"Solfeggios" - Origin of the Hoax

“SOLFEGGIOS” Debunked

PART ONE
This is going to take a lot of thorough explanation, so please bear with me.
Please READ all before replying.
Hopefully, after this, we can move all other threads on the topic to the Hoax bin, and prevent any further spread of the misinformation, which I will now disassemble.

For those unfamiliar, or those classically trained and asking “Huh?”, as so many of my friends have, the “Solfeggios” we refer to here are a set of six specific frequencies alleged to have been decoded from the Bible by Joseph Puleo, published in the 1999 book “the Healing Codes of the Biblical Apocalypse” by Len Horowitz, and heavily promoted by them and others Blind Faithfully ever since, with no evidence whatsoever.

An asterisk (*) will indicate information gathered directly, by phone and/or email, from representatives of companies and organizations promoting the hoax, therefore not named.

The name itself is an Orwellian attempt to appropriate an already existent musical term.
Solfeggio, or Solfege, from Webster’s Online:
1. Use of the sol-fa syllables to note the tones of the scale; solmization.
2. A singing exercise in which the sol-fa syllables are used instead of text.

The scale they refer to is the major scale, Do, Re, Mi, etc.
The perpetrators of the hoax also attempt to tie that into the story, claiming that these specific frequencies derived their names from the Hymn to St. John The Baptist, or that somehow the Hymn was intended to name these frequencies specifically, not the major scale. They claim the Hymn to be sung in these “notes”, which it is not, and go on to claim that over 100 other Gregorian chants were and are sung in these frequencies, which they are not. Anyone with a free frequency-reading tuner app can see for themselves. The Monks were in reality not only responsible for the music notation system we use today, but for being the first to use polyphony, or harmonizing, something you most certainly are not able to do using these 6 frequencies. We’ll come back to this in a bit.

But let’s back up a bit - if these numbers were decoded from the Bible, fine, great, but they are NOT frequencies. Frequency, measured in Hertz, or Hz, means cycles-per-second, or CPS, of a wave. The “second” as a measurement of time was not introduces until about 1,000 years after the Bible was written. Some claim the heartbeat was used*, but that averages 70bpm or so, not 60, and come on, they measured CPS to that? Doubtful. So let’s just say I’m totally in the market for one of these time pieces used in Biblical times with a second hand on it, and also the tool they used to measure Hz.

These six frequencies, 396, 417, 528, 639, and 741, and 852, and are not actually notes in any tuning system (save one, 528), nor do they relate to each other in any musical sense or scale. They not only emphasize the “C” 528Hz, but also attempt to associate the 6 tones with the 7 Chakras. The only thing they got right is C is the Heart, not the Root. But in general, their 6-pice tuning fork sets, for sale all over the interwebs, will only confuse and mislead those unfamiliar with the Chakras in the first place.

This “C528” is VERY important to the people. So important, they claim it has been used in labs to repair DNA! Unfortunately the one piece of evidence to support this, a paper given to someone at a conference, has since disappeared. We are to just take their word for it. I was told they are now “stepping back” from that claim and “focusing on DNA activation”*, whatever that means. A possible reason for the “stepping back” from this claim is that it’s not 1999 anymore, and people know that DNA repairs itself, “that’s just what it does”, says my best friend who is an actual microbiologist. He has never heard of 528 being used in this manner, nor has any of his peers or co-workers. They do use a specific frequency to break it apart, but they would see no reason to use something on it to “make it” do something it already did while you were getting ready to do it. I’ve seen it stated that “Scientists know about C528”. Indeed, they do, but for completely different reasons, being that the scientists they refer to lived in the 1800’s.

The Solfeggio folks will also tell us that it’s the Nazi’s doing that we have A440Hz, the resonance of the King’s Chamber, as a standard, and that this was decided at a conference in the mid to late 1930’s, with varying years depending on the article. Articles on the subject are spreading like wildfire, and the info gets skewed a bit sometimes. Interestingly enough, the Schiller Institute, who promotes A432 as a standard, will tell you the same story. In reality, where Radio Berlin did attend a UK conference in the late 1930’s and supported A440, it’s been around far longer than that.

