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.
Sound Therapy Capstone: 3
Sound Therapy For Animals:
Upon doing research on Sound Therapy I came across an article on an animal hospital that uses sound therapy in the treatment of sick animals. In the article, the therapy that Woodside Animal Hospital uses is also known as infrasonic therapy. The way the therapy works is by applying vibrations to the patient which are at the same frequency of healthy cells. These particular vibrations are in the alpha range (8-14hz). According to Dr. John Simon, the owner of the hospital, applying the vibrations to the animals helps the cells learn how to function properly. Dr. Simon has observed the therapy to work great and notes that the animals do not experience any negative side effects. He has treated all kinds of animals with infrasonic therapy, from cats to reptiles suffering from all kinds of illness.
link: http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2014/09/21/667320/10099267/en/Woodside-Animal-Hospital-Healing-With-Sound-Therapy.html
This article is a great example of how sound therapy is being used outside of the scope of human beings. The fact that these illnesses in animals can be treated using vibration, a form of treatment typically thought of as being "primitive" is astonishing. I would love to learn more about the specific frequencies that certain organs in the human body resonate that and that if sound can be used to make them function optimally as well.
Response to Session 2 audio:
This track was extremely invigorating. Most of that response I assume was due to the frequency content being a high level and that the modulation rate was much faster. Whereas the session 1 audio emitted sensation throughout the skull, this one clearly treated the brain. It felt as if my brain was shimmering with electricity and that those static like sensations where constantly circling around the outside of my brain, penetrating it layer by layer until the entire organ was filled with energy and seemed lighter in weight. Once the audio stopped I felt like my cognition had come to an abrupt halt, sort of like shifting from high gear to low gear really quickly. I had much more energy, yet did not feel scrambled or anxious. This was an energy which increased my focus and blocked out external influences, sort of a tunnel like feeling. I could see how this one would be useful as a stimulating boost throughout the day. Although, I can tell that it is powerful enough that I am not so sure I would want to subject myself to it on loop for an extended period of time. I'm sure that taking an hour long nap with the track on loop would cause the pleasant shimmy sensation throughout the brain to feel more like one that is burning.
Upon doing research on Sound Therapy I came across an article on an animal hospital that uses sound therapy in the treatment of sick animals. In the article, the therapy that Woodside Animal Hospital uses is also known as infrasonic therapy. The way the therapy works is by applying vibrations to the patient which are at the same frequency of healthy cells. These particular vibrations are in the alpha range (8-14hz). According to Dr. John Simon, the owner of the hospital, applying the vibrations to the animals helps the cells learn how to function properly. Dr. Simon has observed the therapy to work great and notes that the animals do not experience any negative side effects. He has treated all kinds of animals with infrasonic therapy, from cats to reptiles suffering from all kinds of illness.
link: http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2014/09/21/667320/10099267/en/Woodside-Animal-Hospital-Healing-With-Sound-Therapy.html
This article is a great example of how sound therapy is being used outside of the scope of human beings. The fact that these illnesses in animals can be treated using vibration, a form of treatment typically thought of as being "primitive" is astonishing. I would love to learn more about the specific frequencies that certain organs in the human body resonate that and that if sound can be used to make them function optimally as well.
Response to Session 2 audio:
This track was extremely invigorating. Most of that response I assume was due to the frequency content being a high level and that the modulation rate was much faster. Whereas the session 1 audio emitted sensation throughout the skull, this one clearly treated the brain. It felt as if my brain was shimmering with electricity and that those static like sensations where constantly circling around the outside of my brain, penetrating it layer by layer until the entire organ was filled with energy and seemed lighter in weight. Once the audio stopped I felt like my cognition had come to an abrupt halt, sort of like shifting from high gear to low gear really quickly. I had much more energy, yet did not feel scrambled or anxious. This was an energy which increased my focus and blocked out external influences, sort of a tunnel like feeling. I could see how this one would be useful as a stimulating boost throughout the day. Although, I can tell that it is powerful enough that I am not so sure I would want to subject myself to it on loop for an extended period of time. I'm sure that taking an hour long nap with the track on loop would cause the pleasant shimmy sensation throughout the brain to feel more like one that is burning.
