Music, Math, and Mind

This book offers a lively exploration of the mathematics, physics, and neuroscience that underlie music in a way that readers without scientific background can follow. David Sulzer, also known in the musical world as Dave Soldier, explains why the perception of music encompasses the physics of sound, the functions of the ear and deep-brain auditory pathways, and the physiology of emotion. He delves into topics such as the math by which musical scales, rhythms, tuning, and harmonies are derived, from the days of Pythagoras to technological manipulation of sound waves. Sulzer ranges from styles from around the world to canonical composers to hip-hop, the history of experimental music, and animal sound by songbirds, cetaceans, bats, and insects. He makes accessible a vast range of material, helping readers discover the universal principles behind the music they find meaningful.

Nota BeneIntroduction1. The Parameters of Sound2. The Math of Pitch, Scales, and Harmony3. Waves and Harmonics4. The Math of Sound and Resonance5. Math and Rhythmic StructureCenterpiece: The Sense of Hearing6. Brain Mechanisms of Rhythm7. Neural Mechanisms of Emotion8. Ear Physiology: How Air Waves Become Sound9. Deep Brain Physiology of Sound10. Sound Disorders, Illusions, and Hallucinations11. Animal Sound, Song, and MusicAcknowledgmentsAppendix 1: Musical Pitch to Frequency TableAppendix 2: Further ReadingBibliographyAuthor¿s Selected Compositions and DiscographyIndex