Now let me address quickly, before anyone chimes in about it, that some people “feel” these tones, they help plant growth, and etc. We’re going to need to see your control plant where you used C in 440, and you’re going to have to try to find a tone online to use which does NOT include brainwave entrainment frequencies, which skewed your study. Good luck with that. As far as Dr. Emoto’s work with the water, well, you can check out what folks have to say about Emoto’s work and decide for yourself if you trust it.



Take a look at this video but MUTE THE SOUND during the tones. Trust me.
If you are unable to view the video, the gist is, he plays sine waves of each of the 6 frequencies, then a recording he did of The Hymn, according to his comments on the video, 3 decades ago. This is followed by one last tone at the end. The comments say this was recorded for use in a spa in Reno, which is a part of a bigger Christian organization. I’m not sure how the Chakras jive with that.

So I downloaded the video and analyzed the audio track. What I found was absolutely shocking...

reply to post by KAOStheory


This is a screenshot of the whole wave. You see the 6 sine waves in the left (top) channel. They look normal to those of us who work with this stuff. But WHAT THE HELL is that wave on the right (bottom)? It’s some pretty serious tone pulsing for brainwave entrainment, that’s what it is. The one at the end too. It’s even weirder. Now listen if you want to the video, but I DO NOT suggest the whole thing, just skip around to get the idea. Use one headphone or speaker to hear the right channel by itself. You can verify the timeline in the video with my audio track screen-shot as well.

Let me point out that the FCC conveniently left audio out of the legislation on subliminal messages in media. Plus, you have to actually catch them. My guess is, most of those who believe this hogwash aren’t doing this kind of thing. Reminds me of a meme, “Afraid of hormones in milk - takes '___' from strangers”. Pretty much.

So now that he’s got your brain turned to mush, he plays the Hymn for you. Holding my frequency reader to the speaker and looping the first note and word, “Ut”, which is according to him is 396, I find a C 128, which is the octave lower of 432. Hm. Next note, Mi. Should be 417 according to him. Nope, D 144.15, a perfect D in A432 tuning. It goes on this way through the C major scale. In A432 tuning. I repeat. It’s in A-effin, four-effin, thirtyeffintwo. Of course you “feel” it, it’s RIGHT. Let’s not forget to double-check the comments, where he most certainly credits himself for the composition of this version of the Hymn.

So now the question is WHY? If you’re a believer in this junk, I suggest contacting him to ask him why, oh why, if these frequencies are so special on their own, he had to use brainwashing tones along with them, then lie to you about a song. Good luck with that.

If not, let me explain.

reply to post by KAOStheory


In 1971, Time Magazine published an article called “The Pitch Game”. You will hear about this from bothe the Solfeggio folks AND the Schiller Institute, who have this sort-of “war” going on. Some folks want a higher pitch standard (brighter and louder symphonies), and some want lower (the French A435, easier on strings and the voice, or A432, Om at C#, Indian Temple tuning, “Philosophers Pitch”, the pitch our US Government Military Physics manuals denote, etc).

This has been going on for centuries. Of course we need a standard, but just what that is has been debated to dizzying ends.

So let’s skip a lot of history and go right to one of the conferences held on Standard Pitch that neither side will mention - one in 1860, attended by the Royal Society of Arts. Now the Society wanted C528, because of the math and physics qualites of Just Intonation. They didn’t fully understand that Equal Temperament was different. Physicist Heinrich Helmholz used Just Intonation to find C at 528 from A at 440. As did Johannes Scheibler, mis-labeled a scientist and physicist, in truth just a silk manufacturer. He created a Tonometer of 56 tuning forks, but his calculations were found later to be incorrect.

