With chapters focusing on different aspects of the medium - creation, recording, business, theory, nature, etc. - he touches on his own experience as well as a roundup of interesting findings and a survey of experts. Byrne takes an anything-goes approach, accepting that there are many different perspectives on every topic. He shares how he has done things and approached them in his own career, but tries to bring in many other points of view as well. The discussion on music in the natural world, for example, compiles some compelling evidence as to why the 12-note and 7-note scales may be biological fact rather than just a cultural development.
The aspiring professional musician might make use of his practical, realistic approach to making a living in the music business as he shares a forward-looking description of the options on how to make it work. A great read all the way through, or you can pick and choose the chapters that seems most intriguing. Give it all a chance, though, and keep a computer nearby so you can look up samples of the many works he mentions throughout.
