The Five-Note Symphony: Lessons in Connection

I’ve had the great good fortune to be around great musicians my entire life. I’m somewhat musical myself, having played trumpet in middle and high schools and a second tenor in mens’ chorus in college. I’ve also performed in a few musical theatre productions and in an another of other venues as a member of an ensemble and occasional soloist. Some of my closest friends are quite talented musician, a few are professionals.

Many of the lessons I’ve learned from music and musicians, however, I’ve applied in non-musical contexts. When I am speaking before a group – keynoting a conference or giving a university lecture, for instance, I bring some of those lessons with me. I was reminded of some of those recently when I watched the new documentary on Disney+, Music of John Williams. I thought some of those insights my be of interest to others who find themselves in front of an audience, delivering an important message.

In Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Williams composed a five-note melody that became iconic—simple, universal, and unforgettable. It wasn’t just music; it was communication, connection, and meaning distilled into five notes. Leaders, much like composers, need to craft their messages in ways that resonate and inspire action. Whether you’re addressing a team, presenting to stakeholders, or giving a keynote, Williams’ five-note symphony offers profound lessons on how to connect with your audience.

Here’s how we can learn from this cinematic masterpiece, supported by insights from neuroscience, psychology, and leadership scholarship.

Simplicity Drives Clarity. Williams’ melody is striking because of its simplicity—five notes, nothing more, and nothing less. Research shows that simplicity fosters clarity, which is essential for effective communication. The brain has limited cognitive capacity, and complex messages risk overwhelming your audience (Sweller, 2011).

Actionable Insight: Strip your message to its essence. Ask yourself, What’s the one takeaway I want my audience to remember? Use concise language and frameworks that are easy to recall and share. A clear, simple message will carry further than a convoluted one.

Tap Into Emotional Resonance. The melody’s rise and fall create an emotional arc—a curiosity that resolves into satisfaction. Neuroscience demonstrates that emotional engagement activates the limbic system, making messages more memorable and meaningful (Immordino-Yang & Damasio, 2007).

Actionable Insight: Infuse your communication with emotional depth. Share personal stories, use metaphors, or create moments of suspense and resolution in your narrative. People won’t always remember what you say, but they’ll remember how you made them feel.

Universality Builds Bridges. The five notes evoke a sense of universality, echoing the pentatonic scale, which is common across cultures. This universality made the melody an effective “language” between humans and extraterrestrials.

Actionable Insight. Find themes or analogies that resonate across diverse audiences. Ground your message in universal human experiences—growth, curiosity, resilience—that transcend industries and cultures. This inclusivity fosters connection and trust.

Novelty Sparks Curiosity. Using music as a form of communication with extraterrestrials was an unexpected choice, and that novelty captured attention. Studies show that the brain craves novelty because it triggers the release of dopamine, enhancing engagement and retention (Bunzeck & Düzel, 2006).

Actionable Insight: Surprise your audience with an unexpected story, analogy, or visual. For example, start with a striking question or an unconventional perspective that reframes their assumptions. When you engage curiosity, you activate attention and prime learning.

Context Creates Meaning. The five notes became more than a melody because of their narrative context—they were a bridge between humans and aliens. Similarly, messages gain power when they’re tied to a larger, meaningful purpose.

Actionable Insight: Anchor your message in your audience’s reality. Show how your ideas connect to their challenges, goals, or aspirations. Context answers the question: Why does this matter to me? Without it, even the best-crafted message will fall flat.

Encourage Co-Creation. In Close Encounters, the five notes were not just played—they were a call and response, inviting interaction. Leadership scholar Otto Scharmer (2009) emphasizes that transformative communication emerges from co-creation, where the audience is an active participant.

Actionable Insight: Engage your audience. Ask reflective questions, create dialogue, or design participatory activities. When people feel involved, they’re more likely to internalize and act on your message.

The Five-Note Framework

Based on these insights, here’s a simple framework to guide your next communication:
1. Simplify: Clarify your core message and avoid unnecessary complexity.
2. Engage Emotion: Use stories or metaphors to connect emotionally.
3. Find Universality: Appeal to shared experiences and values.
4. Incorporate Novelty: Add an unexpected element to capture attention.
5. Anchor in Context: Relate your message to the audience’s goals or challenges.

The five-note melody from Close Encounters wasn’t just music; it was connection. We too must craft messages that bridge gaps, inspire action, and create shared meaning. By embracing simplicity, emotion, universality, novelty, and context, you can compose your own symphony of connection—one that resonates long after the final note.

What will your five notes sound like?

References

• Bunzeck, N., & Düzel, E. (2006). Absolute coding of stimulus novelty in the human substantia nigra/VTA. Neuron, 51(3), 369–379.
• Immordino-Yang, M. H., & Damasio, A. (2007). We feel, therefore we learn: The relevance of affective and social neuroscience to education. Mind, Brain, and Education, 1(1), 3–10.
• Scharmer, C. O. (2009). Theory U: Leading from the Future as It Emerges. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.Sweller, J. (2011). Cognitive Load Theory. Springer.