Why are so many geeks also musicians?

[ITGITC]

 

Why are so many geeks also musicians?

 

From Infoworld, here's an interesting article for you monkeys, KLONK.

 

Something essential draws people with musical talent into the computing world. The link between programming and music is obvious... the link lies in improvisation.

 

And of course, there's the gear.

[DanS]

Makes sense, if you like music that sounds programmed.

 

You're such a geek Tom.

[offnote]

Why are so many geeks also musicians?

 

but are those musicians really good one? or is this affection only because of the technology used...

 

How many jazz or classical pianists are also geeks? not many I believe.

 

[OB Dave]

Why are so many geeks also musicians?

 

Because if you can handle D.S. al fine, you can handle this:

 

  for (i = 0; i < 2; i++)
  {
     play_A_section();
  }
  play_coda();
  exit(0);

 

 

 

 

 

 

[timwat]

Why are so many geeks also musicians?

 

but are those musicians really good one? or is this affection only because of the technology used...

 

How many jazz or classical pianists are also geeks? not many I believe.

 

Well, I spent over a decade of my career as a professional geek, and am struggling to become a jazz pianist now. That may not count, though.

[gryphon]

Because if you can handle D.S. al fine, you can handle this:

 

  for (i = 0; i < 2; i++)
  {
     play_A_section();
  }
  play_coda();
  exit(0);

[JeffLearman]

Why are keyboard players the geekiest musicians?

[zephonic]

The answer is so simple, it's obvious:

 

Playing music is the only way a geek could ever get a hot girl.

[ksoper]

Playing music is the only way a geek could ever get a hot girl.

 

Always worked for me.

[The Real MC]

Why are keyboard players the geekiest musicians?

 

Because drummers and guitar players cannot comprehend anything more complex than volume and tone.

[Cygnus64]

Why are keyboard players the geekiest musicians?

I take it you have never met any "authentic performance practice" musicians, aka baroque people. Keyboard players are like James Dean compared to them. It's hard to pick up chicks when you play the Sackbut.

[Synthoid]

Why are keyboard players the geekiest musicians?

 

Because drummers and guitar players cannot comprehend anything more complex than volume and tone.

 

[MonksDream]

Why are so many geeks also musicians?

 

Because if you can handle D.S. al fine, you can handle this:

 

  for (i = 0; i < 2; i++)
  {
     play_A_section();
  }
  play_coda();
  exit(0);

As a profession geek AND musician you got it in one!

[richwhite9]

The use of symbolic representational language besides the English Alphabet and both kind of geeks sling keyboards.

 

Then there's the lifestyle which is getting more conservative.

 

There was the rock star adulation that programmers got in the DotCom era which is replaced today by Facebook's Zuckerberg who is closer to a parody of a young Allan Klein than other young aggressive IT owner/managers/creators like Gates and Jobs.

 

If a K-Tel record compilation or a cut-out record bin could be a software application it would be Facebook. There's no accounting for taste when something moves millions of units and turns a profit.

 

If Zuckerberg plays an instrument I'm pretty sure its drums.

 

 

[gryphon]

Then there's the lifestyle which is getting more conservative.

I'm not sure that's true at all. Mitch Kapor, Steve Jobs, and I could go on...liberals then and now. Look at current companies. Amazon, Google, etc. Not conservative. Or am I misunderstanding you?

 

But this is bordering on political, so I will stop here.

[marino]

I can speak only for myself...

 

Despite using computers for music since the times of the Apple II, I'm not a geek by any strecht of the imagination. I hate to open the computer to perform even simple operations like installing a hard disk, and I often need hints from the 'experts' to resolve simple problems.

 

The math and music/art worlds are related, but only to a certain extent. The logical processes involved in music are not so complex. To do both math and music at high levels, you need to be capable of abstract thinking and intuition, but in a slightly diferent way I believe. Also, art and music involve "human" thinking and the communication of feelings, which pure logic doesn't.

 

 

[ITGITC]

But this is bordering on political, so I will stop here.

