March 05, 2012

Guitar Zero Review

I've been reading a book about a professor of psychology, who always wanted to be a musician. Professor Gary Marcus studies evolution, language, and cognitive development at New York University, where he is a professor of psychology and the director of the NYU Center for Child Language. The book is a very interesting read.

Amazon describes Guitar Zero: The New Musician and the Science of Learning somewhat incorrectly with these words: "Guitar Zero stands the science of music on its head, debunking the popular theory of an innate musical instinct and many other commonly held fallacies."

However, the author does believe in innate musical talent, but feels he is himself below the normal levels of musical talent. This makes the book especially interesting, because the author takes impressive steps in terms of progress, despite the the lack of musical talent.

As a music teacher, I find the science of learning of particular interest, and since this book is about learning to play guitar, it was extra interesting to me. The author shares with us the latest studies on the human brain with regards to music, and he related these studies to himself as a growing musician. The combination of science studies and personal reflection upon learning makes the book a compelling story about the learning process. I found it inspiring to read how much Marcus learned in such a short time, and the way he told the story in the book.

Just keep in mind - this book is not intended for teaching you how to play the guitar or any other musical instrument. It is really about a guy who followed his heart later in life, and what he learned from doing so.

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By Robert Renman - www.dolphinstreet.com

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Posted by Robert Renman on March 05, 2012