So basically, the Society said, “C528!”
And the court, using tuning forks (not Scheiblers), said, “Ok, then A is 444.” (Equal Temperament)
And the Society said, “No, A440!” (Just Temperament).
And the court said, “Ok, C is 523.25.” (Equal Temperament)
And the Society said, “No, but, uh, see - “
And the court said, “We’re done with you. A440.”

Again, this is the RSA in 1860, not the Nazis in the 1930’s.

Some musicians, conductors, and composers hear one intonation as more proper than the other. These two groups are both right about A440 not being good. The temperament issues create beating, pulsing, similar to the entrainment tones you see nefariously used above, with equally negative effects. Tuning down decreases some of these differences. Tuning up does not, and may increase them.

So it seems the “Ancient Solfeggio Tones” hoax is an elaborate attempt to enforce a dead standard, proposed by those confused as to what they even wanted. The only benefit to C528 at A440, Just Temperament, is smaller fractions in the first octave. Violinists don’t care about your fractions and neither do I, or the listeners. We care about the quality of tone. And the only benefit of C528 at A444 is to propagate the Pitch Game and lead you further away from A432 or even just leaving A440 alone. It is the Pyramid Resonance. Some disagree with me and think it‘s a good thing. I prefer A432 because I trust the Tibetan Monks, the US War Dept. Physics Manual and other doctors and scientists, Ravi Shankar, my singing bowl and tuning fork, and numerous charts and references. Whatever, you decide, I really don‘t care.

See, when musicians become frustrated with the 6 Puleo tones, because you can’t play them on any instruments, they’ll tell them, “Just tune to A444. Then your C is 528, you can put Solfeggio in your Youtube video description, and get plays.” So they do. But if these 6 tones are so important, how does this make sense? You’re only “in Solgeggio” if you play C ALL THE TIME and no other notes! Seems like such a simple way to combat the Church and Standards Commissions for hiding these important tones away from us. “Just forget the other 5, and whatever else you play is fine, you‘ll hit C528 once in a blue moon at A444. The end.” Really? But it’s not just about A444. Ok.

I’ve even had people on ATS here argue that the Solfeggio folks don’t encourage A444 tuning. Au contraire. Just read Howowitz’ abstract for yourself.

www.medicalveritas.org..." target="_blank" class="postlink">www.medicalveritas.org... tml

It’s interesting that he gives NO evidence to support C528 OR A444, claims “botanical” benefits with no evidence, and calls A440 “militarization”, when as I mentioned, the US War Dept. Physics Manual from 1944 states C258 as correct.

The German Physicists and Just Temperament folks were talking pipe organs. Do you play a pipe organ? I don’t. Nor do I play violin. If you do, I suggest “Intervals, Scales, and Concert Pitch C=128Hz” by Maria Renold (also German). It will end a lot of confusion about intonation, and possibly open up sane and scientific discussion about your own tuning, as opposed to “Much Ado About Nothing” as these people from both sides wish you to engage, if anything, in regards to the matter.

If you play in a band, your guitars and keyboards may let you retune, probably not. I get better tone from A432 on my acoustic than A440, so do others I know. I use a moog for bass so I can tune to whatever I want, which is A432. I don’t want to go into all the other reasons for this tuning here as it’s not the point of the thread to take sides in a ridiculous debate, but to expose Puleo and the whole bunch for the silly to outright disgusting displays of deception they have unleashed on us. Anyone from those interested in sound healing, to those who just intuit that A440 isn’t right, will be mislead by their silly campaign until it’s put to rest once and for all.

Can we get a start on that now?
Thanks, in Love, Light, Science, and Reason

reply to post by KAOStheory


Also should note that A440Hz, or the Stuttgart Pitch, as it was known in the 1800's, would have been more favorable to those for it at A441Hz, also the actual Pyramid Resonance, however A440 was chosen for physics purposes such as easier math in broadcast frequencies. This could maybe be a more logical and less sinister explanation of Radio Berlin's much later support of it as a standard.

reply to post by KAOStheory


Thanks for the stars & flags guys.
OK I’ll add just this then pose a question as to the WHY in all this.

