Brainwave entrainment through binaural beats: Explanation, Research, first results published

In the last weeks the topic surfaced a couple of times and after inquiry, there was interest voiced. This thread's purpose is to serve as a small introduction into binaural beats and their effects, without the spiritual woo-woo that is often attached to it. It shall provide you the basic knowledge and tools to dive deeper into this topic. To be able to understand the methods and results, a bit of education on some physcial effects and phenomenon are crucial. Skip if you already but I recommend to have a look at it before you start to read the next post. I won't be explaining a lot about the single effects as the resulting transfer thought should be surfacing during reading naturally for you. I tried before explaining everything, the thread would be pages long as the topic is so vast and was just a huge text, easy to loose in and forget the big picture.

What Do Different Brainwaves Mean?
Delta Theta Alpha Beta Gamma waves explained to you. If you never heard about these waves or think the brain swings in a single frequency, it's a must watch to understand.


Brainwave entrainment on molecular level
Not a "must watch" but has a rabbit hole inside that coincidences with another thread upcoming next and will boost your understanding about how it all works.


Wave propagation, metronome synchronization / entrainment
If you look at this (just skip through) you will notice that one metronome after another goes through phase transition joining up other nearby metronomes frequency. This transition is visible as a wave propagating from the left upper corner also. Watch it propagate until all metronomes have synchronized. The full transition happens around 1:50 into the video.


Constructive waves
Real life example of constructive waves explained quickly and to the point. Works for non water waves too. Focus on this knowledge while you craft the binaurals.

For those who prefer have it explained with images:


The stroboscopic effect
Stroboscopic effect


The Circadian Rhythm and Your Biological Clock in 3 Minutes

Credits & Foreword:
Credit must be given to a deceased family member for almost all the work, my contribution to the research was miniscule as is my understanding in the greater scheme of things. I just carry enough water to bring it here to you. For someone with better knowledge to pick up on it possibly. As I compose this thread for a few days now and the topic keeps growing, I will keep it in a more philosophic orbit, since I am not a brain specialist, but we can scratch the surface of what is generally known and compare it to our observations.

That's why I decided to put it in the paranormal forum.Be your own researcher, think critical and see what works for yourself. Most results are based on me so don't be let down if 0.3Hz does not give you dizzyness but it's 0.5Hz instead for you or it does not work at all. No claims in validity and no interest in arguing. I claim nothing but simply provide the results and my opinion and thoughts. Grain of salt, you are adult enough


The left and right brain hemisphere / Brainwave lateralization vs. synchronization

In a very crude way, we can say that the left and right brain hemispheres work independent of each other (see chart). In reality contrary to what you often read, our brain's hemispheres do not swing on a single frequency. Nor do the single hemispheres. To really understand the effect binaural beats have, it's important to understand, at least in a very crude way, what it is about these frequencies.

Processing of reality
It's important to know a few things about how we tick inside at least on a crude basis. First we need to understand that our brain is clocked. Every sense records and reports in a certain interval. To know and understand these intervals is key to find useable frequencies. To make it even harder, depending on the base frequency, some senses clock rates adjust, too. It is a three step loop, first visual and audio information is received and processed. Subconsciously both are combined together in a second step. At last, causal interference is determined: Does it fit together? If it does, it surfaces back to our conscious perception. If not it is discarded as random or trivial. This is how we experience reality.

Perception of reality
That we experience reality fluidly, is an illusion. Every 250 milliseconds(or 4Hz), our perception alternates between maximum focus and broader situational awareness. Similar to a stroboscobe. This can be tested during meditation, once you reached a state where the theta brainwaves dominate on the lowest point (4Hz) aligning with this clock, open your eyes. The field of vision will slightly pulsate and shrink with a beat @ 4 Hz, like a pulsating incandescent light bulb*. You just tapped into theta frequency spectrum and get to see the effects of your internal conscious workings on your capability to process vison during these transitions. This is key to understand!


