Trial and error (or trial by error) can be used in solving problems or learning about new things. It’s a universal method that spans across disciplines. Chemists use the method to find new drugs, mathematicians use it to solve mathematical problems, and musicians use it to create new music. I would like to explore this latter example in a little more detail.
My ability in music is very limited. I would even consider myself musically declined. I cannot sing a song or hold a tune to save my life. I even tried learning to play the guitar, but gave up in utter frustration. Maybe if I gave it more time or disciplined myself more, I could have learned how to play. Oh well. I do consider myself to be a talented music appreciator though. I have always had a knack for discovering unique and interesting new music and bands to follow. My friends have praised these abilities (or at least I think they have) when I’ve offered them new music recommendations.
Recently, I came across the artist Gotye by listening to his incredible song on KCRW called Somebody That I Used to Know. It’s a catchy tune and his voice or the melody in some parts reminds me of Phil Collins songs, sparking 80s flashbacks to my youth. It’s fascinating how songs can take us to different parts of our past. The lyrics are powerful and relatable to those of us who have experienced break-ups. I was intrigued by this artist, so as usual, I explored further.
On his website, I found this amazing documentary about his music-making process. I can assure you it is well-crafted and insightful, but you really need to see it for yourself. As I watched, I was amazed at the amount of learning that took place through experimentation. Gotye creates new musical sounds by discovering old instruments or songs and experimenting with them. I find this interplay between new and old fascinating. He uses a trial and error process and simply experiments with various sounds. He even creates a song inspired by his new (old) Lowrey organ as he discovers the sounds it can make.
So, what can we learn from artistic experimentation? Obviously, it is a process for creating new things. But most importantly, it can make learning fun. It has the ability to put us in a ‘flow’ state, where time seems to melt away.