Why this is a conspiracy, is because this elaborate story, concocted to rehash a long-dead Pitch Standard proposal, is directed first and foremost at people who simply don’t have a high understanding of music. If you accept that this is what the word Solfeggio itself means, then you didn’t know the original definition, and are more likely to believe other fabrications in the story. It’s not only Orwellian in that sense, but it also creates an immediate opposition of those who do know their music, and music history. It’s like telling people who’ve never seen a dog that it’s a cat. People nearby who know better will wonder what’s wrong with you.

As far as A432 goes, the Schiller Institute folks will tell the same Nazi story about A440, and have been known to march outside symphonies with signs! You won’t catch me doing this, like I said, I have more than enough evidence for A432 and zero for any other that would even begin to matter to your everyday musician in the modern age. I don't care if you buy it or not. The Institute even lies about the Ancient Egyptian flutes being A432, also repeated endlessly online in other articles. No, they are not. In fact one is, surprise, A441, the Pyramid Resonance, of course. And they don’t mention any of the esoteric charts I have supporting A432 OR Om at 136.10Hz, and classical Indian tuning. Which they would have to know about by now. It’s a weird thing, seems like it must be political or something. Maybe religious, Puleo and Horowitz are both Jewish, and very vocal about it. However Horowitz doesn’t say Nazis are responsible for A440, he says the Rockefellers, who we know financially supported both sides during the war, so that’s weird too. Any insight on this? Any thoughts on what the real political or spiritual battle is that's going on here? *Or is it just to mislead those interested in sound healing, Chakras, Om, A432, etc.?

reply to post by KAOStheory


Seems like you have enough knowledge/information to write a detailed book. Wish I knew more on the subject. So you should get started on that book

reply to post by gravitized


Thank you. I already am, and have given 3 talks so far. One more scheduled to date.
That's why I've been digging so much! I expect to uncover even more in time. I already have to revise parts I thought were done, again, due to some of the newer info I've found. The talks help, and so does posting here, to bounce ideas off people and see what comes back, what sticks, etc. I know you're always supposed to talk or write as if the person knows nothing of the subject, but you don't want to insult their intelligence either.
Anyway, writing's fun, I'm passionate about the subject, and I'm thankful for ATS for the opportunity to occasionally dip my foot in the water before I dive in.

reply to post by KAOStheory


Would this slide in with the present Digital TX having possible bass tone adjustment yet no Treble as we used to have with Analogue??

reply to post by steaming


I've never considered that, but I would say that's more due to technological advances in recording AND speakers.
Everything is so over-compressed now that it will sound just as good or bad on pretty much any speakers, from small cheap computer ones to larger more expensive ones, with wattage being the only major difference. Only really high-end systems will be better, and you'll have full band EQ on that.
I'd say it's just the bass-boost thing, if you're worried about the folks or neighbors or room-mates you can kill it and not shake the floor without changing the mids and highs too much. In that respect, it's also probably about a lot of people not having the first clue about EQ, and making it easy on them.

Edit to add: My Mom used to yell at me for changing the EQ on systems all over the house. A simple "Bass-Boost off after 9pm" rule will probably save many families from having to deal with that.

reply to post by KAOStheory

This is the best piece I've read on this debate, and makes more sense than some of the other drivel I've read on it. An easy S&F. I'm not a musician, but I have done some sound board and recording work, and have a good understanding of frequency. Even so, you got over my head in places, but I get the gist. Good stuff.

Interesting what you found once you pulled up the wave. That looks to be close to two minutes worth of mono pulses. Funny though, that stretch at 40-50 seconds.

Interesting...