Sound Therapy Capstone: 2
One aspect of how sound has been used for therapeutic reasons is in the treatment of addiction. The major waves of anxiety, and other mental discomfort that is associated with recovery from substance abuse has been shown to be treatable through a combination of vibration and music. I found an article written by a psychologist who uses this technique, known as Vibroacoustic Therapy. During the sessions the patient lies on a special piece of equipment which vibrates in sync to therapeutic music going through their ears. From what I understand the music contains binaural beats. It is incredible to think about the sound you are hearing to be translated into the rattling of your bones. I can imagine it must be pretty effective to combine the effects of binaural beats with physical vibrations.
link: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/therapy-soup/2014/09/good-vibrations-relaxing-music-sound-therapy-in-addiction-treatment/
Outsider response to Session 1 audio:
*All of these sessions were completed on the same day with a break of ten minutes in between.
This first session was, for me, the most most exciting. The individual I chose to "experiment" on had no prior knowledge whatsoever of binaural beats, or how droning sound waves/non-musical sounds could possibly affect him. I wanted to make sure that there would he minimal distractions in the listening environment and most importantly, that he was comfortable enough to keep his eyes closed for the duration of the track (about ten minutes). I set up a reclining chair for him, gave him a blanket (the room was pretty cold), and prepared for the journey. Once he was strapped in, I placed the headphones on him and pressed play.
After the track finished I told him to immediately report to me what he experienced. I didn't want him to have too much time to analyze the experience. In terms of physical response, his arms went slightly numb and felt like they were being pulled apart, outwardly. During the pulling of the arms he felt as if his chest was expanding. Believe it or not these physical sensations brought on a feeling of relaxation to him. I asked him what sorts of visions he had. He saw himself on a motorcycle, cruising through the cosmos. During this motorcycle ride he passed by many moons and saw the universe with inverted colors, meaning, the background was white and stars were black. In terms of major auditory elements throughout the vision he described feeling the doppler effect while cruising throughout the universe on the motorcycle at high speeds. The doppler effect he perceived during the experience was a primary result of the binaural beats.
link: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/therapy-soup/2014/09/good-vibrations-relaxing-music-sound-therapy-in-addiction-treatment/
Outsider response to Session 1 audio:
*All of these sessions were completed on the same day with a break of ten minutes in between.
This first session was, for me, the most most exciting. The individual I chose to "experiment" on had no prior knowledge whatsoever of binaural beats, or how droning sound waves/non-musical sounds could possibly affect him. I wanted to make sure that there would he minimal distractions in the listening environment and most importantly, that he was comfortable enough to keep his eyes closed for the duration of the track (about ten minutes). I set up a reclining chair for him, gave him a blanket (the room was pretty cold), and prepared for the journey. Once he was strapped in, I placed the headphones on him and pressed play.
After the track finished I told him to immediately report to me what he experienced. I didn't want him to have too much time to analyze the experience. In terms of physical response, his arms went slightly numb and felt like they were being pulled apart, outwardly. During the pulling of the arms he felt as if his chest was expanding. Believe it or not these physical sensations brought on a feeling of relaxation to him. I asked him what sorts of visions he had. He saw himself on a motorcycle, cruising through the cosmos. During this motorcycle ride he passed by many moons and saw the universe with inverted colors, meaning, the background was white and stars were black. In terms of major auditory elements throughout the vision he described feeling the doppler effect while cruising throughout the universe on the motorcycle at high speeds. The doppler effect he perceived during the experience was a primary result of the binaural beats.
Sound Therapy Capstone: 1
It has been a while since my last binaural beat crafting episode. I managed to finally set up my modular synthesizer, start twisting the knobs and plug the patch cables into the wrong holes. Having been away from the binaural beat, or sound therapy realm for a while, I felt a bit tense getting back into it all. However, once I started patching the sound machine together, the process started to come together more smoothly.
I decided to start with my standard process of using two oscillators, hard panned to either side. I then went on to tweak the frequency of each one with an overall goal of forming some sort of hypnotic, rhythmic beating between the two speakers, hoping to achieve the binaural effect through the different sonic qualities perceived between the sounds on either side.
During the crafting of all the experimentation on my synthesizer I did not have any sort of equipment for measuring the frequency content of the audio. I did not want to get that specific and instead wanted the actual creation of the audio to be a personalized one. I therefore paid close attention to my body (which was rather difficult) throughout the process.
