Bobby McFerrin Crowd Sources the Pentatonic Scale

Bobby McFerrin, a master in the possibilities of the human vocal chords, recently demonstrated the common understanding of the pentatonic scale at this year’s World Science Festival. The playful and simple demonstration uses audience participation to recreate the scale even when it goes beyond the given instructions.

The musical genius behind such uplifting songs as Don’t Worry, Be Happy, demonstrated this idea at the “Notes & Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus” event which took place on June 12, 2009. The panel discussion questions whether musical responses are nature or nurture and how universal the reactions are to rhythm or melody. The whole event is viewable at the Festival’s website and below is our favorite excerpt:

[via The Rumpus]

Originally written for and published at PSFK.