We’ve mentioned binaural beats previously – the illusory “beats” that you can hear when pure tones of slightly different frequency are separately and simultaneously presented to each ear. It’s an interesting psychoacoustic effect – one that some people think can help you do things ranging from concentrating to opening your chakras.
Mainstream media has picked up on this so-called “digital drug”, though, and is offering hysterical coverage that recalls the days of Reefer Madness. USA Today recently warned about binaural beats, saying that these “digital drugs promote drug use”.
Now Mediahead has is bringing binaural beats to the iPhone. mindFreek (App Store link) is a unique application designed to put you to a certain state of mind.
According to creator Jakub Koter:
The binaural tones i’ve included in mindFreek are unique and may produce some interesting effects.
This application focuses the following sessions:
- Astral Projection
- Crazy High
- Out-of-Body Experience
- 3rd Eye Float
- Weightless
You may start feeling heavy, or like your arms are really heavy, like your floating or even may see things that aren’t there.
mindFreek retails for $1.99.
I’ve been checking out Crazy High while writing this post and, somehow, I remained fairly lucid. If there are any other iPhone Mind Freeks out there, let me know what you think of this app in the comments!
Background (from Jakub Koter):
Let me give you an example of a binaural beat/tone. Right ear is given a steady tone of 400Hz and the left one is given 410Hz, these tones combine in your brain to achieve a 10hz difference. This 10Hz tone is formed by your brain. This can only be achieved when using stereo headphones since the right and left channels do not mix until in your brain.
There are four frequency stages: Delta (0.5Hz-5hz), Theta (4Hz-8Hz), Alpha (8Hz-14Hz), Beta (14Hz-30Hz
For example: Theta stage (4hz-7Hz) has been found to increase learning abilities. Children spend more time in theta stage than adults, which could explain their accelerated learning capabilities.
NOTE: You must wear stereo headphones in order for this application to have any affect. Although binaural waves are considered safe, Koter says to “use at your own risk.” That probably got him an extra thousand downloads!
Nobody involved with ‘binaural beats’ can be crying sensationalism at the news since they themselves do the same, but very much amplified. Your brainwaves be in a certain state, but that doesn’t mean being in that state of brainwaves will cause the physical effects- just because delta waves occur when you sleep, doesn’t mean modifying your brain waves to delta will cause that. Correlation does not imply causation. I’ve yet to see one RESPECTED, SCIENTIFIC, study done.
PoisonedV – excellent point on correlation vs causation.
I’m not convinced that binaural beats have any significant psychoacoustic effect – but it’s an interesting effect and it’s cool that musicians and developers are exploring using it.
Binaural beats as a gateway drug? These people need to go fuck themselves. Listening to BB crap doesn’t do shit to you, let alone get you high or anything other than a god damn placebo effect.
synthhead, I agree completely. Whether or not something is proven scientifically, it is always nice to see artists branching out in new ways.
I actually enjoy using Binaural Beats. I didnt think it’d do a thing for me, but I use it quite a bit now.
Do the beats really do anything to you physically? NO probably not. But if you listen to them close your eyes and focus on them… tehy do help you relax, thus helping you fall asleep, relax, clear your mind, whatever.
in that aspect, they’re helpful.
I recently got into binaural beats, as new/non-traditional/natural "remedies" and whatnot intrigue me. I'm still "testing" and judging efficacy, but the first time I really gave it a listen was while I was editing photos from a photo shoot. I came at this as a natural skeptic who rarely responds to supplements, pain killers, etc. but I definitely felt _something_. I seemed to be more in the zone and focused than I normally would have been at that late hour. The mind is amazingly powerful and, consequently, so is the placebo effect. Do binaural beats really "work?" I don't know for sure but if they produce the favorable, intended effects simply from placebo, is that not just as good? It is in my book, which is why i'll continue testing various beats–it can't hurt.