My favorite drug got the full-length treatment in Daniel Levitin’s science-lite best seller. I’d heard the guy interviewed a long time back, methinks on a podcast of Sound Opinions, but it was a pine-scented Christmas morning surprise to find his book in my hands.
A prog-rocker turned record-producer turned academic-researcher, Dr. Levitin isn’t one of small ambitions. Not surprisingly his book takes on quite a bit too, with three topics spinning in heavy rotation: music theory, scientific memoir, and ruminations on music and evolution.
The first cut would fascinate anyone who loves them tunes. For that alone, I’d short-list this book for everybody who picks up a mic, straps on a guitar, or sits behind a mixer. He spends a lot time at the intersection of music theory and perception, harmonizing what you remember from high school band with what you’ve absorbed from years of radio-listening experience. If you ever wondered why a “G” on a telecaster sounds different from a “G” on a strat, this book’s for you.
The needle skips a bit on the biographical stuff, but if you worked with Watson & Crick you’d probably want to talk about it too.
Finally, he attempts to explain why music evolved as it has, and why it is so universal and so universally loved. In doing so, he offers a rational, scientific explanation for oddities such as the lovely Liv Tyler:
Dr. Levitin asserts that the ability to master the complex mental and physical feats of coordination necessary to perform music may indicate a high level of reproductive fitness to a potential mate. And, as he puts it, “for the top rock stars, such as Mick Jagger, physical appearance doesn’t seem to be much of an issue.”
So there’s a little handy motivation for the next time your kid complains about practicing — making this an enjoyable and ultimately useful book.
Son, you’ll never get laid if you don’t practice your accordion.