Gorillas aren't much better than humans at creating music without taking lessons first.
Koko likes to experiment with many forms of art and technology. Though she has primarily dabbled in painting (see her amazing representational Gorilla Art) she has recently taken up an interest in music too.
Here Koko tries out a new, flexible, electronic keyboard, and improvises a little tune (music and rhythm) while Penny records it. When Penny plays back the tune, Koko seems to like what she hears, signing “Koko love.”
Like sign language, music can be another dimension of interspecies communication. It’s another window into the mind, heart and soul of another being, and lets us share something that’s universal — joy.
