This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You
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Legendary record producer-turned-brain scientist explains why you fall in love with music.
‘Extraordinary insights about music, emotion and the brain…An instant classic’ Daniel Levitin, author of This Is Your Brain on Music
This Is What It Sounds Like is a journey into the science and soul of music. It’s also the story of a musical trailblazer who began as a humble audio tech in L.A. to become Prince’s chief engineer for Purple Rain and one of the most successful female record producers of all time.
Now an award-winning professor of cognitive neuroscience, Dr Susan Rogers takes readers behind the scenes of record-making and leads us to musical self-awareness. She explains that everyone possesses a unique ‘listener profile’, shows how being musical can mean actively listening, and encourages us to think about the records that define us. Lively and illuminating, this book will refresh your playlists, deepen your connection to artists, and change the way you listen to music.
‘Superb… this book can show you how to be a better listener’ Times Literary Supplement
‘A provocative blend of studio stories and fascinating neuroscience’ Alan Light, author of Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain
‘Fizzing with energy and insight…a crucial addition to the canon of music must-reads’ Kate Hutchinson
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Additional information
| Publisher | Vintage, 1st edition (19 Oct. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 288 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1529114012 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1529114010 |
| Dimensions | 12.9 x 1.8 x 19.8 cm |
by Closet Romantic
I am currently at 25% in this book and what was interesting and engaging is turning into a bit of a slog. The science is getting deeper and whilst quite interesting it’s not what I really want to read. Susan Rogers has had an interesting life in music and it was the mention of Prince and the Purple Rain album that drew me in to request the ARC from NetGalley. Well researched and one I shall leave on my kindle and probably go back to after a break.
by Steve Mansfield
This is a thought-provoking read which makes you examine your musical preferences.
There are issues with the range of examples that the author draws on, it that the palette is relentlessly pop/rock based (the co-author is obviously a classical music fan but is often quoted and then immediately dismissed); also the aphorisms from Prince aren’t anything like as deep and meaningful as the author seems to regard them as being.
The concept of the switch between ‘authentic’ and ‘synthetic’ music is an idea I’d not encountered before.
This is a book to be read and thought about with a critical standpoint, but it is well worth reading.
by Martin Howard
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by Peter Lee
I know of Susan Rogers thanks to her work with Prince, but this isn’t a book about him or his work, or her time working with him – in fact he is only mentioned a handful of times. The book focuses on the belief that your love of music is based on seven dimensions: authenticity, realism, novelty, melody, lyrics, rhythm, and timbre. In each chapter, Rogers provides examples of songs that have each of these attributes (it’s a good idea to have your streaming app of choice open so you can search for the songs to understand what she means) and explains why some people are drawn to this. It’s an easy, interesting read, not at all heavy or dull, but I admit that when I reached the end the conclusion seems to be that we all like different things, and just because you like a song doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll like others in the same style, or everything by that artist.