How Music Works

I bought this and read the first chapter skeptically...but from the second chapter on, I was hooked. Meditations on why music touches us so profoundly, insights into David Byrne’s creative process, musings on how recording sound has ruined our ears, and kudos for long-ago musicians who have pushed through limitations of time, instrumentals and expectations. This is the most thoughtful, enriching book I’ve read in a long time. I’m a classical music snob and I’d never heard of Talking Heads, but that didn’t interfere with my enjoyment. It’s a long read, but David Byrne examined everything from how deforestation affects bird sound, to how to “play” a whole building. Deconstructed orchestras, jazz recordings, the finances behind record deals, the emotions of music, the power of listening to music in groups, health benefits, differing cultural expressions —all blend together in a planet-sized love song to music. Great read to get lost in!

This book is a juxtaposition of music history from inception (not in the classical 3 Bs sense) and auto-biography from a self-taught iconic pop star. It has been said that David Byrne is a "Polymath of Music." Agreed, but also a scientist in his profession. He truly enjoys his art and is able to combine his extreme intelligence with music, and put it in writing in this very eloquent piece of work. Truly recommend this book!

This is David Byrne week for me. On Sunday, I caught the sensational David Byrne and St. Vincent show at the Orpheum Theater in Boston. The last time I saw Byrne live was when I caught the Talking Heads on August 19, 1983 at the old Forrest Hills Tennis Stadium in New York City. So, clearly I was already a Byrne fan.How Music WorksThe other part of David Byrne week is his fabulous new book How Music Works. The book is Byrne's take on the industry he's succeeded in. He offers keen observations about the music industry, the art of making music, telling stories in the book using a combination of history, anthropology, and music theory. I love this book!In particular, Byrne has a fascinating take on the development of music, which is quite different from what other music historians say. In a chapter titled "Creation in Reverse" he argues that music evolves to fill the space where it is performed.For example, the Talking Heads evolved in the 1970s at New York punk club CBGB requiring volume to overcome the din. The sparse music that came out of the CBGB scene such as the Ramones and Television worked perfectly for that room.Music that evolved in gothic cathedrals (lots of reverberation) has long notes with no key changes. Carnegie Hall and other similar rooms require texture. With discos, people made music to exploit the fantastic sound systems and people's need to dance. Rock music played in hockey arenas (the worst acoustics on the planet) must be straightforward with medium tempos. You get the idea. The music that is successful works perfectly for each venue.With personal sound systems (starting with the Walkman in the 1970s then evolving into MP3 players such as the iPod), all of a sudden you can hear every single detail. This allowed pop music to evolve from its early radio form.Byrne has a 2010 TED Talk on this idea: "How architecture helped music evolve."How Content WorksAs I devoured How Music Works I was constantly thinking how Byrne's ideas apply to other forms of content. I think the ideas are valid when thinking about the written word, video content, and the Web. I used the ideas in How Music Works to formulate ideas about content in general.David Byrne's How Music Works is amazing. Read it. And as you do if you're not in the music business, feel free to substitute "content" for "music" and see where the ideas lead you.

I used to go to CBGBs in the mid-1980s. I remember seeing and hearing Sonic Youth there before they were popular. I used to buy and drink beer on the club's official elongated bar, and run across the street to buy cigarettes at the 24-hour pharmacy store. Punk died a few years before. Nonetheless interesting book, at least the first 80%, then it got really boring. In the night, on second street, the whining ambulance sirens played the familiar tune of another miserable punk.Rock on.

Let's face it, if you're going to read a book about how music and the industry work, who better than David Byrne to write it? His style of writing makes it an easy read and he even goes into detail about the money side of things, which has always been interesting to me. If you like music, are interested in the business side of it or you simply what to know more about it from someone who lived it, then you'll love this book!

A very good book. Written in an almost 'chatty' style, so very easy to read. Lots of fascinating information and insights into music generally (of all sorts). Plus quite detailed description of how David has worked before Talking Heads and equally interesting how his work has developed in the years since that band. If you liked TH and David's solo work I am sure you will find this a very enlightening read.

A clever, absorbing 'A level' intense book covering all aspects of music. David Byrne's style of writing is relaxed but really covers all areas in depth. Particularly enlightening was the money side of getting music out to the listener; it changed my purchasing habits completely. I buy direct from the artists own website now. Highly recommended if you love your sounds.

I didn't know really what to expect from this book. I'm tired of music biographies in general but this book is not that. It contains insightful biographical details that inspire but the primary takeaway is a fresh understanding of what music really is and a determination to find out a lot more.Once In A Lifetime provided a soundtrack to everything that was good about being an emerging adolescent of the late 70s and early 80s and I always wondered how they arrived at that finished piece. Now I know and I also have some validation that my own songwriting and composing instincts weren't so whacky after all, so thanks David for giving me that.Buy this book. You will come back to it from time to time. Essential reading for anyone who wants to learn about music and should perhaps be part of a standard curriculum for music in general.

Fascinating insights into not only the author's outlook but also the business and production aspects of the music industry. Also the anecdotal offerings should please the fan base. BUT it is not just a history of Talking Heads or an account of his solo career. There's a lot more besides.