I have been hearing about this subject recently,

does this have anything to do with what you are talking about?

reply to post by Klassified


Thank you, and yes it's pretty obvious from :40 - :50 or so, there is a dramatic change in the pulse rate. Very strange!

reply to post by combatmaster


Thanks for posting that combatmaster, that was pretty interesting to hear about! I will look this up and see what else I can find about this. Great video, and it sounds like it was an amazing experience. Something I'll definitely have to investigate before my next venture to Cali.
Yes, as he said, the pipe organs were a temperament issue. He explains how with the keyboard, one would only be able to play in one key properly without having to retune it.

Very interesting what he said about Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. I'll try explain this simply as possible - the note D, in A432, is an octave of light blue. Light blue is used esoterically to relate to infinity, as in, "Nature communicates the beauty of infinity to us through the light blue of the oceans and the sky", loosely quoted from Corrine Heline in "Color and Sound for the New Age", amongst others.
Now I know most here are probably aware of that giant hexagon at Saturn's North Pole, which NASA scientists are attributing to Cymatics. Cool. Checked the frequency picked up by Voyager II as it passed Saturn. Yup, it's a D! Yay, NASA scientists! You told the truth about something weird! Indeed, in my Cymatics experiments with A432, D is the only one that showed a solid central hexagon.
So we have the hexachord, hexagon, and the Fraternitas Saturni, who worship Saturn. It's said to pulse with it's rings, which creates the wave on our plane which we experience as time itself.
I wonder if the creepy Toccata is kind-of their "Theme Song" lol.
Just some interesting correlations, I thought.

reply to post by KAOStheory


Well, as a person who has no musical knowledge at all, I found everything you wrote quite interesting...
Now let me ask, do you know of any 'legitimate' music that is designed to affect people positively when they listen to it?

I have been planning to look into 'Binaural beats' and such, because I suffer severe Depression, but I don't want to spend money on something unless I have a recommendation from someone (such as yourself) who knows the difference between what works and what is just a hoax...
Thank you!

reply to post by lostgirl


Hi lostgirl,
I do work extensively with binaurals and monaurals for brainwave entrainment. And you're right, a lot of info on them is misconstrued, at the least. For depression, you could look up studies that say this particular frequency worked on 19 out of 20 people. Well, we don't know if you're like that #20 or not, until we can take a look at an EEG. I use a headband and software for this. Someone could also "diagnose" you by saying, well, if you're feeling this or that, then you need this or that, but it's not going to be extremely accurate. There could also be other factors involved, and what may be good for your depression may have negative side-effects due to something else that hasn't been acknowledged...not trying to scare you off of them entirely, but there's a lot more to it than people care to investigate.
If it's something you want to try, don't buy tracks. Download a program called Gnaural. It's free and easy to use, with instructions in the help menu. If you need assistance, feel free to PM me. Try short (5 minute) runs of Gamma around 40Hz. It does help with focus and cognition, and may help you to "snap out of it" in a severe bout. "Snap" sounds harsh, it will ease you out of it. If it seems too complicated, I can explain how to create Isochronics in Audacity, also a free program, and they don't require headphones like binaurals do.

As far as music goes, unfortunately regarding the Bach, Verdi, and Handel referred to in the video our friend posted above, any recordings will most likely be in A440 or higher. The only music not affected by the Pitch Game available in abundance, is Indian Classical Ragas, and there are many to be found on youtube. Most Sitar music is tuned with Sa, the main string, to resonate Om C#, and the other strings and instruments tune to this. (Some do tune up to D, trying to conform to the Western standard, but you're safe with Ravi Shankar and some others.) It's great to listen to around the house, in the car, or while meditating. Just meditating with this music daily, or often as possible, will induce noticeable changes in your depression.

There's no quick-fix or anything, any more than an Amethyst (literally meaning "without drunkenness") will instantly sober up a drunk. Carrying one may help curb an alcoholic's urge, but they have to want to not drink, also. They help you help yourself. You will begin to develop thought processes and changes in the chemistry of the brain which make it easier to make logical decisions. You'll feel these strange feelings of happiness for no reason. I'm told people with depression suffer bouts "for no reason". I'm guessing a major obstacle for you and others is accepting the happiness ones as easily as the sad, and it will probably take some time and work.

