Documentary

In contemporary Western society, music functions overwhelmingly as a one-way avenue for artistic expression. With a few notable exceptions, live music is produced by a specific class of participants (the performers) and consumed passively by a distinct group of attendees (the listeners.) These groups rarely – and virtually never spontaneously – intersect.

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In many other societies and traditions however, music is primarily a social event that requires group participation. J. H. Kwabena Nketia writes that in most African societies, “music making is generally organized as a social event.” He explains that it provides "an opportunity for sharing in creative experience, for participating in music as a form of community experience, and for using music as an avenue for the expression of group sentiments.” (Nketia 1974)

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At a much more fundamental level, music has been credibly theorized to have arisen in early hominins as a group activity par excellence. Hagen and Bryant posit that it evolved from ancient territorial signals, serving initially as a method of signaling internal social cohesion to other groups. (Hagen and Bryant, 2003) Regardless of one’s adherence to a specific hypothesis about the origin of music over another, it is undeniable that music making represents a powerful group activity that permeates across cultures.

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One rare example in Western society of music making as a collective activity that blurs the lines between performers and consumers can be seen in certain religious traditions. This is particularly apparent in Christian churches influenced by African American cultures of the southern United States; however, it does also occur in a diverse array of other religious settings.

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Recently however, secularism has been on a sustained upward trend in the United States and the rest of the developed world, with credible sources claiming that the entire planet is trending towards a less religious future. In the United States specifically, 2021 marked the first time in history when the majority of the population was unaffiliated with a church. (Gallup 2021) Among members, regular attendance of religious services has also seen a steady decline.

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This leaves a majority of the population, especially the younger urban segment of Western music consumers, with precious few opportunities for collective music-making. This stands in stark contrast with other art forms. Digital audiovisual media can be consumed both passively, in the form of movies and television, and actively, in the form of computer games. Other art forms such as dance are almost always performed actively (e.g., going to a salsa night) versus passively (watching a dance competition on YouTube.)

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A disconnect exists therefore in Western society between music’s origins as a group activity and its exclusively passive consumption by a majority of the population.

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Occasionally, non-musical activities prevalent throughout the Western world employ collective music-making as an adjacent element – a way to support the main show and enliven participants, allowing them to more vocally express excitement for the activities unfolding before them. In those situations, communal music making often provides the most powerful community building and identity formation tool available.

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This is particularly apparent in sports events, with fan chants having long represented the most ubiquitous means of expressing support for specific teams and players. Linguist John Lyons claims that in a soccer stadium, chants are “deceivingly creative expressions of identity and history.” He continues: “Fans use their collective voice to define themselves and retain the traditions of their club through shared values in the chants and the melodies that carry them – and whilst this ancient custom still exists, it should be celebrated.” (Schoonderwoerd 2011)

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And while these rare instances of collective music-making in Western society reinforce the ability of the practice to form a strong group identity, collaborative music appears to only ever be used as an adjacent tool by religious groups, sports clubs, and other specific interest groups to create cohesive communities, rather than enjoyed for its own sake.

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Overwhelming evidence exists however that music can be enjoyed for music’s sake, as is the case with the standard Western paradigm of passive music consumption. Genres, artists, and bands form fandoms that exhibit incredible social cohesion even when the expression of music only occurs in one direction, from performer to consumer. It can be theorized therefore that such social bonds could be made even stronger if audience members perceive themselves as “co-creators” of the art being produced.

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In a society where music does not already permeate most group activities, as is the case with Western cultures, audience members cannot be expected to lead the way in collaborative music making. Giving everyone a musical instrument and hoping for the best can have disastrous consequences for the quality of the music performed, as can be seen in the unfortunate practice of public drum circles.

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It is my belief therefore that the best way to introduce Western audiences to collaborative music making is through a highly controlled environment, where participants are given specific tasks to complete as part of a well thought-out and entertaining show that balances their own involvement with the mastery of a professional musician leading them along.

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​Recent technological advances have made it possible for individual musicians to both perform live and allow their music to loop unattended while they engage the audience. This frees them up to focus on audience engagement for a significant portion of their performance, enabling them to provide clear instructions about what participants can do to join the music-making process. Audience members can then participate in a way that improves the music, rather than taking away from the experience of all involved.

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Much like in sports and choirs, experienced members serve as "section leaders" of the audience, helping guide those around them with their knowledge and familiarity with the interplay between audience and performer. This encourages participation and creates a network of social contracts among participants, allowing for great repeatability of performances.

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