Will we ever run out of music?

Question

There are a finite amount of notes and a finite number of combinations possible. There are a limited number of combinations of ways you can make the music sound good. So won't we run out of them sooner or later? Or are there as good as infinite possible combinations because we cant live long enough to hear all of songs anyway?

Answer 1

you are wrong, the amount of combinations is infinite. Unfortunately crapy artists keep realeasing shity music, and that will go on for ever.

Answer 2

As a musician I believe there are infinitely many "pleasant" musical ideas or note combinations out there - the kind of thing that touches everyone's soul. If you hear one in a song it'll make your ears prick up and listen. Classical music is built on these, and that's why certain melodies will be listened to forever.
If I keep playing I'll discover more of these ideas and hopefully I'll find something people will enjoy for years.

From a mathematical point of view, I don't think we'll ever run out of music. Say we wrote a song with two notes. That would give 144 (12x12) possible pairs of notes. Then consider these notes could be of any length, or played at any tempo, on a multitude of instruments, at different octaves, in any time signature. This is just a small list of factors that affect a song. And this was with only two notes - and unless you're Mr Blobby you're gonna need more than that.

So no, I don't think we'll ever run out of music.

Answer 3

I don't think there will be a definate end to music. Along with different length bars, diferent melodies, there will always be new instruments, or hardly used instruments which people find are good for their style of music. One example is the theramin, consisting a box with an aerial on top an also a loop on the side. The player places their hand near the aerial and loop to control pitch and volume- it's the only instrument that isn't touched to be played. The thousands of instruments, both internationally recognised and little known instruments particular to a country, also mean more combinations of music.
Similarily our definition of music is always changing- 50 or so years ago no-one would have thought a computer could be used to make music, simply because people thought they were too big to be practical. The use of non-standard objects is also popular in music- Depeche Mode at one stage used a set of metal pipes as percussion, Joy Division used the sound of smashing bottles on Unknown Pleasures.
However the biggest problem is public perception of music- many pieces which are groundbreaking and different may be ignored due to a public expectation that music will be typically either orchestras, standard guitar bands...
It is difficult to say, but we can't worry about a music shortage- enjoy what we have at the moment.

Answer 4

Every generation thinks the following generation has killed music.
No there are not a finite number of notes or combinations. Listen closely to Steve Vai and the sounds he coaxes from his guitar. Listen to Yngwie Malmsteen and try to picture that is one human playing. Don't forget someone is always devising some new distortion unit for a new sound. There was a time when a fuzz box or a wah-wah was unknown, let alone an electric guitar!

Answer 5

I dont really think there is a finite number of notes, you have micro tones. You also can have different styles with the same chord progressions (eg cover versions that are a departure from the original but still maintain the melody), different instruments and the combination of notes + chords with cadences and all that jazz is pretty much infinite. All else fails, invent a new instrument. Interesting question though.

Answer 6

"There are a limited number of combinations of ways you can make the music sound good. So won't we run out of them sooner or later?"

If you ask me we already have!!! - A lot of modern music is just 'hashed-up' versions of older songs (and most of them not very good).

Answer 7

No, a piece of music can be any length, plus you have the option of new ways to make the music. If we run out of 4 bar pieces, you start writing 5 bar pieces, then 6 then 7. Plus, you mix them together to make different music. So NO we will never run out of music

Answer 8

The 90's was pretty slim on what I would call music, but things seem to have perked up since the Beatles style revival.

Answer 9

well it's something that is very possible, like we are running out of ideas for movies. But for classical i think there are tons of new ways to create pieces. It just takes a creative mind like the masters.

Answer 10

I understand what you're saying, but Human imagination and creativity is as big as the Universe and for as long as that remains true, we shall forever have music to listen to :-)