A good example is looking at this gif. Click on it and remove the last / and hit enter, then it works. It was too irritating to make it run inside the thread. The pointer turns on all three panels but they are only visible in a certain interval, giving a different appearance. Each clock would represent a sense or other functions, so imagine a lot more.

Theta waves play the most important role
Theta waves (3-8Hz) are responsible for clocking the frontoparietal parts of the brain, the frontal lobe (Beta) and parietal lobes (Gamma). This interaction is responsible for noticing or ignoring external input of all the senses we posses. In a forest, we clock down automatic visually because if we would put attention on every detail, we would experience information overload. This in turn, allows us to focus better while hunting, or in danger. We do not notice the single leaf but see a green mass, until we literally focus, is a common example to explain the effect.


Methods & Insights
Therefor, it is important when we craft and use binaural beats, to be aware of these correlations. A good example is the stroboscopic effect on rotating objects that appear stationary. This is the lever we exploit, to ride the peak waves of perception and utilize constructive wave patterns in our binaural beat later. It gave us the best results of all.

To achieve it without EEG guidance takes practice. EEG guidance means essential that there is a feedback loop. Sensors pick up the different EEG band spectrums, a program modifies the output so the signal is always a bit lower than the actual measured brainwave frequency (overall). While EEG guidance can be imagined like a conveyor belt, simply listening to a certain frequency is behaving like magnet once the brain syncs into the frequency range. The spontaneous synchronization effect is responsible for this. While this entrainment can be gradually modified deeper with EEG, it is not possible without one, since there is no feedback loop.

Someone suffering from epilepsy has that happening during an episode. A flashing light can be enough for these individuals so that their brain entrains to the flashing light rythm. The result are seizures, spawned by more and more parts of the brain entraining with the external signal. In 1997, five seconds of strobing light was enough to entrain the brains of around 700 children and put them into hospital after watching a Japanese cartoon show. (Yes I do have that pattern in store too)

With binaural beats, the almost the same is happening. In the metronome example, all single swinging units can interfere with each other. Binaural beats, sound waves, produced by the speakers swinging, act as a one way bridge. Our ear drums can not produce vibrations on their own and therefor can not influence the speakers. This leads to so called entrainment. The brain seeks harmony between the left and right ear input and therefor will naturally meet in the middle. Since the brain itself is not a single swinging unit but has two hemispheres, both are entrained, too. This process is called hemispherical synchronization through entrainment. They now can work better in tandem and tune to each other. During meditation and also hypnosis, the corpus callosum -the bridge between both hemispheres is stimulated allowing the above to happen.

Example:
Two runners need to transport water from the river to the town. They meet in the middle and exchange bucket. Empty for full. Only have two bucket and if the other one is not there, the runner returns and comes back in his normal interval. Bucket / information can not be exchanged. This works best, when both runners have the same speed and distance (frequency). When they are synchronized in that way, the work or information shared flows best. They are on the same wavelength. This might sound similar for friends and it is in a sense! Return to the clock animation above and imagine that the flashes are the only moments in time they can communicate and need to point into the same direction at that moment, too.

Back to the synchronization. The brain as a whole will quickly adopt the generated binaural waves, but needs more practice in meditation to reach that range. It's audible, too. Something to note, naturally given due to the fact that the brain adopts these rythms and locks onto them, makes it harder to go deeper than the selected frequency band. To find out these frequencies there were some experiments necessary, most were done with visual-audio feedback. Some were trickier to find but we could orientate around other studies and established knowledge.


Rundown:
These are the dimensions we have for a guidance signal manipulation, since we can also switch L/R at any time.
- 2 dimensions directional hearing (stereo)
- generator frequency 1
- generator frequency 2
- target frequency
- volume

We know that visual perception alternates 4 Hz, so 2Hz for focus and 2Hz situational awareness. Every 500ms.
Rule 1: All frequencies should be divideable by 2 therefor, for maximum coverage.

