In The Mind behind the Musical Ear, Jeanne Bamberger focuses on the earliest stages in the development of musical cognition. Beginning with children's invention of original rhythm notations, she follows eight-year-old Jeff as he reconstructs and invents descriptions of simple melodies. In a running commentary on Jeff's discoveries and a series of dialogues between herself and two imaginary college students who take different approaches to music, Bamberger reflects on the thinking strategies that guide Jeff at various moments in his musical development.

Jeanne Bamberger is Professor of Music at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.