Many innovations in the arts, music, and entertainment came about through serendipity, experimentation or just “messing about”. Here are eight examples.
- The Beatles’ “Revolution 9”: This experimental track on the White Album was created largely by accident, when group members were fooling around with tape loops and studio equipment.
- “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana: The song’s iconic opening riff was initially intended to be a parody of the Pixies.
- The “Happy Accident” in Cinema: In film-making, many iconic shots and visual effects have been discovered by accident. For example, the “Vertigo Effect” in Alfred Hitchcock’s film Vertigo was created unintentionally during filming.
- The Saxophone: Adolphe Sax, a Belgian instrument maker, was initially trying to improve the design of the clarinet when he accidentally created a new instrument with a unique sound.
- The “Drip Painting” Method. Jackson Pollock’s “drip painting” technique was developed through experimentation and fortunate accidents.
- The Electric Guitar: While experimenting with different materials for loudspeakers, scientists stumbled upon the principle of electromagnetic induction, which led to the development of the electric guitar.
- The Moonwalk. Michael Jackson reportedly developed the iconic dance move by accident while rehearsing for a performance.
- The Slow-Motion Effect in Film. Early filmmakers accidentally discovered the slow-motion effect when they tried projecting film at different speeds.
Fool around some more and see what you can come up with.