How Music Works David Byrne

How Music Works

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • David Byrne’s incisive and enthusiastic look at the musical art form, from its very inceptions to the influences that shape it, whether acoustical, economic, social, or technological—now updated with a new chapter on digital curation. “How Music Works is a buoyant hybrid of social history, anthropological survey, autobiography, personal philosophy, and business manual”—The Boston Globe Utilizing his incomparable career and inspired collaborations with Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and many others, David Byrne taps deeply into his lifetime of knowledge to explore the panoptic elements of music, how it shapes the human experience, and reveals the impetus behind how we create, consume, distribute, and enjoy the songs, symphonies, and rhythms that provide the backbeat of life. Byrne’s magnum opus uncovers thrilling realizations about the redemptive liberation that music brings us all.

Summary of David Byrne's How Music Works

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The path of creation is different from the romantic notion of how creative work emerges out of an upwelling of passion. We unconsciously and instinctively make work that fits the preexisting formats. We work backward, creating work that fits the available venues. #2 The room at CBGB, where some of the music I wrote was first heard, was remarkably good for sound absorption and uneven acoustic reflections. Because of the lack of reverberation, one could be fairly certain that details of one’s music would be heard. #3 The New York club was initially meant to be a bluegrass and country venue like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville. The audience behavior was similar in both places, and the music was identical. #4 The music and dance styles of these cultures are metaphors for the social and sexual mores of the societies they emerge from. The music perfectly suits the available niche, and it is absolutely ideally suited for this situation.

Writing on the Edge