How Do The Rhythms Work?

[Philomath she/her]

So the Listener Rhythms work a lot like expressing feelings and emotions. But the Listener can also consciously attune a rhythm as well so it isn’t just a reflection of how they really may be feeling. So do they actually have to feel a little of that feeling to attune said rhythm or is it a really good way to lie to yourself? Can another listener, sensing your rhythms tell when you are at tuning a rhythm that is incongruous to what you may really be feeling?

[Quantus he/him]

While we dont know all the details, The Rhythms are a thing independent of the individual Singers and are something that "Permeates the Cosmere" and they are able to attune them so coordinately because they are perceive them directly from the Spiritual Realm.  We do know per WOB that a given Rhythm can apply to a fairly wide swath of emotions.

As far as whether you can attune to something different than what you are actually feeling, I think we've seen them do that on stage, for example attuning Subservience even if you actually want to rip the superior jerks' face off.  Venli certainly can attune deceptively since she can do both old and new/corrupted rhythms, but there may be more shenanigans afoot there, given Timbre having a prisoner. 

 

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Questioner (paraphrased)

Could a Soother prevent a listener from attuning a given rhythm?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

No. A coppercloud could, but I hadn't thought about emotional allomancy interacting. See, the rhythm isn't your emotion and doesn't determine your mood. It is a direct connection to the spiritual realm. So I guess soothing could make it harder just like it makes anything harder, in the same way that driving a car would be harder. [recording starts here] And so, for the same reasons that you can, um, it is possible that a coppercloud can play with it. Not a normal power of a coppercloud, but you’ve seen them do stuff similar.

Footnote: Question was cut off in recording, first bit reproduced from memory
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Edited September 21, 2018 by Quantus

[Calderis he/him]

They don't have to feel it to attune it. They can attune a rhythm at will, and even use them to speak to a "false" rhythm in order to lie. 

Near the end of WoR we get this from stormform Eshonai when Thude and her are discussing the roundup of dissenters. 

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He hummed to Consideration. She knew him well enough, however, to sense when he was forcing a rhythm. The beat was too obvious, too strong.

 

[Quantus he/him]

1 hour ago, Calderis said:

They don't have to feel it to attune it. They can attune a rhythm at will, and even use them to speak to a "false" rhythm in order to lie. 

Near the end of WoR we get this from stormform Eshonai when Thude and her are discussing the roundup of dissenters. 

 

This might be a semantic distinction that Im imagining, but is that really "attuning" the rhythm there, or is he just trying to fake the rhythm by humming it from memory?

[Philomath she/her]

I didn’t know they could hear them from the spiritual realm. That is cool. And thanks @Calderis for the quote of Eshonai “hearing through” one of Thude’s rhythms. That was something I was curious about. If they could hear a rhythm as falsely attuned. I’m sure it is similar to if you know someone well you can tell when they say one thing but are hiding another. 

[Calderis he/him]

The rhythms aren't their emotions. The attunement is a choice. They can choose to attune a rhythm to influence their mood if they wish. 

But, for example, a soother can't mess with the rhythms in them because the rhythms aren't the source of their emotions. 

Quote

Questioner (paraphrased)

Could a Soother prevent a listener from attuning a given rhythm?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

No. A coppercloud could, but I hadn't thought about emotional allomancy interacting. See, the rhythm isn't your emotion and doesn't determine your mood. It is a direct connection to the spiritual realm. So I guess soothing could make it harder just like it makes anything harder, in the same way that driving a car would be harder. [recording starts here] And so, for the same reasons that you can, um, it is possible that a coppercloud can play with it. Not a normal power of a coppercloud, but you’ve seen them do stuff similar.

Footnote: Question was cut off in recording, first bit reproduced from memory
source

By extension, a copperclouds blocking their ability to sense the rhythms isn't going to stop them from feeling. 

[Ashertliden]

II think that It’s similar to the way that changing your facial features in a specific way can alter your mood. I don’t know the exact science, it’s talked about more extensively in “Blink” by Malcom Gladwell but I assume that attuning a rhythm makes it easier for you to “slip into” that mood. 

[Solant he/him]

I always thought of it in the same way that cats will purr because they are relaxed and content, but they will also purr if they are stressed and are trying to calm themselves down.