A legendary record producer-turned-brain scientist explains why you fall in love with music.
This Is What It Sounds Like is a journey into the science and soul of music that reveals the secrets of why your favourite songs move you. But it's also a story of a musical trailblazer who began as a humble audio tech in Los Angeles to became Prince's chief engineer for Purple Rain, and then create other No. 1 hits as one of the most successful female record producers of all time.
Now an award-winning professor of cognitive neuroscience, Susan Rogers leads readers to musical self-awareness. She explains that we each possess a unique 'listener profile' based on our brain's natural response to seven key dimensions of any song. Are you someone who prefers lyrics or melody? Do you like music 'above the neck' (intellectually stimulating), or 'below the neck' (instinctual and rhythmic)? Whether your taste is esoteric or mainstream, Rogers guides readers to recognize their musical personality, and offers language to describe one's own unique taste. Like most of us, Rogers is not a musician, but she shows that all of us can be musical - simply by being an active, passionate listener.
While exploring the science of music and the brain, Rogers also takes us behind the scenes of record-making, using her insider's ear to illuminate the music of Prince, Frank Sinatra, Kanye West, Lana Del Rey, and many others. She shares records that changed her life, contrasts them with those that appeal to her co-author and students, and encourages you to think about the records that define your own identity.
Lively, inclusive and revelatory, This Is What It Sounds Like will refresh your playlists, deepen your connection to your favourite artists, and change the way you listen to music.
Review
This Is What It Sounds Like is a revelation... extraordinary insights about music, emotion, and the brain... An instant classic, [it] should be read by anyone who has ever been moved by a piece of music-in other words, everyone -- Dr. Daniel J. Levitin, New York Times bestselling author of This Is Your Brain on Music and The Organized Mind
If you've ever wondered why you love a song and what that says about you this book will help you understand why. Susan is one of the smartest people in the world of music and this book will help you hear music more deeply and more thoughtfully. You can tell why Prince loved working with her -- Touré, author of I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon
A deliciously nerdy resource for music lovers, and for anyone who thinks deeply about music and how it moves them -- Jessica Hopper, author of First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic
Susan Rogers found her superpower in the music world not as a musician, but as a master listener. Rogers' book is a gift to music listeners of all kinds - because in listening, we hear not only the music, we hear the sonic signature of our own soul -- Dan Charnas, New York Times bestselling author of Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm
Why do we like the music we like? With a provocative blend of studio stories and fascinating neuroscience, celebrated producer and engineer Susan Rogers sets out to answer this eternal mystery - and, along the way, just might turn you into a better listener -- Alan Light, music journalist and author of Let's Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain
About the Author
Susan E Rogers, PhD. is a Professor of Music Cognition at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she received the Berklee Distinguished Faculty Award, the college's highest teaching honor. Prior to her science career, Rogers was a multi-platinum record producer, recording engineer, and mixer. She is best known for her work with Prince ("Purple Rain") as well as David Byrne, Barenaked Ladies, and many others.
Ogi Ogas, PhD, is a mathematical neuroscientist and the author of Journey of the Mind: How Thinking Emerged from Chaos. He was a Department of Homeland Security Fellow and a Research Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
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