AM From Emily Grossman
:)
Posted on June 8, 2008 at 6:28 AM From Tom Holzman
That's what is cool about Emily's blogs. They are interesting enough to generate lots of comment. Keep it up, Emily!
Posted on June 8, 2008 at 3:00 PM From Stephen Brivati
Greetings,Posted on June 8, 2008 at 10:29 PM if a violnist played in a rainforest they were bloody lucky to find one, Cheers, Buri This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments. |
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