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This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
 
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This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession [Audio Download]

by Daniel J. Levitin (Author), Edward Herrman (Narrator)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Audio Download
  • Listening Length: 6 hours and 10 minutes
  • Program Type: Audiobook
  • Version: Abridged
  • Publisher: Penguin Audiobooks
  • Audible Release Date: 2 Aug 2007
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B002SQH5W0
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

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Product Description

In this groundbreaking union of art and science, rocker-turned-neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explores the connection between music - its performance, its composition, how we listen to it, why we enjoy it - and the human brain. Drawing on the latest research and on musical examples ranging from Mozart to Duke Ellington to Van Halen, Levitin reveals:

  • How composers produce some of the most pleasurable effects of listening to music by exploiting the way our brains make sense of the world
  • Why we are so emotionally attached to the music we listened to as teenagers, whether it was Fleetwood Mac, U2, or Dr. Dre
  • That practice, rather than talent, is the driving force behind musical expertise
  • How those insidious little jingles (called earworms) get stuck in our heads

    And, taking on prominent thinkers who argue that music is nothing more than an evolutionary accident, Levitin argues that music is fundamental to our species, perhaps even more so than language. This Is Your Brain on Music is an unprecedented, eye-opening investigation into an obsession at the heart of human nature.

    • ©2007 Daniel J. Levitin; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc. and Books on Tape. All rights reserved.
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    Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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    Customer Reviews

    Most Helpful Customer Reviews
    47 of 51 people found the following review helpful
    Dumbing Down 5 Nov 2009
    Format:Paperback
    This is the sort of book that looks as though it ought to be of interest to musicians because it is written by a psychologist, and of interest to psychologists because it is written by someone knowledgeable about music. It appears that Levitin has had the great benefit of working for a long time in both the music industry and in academic psychology, and one would expect him to have valuable insights into both music and psychology.

    So it is all the more disappointing to find his book so lacking in depth or, for that matter, ideas. The basic - very basic - information on musical terms is fine, but do not expect either scholarship or brilliance from this book. Levitin's efforts to relieve the prevailing dulness with ill-advised attempts at humour are merely embarrassing, but his relentless name-dropping and pointless anecdotes very soon become irritating.

    Do not buy this book. If you want to know about music and the brain, get Huron's book 'Sweet Anticipation' or Ani Patel's book on Music and Language. Then you will be learning from people who really know what they are on about.
    Was this review helpful to you?
    22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
    Format:Paperback
    When I first saw this book I was excited by the prospect, I am interested in musicology and thought this crossed with the private life of the brain would be an excellent read. How wrong I was.

    Really the title should read "This is my brain on music" as this seems to largely be an auto-biography of Levitin's life to date with a few interesting facts he has picked up along the way added. The musical tastes of Levitin are also apparent in the reading, when he briefly mentions Schoenberg he writes like a gun has been held to his head as he was told he had to at least acknowledge that twelve-tone exists. Then back to the Beatles which at times almost feels like he is saying that they are the only band that has ever written a song to excite the brain.

    When he does write the occasional interesting fact he then proceeds to beat it to death with several attempts at an explanation, an analogy or two and another anecdote. Once you think you are past the worst of it a couple of pages later he seems to start trying to explain it all over again. For me this led to several bouts of rage telling the book "YES I GET IT!"

    To me this book felt like the publisher had accidentally published the first draft rather than the edited final copy. There are one or two interesting facts in the book but they are smothered by dumbed down explanations, anecdotes and Levitin's personal tastes leaving you with very little science or musicology but a rather foul taste in the mouth.
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    3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
    Format:Paperback
    I'm obsessed with music - it's my entire life. I'm a musician/songwriter, and I was immediately intrigued on reading the cover, that I may never "hear music in the same way again" after reading this book.

    This book is sometimes very interesting, and it is worth the read for the occasional gem, but it was a struggle and half way through I found myself gazing at all the other books on my bookshelf waiting to be read, wishing I could muster the energy to stumble through yet another paragraph of scientific babble about the "hippocampus" or the "nucleus accumbens"!!

    I understand that this is about how the brain works to percieve music, but most of the time I was struggling to understand what Daniel Levitin was talking about.

    If you are a musician with a good knowledge of science, this might be the one for you, but for someone with very little knowledge of the latter - steer clear!!
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    Most Recent Customer Reviews
    Covers a lot of ground in an interesting, readable manner
    I enjoyed this. I learnt quite a lot, even though my music theory is reasonably good already. The physics of sound and audio was relatively new to me and presented in an easy... Read more
    Published 16 months ago by S Gleadall
    Excellent introduction to two subjects
    The book covers a wide range of topics from both fields. I think it can proove an excellent introduction to music theory, as to really understand our natural music theory. Read more
    Published on 11 May 2010 by Andrew Reeman
    10/10
    The book itself is truly amazing, psychologically speaking.
    Additionally it was in good condition and I could hardly tell it was used. Read more
    Published on 29 Mar 2010 by Adriana Mihailescu
    Food for thought
    This is your brain on music

    The science of a human obsession

    By Daniel Levitin

    A Review by the Cotes d' Azur Men's Book Group... Read more
    Published on 25 Mar 2010 by Ivor R. B. Hibbitt
    Your brain on music
    I bought this as a present for my daughter - she states it is a great book for both non-music and music minded people.
    Published on 1 Feb 2010 by S. Vernel
    THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC (book)
    I enjoyed this book thoroughly and it is now running the gambit amongst my music-loving friends. Where would the world be without music. Read more
    Published on 28 Dec 2009 by Eejram
    The Brain and Music
    I was writing a Masters dissertation (in Management) on the connection between musical tastes and the values held by leaders in organisations. Read more
    Published on 3 Dec 2009 by Mrs. Louise J. Hardy
    Finally...
    I've been waiting forever for someone to write this book. It's a relief that Daniel Levitin has done it so well. Read more
    Published on 7 Nov 2009 by Julie Lawrence
    Difficult to place... is this academia or anecdotal memoirs?
    Difficult to place... is this academia or anecdotal memoirs?

    First of all I think it needs to be said, that this is not a bad text per se. Read more
    Published on 21 Oct 2009 by Andrew W
    Fascinating knowledge
    For me, a jazz musician, the book opened my eyes. Now I understand what happens in a brain when playing and listening to music. The book is worth reading.
    Published on 28 Aug 2009 by Bertil Ekman
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