Filtered Feed #7 - Beyond the Beat: Music Notes & Anecdotes

From Ancient Drums to Spotify Algorithms

Frequencies That Move Humanity to Why Barry White Makes You Feel Things

Pod #7 is Out Now!

Plucking Strings of Time: Music’s Evolution

What’s Inside This Episode?

This week, Filter Feeders, explore the origins of music in evolution, the link between personality and musical tastes, whether animals like birds & whales are really singing and if AI can really compose music that evokes emotion.

Why This Topic?

What would life be without music? Can you imagine your favourite movie without a score? Or your teenage years without that era-defining song? Does the soundtrack to your life evoke a memory, mood or even your identity? Filter Feeders wanted to explore why music has such a strong impact on us as individuals and as cultures. We dig into the rich history of music, it's co-evolution with language and the heartstrings of our soul.

"Where words fail, music speaks." - Hans Christian Andersen

Key Takeaways

  • Music is More Than Sound—It’s Emotion
    At its core, music is just vibrations in the air. But our brains process these vibrations as patterns, harmonies, and rhythms, triggering dopamine—the same chemical linked to pleasure and reward.

  • Your Personality Shapes Your Music Taste
    The Big Five personality traits influence what genres we prefer. Highly open people love experimental sounds, while extroverts tend to gravitate toward upbeat, energetic music.

  • Animals Have Music Too!?
    Birds, whales, and even monkeys use rhythm and melody to communicate. Some birds sing just for pleasure, suggesting that music isn’t purely a human trait.

  • Culture Shapes Music (and Vice Versa)
    Different cultures developed their own unique musical traditions, yet patterns like scales and rhythms exist universally. This suggests that music plays a fundamental role in human connection.

  • AI in Music — Creativity or Copycat?
    Artificial intelligence can now generate music, but can it truly understand emotion? While AI can mimic styles and predict what we like, human music remains deeply personal and unpredictable.

Just For You

Get to know us more intimately. Here's some of our favourite tunes!

Let the music take control, let the rhythm move you because the rhythm is gonna get you!

"When the beat drops out, and the people gone, we’ll still be moving on"

Looking Forward

Music is one of the most powerful ways we connect with each other and the world. It’s a bridge between cultures, generations, and emotions. Whether it’s an ancient drum circle or a futuristic AI composition, music will always be part of our shared experience. So, next time you hear a song that moves you, take a moment to appreciate the magic behind it.

Additional Resources

| The Neuroscience of Music & Emotion | What happens in our brains when we that song hits the spot?

| Why Do We Get Chills From Music? | Does it give you goosebumps too?

| AI vs. Human Composers—Can Machines Feel Music? | Can a predictive mathematical model really excite our soul?

Engage With Us

Which song turns you into a karaoke superstar? We'd love to hear your tune of choice!

See you at our Discord server, The Filtration Station.

For any queries, reach out to us at [email protected]

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Lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it.

Tune In, Filter Out & Fuel Your Musicality!


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