Saturday, January 29, 2011

A discourse on the art of brainwave entertainment

Binaural beats are many a time described as “brainwave entertainment.” This being that
these sound waves will alter the frequency level of one’s brain, changing the way it reacts to the
outside world, changing the subject’s emotions, changing the relaxation level of the subject, and
changing others, even including their IQ.

To introduce a short history behind this, scientists have researched the rates of tribal drum
beats and chants that were used to induce healing and spiritual growth, finding many at a
consistent 4.5 beats per minute. While succumbing to this, the listener will undergo a trance
which will change the way the brain works. In 1839, Heinrich Dove discovered binaural beats,
based off of this principle, but the science behind it couldn’t be explained at the time. Over 100
years later, in 1973, Gerald Oster wrote “Auditory Beats in the Brain” and explained how
binaural beats worked.

Source: guide-to-self-help-techniques.com
Binaural beats can be described as two different frequencies produced in each ear. The brain will create the difference of the two frequencies, therefore allowing developers to create any frequency wave they want, even those incapable of being produced by standard headphones.  For example, if a 100Hz frequency is played in the left ear, and a 105Hz frequency is played in the right, the brain will compensate by creating a 3rd, 5Hz frequency.

By creating different frequencies, one can select various states of mind. For instance, the gamma and beta brainwave states induce IQ increases, enhanced perception, and memory increase. A 12 to 40 Hz wave is the equivalent to a beta brainwave. Alpha brainwaves induce a better mood, theta increases the awareness of the unconscious mind (also results in an increase of dreams), and delta brainwaves improve the body by boosting the immune system and even instigating the release of human growth hormones.

Binaural beats can have a strong affect on one's lifestyle, almost
synthetically enhancing the mind and body. Most may deny this fact, and may try binaural beats
to no avail, but the key factors to making this work include clearing one's mind, laying down,
and closing their eyes for at least the first 15 minutes. When listening, headphones are necessary
and less outer noise is recommended.

Where to find binaural beats for download:
  • http://www.mentallion.com/brainwave-entrainment
    • Under Therapies>Advanced, this site has download links to the pure beats (gamma, beta, etc.) which only last 15 minutes, but can be listened to in a loop since it's an unchanging rhythm.
  • http://www.i-doser.com/
    • If you browse around the computer store from the left panel, you will find a finely tuned, wide array of binaural beats "doses."  Although I won't post any links for legal reasons, I will say that with a quick google search, i-doser doses aren't that hard to find for free.
  • http://www.google.com/
    • This one's self explanatory.
  • Also, try Isochronic tones, a similar alternative to binaural beats- http://www.iso-tones.com/tones.html

Sources: