Binaural beats is a brain response when presented with two slightly different tonal changes in a stereo situation. When a person is presented with the two different tones - the brain produces a response (binaural beat) that produces an altered state in brainwaves and therefore a hypnotic trance or super learning type environment.
What are Binaural Beats (Detailed Definition)
Binaural beats are auditory brainstem responses which originate in the superior olivary nucleus of each brain hemisphere. They result from two different auditory impulses or sounds, heard from opposite ears. This binaural beat is consciously heard as the human hearing range is from 20-20,000 Hz. Rather it is perceived as an auditory beat and theoretically is being used coach certain brain rhythms from what is called the frequency-following response (the tendency for the brain to resonate at the frequency of an external stimulus).
How It Works On The Brain
When signals of two different frequencies (sounds) are presented, one to each ear, the brain detects phase differences between these signals. The brain processes this anomalous information differently when these phase differences are heard with stereo headphones or speakers. A perceptual integration of the two signals in perceived in the brain, producing the sensation of a third "beat". The difference between the signals waxes and wanes (this is the "wavy" sound heard in the hypnotic sessions) as the two stereo sounds mesh in and out of phase. The binaural beat is perceived as a fluctuating rhythm at the frequency of the difference between the two auditory inputs.
How Binaural Beats creates a Hypnotic Response
Binaural beats can easily be heard at the low frequencies (< 30 Hz) that are characteristic of the EEG spectrum (Oster, 1973). This perceptual phenomenon of binaural beating and the objective measurement of the frequency-following response (Hink, Kodera, Yamada, Kaga, & Suzuki, 1980) suggest conditions which generate brain waves activity and altered states of consciousness (hypnotic trance).
There are a growing amount of research efforts reporting changes in consciousness associated with binaural-beats. "The subjective effect of listening to binaural beats may be relaxing or stimulating, depending on the frequency of the binaural-beat stimulation" (Owens & Atwater, 1995). Binaural beats in the delta (1 to 4 Hz) and theta (4 to 8 Hz) ranges have been associated with reports of relaxed, meditative, and creative states (Hiew, 1995), and used as an aid to falling asleep. Binaural beats in the alpha frequencies (8 to 12 Hz) have increased alpha brain waves (Foster, 1990) and binaural beats in the beta frequencies (typically 16 to 24 Hz) have been associated with reports of increased concentration or alertness (Monroe, 1985) and improved memory (Kennerly, 1994).Mind-Fit uses the differing rates of Binaural beat stimulation during the induction and therapy parts of its sessions to aid in the progressive relaxation acquired when entering the Hypnotic state.
Hear how Binaural Beats sound when encoded into Music
Binaural beats can be heard within a music track because each channel has been altered to produce a sound with a difference reflecting the desired frequency. Following is a sample to show you the effect. First you will hear 20 seconds of a piece of music, followed by the same piece encoded with binaural beats. You should hear a slight wavy sound effect.
Listen to a sample of Binaural Beats and how they change the compositions of the music. The sample will play in it's original form to begin and then with Binaural Beats added. Note that the intensity of the Binaural has been raised so that you can hear the effect. Recordings do not have such a noticeable change.
