Let's not forget about music therapy:
I have noticed that the practice of sound therapy is not so well known to the public. Often times when I explain to people that I am interested in how sound affects the brain they say, "oh, you must be studying music therapy". It seems like it is difficult for some to understand that music is made of organized sound, and that sound is simply vibration. While the rest of this blog focused on how sound, in the rawest form, affects the brain, I wanted to finish off these capstone posts by sharing a short article on music therapy I found. The article, titled "Music as medicine", features contributions from several figures in the music therapy movement, such as Daniel J. Levitin, who wrote the book "This Is Your Brain On Music". In the article Levitin states,"we've found compelling evidence that musical interventions can play a health-care role in settings ranging from operating rooms to family clinics". One thing in particular the article mentions is how much more effective it is to expose patients to live music, as oppose to pre-recorded music. A study was done by researchers at the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine with 272 premature babies.When the babies were sung a lullaby by their parents it was recorded that their heart rates dropped down significantly. While most people use music as a way to relax, I thought it was awesome, and reassuring, that the effects of music are being recognized by the western medical world.
Music as medicine: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/11/music.aspx
In addition to the article, one of the biggest inspirations for my capstone was seeing the documentary "Alive Inside" this past August. In the documentary a man goes around to several people suffering from major mental illness, such as dementia and alzheimer's and plays them some of their favorite music. Within seconds the individuals begin to function in ways that many thought were lost due to the illness. Included in the documentary is neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, who has been a major advocate for the healing power of music and sound.
Watch a clip from "Alive Inside" below:
Outsider response to Session 5 audio:
The final track I exposed the patient to was one that for me, was the most intense out of the five new pieces of audio created for the capstone. I was pretty sure that I had worn him out from the previous four and hoped he had enough left in him to give me a proper response for this last one. After he finished listening he told me that during playback he felt drowsy and nervous. He must have had a sense of claustrophobia as well because he mentioned that he felt like he was stuck in a cage. The strange part was that he told me after the audio stopped he was in a state of calm. I'm not so sure if he truly felt calm and instead feel that he must have just been been drained from the whole experience. I was kind of startled after I listened to the track myself. Finishing off the patient's first binaural beat experience with that was certainly a decent indicator for figuring out if he had been affected overall.
In the future I think it would be a good idea to do a interview with the patient before the listening session about their current anxiety levels and what sort of sounds are more favorable, or irritating than others. Having some sort of assessment like that beforehand would help me learn how to pick and choose, or sequence the audio tracks before the session. However, since the goal for this capstone was to see how an outsider would react to each of the tracks I created, this was acceptable.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Sound Therapy Capstone: 9
Acutonics: A Sonic Approach to Acupuncture
I have been receiving acupuncture on and off for the past five years, as well as practicing Qi Gong, an ancient meditation practice from China that uses the same meridian system. Meridians are fields within the body that function as pathways for Qi (energy) and blood to flow. Where as acupuncture uses needles on different meridian points to improve circulation and treat all sorts of health issues, a practice called Acutonics, uses vibration from tuning forks. From what I understand some of the tuning forks are tuned to the frequencies of different planets and exposing the human body to these frequencies helps the patient become more centered, or grounded. Acutonics also uses instruments such as Tibetan Singing Bowls placed on the patient at different meridian points. I have not found a lot of technical information on how Acutonics works, as most practitioners are made up of energy healers and the information, to me, seems a bit vague. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating practice and I would love to try it in the future.
