A biomusicology bonus episode about creativity, sound, and how music gets made
This preview is based on the published show notes, not the audio itself. In this bonus follow-up, guest host Jarrett Sleeper and Dr. David Bashwiner shift from biomusicology toward music-making, exploring creativity, theory, synthesizers, animal sound, and how humans perceive meaning in noise.
*This is a preview based only on the episode’s published show notes, not a recap of the audio.* If the original biomusicology episode left you wanting a more hands-on conversation about making music, this bonus installment looks designed to do exactly that. Guest host Jarrett Sleeper joins theoretical, neuro-, and biomusicologist Dr. David Bashwiner for a discussion that appears to move from the science of music toward the lived process of creating it. According to the notes, the episode ranges widely: where creativity comes from, how theory and technique relate to originality, and how someone might access or “unleash” their own creative instincts. It also seems to get into gear and sound design, with topics like synthesizers, whether genuinely new sounds are still possible, and the distinction between emulation and simulation. What makes this especially appealing is the blend of artistic process with biological and perceptual questions. The notes suggest the conversation also touches on music in nature, whether animals use instruments, and why humans instinctively hear a difference between sounds like purring and growling. There’s even a hint of discussion about drugs and mixing, suggesting a candid, process-oriented angle. This may be a strong pick if you enjoy episodes that connect creativity, music theory, neuroscience, and natural sound—especially if you’re curious about both *how music works* and *how people make it*.
About this episode
<p>The promised follow up bonus episode to our biomusicology episode with theoretical, neuro- and biomusicologist Dr David Bashwiner. This one is guest hosted by Podmother Jarrett Sleeper and we steer the discussion more toward the process of creating music, where creativity comes from, the relationship between theory, technique, and creativity, how to unleash or access one’s own creativity, synthesizers, whether new sounds are possible, emulation vs simulation, music as it exists in nature, whether or not animals use instruments, why we know the instinctively the difference between purring and growling, and perhaps a bit about the effects of drugs on mixing?</p> <p>Visit Dr. Bashwiner’s <a href="https://www.davidbashwiner.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a> and follow him on <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=IBuiIQ4AAAAJ&hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer">Google Scholar</a></p> <p>You can find Jarrett on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jarrett_sleeper/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://jarrettsleeper.bandcamp.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bandcamp</a></p> <p>A donation went to <a href="https://chuffed.org/project/hand-of-salvation" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gaza Hand of Salvation Initiative</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/biomusicology" rel="noopener noreferrer">More episode sources and links</a></p> <p>Other episodes you may enjoy: <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/genocidology2" rel="noopener noreferrer">Genocidology (CRIMES OF ATROCITY)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/mnemonology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mnemonology (MEMORY)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/eudemonology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eudemonology (HAPPINESS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/molecularneurobiology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/salugenology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/2017/11/7/ornithology-with-james-maley" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ornithology (BIRDS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/mantodeology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mantodeology (PRAYING MANTISES)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/primatology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Primatology (APES & MONKEYS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/misophonology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Misophonology (DISTRACTING SOUND & NOISE RAGE)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/adhd" rel="noopener noreferrer">Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/funology" rel="noopener noreferrer">Funology (YES, FUN)</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies-by-topic" rel="noopener noreferrer">400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic</a></p> <p><a href="https://pod.link/1746567248" rel="noopener noreferrer">Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes</a></p> <p><a href="https://alieward.com/ologies-sponsors" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sponsors of Ologies</a></p> <p><a href="https://alieward.com/ologies-extras" rel="noopener noreferrer">Transcripts and bleeped episodes</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.patreon.com/ologies" rel="noopener noreferrer">Become a patron of Ologies</a> for as little as a buck a month</p> <p><a href="https://www.ologiesmerch.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">OlogiesMerch.com</a> has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!</p> <p>Follow Ologies on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ologies" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/ologies.bsky.social" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a></p> <p>Follow Alie Ward on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alieward" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alie_ologies" rel="noopener noreferrer">TikTok</a></p> <p>Editing by Mercedes Maitland of <a href="http://maitlandaudio.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Maitland Audio Productions</a> and <a href="https://www.jecmusic.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jake Chaffee</a></p> <p>Managing Director: Susan Hale</p> <p>Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth</p> <p>Transcripts by Aveline Malek </p> <p>Website by <a href="https://www.kellyrdwyer.com/photo" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kelly R. Dwyer</a></p> <p>Theme song by Nick Thorburn</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>