Deriving Signal from the Noise with 120 strings | Tomko Lamb | TEDxCalgary

so this as you’ve heard is a Ukrainian

so this as you’ve heard is a Ukrainian styled hammer dulcimer these were

styled hammer dulcimer these were

styled hammer dulcimer these were invented in Persia spread throughout

invented in Persia spread throughout

invented in Persia spread throughout Europe by gypsies and Crusaders who

Europe by gypsies and Crusaders who

Europe by gypsies and Crusaders who carried them on their backs and as they

carried them on their backs and as they

carried them on their backs and as they went along to the different cultures

went along to the different cultures

went along to the different cultures some people in those cultures looked at

some people in those cultures looked at

some people in those cultures looked at that and said mmm I like that I’m gonna

that and said mmm I like that I’m gonna

that and said mmm I like that I’m gonna turn that into my own this one ended up

turn that into my own this one ended up

turn that into my own this one ended up being the Ukrainian style of it it’s

being the Ukrainian style of it it’s

being the Ukrainian style of it it’s called a timbale in ukrainian and it was

called a timbale in ukrainian and it was

called a timbale in ukrainian and it was built by my grandfather based on one

built by my grandfather based on one

built by my grandfather based on one that he got when he was young so now

that he got when he was young so now

that he got when he was young so now I’ve literally have it fall in my lap

I’ve literally have it fall in my lap

I’ve literally have it fall in my lap and I’ve sort of improvised and made

and I’ve sort of improvised and made

and I’ve sort of improvised and made little songs with it that I share with

little songs with it that I share with

little songs with it that I share with other people when I was first invited to

other people when I was first invited to

other people when I was first invited to be here

be here

be here I heard signal versus noise and I

I heard signal versus noise and I

I heard signal versus noise and I thought oh my goodness what does that

thought oh my goodness what does that

thought oh my goodness what does that mean to me and I thought about it and

mean to me and I thought about it and

mean to me and I thought about it and thought about it and then I came to the

thought about it and then I came to the

thought about it and then I came to the conclusion that it’s all noise it’s all

conclusion that it’s all noise it’s all

conclusion that it’s all noise it’s all noise until our brains can figure out

noise until our brains can figure out

noise until our brains can figure out the pattern in it to recognize a signal

the pattern in it to recognize a signal

the pattern in it to recognize a signal that’s underneath or find some signal in

that’s underneath or find some signal in

that’s underneath or find some signal in it that makes sense to us and then I

it that makes sense to us and then I

it that makes sense to us and then I realized that that doesn’t fill eight

realized that that doesn’t fill eight

realized that that doesn’t fill eight minutes so so I’m gonna play another

minutes so so I’m gonna play another

minutes so so I’m gonna play another song

one thing that comes up is how do you

one thing that comes up is how do you name a song that’s instrumental that has

name a song that’s instrumental that has

name a song that’s instrumental that has no lyrics to it you see if I gave this a

no lyrics to it you see if I gave this a

no lyrics to it you see if I gave this a name then it kind of robs you of you

name then it kind of robs you of you

name then it kind of robs you of you interpreting it and making your own

interpreting it and making your own

interpreting it and making your own signal out of it okay so I kind of

signal out of it okay so I kind of

signal out of it okay so I kind of hesitate and I make really vague names

hesitate and I make really vague names

hesitate and I make really vague names two songs but this one’s called um this

two songs but this one’s called um this

two songs but this one’s called um this one’s called meadow because my daughter

one’s called meadow because my daughter

one’s called meadow because my daughter Egan sort of said oh it’s a meadow and

Egan sort of said oh it’s a meadow and

Egan sort of said oh it’s a meadow and now I associate that was out and now she

now I associate that was out and now she

now I associate that was out and now she robbed me of my own making my own you

robbed me of my own making my own you

robbed me of my own making my own you can this is meadow

can this is meadow

can this is meadow [Music]

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]