--- product_id: 2737846 title: "How Music Works: The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond" price: "15188CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/2737846-how-music-works-the-science-and-psychology-of-beautiful-sounds store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # How Music Works: The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond **Price:** 15188CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** How Music Works: The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond - **How much does it cost?** 15188CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/2737846-how-music-works-the-science-and-psychology-of-beautiful-sounds) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description "Any readers whose love of music has somehow not led them to explore the technical side before will surely find the result a thoroughly accessible, and occasionally revelatory, primer."— Seattle Post-Intelligencer What makes a musical note different from any other sound? How can you tell if you have perfect pitch? Why do ten violins sound only twice as loud as one? Do your Bob Dylan albums sound better on CD vinyl? John Powell, a scientist and musician, answers these questions and many more in How Music Works , an intriguing and original guide to acoustics. In a clear and engaging voice, Powell leads you on a fascinating journey through the world of music, with lively discussions of the secrets behind harmony timbre, keys, chords, loudness, musical composition, and more. From how musical notes came to be (you can thank a group of stodgy men in 1939 London for that one), to how scales help you memorize songs, to how to make and oboe from a drinking straw, John Powell distills the science and psychology of music with wit and charm. Review: Great Book - I LOVE this book. I can't put it down. If you have ever wondered why music is played the way it is, get this book. It doesn't matter whether you can play an instrument or not, you will find this book fascinating -- and fun to read. Review: Great Book For Curious Musical Neophytes - As the title says, this is a book about how music works -- but about how it works in physical sense, not in an artistic or emotional sense. This took me aback, since I'd expected (having foolishly failed toread the write up or the reviews) something about sense and sensibility. But I am very glad I got the book, and read it. The author sets out to make the mechanics of music clear even to readers with no musical education. I am just such a one, and the book does indeed make a lot of things very clear, starting with what makes a sound musical. It proceeds through pitch and frequency, tonality, intervals and scales, keys, modes, and on and on. I learned a lot from the book, and enjoyed doing so. The style is very clear and simple, the organization is excellent, and the examples are well chosen. Only time will tell whether or not having read the book enhances my appreciation of music, Meanwhile, I've learned a lot of stuff that is fun to know. My only question about this book is whether it might be TOO clear and simple for readers who already know a lot about music. I can"t judge that, but such readers might want to read reviews by their peers. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #78,610 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #7 in Physics of Acoustics & Sound (Books) #9 in Musical Philosophy & Social Aspects #55 in Music History & Criticism (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 524 Reviews | ## Images ![How Music Works: The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/715qP0bS00L.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Book *by J***G on July 8, 2026* I LOVE this book. I can't put it down. If you have ever wondered why music is played the way it is, get this book. It doesn't matter whether you can play an instrument or not, you will find this book fascinating -- and fun to read. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Book For Curious Musical Neophytes *by A***S on December 2, 2012* As the title says, this is a book about how music works -- but about how it works in physical sense, not in an artistic or emotional sense. This took me aback, since I'd expected (having foolishly failed toread the write up or the reviews) something about sense and sensibility. But I am very glad I got the book, and read it. The author sets out to make the mechanics of music clear even to readers with no musical education. I am just such a one, and the book does indeed make a lot of things very clear, starting with what makes a sound musical. It proceeds through pitch and frequency, tonality, intervals and scales, keys, modes, and on and on. I learned a lot from the book, and enjoyed doing so. The style is very clear and simple, the organization is excellent, and the examples are well chosen. Only time will tell whether or not having read the book enhances my appreciation of music, Meanwhile, I've learned a lot of stuff that is fun to know. My only question about this book is whether it might be TOO clear and simple for readers who already know a lot about music. I can"t judge that, but such readers might want to read reviews by their peers. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ everything you've ever wanted to know about music and music perception *by D***N on January 14, 2014* This book explains everything you might ever have wondered about music and what makes it music as opposed to mere sounds. The book requires no prior knowledge of music or music theory, or even how to read music, but it is probably only for those seriously interested in "how music works." Mr. Powell presents in a clear and humorous book an explanation of just about everything you could imagine concerning the topic of music and music perception. For example, he gives a brief history of the difficulty in designing musical instruments so that not only do they sound good but allow a transposition from key to key known as "well tempered." (think of Bach's "Well Tempered Clavier.") Powell also delves into the psychology of music and sound perception showing us for example, that humans don't perceive loudness linearly - the old Weber-Fechner Law from psycho-physics. Powell explains why some music sounds sad and some happy and always throughout the books he gives examples from popular to classical works. I loved this book and plan on using it as a supplement in one of my psychology courses on motivation but as I said at the beginning, I think you really should have a burning curiosity about the working of music to stick with the book even as well written as it is. But if you do love music and want to really learn more about it, this is a 5-star place to learn. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/2737846-how-music-works-the-science-and-psychology-of-beautiful-sounds](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/2737846-how-music-works-the-science-and-psychology-of-beautiful-sounds) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-09-05*