Bobby McFerrin: Watch me play.....the Audience!!!!
The Power of the Pentatonic Scale
Speaker Bobby McFerrin
This video is based on how our brain neurons and notes from music scales coincide with one another. The video opens up with an World Science Festival intro. The actual performance was done at the festival and was edited in down to 3 minutes. After the intro the Bobby begins his performance by hopping in a horizontal path along the stage singing notes of the Pentatonic Scale. The pentatonic scales consists of five notes within one octave on either the major or minor scale. After a few hops with a little help on vocal guidance the audience was able to sing a song using the pentatonic scale just by watching Bobbys movements on stage. Our brain neurons transmit information based on what we hear, feel, smell, see, or touch. So based on visual of where Bobby was standing on stage, the audience was able to predetermine the notes in order as a chorus.
Bobby McFerrin is a classical conductor, spokesperson for music education, and one of the worlds best known vocal innovators and improvisors. He has also collaborated with many artists and bands and has sold many copies of his music including his version of "Don't Worry, Be Happy". (Ted.com)
What stood out to me about this video is that I'm into music as well. Seeing how music scales and music itself impacts how our brain thinks really stands out to me. As a musician, when I write songs I sometimes use scales that are so unique that the listener happens to sing or hum along to it predetermining, what the next bar or note may be in succession.
What made this video gain over three million views is crowd accelerated innovation. Many skeptics, innovators and so on attend the World Science Festival to celebrate and explore the different aspects and new findings in science. Bobby was able to show the attendees what they are capable of based on how the brain allows them to perceive things.
Check out the video here: Watch me play...the Audience
