“Tune Your Brain: Using Music to Manage Your Mind, Body and Moods”

Elizabeth Miles, Book: Berkley $12, 291 pages

CD:

Deutsche Grammophon

$11.99, 71 minutes

Cassette:

Deutsche Grammophon

$7.99, 71 minutes

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In 1993, researchers at UC Irvine showed that people listening to a Mozart piano sonata improved their IQ by an average of nine points. This nice collection of resources by Los Angeles radio personality (KKGO-FM / 105.1) and ethnomusicologist Elizabeth Miles builds on that finding by promoting the idea that, with the right music, performance and mood can improve. The book describes her theories and gives examples of music choices that can enhance energy, creativity, healing and other emotional states. The CD and cassette contain musical selections that sharpen various moods and cognitive states. Listeners probably won’t find all selections to their taste, but it’s still fun to listen and imagine how the piece might “tune your brain.” The excerpts include a Gregorian chant and pieces by Handel and Mozart. The book is available at most bookstores; the music, at most music stores. However, both can be found at Borders Books and Music as well as Tower Records. Miles also does “Braintuning Breaks,” 60-second features about music and mood, twice a day on KKGO.