However, as the author states, "this is not a 'pop science' book to be absorbed in a single reading", and he is right. It isn't my case, because I don't try to make or even understand music (I can't even sing a single David Sulzer, the neuroscientist, 'meets' Dave Soldier, the musician, to create one of the most interesting science books I've read so far. It's very dense, with a lot of technical details, and those chapters are indeed to be reread if your interest is beyond than simple curiosity. Written for musicians and music lovers with any level of science and math proficiency, including none, Music, Math, and Mind demystifies how music works while testifying to its beauty and wonder.moreĭavid Sulzer, the neuroscientist, 'meets' Dave Soldier, the musician, to create one of the most interesting science books I've read so far. He makes accessible a vast range of material, helping readers discover the universal principles behind the music they find meaningful. Sulzer ranges from styles from around the world to canonical composers to hip-hop, the history of experimental music, and animal sound by songbirds, cetaceans, bats, and insects. He delves into topics such as the math by which musical scales, rhythms, tuning, and harmonies are derived, from the days of Pythagoras to technological manipulation of sound waves. David Sulzer, also known in the musical world as Dave Soldier, explains why the perception of music encompasses the physics of sound, the functions of the ear and deep-brain auditory pathways, and the physiology of emotion.
This book offers a lively exploration of the mathematics, physics, and neuroscience that underlie music in a way that readers without scientific background can follow. Why does a clarinet play at lower pitches than a flute? What does it mean for sounds to be in or out of tune? How are emotions carried by music? Do other animals perceive sound like we do? How might a musician use math to come up with new ideas? This book offers a lively exploration of the mathematics, physics, and neuroscience that underlie music in a way that readers with Why does a clarinet play at lower pitches than a flute? What does it mean for sounds to be in or out of tune? How are emotions carried by music? Do other animals perceive sound like we do? How might a musician use math to come up with new ideas?