Here are a couple of videos describing the fundamentals of Acutonics:
Acutonics website: http://www.acutonics.com/
Response to Session 5 audio:
This one has got to be the most powerful out of the batch of binaural beats created for this capstone. Upon listening to this in a controlled setting with no distractions, I first noticed how straightforward the droning oscillators on either side of the headphones were. There doesn't appear to be a lot of modulation going on. After being exposed to these seemingly standing waves for a couple of minutes, I began to notice the incredibly fast modulation going on. Once again, it is incredible what pops out while listening closely to the same sounds over and over again. There was a tone resonating back and forth in the background that became more present as time progressed. I tried to pick out and pay attention solely to that component of the piece. About half way through the experience I noticed a strong wave of anxiety come on and my heart rate started to race, slightly fluttering. I was now feeling disoriented and nervous. I did not remember feeling this way when I was synthesizing the sound and listening back on studio monitors, though at the time I knew it had some weight to it. Once the track ended I felt confused and was at a loss for words for what I experienced. I decided to listen to it one more time, hoping that I could get to the root of why the track affected me in a drastically more negative way than the rest. After giving it one more try I realized that binaural beats have a significantly more startling effect when they are at a more audible (less rumbling frequency) and that the stimulation that occurs can throw the mind way off if it is not directed in a conservative manner.
Sound Therapy Capstone: 8
Tomatis Sound Training:
One of the key figures in the development of sound therapy and psychoacoustics was Dr. Alfred Tomatis (1920-2001). He began his practice as an ear, nose, and throat doctor and saw a lot of patients who were opera singers. After attempts to treat them traditionally, he discovered that a key reason for why they were having a difficult time with their voice was due to problems with their hearing. He developed his own signature method for treating all kinds of issues, from schizophrenia to autism. While learning how to treat all of these issues, he developed his own set of laws, known as the Three Laws of Tomatis:
1. The voice only contains that which the ear can hear.
2. When lost or compromised frequencies are heard correctly, they are instantly and unconsciously restored to the voice.
3. Sufficient auditory stimulation leads to lasting improvement in listening and speaking abilities.
Sourced from: http://www.lifeskills.us/auditory/tomatis/three-laws-of-dr-tomatis
Tomatis developed a device called the Electronic Ear, which contained the ability to retrain the crucial muscles in the middle ear. The Electronic Ear used a technique known as "gating" which switched between amplifying low and high frequencies to the patient. Switching between the two drastically different frequency ranges allowed the ear to stretch, and relax different muscles throughout a session.
Short biography on Tomatis: http://listenwell.com/English/Articles/Biography.htm
Last, to demonstrate how Alfred Tomatis' work is being used in the modern age, here is a video of a Tomatis method based clinic in Pennsylvania describing their practice:
Outsider response to Session 4 audio:
I had started to notice similar reactions to the audio between me and the patient. While we had different types of emotional responses, what we experienced in common was the type of intensity. I will explain this in more detail.
After listening to this piece of audio, he told me (and I certainly noticed) that he was breathing heavily and that his heart rate increased. In addition to that, he described his feet as feeling tight, accompanied by a distinct tingling sensation. He imagined that he was constantly falling down a staircase, pulled back up to the top, and falling again. Similarly, he described it as spiraling up and down, out of control.
I asked him if there was one particular feeling that rung out throughout the listening experience and he told me "worry". By this point I was beginning to wonder why the past few audio tracks had brought out emotions in him that would conventionally be thought of as negative. Perhaps the binaural beats where actually helping to heal something inside of him and what I was witnessing was the real grit coming out?
What I meant by experiencing the same type of intensity is demonstrated in his response as constantly feeling as if his body was going up and down. I described this "up and down" feeling as one of becoming balanced, though I did not feel out of control, as he did. I suppose this is what I meant by the type of intensity.
