What is the similarity between playing music and writing code? It's not scientific, but it seems a huge percentage of my programming friends are also musicians. What are your thoughts?
Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
1–10 of 17 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#2Well maybe because programming is logical so it develop left brain hemisphere and music is one of activity that develop right brain hemisphere...so combining that to makes a balance.
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#3Might be just you and your group of friends. I know a lot of developers and none are musicians. That isn't to say there isn't a correlation or that there is one but most people tend to have friends with similar interest. That could be why you're sending a trend amongst your friends that happen to exhibit these two traits.
For example, among my friends, it seems common that most of the really good hackers tend to code and be avid runners. I'm sure there's no real correlation on that.
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#4I've find this correlation is even higher for designers.
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#5It's the only way they can get girlfriends! /s
btw article of interest: http://www.infoworld.com/t/education-and-skills/why-are-so-m...
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#6There is a deep underlying relationship between mathematics and music:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_and_mathematics
Computer programming is the practical application of a subset of mathematics, so it stands to reason that programmers will tend to be interested in music. (And, specifically, people who like writing code will also tend to like making music.)
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#7According to Hofstadter (no, not the guy from Big Bang Theory, the one that wrote Godel Escher Bach, the eternal golden braid), it is because there are strong links between music and maths, and there are also strong links between programming and maths.
Which suggests a solution to the problem of interviews and hiring good programmers. Take them to a Karaoke bar and get them plastered instead :D
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#8There is a deep underlying relationship between mathematics and music: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_and_mathematics Computer programming is the practical application of a subset of mathematics, so it stands to reason that programmers will tend to be interested in music. (And, specifically, people who like writing code will also tend to like making music.)
I agree that the relationship is there, but I'm curious if there's any basis for your claim that folks who write software will also tend to write music instead of enjoying it in other ways.
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#9Because half the population considers themselves musicians and you're succumbing to confirmation bias.
Re: Ask HN: Why are so many programmers also musicians?
#10Maybe it's the passion to control a machine/instrument to create something .. playing an instrument and coding is not that different in that sense. For me personally, what drives me to either code or play an instrument, or compose music, or create anything at all; it's very similar feeling. Also when you get your program running, or learn to play something, you get the same rewarding feeling.