About the Book

In this groundbreaking union of art and science, rocker-turned-neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explores the connection between musicaits performance, its composition, how we listen to it, why we enjoy itaand the human brain. Drawing on the latest research and on musical examples ranging from Mozart to Duke Ellington to Van Halen, Levitin reveals:
a How composers produce some of the most pleasurable effects of listening to music by exploiting the way our brains make sense of the world
a Why we are so emotionally attached to the music we listened to as teenagers, whether it was Fleetwood Mac, U2, or Dr. Dre
a That practice, rather than talent, is the driving force behind musical expertise
a 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.

Product Details

Media: Paperback Book, 322 pages

Language: English

Publisher: Plume Books (Sep. 30th, 2007)

ISBN-10: 0452288525

ISBN-13: 9780452288522

Dimensions: 5.56 x 7.96 x 0.89 inches

Shipping Weight: 0.64 lbs

• Categories: Neuropsychology Theory Acoustics & Sound