Sound Therapy Capstone: 7
Ancient Andean Binaural Beat Rituals:
For this post I want to share an awesome research paper I found online titled "Psychoacoustics & Earth Resonance". I stumbled upon this paper while searching for ancient sound therapy traditions. The paper covers a lot of territory, but one aspect I thought was the most interesting were the instruments that tribes such as the Inca and Chimu created by hand, which produced psychoacoustic effects. These instruments were ceramic whistles which contained two chambers. The user would blow into the instrument, which was filled halfway with water. The water was used as way to regulate the amount of air that would go into the second chamber. The user of the instrument would experience a binaural beat effect by hearing two slightly different pitches through multiple holes. I'm guessing the reason why there was a manipulation in pitch was due to the water acting as a resistant force to the air flow. Since the air couldn't flow as smoothly as through the other chamber, there would be a modulation of the pitch depending on how hard the instrument was blown into. As explained before, the difference in frequency between the two sounds would form the binaural beat and bring upon the psychoacoustic effect.
This paper relates back to the article on the frequency that is able to resonate human DNA, and the fact that the frequency was found to be present in spiritual chanting. Now this article is bringing forth that ancient tribes in South America were building instruments to produce mind altering effects! What I have gathered from both of the articles is that humans have recognized the power of resonance within the human body. It seems that humans used to be considerably more sensitive to all forms of vibration, audible or inaudible. Not only were they more sensitive to it, but they also chose to harness the power of sound and use its force to their advantage.
Psychoacoustics & Earth Resonance: http://www.human-resonance.org/A1_Psychoacoustics_&_Earth_Resonance.pdf
Response to Session 4 audio:
On this track there is a particular shape formed by the tones on the left and right sides. I first felt the vibration directly on either side of my skull, and then it proceeded to sweep forward, across the lower portion of my forehead. After that the vibration went up, across the crown of my head, down my neck, and finally back to my ears. The u-shaped pattern repeated over and over throughout the track, making it feel as if my brain was being squeezed in and out. The expanding and contracting effect was powerful and soothing, allowing me to slip into a deep, trance like state within the 10 minute duration of the track. In terms of how the audio made feel, I would say that my mental state was fairly stabilized by this one. I didn't feel completely energized, or sedated. Perhaps the balancing effect was due to the vibrational pattern which flowed throughout my whole skull, as oppose to targeting one specific spot. This track could be useful in the future for providing a "centering effect" to those who feel like their mood, or energy level is uncontrollably fluctuating up and down.
For this post I want to share an awesome research paper I found online titled "Psychoacoustics & Earth Resonance". I stumbled upon this paper while searching for ancient sound therapy traditions. The paper covers a lot of territory, but one aspect I thought was the most interesting were the instruments that tribes such as the Inca and Chimu created by hand, which produced psychoacoustic effects. These instruments were ceramic whistles which contained two chambers. The user would blow into the instrument, which was filled halfway with water. The water was used as way to regulate the amount of air that would go into the second chamber. The user of the instrument would experience a binaural beat effect by hearing two slightly different pitches through multiple holes. I'm guessing the reason why there was a manipulation in pitch was due to the water acting as a resistant force to the air flow. Since the air couldn't flow as smoothly as through the other chamber, there would be a modulation of the pitch depending on how hard the instrument was blown into. As explained before, the difference in frequency between the two sounds would form the binaural beat and bring upon the psychoacoustic effect.
This paper relates back to the article on the frequency that is able to resonate human DNA, and the fact that the frequency was found to be present in spiritual chanting. Now this article is bringing forth that ancient tribes in South America were building instruments to produce mind altering effects! What I have gathered from both of the articles is that humans have recognized the power of resonance within the human body. It seems that humans used to be considerably more sensitive to all forms of vibration, audible or inaudible. Not only were they more sensitive to it, but they also chose to harness the power of sound and use its force to their advantage.
