This Is Your Brain On Music by Daniel Levitin

Well, I was going to wait till I actually finished the book to right about it, but since the author, Prof. Daniel Levitin, appeared on CBC Radio's The Current this morning (to discuss a new book of his), I thought I'd make my first thoughts on this "old" book known.

The book is - This Is Your Brain On Music - and it's a wonderful, thought-provoking achievement regarding the "science" of music. Don't get scared by that thought (re "science") as the book is lucidly entertaining, drawn from the real-life experience of the author as a musician/producer/scientist (don't see that combination every day).

Yes, the "raw" science of sound is analyzed - that path of sound vibrating air molecules and triggering nerve impulses in the listener. But "music", as opposed to just "sound", can bring simple yet complex analysis within the brain that delves into the timbre, pitch, tempo and other musical elements. And it's fascinating, without destroying the soulfulness or mystery of music.

As Levitin himself simplifies the book in his introduction to be: "what music can teach us about the brain, what the brain can teach us about music - and what both can teach us about ourselves". I'm finding that I out as I complete the book...

Listen to Podcast:

So have a listen above or download the podcast (from CBC's Quirks & Quarks, Dec/06) as well and know that his new book The World In Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature has just come out... see next post.

May the Muse (and science) be with you...

Technorati : Music, Science, Songwriting