We know that the perception of beat in a pulsating signal becomes audible below 1500Hz. Then we can start to hear pulses.
Rule 2: Generator frequencies can not be higher than 1500Hz.

We know that combining two frequencies will result in a third percepted.
Rule 3: Frequency_1 - Frequency_2 = target frequency

One popular example:
440Hz - 436Hz = 4 Hz
All rules are satisfied!

Now that we have a different sinusoidal wave on each ear, you will get no effects like drunkness or happyness yet. For that we need to modulate both generator frequencies and modulate a second frequency, on top of our target one. There are different modes to achieve this. Lot's of stuff to play and experiment with, a short crash course in sin function:

Variable Value Description
a 1 amplitude (vertical stretch)
b 1 absolute value of the period 0-1 1= 2*pi
h 0 horizontal shift (offset in time based on 2*pi)
k 0 vertical shift


The base formula is y = a * sin ((x - h)/b) + k
1 period is 2pi / b

x = time axis
y = amplitude axis

Variable Value Description
a 1 amplitude (vertical stretch)
b 1 absolute value of the period 0-1 1= 2*pi
h 0 horizontal shift (offset in time based on 2*pi)
k 0 vertical shift


Per ear, past these into the desmos.com XY plotter

Simple wave forms

y = a * sin((x - h)/b)


Double wave forms

Note: (make a negative, switches polarity but double b)
y = a * sin((x - h)/(b/2))
y = -a * sin((x - h)/(b/2))


A way to aim on catching longer or shorter patters (other senses) with a frequency
Can be used for EEG guided entrainment calibration sequence

y = -a * sin((x - h)/b)
y = -a * sin((x - h)/(b+0.1))

Introduce jitter effects on target frequency amplitude with double wave form:
This is one way to modify the signal to produce emotional responses. The trick is to introduce a jitter on both generator frequencies by marginal values. 0.05Hz steps, try it. Normally we would not be able to pick up such low frequency changes, the carrier frequency does this neat trick for us and amplifies it.

y = (a-0.1) * sin((x - h)/b)
y = -a * sin((x - h)/b)


Note: you can alternate all of these for left and right ear in a rythm, too! For stereo you just alternate but if you can do 7 channels, you can introduce a rotation that fits the binaural beat. Just chop the signal into 7 parts, distribute it to the channels in a circle and mind the center speaker or leave it away for symmetric (or else you get a egg shape) then it's 6 parts for a 7.1 headset. For this you manipulate variable h. Be creative! Change L / R, change polarity of amplitudes, play with everything.


Results of introducing jitter to the generator frequencies (resulting in jittering target frequency)
The effects are not instant, need some time to settle in but are repeatable for me. These are literally the words I used to describe, but translated for you
0.1 Hz - no effect
0.2 Hz - sensation of turning, light headedness sometimes headache inducing
0.3 Hz - dizzyness, disorientation, loss of balance
0.4 Hz - sensation of non linear chaotic movement, very uncomfortable sensation in stomach, very uncomfortable to listen to
0.5 Hz - nothing or no effect
0.6 Hz - good mood / wake up on a sunny day
0.7 Hz - definite joy / happyness inducing, light headedness but in a good way.
0.8 Hz - that feeling in the stomach when excited for upcoming events
0.9 Hz - similar to 0.8Hz but not the same
1Hz - no effect


This was part 1, in part two I will publish the tool and source code. Together we will craft a unique binaural beat as we compile the code, might do a video on that one. Part 3 will wrap it all up and we craft a spine tingling audio signal with the knowledge from the above table, might do video on this as well. I hope you could learn new things and that I could bring the topic a bit closer to you.