Psychoacoustics & Earth Resonance: http://www.human-resonance.org/A1_Psychoacoustics_&_Earth_Resonance.pdf
Response to Session 4 audio:
On this track there is a particular shape formed by the tones on the left and right sides. I first felt the vibration directly on either side of my skull, and then it proceeded to sweep forward, across the lower portion of my forehead. After that the vibration went up, across the crown of my head, down my neck, and finally back to my ears. The u-shaped pattern repeated over and over throughout the track, making it feel as if my brain was being squeezed in and out. The expanding and contracting effect was powerful and soothing, allowing me to slip into a deep, trance like state within the 10 minute duration of the track. In terms of how the audio made feel, I would say that my mental state was fairly stabilized by this one. I didn't feel completely energized, or sedated. Perhaps the balancing effect was due to the vibrational pattern which flowed throughout my whole skull, as oppose to targeting one specific spot. This track could be useful in the future for providing a "centering effect" to those who feel like their mood, or energy level is uncontrollably fluctuating up and down.
Sound Therapy Capstone: 6
Robert Monroe: The Binaural Beat Guru
Robert Monroe (1915-1995) is one of the most important names in the sound therapy movement. He was incredibly innovative in utilizing the power of binaural beats for his own technology, known as Hemi-Sync. Monroe created many recordings for treating everything from sleep to side effects from chemotherapy. He is not only known for his work with sound, but also for his work in exploring the depths of consciousness. In his book Journeys Out of the Body, published in 1971, he wrote about Outer Body Experiences, also known as Astral Projection. He started the Monroe Institute, which to this day continues to contribute immensely to the research of altered states of consciousness using binaural beats. I have attached a video interview with Robert Monroe describing his first accounts of using sound to improve sleep, as well as his first Outer Body Experience.
When I first began exploring binaural beats a year ago, Robert Monroe was the first person I discovered. I have thought of him to be the father of binaural beat therapy and he has been a major influence on my own work.
Robert Monroe Interview:
The Monroe Institute: https://www.monroeinstitute.org/
Outsider response to Session 3 audio:
I was really surprised by the patient's response to the previous session's audio. The fact that he was struck with fear throughout the experience was fascinating to me, as it was such a different reaction to what I had. I was anxious to know how he would respond to this session. As I watched him while he was listening he seemed to feel uncomfortable, and that something was clearly bothering him. Once the session was over, he told me that he did indeed experience major discomfort. He told me that the track triggered the same type of anxiety he has before going into surgery. I presume this might be anxiety due to a fear of losing control of one's body, such as going under anesthesia. It terms of physical responses he told me that initially he felt chills going up and down his arms. The chills later creeped down to both of his legs as well. At the end of our discussion, he summed up his experience to be one of feeling helpless in an emergency situation. I found it interesting that he felt affected throughout most of his body by the audio, as I had the same experience.
Robert Monroe (1915-1995) is one of the most important names in the sound therapy movement. He was incredibly innovative in utilizing the power of binaural beats for his own technology, known as Hemi-Sync. Monroe created many recordings for treating everything from sleep to side effects from chemotherapy. He is not only known for his work with sound, but also for his work in exploring the depths of consciousness. In his book Journeys Out of the Body, published in 1971, he wrote about Outer Body Experiences, also known as Astral Projection. He started the Monroe Institute, which to this day continues to contribute immensely to the research of altered states of consciousness using binaural beats. I have attached a video interview with Robert Monroe describing his first accounts of using sound to improve sleep, as well as his first Outer Body Experience.
When I first began exploring binaural beats a year ago, Robert Monroe was the first person I discovered. I have thought of him to be the father of binaural beat therapy and he has been a major influence on my own work.
Robert Monroe Interview:
The Monroe Institute: https://www.monroeinstitute.org/
Outsider response to Session 3 audio:
I was really surprised by the patient's response to the previous session's audio. The fact that he was struck with fear throughout the experience was fascinating to me, as it was such a different reaction to what I had. I was anxious to know how he would respond to this session. As I watched him while he was listening he seemed to feel uncomfortable, and that something was clearly bothering him. Once the session was over, he told me that he did indeed experience major discomfort. He told me that the track triggered the same type of anxiety he has before going into surgery. I presume this might be anxiety due to a fear of losing control of one's body, such as going under anesthesia. It terms of physical responses he told me that initially he felt chills going up and down his arms. The chills later creeped down to both of his legs as well. At the end of our discussion, he summed up his experience to be one of feeling helpless in an emergency situation. I found it interesting that he felt affected throughout most of his body by the audio, as I had the same experience.
