This Is Your Brain on Music (Abridged): The Science of a Human Obsession Audiobook

" i learned more about the functionality of the brain from this musician / cognitive scientist than i did when i was heartily studying cognition in 2004-2005 with respect to ADHD. good stuff in here. helps me understand why music moves so many of us the way it does. the language of my soul...not sure i buy all of the evolutionary theory levitin holds though, he really goes out on a limb there. "

" So technically, I didn't read this. I opted for the audiobook after nearly picking the paper version for years. The primary reason for doing so was that I saw it included audio samples. Granted, there weren't any original recordings of the songs he wrote about, but it was easier to stay engaged when a watered down musical clip helped serve as a demonstration. To whatever point was being addressed. Good information and entertaining anecdotes. "

" After a life of teaching and performing music, this book helped me break through to new and deeper understandings. This is such an important book which explain the power of music on the structure of the human brain For instance, the concept of "Chunking" is at the core of they way the brain can store a great deal of information in one plac for instantaneous recall and use.. "Okay, eight bar blues in Eb on Take Me Out to the Ball Game, I'll start, 1234"....will illicit hours of music. That little bit of information calls up a lifetime of knowledge and a musician doesn't even have to deal with each individual component. "

" Dense reading. Some wonderful clear explanations of music structure as well as an exploration of the emotional impact and value of music to humans. "

" Fascinating! A great mixture of science, psychology and music. The author does a great job explaining complicated music and science topics in easy to understand language. A must read for lovers of music or the brain. "

" Good book, the author tends to be repetitive and the content is not always easy. Nonetheless reading this book was a good experience "

" Some concepts too simplified and made too 'pop-science', but some of the conclusions drawn were excellent. "

" Some interesting theories about how the brain reacts to music, but the writing is a little too technical at times. "

" I got distracted reading other books so it took me forever to finish the last two chapters. I should have put this book in the bathroom to finish it sooner! "

" Has fascinating nuggets, but the structure is a complete mess with personal history, intellectual discovery, science history and music theory unsuccesfully wowen together. Readable and interesting at times but I was left thinking that there must be superior alternative takes on the subject. "

" Music appreciation can be taught, skill can be learned but mastery is dependant upon genetics. "

" I'm actually only partway through this, as I got distracted, but plan to finish it. Fascinating insights from the leading edge of brain, cognitive, and psych research into what music actually is and why we love it. "

" Music and the brain. Super excited on this one "

" So interesting. The psychology, physicology, and sociology of music. The point I remember best is that the complexity of the music you like is tied to how you think. "

" This book is sooo technical that its a tough one to read, but very interesting none-the-less. "

" Whoever said that writing about music is like dancing about architecture was right. But this book did have some insights I found interesting. "

" Fascinating information on the neurological reasons for the human reaction to music. A bit of a tough read if you are musically impaired (like me!) "

" The chapter on "What makes a musician" was especially insightful! "

" this book is amazing so far...can't wait to finish it! "

" Some of the concepts are not the easiest to grasp, but the effort is well worth it, especially for the music lover. "

" This was pretty interesting. Though I'm generally opposed to abridgments, I really liked having this as an audio book because the audio examples were very helpful. I particularly liked the final disk which discussed the development of musical ability from the womb through life. "

" A fascinating read. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on musicians' brains. "

" "Life is dangerous; there are a lot of opportunities to get whacked in the head and potentially lose some brain function" (180-81) "

" Ugh, couldn't even finish it. The first chapter was interesting but its just so dense, and I am both familiar with music and biology. "

" Liked it, but very science-based. The parts I could follow were really good. Skimmed a good chunk of it. "

" Another one I finished during "TAKS Testing" week. Gotta be a band director, musician, or serious nerd (or all three) to get into this one. "

" Very interesting but different than I anticipated. More of a psychology or science book than a book for music lovers. "