Book 83 - Susan Rigers "This Is What It Sounds Like"

[jazzy_dave]

Dr. Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas "This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You" (Vintage)







I found this book very interesting- the main author was a recording engineer for years (working with such people as Prince and Bare Naked Ladies) and has many stories about how creating an album works. After being an engineer, she went back to college and became a neuroscientist, specializing in how music and sound work in people’s brains (Ogas, her co-author, is also a neuroscientist who works in sound). So she understands music and sound from multiple angles. She explains what the seven different aspects of music are- lyrics, melody, rhythm, timbre, novelty, realism, and authenticity- and how they work. She talks about doing ‘record pulls’, where multiple people bring out their favourite music and share it, and how, if you like a certain musician, you’ll probably like musician “X”, also. It’s an educational read.

But- there is always a but- at no point does it tell you what the music says about you. I was kind of expecting something that told you how empathetic you were or if you were forward-thinking. So, I enjoyed the book which has lots of anecdotes about working in the music industry and lots of neurology information but the title is a little deceptive.