Sound Therapy Capstone: 5
Struck with sound against our will:
I watched a TED talk about the role that sound plays in our everyday lives. The talk was given by Julian Treasure, who does a lot of work with creating sounds for different brands and workspaces. In other words, how to make your business efficient and successful by pairing it with memorable sounds. During the TED talk Julian plays examples for the audience, such as signature cell phone ringtones,and single tone clips from famous songs. What I got from his presentation was how sound sparks up the memory of certain things based on association. However, most of what I understood was that it is important to be mindful of how we react to sound in everyday scenarios.
There is no escape from noise and from working on my binaural beats and taking note of how powerful they can be it is easy to fall into a paranoid state. There is so much sonic chaos surrounding us constantly and who knows it affects us. I especially wonder about the role sound has had in shaping certain cultures, based on the sonic characteristics of their environments.
Ted Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_the_4_ways_sound_affects_us?language=en
Julian Treasure: http://www.juliantreasure.com.php53-4.ord1-1.websitetestlink.com/
Response to Session 3 audio:
Now things are starting to get physical. Upon placing the cans over my ears and strapping myself in on this one, I immediately felt the urge to let go of the tension in my neck and let my head hang back on the couch. The modulation between the two oscillators on this patch created a soundscape which to me was visualized as multiple spirals spinning at a fast rate, each one at a proportion to the other. It did not take long for me to slip into a hypnotic state and notice that my mind was starting to slow down. While the racing thoughts began to decrease however, my heart rate and breathing increased. I started to breathe full breaths steadily throughout the track. I don't understand why the racing thoughts went down while my heart rate went up, I have never really experienced that. During the rest of the track I experienced pulsing throughout the rest of my body, something that had not occurred during the Sessions 1 and 2 audio. Once the tracked ended, I took off the headphones and felt that overall my entire body had been affected by the listening experience.
I watched a TED talk about the role that sound plays in our everyday lives. The talk was given by Julian Treasure, who does a lot of work with creating sounds for different brands and workspaces. In other words, how to make your business efficient and successful by pairing it with memorable sounds. During the TED talk Julian plays examples for the audience, such as signature cell phone ringtones,and single tone clips from famous songs. What I got from his presentation was how sound sparks up the memory of certain things based on association. However, most of what I understood was that it is important to be mindful of how we react to sound in everyday scenarios.
There is no escape from noise and from working on my binaural beats and taking note of how powerful they can be it is easy to fall into a paranoid state. There is so much sonic chaos surrounding us constantly and who knows it affects us. I especially wonder about the role sound has had in shaping certain cultures, based on the sonic characteristics of their environments.
Ted Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_the_4_ways_sound_affects_us?language=en
Julian Treasure: http://www.juliantreasure.com.php53-4.ord1-1.websitetestlink.com/
Response to Session 3 audio:
Now things are starting to get physical. Upon placing the cans over my ears and strapping myself in on this one, I immediately felt the urge to let go of the tension in my neck and let my head hang back on the couch. The modulation between the two oscillators on this patch created a soundscape which to me was visualized as multiple spirals spinning at a fast rate, each one at a proportion to the other. It did not take long for me to slip into a hypnotic state and notice that my mind was starting to slow down. While the racing thoughts began to decrease however, my heart rate and breathing increased. I started to breathe full breaths steadily throughout the track. I don't understand why the racing thoughts went down while my heart rate went up, I have never really experienced that. During the rest of the track I experienced pulsing throughout the rest of my body, something that had not occurred during the Sessions 1 and 2 audio. Once the tracked ended, I took off the headphones and felt that overall my entire body had been affected by the listening experience.
