Book excerpt: Lavishly illustrated, Exploring Music: The Science and Technology of Tones and Tunes explains in a nonmathematical way the underlying science of music, musical instruments, tones, and tunes. The author explores the magical quality and science of music, facilitating pleasure and the understanding in both young and older readers. Based primarily on the highly successful series of Christmas lectures given by the author in 1989-1990 at the Royal Institution, this book contains an expanded version of what he demonstrated to live audiences in excess of 2,000 as well as over 10 million television viewers.