Comments on: The experience is priceless http://twonotesahead.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/the-experience-is-priceless/ Aidan Nulman rants about the future of music. Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:54:36 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Charlie http://twonotesahead.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/the-experience-is-priceless/#comment-201 Charlie Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:54:00 +0000 http://twonotesahead.wordpress.com/?p=73#comment-201 This post made me think of a study that's mentioned in 'Made to Stick.' In the study, there were two groups of people: tappers and listeners. The tappers had to tap the tune of 'Happy Birthday' on a wood table while the listeners had to guess what they were tapping. When asked how confident they were in their abilities, the tappers said that the listeners probably had a 50% chance of guessing correctly. Only 2% of the listeners guessed right! The tappers were furious because they couldn't understand how the listeners were missing it. But the tune was in the tappers' heads to begin with; the listeners were just hearing random knocks. So, to expand on your point... you won't connect to the right frame of mind until you have some empirical understanding. You have to experience something before you can gain any sort of deeper appreciation for it. This post made me think of a study that’s mentioned in ‘Made to Stick.’

In the study, there were two groups of people: tappers and listeners. The tappers had to tap the tune of ‘Happy Birthday’ on a wood table while the listeners had to guess what they were tapping. When asked how confident they were in their abilities, the tappers said that the listeners probably had a 50% chance of guessing correctly.

Only 2% of the listeners guessed right! The tappers were furious because they couldn’t understand how the listeners were missing it. But the tune was in the tappers’ heads to begin with; the listeners were just hearing random knocks.

So, to expand on your point… you won’t connect to the right frame of mind until you have some empirical understanding. You have to experience something before you can gain any sort of deeper appreciation for it.

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