Other than all that, it was probably accidental that Iggy and the Stooges recorded "Search and Destroy" in C# Om, but the Beastie Boys recorded "Namaste" in the key quite intentionally. I suggest getting a free guitar tuner app with frequency display. I use "Pitch Lab". Most people would agree it's a horrible idea to paint a room red if you have anger issues, but very few pay attention to the sounds they are bombarded with, let alone do anything about it. So glad more and more are!

reply to post by KAOStheory


Thank you so much for all the info!

"changes in the chemistry of the brain" is just what I'm hoping for, as my particular case of Depression has been diagnosed as 'not' due to psychological factors...Many people don't realize that there is such a thing as 'chemical' Depression, it's usually genetic (my dad's side all have it to one degree or other)...

So, the type of effect you describe is what I've been hoping to find...It will take some doing for me to learn to enjoy Sitar music, I've never been fond of the 'twanginess'...

reply to post by lostgirl


My pleasure, and I'm happy to hear that!
There really isn't enough music out there tuned properly these days. I've re-tuned some of my past bands and projects, one Drum & Bass album I produced in the late '90's was already almost entirely A432 somehow from retuning samples. I think it's still on Soundcloud under my "f=1/T" name, if you like DnB.
I'm going to have to compile a playlist or something, I know sitar music isn't "for" everyone, or all the time.
Sometimes you just wanna rock out!
A lot of people are using the Audacity program or others to re-tune their collections to A432, I've done it with a few collections, Bowie, QOTSA/Desert Sessions, Stereolab, etc. but not everyone has the time (I don't either lol) or the technical knowledge to do so. There's an A432 iPhone app now, but it also converts the music from stereo to mono for some reason, which is lame.
I will definitely keep people posted on the matter.
Again any questions or help needed with programs etc, PM me, I'm happy to help.

reply to post by KAOStheory

For those interested. A lot of re-tuned music is starting to show up on youtube. Much of it is rock classics. I discovered them a while back when I was looking into this very issue. So I'm sure there's even more now.

reply to post by Klassified


Yes, thank you Klassified, I meant to mention that for lostgirl and anyone else interested.

I do hope people are checking the original pitches of these songs BEFORE re-tuning them, because as I mentioned, not everything is recorded in A440 to begin with, there's a LOT of classic rock and electronic music which is not.
People are also already stating things on video comments and message boards with silly questions from "Then why did Lennon record 'Imagine' in A432?" because they saw a re-tuned video, to "How did Hendrix re-tune the organ?" (?! Lordy...)
"Imagine" was actually recorded a bit sharp, so I hope people are checking before AND after they retune the songs.

Speaking of retuning the Beatles, the song "Within You/Without You" is of course C# Om, as it features the sitar prominently. However, when it was too long to fit in a movie soundtrack, the producers just sped the whole thing up to make it shorter - back then you couldn't raise tempo without pitch, and vice-versa.

I posted a "Warning" comment on the 'Puleo Tones" video yesterday, and it got a reply from a guy who mentions Rev. Jamie Buturff, who has recently dropped the "Rev." part of his name. Buturff uses a lot of silly numerology to "prove" A432 over C528, and his Chakra note correlations he borrows are way off. So he is either still unaware of much of the legitimate information on A432, or he's also intentionally withholding the information like others are. So, he's either naive or deceptive.

I replied that it's a dualist game I'm not going to play with religious zealots. Rather than play the "who's right and who's wrong" game unarmed, I suggested people start asking them questions instead.

Thanks a lot. I love when stuff like this is clarified by someone who appears to know what he's talking about. The problem was that I never experienced any effect whatsoever from listening to this "SOLFEGGIO" stuff. I have experienced a few minor effects of listening to binaural stuff on the other hand. I guess just trying things out teaches you to tell slam dunk from bunk.