ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: "This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin  (Read 947 times)

Frank Koenig

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1318
  • Palo Alto, CA USA
"This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin
« on: October 30, 2019, 11:14:41 AM »

This might be something for your winter reading list. I just finished this 2006 book on the neurological and psychological basis of music. Levitin, a former record producer, is now a neuroscientist at McGill and tries to understand why there even is such a thing as music and how it is processed in the mind. You can breeze through some of the introductory parts where he defines timbre, etc., but it gets pretty intense and interesting after that. His deep knowledge of popular music of the 20th century, from which he draws many examples, is pretty entertaining for people of a certain age.

--Frank
Logged
"Nature abhors a vacuum tube." -- John Pierce, Bell Labs

Nick Pires

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 98
  • Portland, ME
Re: "This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2019, 12:08:19 PM »

This might be something for your winter reading list. I just finished this 2006 book on the neurological and psychological basis of music. Levitin, a former record producer, is now a neuroscientist at McGill and tries to understand why there even is such a thing as music and how it is processed in the mind. You can breeze through some of the introductory parts where he defines timbre, etc., but it gets pretty intense and interesting after that. His deep knowledge of popular music of the 20th century, from which he draws many examples, is pretty entertaining for people of a certain age.

--Frank
Just replying to second that this is, in fact, and amazing read (regardless of age).
Logged
I'm not who I would be, if I wasn't who I am.

Ike Zimbel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1057
  • I'm not a newbie, I just play one on the internet!
    • Zimbel Audio Productions
Re: "This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2019, 12:09:03 PM »

This might be something for your winter reading list. I just finished this 2006 book on the neurological and psychological basis of music. Levitin, a former record producer, is now a neuroscientist at McGill and tries to understand why there even is such a thing as music and how it is processed in the mind. You can breeze through some of the introductory parts where he defines timbre, etc., but it gets pretty intense and interesting after that. His deep knowledge of popular music of the 20th century, from which he draws many examples, is pretty entertaining for people of a certain age.

--Frank
Yes, he gave the keynote at an AES convention in NYC a few years ago and it was entertaining and thought provoking. One demo he did was playing a clip of the first note of "Magical Mystery Tour", which was instantly recognizable. It reminded me of when I was mixing (mostly back in the 1980's)...I would often find that I would rely on the various tonal cues of the band getting ready for the next song, more than the set list.
Logged
~Ike Zimbel~
Wireless frequency coordination specialist and educator.
Manufacturer's Representative (Canada)
Radio Active Designs
Pro Audio equipment repair and upgrades.
~416-720-0887~
ca.linkedin.com/pub/ike-zimbel/48/aa1/266

Chris Hindle

  • SR Forums
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2693
  • Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Earth, Sol System,......
Re: "This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2019, 12:18:16 PM »

Yes, he gave the keynote at an AES convention in NYC a few years ago and it was entertaining and thought provoking. One demo he did was playing a clip of the first note of "Magical Mystery Tour", which was instantly recognizable. It reminded me of when I was mixing (mostly back in the 1980's)...I would often find that I would rely on the various tonal cues of the band getting ready for the next song, more than the set list.
A band i worked for (5 year stretch, 70+ shows a year) NEVER had a set list.
My cues were who is moving where. Closer to a wedge, changeout a guitar etc.
Oh, the first 2 notes too.
Sometimes they'd play something new...... No autopilot on that one....
Chris.
Logged
Ya, Whatever. Just throw a '57 on it, and get off my stage.

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: "This Is Your Brain on Music" by Daniel Levitin
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2019, 12:18:16 PM »


Pages: [1]   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.027 seconds with 25 queries.