 

Good call.

 

[DanL]

Then there's the lifestyle which is getting more conservative.

I'm not sure that's true at all. Mitch Kapor, Steve Jobs, and I could go on...liberals then and now. Look at current companies. Amazon, Google, etc. Not conservative. Or am I misunderstanding you?

 

But this is bordering on political, so I will stop here.

 

I read it as not as much of the sex/drugs/rocknroll lifestyle, not political alignment.

[MAJUSCULE]

Why are keyboard players the geekiest musicians?

 

Because drummers and guitar players cannot comprehend anything more complex than volume and tone.

 

You think? Seems to me that they should be able to turn down, then...

[richwhite9]

Then there's the lifestyle which is getting more conservative.

I'm not sure that's true at all. Mitch Kapor, Steve Jobs, and I could go on...liberals then and now. Look at current companies. Amazon, Google, etc. Not conservative. Or am I misunderstanding you?

 

But this is bordering on political, so I will stop here.

 

I read it as not as much of the sex/drugs/rocknroll lifestyle, not political alignment.

 

Yes. Things were absolutely manic in the 90s in the non-COBOL world. Business casual took on a whole new meaning in the DotCom era. Abbie Sciuto would be unemployed today or corporate assimilated.

[JeffLearman]

I'm gonna go with the hot girls theory.

[Steve Force]

Why are keyboard players the geekiest musicians?

 

Because drummers and guitar players cannot comprehend anything more complex than volume and tone.

 

 

+1

[ITGITC]

I'm gonna go with the hot girls theory.

 

And ya know....

 

I am NOT surprised by this.

 

 

 

[Meisenhower]

The answer is so simple, it's obvious:

 

Playing music is the only way a geek could ever get a hot girl.

 

Tell that to the software multi-millionaire who spent their high school and college days getting locked in lockers, participating in "math club" and playing D&D.

 

Amazing what founding a billion dollar company can do for one's social status!

 

[DirtyRubberDuck]

At first I thought it was because learning to play an instrument and programming are both individual tasks that don't require much social interaction, but on second thought, it's the girls.

[Bosendorphen]

When I started playing piano for people (age 7), girls in particular took notice and I had lots of girlfriends as a kid and teen. So there is a corrolation there, at least in my case. But I didn't become a computer geek until my 20s, and later an apps developer in my 30s. But I was married by then so it didn't matter.

[Joe Muscara]

Because we like biting heads off of chickens?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Sorry, I've seen some people lately act like geek can only mean circus geek, so I'm making fun of them. And us! )

[Eric Iverson]

I wish I had more geek in me, so as to understand modern equipment better!

But I guess SOME people would consider me a geek, since I read music well (for a GUITAR PLAYER, LOL) and know music theory..

And yes, use computers effectively at my job as a translator... (the ultimate geek job for a non-silicon guy, I guess.)

 

Doesn't mean I can PROGRAM them, though... I have trouble programming my vacuum cleaner and microwave.......

[Synthoid]

Amazing what founding a billion dollar company can do for one's social status!

 

Another "Martha Stewart" job. Eeeesh.

[Dave Pierce]

Then there's the lifestyle which is getting more conservative.

I'm not sure that's true at all. Mitch Kapor, Steve Jobs, and I could go on...liberals then and now. Look at current companies. Amazon, Google, etc. Not conservative. Or am I misunderstanding you?

 

But this is bordering on political, so I will stop here.

 

I read it as not as much of the sex/drugs/rocknroll lifestyle, not political alignment.

 

Yes. Things were absolutely manic in the 90s in the non-COBOL world. Business casual took on a whole new meaning in the DotCom era. Abbie Sciuto would be unemployed today or corporate assimilated.

 

Not if she worked in the Valley. The excesses of the dot-com era mostly ended by 2003, and the number of companies is certainly much smaller. But the Internet-company culture is alive and well. My company targets such companies as our customer base, and our dress code is such that I dress better for gigs than I do for work.

 

--Dave