To achieve a substantial binaural effect, it is important that there isn't a big difference in frequency between the two tones. The difference in frequency between the two tones, which creates the binaural beat, should produce the following shifts in consciousness:
Delta: .5 to 4HZ (Deep levels of relaxation, such as sleep)
Theta: 4-8HZ (Tranquil states of awareness which provoke internal visual imagery)
Alpha: 8-12HZ(Relaxed nervous system, ideal for stress management)
Beta: 12-30HZ(Associated with waking/alert states of awareness)
---sourced from: http://tomkenyon.com/acoustic-brain-research
Between this and the next 9 posts I will be presenting the experiential reports of the five audio pieces I created. The pieces were originally crafted for myself based on which proved to be therapeutic. I will also be posting the experiential reports of an outsider. I thought it would be fascinating to see how someone, with no prior knowledge of binaural beats, sound therapy, or psychoacoustics reacts to my personal sonic prescription.
Response to Session One audio
Out of the five binaural pieces I brewed up, this one without a doubt contains the lowest frequency content. The headphones I am using for listening are a pair of Bose noise canceling over the ear and are able to handle the drones without distorting. During the duration of the track my skull felt spiral vibrations running up and down it, and back and forth. Upon listening in a proper setting (alone in a dimly lit room, sitting on a comfortable sofa, and covered with a blanket), I was able to become deeply immersed into the experience. There was a certain anxiety when the sounds first began, because I was worried about what sort of reaction I would have being subjected to 10 minutes of sonic skull massage. After what seemed to be the half way point, I began to notice how several new layers of frequency content had bloomed. It is important to mention that there was no tweaking of the knobs, automation, or sequencing of the synthesizer during the recordings. I simply created a patch with two droning oscillators and set up a modulation source at a slow rate to modulate the oscillators for frequency shifting. The trance that I was put into makes me wonder how much of the frequency content that emerged in the latter half of the track was actually there, or if I perceived it to be, due to the binaural beat technique. By the time the audio faded out, I felt way calmer. I was sedated in a way that I would best describe as sunken, warm, and fuzzy.
During the crafting of all the experimentation on my synthesizer I did not have any sort of equipment for measuring the frequency content of the audio. I did not want to get that specific and instead wanted the actual creation of the audio to be a personalized one. I therefore paid close attention to my body (which was rather difficult) throughout the process.
To achieve a substantial binaural effect, it is important that there isn't a big difference in frequency between the two tones. The difference in frequency between the two tones, which creates the binaural beat, should produce the following shifts in consciousness:
Delta: .5 to 4HZ (Deep levels of relaxation, such as sleep)
Theta: 4-8HZ (Tranquil states of awareness which provoke internal visual imagery)
Alpha: 8-12HZ(Relaxed nervous system, ideal for stress management)
Beta: 12-30HZ(Associated with waking/alert states of awareness)
---sourced from: http://tomkenyon.com/acoustic-brain-research
Between this and the next 9 posts I will be presenting the experiential reports of the five audio pieces I created. The pieces were originally crafted for myself based on which proved to be therapeutic. I will also be posting the experiential reports of an outsider. I thought it would be fascinating to see how someone, with no prior knowledge of binaural beats, sound therapy, or psychoacoustics reacts to my personal sonic prescription.
Response to Session One audio
Out of the five binaural pieces I brewed up, this one without a doubt contains the lowest frequency content. The headphones I am using for listening are a pair of Bose noise canceling over the ear and are able to handle the drones without distorting. During the duration of the track my skull felt spiral vibrations running up and down it, and back and forth. Upon listening in a proper setting (alone in a dimly lit room, sitting on a comfortable sofa, and covered with a blanket), I was able to become deeply immersed into the experience. There was a certain anxiety when the sounds first began, because I was worried about what sort of reaction I would have being subjected to 10 minutes of sonic skull massage. After what seemed to be the half way point, I began to notice how several new layers of frequency content had bloomed. It is important to mention that there was no tweaking of the knobs, automation, or sequencing of the synthesizer during the recordings. I simply created a patch with two droning oscillators and set up a modulation source at a slow rate to modulate the oscillators for frequency shifting. The trance that I was put into makes me wonder how much of the frequency content that emerged in the latter half of the track was actually there, or if I perceived it to be, due to the binaural beat technique. By the time the audio faded out, I felt way calmer. I was sedated in a way that I would best describe as sunken, warm, and fuzzy.
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