Sound Therapy Capstone: 4
528hz: The Sound Therapy/DNA Connection:
I found an article which explains how the frequency of 528hz is able to help repair damaged DNA. There has not been a ton of research to support this claim so far, however the article mentions a few scientists who have experimented with this frequency in a number of ways. Some of it was too technical for me to understand, but one aspect that was interesting is how the frequency is used to create clustered water. According to the article, clustered water is water that is broken down into small rings, or clusters. Due to how broken down, and tiny the water molecules are, they are able to penetrate human DNA membranes more easily and remove impurities, therefore helping to heal the DNA. One doctor in particular exposed DNA to music which contained 528hz, such as Gregorian chants. The exposure to the chanting was measured to show that the DNA had a higher of absorption of UV light afterwards. Classical music and rock music however did not affect the DNA as much as the spiritual chanting. The idea that spiritual chanting has the ability to resonate our DNA is unbelievable and helps me understand much more clearly why chanting has been used for consciousness expansion since the dawn of man.
link: http://attunedvibrations.com/528hz-dna-repair/
Outsider response to Session 2 audio:
I decided that it would be a good idea to place a blanket over the "patient's" face. I noticed that at points during the last session he had a hard time keeping his eyes shut and figured this would be help him become more immersed in the experience. I mentioned to him that this track was about six minutes long and placed the headphones on him. Once the track was over, I turned on the lights in the room and he immediately told me that he felt fearful throughout the listening experience. I thought that was strange, as I found the track to make me feel very lively and awakened. While listening he felt like he was walking alone in a dark, deserted urban setting. After exploring around a bit, he found himself in an alleyway. There was a distinct sound he heard in the distance and decided to walk towards the sound to figure out where it was coming from. As he walked further and further down the alley way he saw a tall column. Eventually he arrived at the column and encountered a black smith working. The distant sound he heard seemed to be emanated by this black smith. I was at a loss for words for the fantastical vision he had and asked him what he felt physically. He told me that his eyes were heavy and his legs felt worn and tired.
I found an article which explains how the frequency of 528hz is able to help repair damaged DNA. There has not been a ton of research to support this claim so far, however the article mentions a few scientists who have experimented with this frequency in a number of ways. Some of it was too technical for me to understand, but one aspect that was interesting is how the frequency is used to create clustered water. According to the article, clustered water is water that is broken down into small rings, or clusters. Due to how broken down, and tiny the water molecules are, they are able to penetrate human DNA membranes more easily and remove impurities, therefore helping to heal the DNA. One doctor in particular exposed DNA to music which contained 528hz, such as Gregorian chants. The exposure to the chanting was measured to show that the DNA had a higher of absorption of UV light afterwards. Classical music and rock music however did not affect the DNA as much as the spiritual chanting. The idea that spiritual chanting has the ability to resonate our DNA is unbelievable and helps me understand much more clearly why chanting has been used for consciousness expansion since the dawn of man.
link: http://attunedvibrations.com/528hz-dna-repair/
Outsider response to Session 2 audio:
I decided that it would be a good idea to place a blanket over the "patient's" face. I noticed that at points during the last session he had a hard time keeping his eyes shut and figured this would be help him become more immersed in the experience. I mentioned to him that this track was about six minutes long and placed the headphones on him. Once the track was over, I turned on the lights in the room and he immediately told me that he felt fearful throughout the listening experience. I thought that was strange, as I found the track to make me feel very lively and awakened. While listening he felt like he was walking alone in a dark, deserted urban setting. After exploring around a bit, he found himself in an alleyway. There was a distinct sound he heard in the distance and decided to walk towards the sound to figure out where it was coming from. As he walked further and further down the alley way he saw a tall column. Eventually he arrived at the column and encountered a black smith working. The distant sound he heard seemed to be emanated by this black smith. I was at a loss for words for the fantastical vision he had and asked him what he felt physically. He told me that his eyes were heavy and his legs felt worn and tired.
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