OT: Progress on anzio scan interface... None... On music, huge!

[John Esak]

Hi Bob,
I put off starting the work on the interface until tomorrow. I'll write it
then and the next day.  But, I wanted to thank you for the This Is Your
Brain On Music reference.  At first I found this book extremely boring...
Almost put it down in fact.  But something, somehow caught me and I've just
finished it after a marathon reading.  There are some gigantic ideas in this
book. Mostly it just posits questions of how the brain does this and that,
and then gives rough approximations of the answer.  All in all, I learned a
tremendous amount that I had not known.  I love the continual reference he
makes to scholars and music, as well as scientists and philosophers that we
all have learned about throughout our lives.  I think this book would only
be helpful or liked by well educated people.  In fact, maybe only even by
people who enjoyed their education itself. It's not elitist, or anything, I
mean he refers to Pat Metheny, Pink Floyd, Hayden, Hendrix, whoever he needs
to make his points. Heck, he's all over the place (like me and my brain
are...) and all in all, I'm just glad I kept reading when I was wondering
why I should...   The amazing thing is that the author clearly discusses
throughout the whole book how are brain could possibly discern and
understand and process the millions and billions of air molecules jiggling
the tympanic membrane stretched across the tiny bone in our ear.... How can
it possibly "hear" all these disparate sounds ... And make sense of them.
By constantly pulling it all to music, he gave me insight after insight.  I
don't now know what I learned about music and the brain, because it is all
so complex.  But I am thinking about what is going on in a whole new more
enlightened way than ever I did before.  Truly, if anyone were to pick one
of the simple situations he describes... A person sitting in a room reading
a book... They might hear the low thrum of the air conditioning, the hum of
the refrigerator, the traffic sounds from outside, maybe leaves rustling,
and a Debussy  piece on the stereo.  How in the world does the brain process
all that disparate sound hitting the ear drum simultaneously.???  Right now
I'm listening as he is mentioning Steely Dan, The Carpenters, the Stones,
and specific pieces of music from Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Police, Elvis...
Talking about kick drums, etc.  And I have to tell you the audible.com
version of the book actually plays a lot of these short pieces as they are
mentioned.  Fantastic.  This book reminds me of a scientific version of The
Music Lesson by Victor Wooton... Which these the philosophy of music to a
bass player.  Excellent read, too.  Music has so many aspects, and whether
it brings you more philosophic input or scientific input, books on it always
intrigue me.  Now that the books can also have a little music in them as
well, they become truly fantastic journeys for the mind.  

Well, sorry to have waxed on so. Thanks for the suggestion.  I'm listening
to parts again today that I just couldn't possibly learn in one
reading/hearing.  Who knows if you need to agree with this guy that this is
how the brain really does process music... It's just a wonderful thing to
hear his framework and discussion of it all.  Like I say, for anyone reading
this well, I guess it's a review of the book somewhat... Don't rush out and
buy it unless you are ready for a really challenging educational
experience.. Almost like learning physical chemistry. Yeccccch.. But then,
some things I really like, others will not.

Too bad, I didn't do much work on the program I want to write... I have been
cataloging my CD's all night while listening to this book.

Boy, the first thing I wanted to listen to a second (and certainly third and
fourth and fifth ) time) is this author's description of the neuro-chemistry
of the brain and how neurons fire, transmit and such.  This description is
so interesting.  I am lol'ing just now over my comment to you about left and
right brain  and your response that it might be a little more complicated
than that.  Little?  Little?  These Reading these passages again makes me
really laugh like you must have when I said that.  

Thanks,
Take care,

John