This is Your Brain on Music: What I Think

a. This is Your Brain on Music, Chapter 2, and Daniel J. Levitin

b. In this book, Daniel J. Levitin explains that what we remember and enjoy the most in musical experiences. One example that supports this main idea is from the author's personal experience. He went to a concert for a saxophonist and although he cannot remember the songs, he can remember the rhythms. Another interesting fact is that tempo and rhythm are not the same: tempo refers to the pace of music, while rhythm is the length of the actual notes that are played. It is important to know the difference because we don't usually remember the tempo as much as the rhythm. Finally, Levitin gives the reason that music is successful is because it combines the best rhythms and other music elements to, essentially, please our ears. These ideas are connected to what music I choose to listen to because this explain why I like the music I do and why only certain music gets stuck in my head: it's all in the rhythm.

c. Things of Note:

• tempo: the pace of the music; what you "tap your foot to" (Levitin 56).
• rhythm: the length of the actual notes: ba-ba-ba baaahhh
• meter: who the beats are organized: LOUD soft LOUD soft soft soft
• songs can have the same tempo, but our brain will perceive them as completely different
• consonant sounds are ones that please our ears.
• dissonant sounds are ones that are unpleasant to hear.
• A part of the brain, called the brain stem, discerns consonant and dissonant sounds. This may mean that if different people like different sounds then the root of that could be in this part of the brain.