Anyone Can Play Music - by Josh Turknett (Paperback)

About the Book

"You can learn to play music, no matter what you've been told about your musical talent or aptitude. Each and every one of us has been gifted with a fully customizable brain, one we can mold to learn anything, at any age. With the right instruction and methods, learning to play music can be an endless source of joy and fulfillment. And learning to play music isn't just fun, it's also the ideal brain fitness activity. Dr. Turknett, a neurologist, self-taught multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of Brainjo and the Brainjo Method of instruction, which has been used successfully by thousands of people, distills the principles of learning to play music down into a set of universal "laws" that can be applied to any instrument. His innovative and proven approach synthesizes the latest in neuroscience and skill-building theory, emphasizing practicing smarter, not harder, recognizing that there is no failure, only feedback, and leveraging the immense power of subconscious learning. Success or failure in learning to play music, just like anything else, is driven by how we learn. More specifically, it is driven by how well we engage our brain's remarkable ability to change itself. Anyone Can Play Music is about the fundamental principles of learning, an owner's manual for molding a musical mind. The benefits of learning an instrument extend beyond the immense pleasure that it brings. Recent research indicates that stimulating neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to change itself, leads to brain growth, reverses brain aging and even restores youthful brain function. The more areas of the brain that are stimulated, the greater the benefit. And when it comes to a whole brain workout, nothing beats playing music. While much of Dr. Turknett's detailed instructions are music-specific, the strategies underpinning this book apply not only to learning to play music, but to any kind of skill building. Our plastic brains are capable of so much more than we realize, as long as we can learn how to learn"--

Book Synopsis

A neuroscience-based approach to learning how to play music at any age

You can learn to play music, no matter what you've been told about your musical talent or aptitude. Each and every one of us has been gifted with a fully customizable brain, one we can mold to learn anything, at any age. With the right instruction and methods, learning to play music can be an endless source of joy and fulfillment. And learning to play music isn't just fun, it's also the ideal brain fitness activity.

Dr. Turknett, a neurologist, self-taught multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of Brainjo and the Brainjo Method of instruction, which has been used successfully by thousands of people, distills the principles of learning to play music down into a set of universal "laws" that can be applied to any instrument. His innovative and proven approach synthesizes the latest in neuroscience and skill-building theory, emphasizing practicing smarter, not harder, recognizing that there is no failure, only feedback, and leveraging the immense power of subconscious learning.

Success or failure in learning to play music, just like anything else, is driven by how we learn. More specifically, it is driven by how well we engage our brain's remarkable ability to change itself. Anyone Can Play Music is about the fundamental principles of learning, an owner's manual for molding a musical mind.

The benefits of learning an instrument extend beyond the immense pleasure that it brings. Recent research indicates that stimulating neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to change itself, leads to brain growth, reverses brain aging and even restores youthful brain function. The more areas of the brain that are stimulated, the greater the benefit. And when it comes to a whole brain workout, nothing beats playing music.

While much of Dr. Turknett's detailed instructions are music-specific, the strategies underpinning this book apply not only to learning to play music, but to any kind of skill building. Our plastic brains are capable of so much more than we realize, as long as we can learn how to learn.

Review Quotes

"The best presentation of a well-organized, practical method that can help the reader develop into a better musician that I have ever encountered."--Dan Miller, Bluegrass Unlimited

"In this mind-bending guide, neuroscientist and physician Josh Turknett reveals how anyone can hack their brain to learn music at any age. With the precision of a neurosurgeon and the soul of a banjo player, Turknett shows how imperfection can be beautiful, struggles are stepping stones, and your best days of learning may still lie ahead. Whether you're 15 or 85, this book hands you the neural keys to unlock your inner musician--and help you with any kind of learning. A masterclass in brain plasticity disguised as a music lesson."--Barbara Oakley, PhD, creator of Learning How to Learn, one of the world's most popular online courses, and author of A Mind for Numbers

"This book should be a vital part of everyone's musical learning experience. You can be a better musician, and what's in this book will ensure that."--Bryan Sutton, 10-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year and Grammy Award winner

"In the ten years I have known him, Dr. Josh Turknett has completely changed the way I think about the brain. This book masterfully breaks down the simple, but sometimes counterintuitive, ways that we can leverage the unique properties of the human brain to learn anything we put our minds to."--Tommy Wood, MD, PhD

"Neurologist, musician, and educator Josh Turknett is uniquely qualified to help his followers reach their musical goals by leveraging the brain's lifelong capacity to change and employing simple but effective practice strategies. This book is the great equalizer that so many musicians and musicians-to-be have been waiting for."--Adam Hurt, champion banjo and fiddle player

"Read this book and learn how to change your brain with deliberative practice at any age."--Ken Ford, founder and CEO of The Institute for Human and Machine Cognition

"As a professional musician, some of these techniques, such as visualization, I've discovered through years of practice. But many of the time management and optimization methods in the book have allowed me to focus less on 'staying in shape' and more on growing as a player."--Graham Sharp, singer, songwriter, and banjo player for Steep Canyon Rangers

About the Author

Josh Turknett, MD is a board-certified neurologist, author, award-winning musician, and entrepreneur. He speaks regularly on topics including learning, neuroplasticity, brain health, Alzheimer's, and cognitive performance. He is the founder of Brainjo and The Brainjo Academy, an online platform providing neuroscience-based musical instruction to optimize the learning process and enhance brain fitness.