Conscious (logical?) choice vs. Unconscious (random?) choice

Is there really such thing as a logical place to go after one has introduced a theme or a particular chord?

Or is it entirely random what notes we choose? There must be SOME objective basis for writing music---I find it hard to believe that the diatonic scale, circle of fifths, and so on are all simply arbitrary creations of society. There's SOMETHING THERE in the physical world that we are responding to.

yes, there is.

My guess is that we follow certain chord progressions, a combination of nature and nurdture :thumbsup:

It is up to the composer to dissolve curtain progressions and to start a new sequence.

hit me!

Hmm, I think I phrased my question badly. I suppose I guess what I meant was:

Given that we have thousands of options as composers, can our choices of notes really be said to be logical choices? It seems to me that logical choices don't really exist when you have thousands of options----but the way music sounds does have an objective elemnt to it. The sound of chords "resolving," I personally think, is not a societal meme but is inherent in how we hear. (for example).

well i think that music is a language, and as such it has its own grammatics. the existence of thousand of options does not matter at all for a composer which knows what he wants to say. when you and a girl fall in love and you want to take her for a good night of love you dont say her such a thing like "morning is so bookseller oh how because amazing God is mummy gave my after all panths turning point because because"! you say "hi dear, you are soooo beautiful tonight! well.......remember last week? yeaaah, it was great indeed, wasn't it? and wow, you were just wonderful, you made me hear ringing bells! wish it again tonight?" :laugh: unfortunately i dont know how to express myself in english in a romantic and appealing way, but you understand my point. who knows that which wants and know that which wants to say knows which notes to choose, at least i think so......

I guess where composers choose to take their chord progressions is based partially on mathematics/physics and partially on what they are trying to convey (i.e. emotions, meaning). The latter is the human-created, conscious bit.

The unconscious side of chord resolution is based on what the brain "likes". It "likes" it when you use next door notes to create a strong chord movement. It's neat and tidy. It's like people lining up their pens and pencils on a desk. Good composers will unconsciously and automatically use certain movements because they sound logical.

As for the conscious side, composers pick the chords they use because they know they can create certain effects with them. Chord movements which jump around build tension. Chord movements which go continuously down create a feeling of falling or despair. And so on.

composers pick the chords they use because they know they can create certain effects with them.

Although pre-1700 (and probably later) there was a "Divine link" between particular chords or intervals that composers obeyed (perhaps and analogous similarly to the fact that we are limited to use of octaves the 12 notes of the chromatic scale, and none of the notes in between).

Yes, there is a scientific basis to the circle fifths, diatonics, and all that.

I'm not much of an expert, but it all has to do with frequency wavelengths and their ratios with each other. Also, the lower the note, the farther the wavelengths are spread out. Hense the harmonic series: 1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5 etc.

People have chosen our harmonic language because they best fit in with our scientific understanding of the world. But then again, everything's relative. Maybe our scientific knowledge is all bogus.