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mafryc's review against another edition
1.0
Boy did I struggle with this book. I couldn't even get to the fascinating science without having to maneuver around the author's sarcasm, snarky comments, and attempt at wit. The author may have the qualifications to write about music and psychology, but the writing style makes it sound like a college kid writing an essay. One that goes on, and on, and on...
my_rse's review
The author goes off on too many side tangents and tries to make everything into a joke. It breaks down music as if you are a player of it, and I was hoping for the science behind why we love music.
ashleylm's review against another edition
4.0
Not quite the thrill of his earlier book (partly because there was some overlap/repetition), but still an enjoyable, educational read. I shall forever after remain confused about what I learned from How Music Works and what I learned here, but that's all right. In at least one of them I learned that there's nothing special about major or minor scales except that those are the two modes (out of the standard seven available in our typical Western-tuned instruments) that people kind of settled on as their favourites. Had we preferred the Lydian mode, say, our handy major scale might only be known as the obscure Ionian, and the minor as Aeolian. (I'm always delighted/surprised to learn that something which seems "natural" is actually the result of nurture/exposure).
And he's still funny, if not quite as funny as he was a few years earlier, which I appreciate. If you're funny, be funny, whether you're writing about birds, black holes, or baking.
(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
And he's still funny, if not quite as funny as he was a few years earlier, which I appreciate. If you're funny, be funny, whether you're writing about birds, black holes, or baking.
(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
vangoghaway_'s review against another edition
4.0
Interesting book on the science behind music and why we enjoy it. Some of the science-y stuff went a little over my head, particularly the chapter on sound waves and harmonies, but the author does a good job at explaining these more difficult concepts in a way that's entertaining and easy to understand.
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