Resources
Audacity - Audio editing tool for Win/Mac/Linux
desmos.com - XY-Plotter


C# resources
Microsoft Visual Studio 2022
CSCore.NET Audio Library

I recommend creating the frequencies programmatically and dynamic by using Microsoft Visual Express Studio. I might publish the source code for my own tool on github soon and you can compile it yourself. Need to find out how that works though. I won't upload the executable because I made bad experience with self written tools getting tagged by AV tools for no apparent reason other than it's "unknown" to the AV company and I won't wear that shoe. Never compile stuff you do not understand though.

As you pointed out this is a huge field of study. Thank you for the presentation. It will take some time to study and digest.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

I've just started getting into all of it.

I'll add a little story. My mother told me that you have to be real careful about letting children (or adults for that matter) play the drums because it can have an impact on their mental status. I laughed and thought it was ridicilous. The older I got the more I think there is some real truth to this. There also seems to be a lot of drummer suicides.

Good thread! I find this area fascinating and have done a bit of research. I'm usually left with more questions than answers.

I do actually experience (for real) heightened "clarity and awareness" when I listen to the M.I.T. 40 Hz pulsed tone.
Some of the "shamanic drumming" audios also have a positive effect. I think it triggers a seratonin and endorphine release in my brain. An interesting aspect of the drumming is that you'll sometimes hear 'rhythms within rhythms within rhythms'. Apologies for sounding new-agey!


The M.I.T. 40 Hz Pulsed Tone:


Shamanic Drumming:

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

I have downloaded recordings of the three patterns (alpha, beta, and theta) and listened to them while undergoing a deep cleaning session at the dentist's office.

I fell asleep during the procedure (no anesthesia), and woke up feeling both relaxed, rested, and energized.

Good stuff.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I started drumming when I was 13 and I get random depression. Been playing like 25 years now. I also drink a bit too much. So I wonder about what your mom said lol.
I enjoy the instrument immensely though!

I also have gone into some trance states while playing. 'the zone' lke you don't exist.

I also have used binaural beats like Hemisync from Robert Monroe to go OOB. Which was super fun. It is very difficult though.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Toll.

Thank you.

Cheers

a reply to: Mantiss2021
These are the entrainment effects you feel as your brain begins to clock into the beat, soothing you and bringing you closer to theta frequency region, where you're calm and so called "hemi-synced". The closer you are to this frequency, the higher the effects are, as the single clocks begin to overlay in pattern, overlapping.

If you modulate a jitter on it you can provoke emotional / body responses. You have to modulate the jitter on top of the two generator frequencies. The most effect you get is if the amplitudes of that jitter are opposing itself.

Check out the table near the bottom of the thread.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Interesting side note that makes sense to me.

Notice how the beat pattern is always divided by 4. Remember the theta frequency 4Hz (4 times a second) and be aware of the logic / perception cycle that also clocks in @ 4 Hz.

Personally I always thought the drummer warning.. it's just to keep the own kids from becoming drummers and have peaceful silence at home.

a reply to: ColeYounger
Awesome example. Same for me, instant light headedness.

I ran it through the goosebump spectrograph and got validation about our both observation. There is a clear signal that will induce effects. The goosebump spectrograph is a neural network trained on my audio-visual perception. It comb through the signal and find these triggers, like tingling spine, goosebump inducing sounds.

And it found one resonating around 400Hz with a 0.26Hz amplitude.
Compare it to my table in the OP above.


You sir, just provided a random example that proved our research and blind tested the spectrograph.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain
Two or three years ago I began noticing a very annoying rhythmic 'thumping' during TV commercials. Nobody else noticed them until I pointed it out and they began to consciously listen for them.

It has gone from just commercials to popular TV series now, and often during what seems 'inappropriate' times to insert this thumping.

I have no idea what's going on, but suspect something nefarious, like the years of subliminal messaging in movies and TV from 1957-1988, when it was banned.

