This is the first book to offer a comprehensive explanation of how humans experience music and to unravel the mystery of our perennial love affair with it. Using musical examples from Bach to the Beatles, Levitin reveals the role of music in human evolution, shows how our musical preferences begin to form even before we are born and explains why music can offer such an emotional experience.Music is an obsession at the heart of human nature, even more fundamental to our species than language. In "This Is Your Brain On Music" Levitin offers nothing less than a new way to understand it, and its role in human life.
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"'Music seems to have an almost willful, evasive quality, defying simple explanation, so that the more we find out, the more there is to know... Daniel Levitin's book is an eloquent and poetic exploration of this paradox. There may be no simple answer or end in sight, but the ride is nonetheless a thrilling one, especially in the company of a writer who is both an accomplished musician, a hard-nosed scientist, and someone who can still look upon the universe with a sense of wonder.' Sting * Fascinating... Levitin's extremely skilled at laying out complex concepts in understandable terms... an absorbing explanation of the mechanics of why music affects us the way it does. - Jonathan O'Brien, Sunday Business Post * Endlessly stimulating. - Oliver Sacks * Despite illuminating a lot of what goes on with music this book doesn't "spoil" enjoyment - it only deepens the beautiful mystery that is music. - David Byrne, Talking Heads"
About the Author
Daniel Levitin runs the Laboratory for Musical Perception, Cognition, and Expertise at McGill University, Canada, where he holds the James McGill Chair. Before becoming a neuroscientist, he was a session musician, sound engineer and record producer. He has written extensively for scientific journals and music trade magazines.
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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By R. Mouatt
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.
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.
60 of 65 people found the following review helpful
By Enthusiast
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.
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.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. N. EVANS
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!!
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
5.0 out of 5 stars
A musical revelation
As a keen listener to music and also a nascent guitarist, I found this book fascinating and informative. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Shuna Judge
1.0 out of 5 stars
Hard to follow and rambling
I bought this book as I know almost nothing about music other than that I like it! I was hoping to "understand my obsession" as the sub-title says, from a lay point of view. Read more
Published 10 months ago by R. P. Sedgwick
4.0 out of 5 stars
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 on 13 Jan 2011 by S Gleadall
4.0 out of 5 stars
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
5.0 out of 5 stars
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
Additionally it was in good condition and I could hardly tell it was used. Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2010 by Adriana Mihailescu
5.0 out of 5 stars
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
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
5.0 out of 5 stars
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
5.0 out of 5 stars
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
5.0 out of 5 stars
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
5.0 out of 5 stars
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
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