Music in my head

February 27, 2008 at 8:03 am · Filed under Mind, Music

My first Watercooler Wednesday entry is about a book that takes a fascinating look into the ways in which our brain interprets and remembers music. The subtitle is “The Science of a Human Obsession.” Daniel Levitin was a former musician/producer who later studied the physiology of the human mind. Why is it that certain songs immediately bring us back to a place in our past as vivid as if it were yesterday? What is it about some songs that grab our attention while others appear flat? From the book:

Music communicates to us emotionally through systematic violations of expectations. These violations can occur in any domain — the domain of pitch, timbre, contour, rhythm, tempo, and so on — but occur they must. Music is organized sound, but the organization has to involve some element of the unexpected or it is emotionally flat and robotic.

This book isn’t for everybody, because at times it can be a little dry. And don’t read it to be a better listener of music. It is not designed for that. But if you are fascinated with the how things work (like the brain, for example), you’ll really be amazed at what that small mass of substance in our head grapples with each time you listen to your iPod. The author includes many different songs and styles from his year of working in the business. As he writes he’ll include a song title to make a point about a bass line or a type of phrasing. If nothing else, it will bring back some memories of your own.

Enjoy.

Comments (1)