I know I am extremely sensitive to sound; every time the power goes out I realize just how ban sound pollution is in our modern world. one of the worst sounds for me is high-tension powerlines. Some modern 'music' also has a very unsettling affect on my overall sense of wellbeing.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain
I was hoping you would go ahead and do this. I was sure it was going to be good and I was right.

You have gotten a lot deeper into the technical side of this topic than I have, so I enjoyed learning some new things. I will be reading this again. I do have a few questions, but I will wait until I read through it a second time. You may have already answered them and I didn't catch it.

a reply to: nugget1

Two or three years ago I began noticing a very annoying rhythmic 'thumping' during TV commercials. Nobody else noticed them until I pointed it out and they began to consciously listen for them.

In order for binaural beats to work, each ear must hear a different tone independently, which creates that pulsing or "rhythmic" effect, but isochronic tones do not have that limitation, so they could conceivably be played during a TV commercial to induce entrainment. However, a TV commercial isn't near long enough to have the desired effect, so it's unlikely. It could just be something to catch the viewers attention.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Glad to help the cause! It is a very interesting subject. I forgot to add, I've heard about two studies that were relatively informal, and not very controlled. They supposedly produced evidence suggesting that listening to an audio track of a cat's purr would accelerate healing, in both acute injuries or illness. Cats usually purr at around 30-40 Hz.


nugget1:
I am also very sensitive to sound. I know what you mean.


Healing cat's purr:




Digitally produced cat's purr frequencies:

a reply to: ColeYounger

Wow that 40hz is a brain massage!

Ive experimented with several frequencies and binaural beats, but never 40hz.

Thanks for the bump.



Oh and cool thread OP

a reply to: Klassified

I am not complete sure but I think it was you, that I asked if there is interest. In part 2 we will get real technical but that might take a while. Unsure about the format yet. I have to feel very confident to record my voice in order to explain this in English.

If you have questions just ask them, I try to answer them as good as I can. I just overtook this research though. I read in my uncles thread that someone might pick up his research. I am not seeing myself in this role but how can anyone pick it up if the info isn't shared, I figured out. Kind of obvious.

Besides that I think I figured out the mechanism and how to repeat his goosebumper experiment. The screenshot a bit above where you see the signal is the result of his research. In the last year I developed it further, after starting to grasp the code. I wrote some classes from scratch. There was a bug in code somewhere I could not fix because lack of understanding. I wrote that from scratch and now it works.

He was the brain and I just have the ability to see tones as colors more than he could so I was the subject / tester and feeding back data into the loop. Part 2 we craft a binaural beat that will send tingles up and down your spine granted. It works every time on me but you can get overused and dulled to it. The effect wanes but comes back after a longer break. ATS members are the reason for this research to have come to this amount of insight. Without people sending him their personal examples what makes their spine tingle, the program would not had have enough data to compare.

a reply to: ColeYounger
I believe that in an instant, that repeating cat pours also can have the same effects than the fleshy counterparts. I heard similar before, offline too.

The soothing quality of these formidable living neck warmers speak for themselves. Cat's also can see stuff we can not, I am sure. The digital one doesn't cut it for me though, too regular. My theory is the over lay sway (the cat's breathing in and out) does the magic here.

Similar to the jitter, same principle.

a reply to: nugget1

Sorry for the late reply, Klassified answered it already though. As he said it won't work like that, although your TV is at least stereo, it really works best with headphones to isolate the different ears from hearing what the other ear is supposed to get. That would weaken the effect.

However I know about a trickery with TVs that might be responsible for this. You noticed how advertisement is always louder than the movie? TV's can circumvent this with dynamic range control. It looks at the lowest and highest peaks and compresses it, so the perceived range in changes of volume are dampened. This will both cut low frequencies and high frequencies. You might know movies where the effects are always too loud but in scenes with speech mostly, it's too silent.

I can imagine that if dynamic range control is set to ON or HIGH, that some frequencies get cut out and what is left over could be remains from a audio signal that was cut off in low frequency but not completely. Just a guess.