Binaural Beats

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isis.auset5
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Binaural Beats

Post by isis.auset5 »

Hello!

Have any of you ever used binaural beats for meditation (or anything else)?

I read an article about it the other day (this one) and I became really interested in trying it, mostly because it's really hard for me to concentrate on something for longer than ... 5 minutes.

Are binaural beats safe? Recommended?

Thanks!

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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by Asurendra »

I use them all them time and recommend them. They can be a great way to enter alpha and delta states and to train your brain to enter a trance state. When you are listening to either an alpha or a delta wave, create a hand mudra for yourself that you always use when in that state. With practice, this trains your brain and you can enter that state without the binaural beat using the mudra.

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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by manofsands »

Asurendra wrote:I use them all them time and recommend them. They can be a great way to enter alpha and delta states and to train your brain to enter a trance state. When you are listening to either an alpha or a delta wave, create a hand mudra for yourself that you always use when in that state. With practice, this trains your brain and you can enter that state without the binaural beat using the mudra.
Great idea!
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EternalReturn
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by EternalReturn »

Asurendra wrote:I use them all them time and recommend them. They can be a great way to enter alpha and delta states and to train your brain to enter a trance state. When you are listening to either an alpha or a delta wave, create a hand mudra for yourself that you always use when in that state. With practice, this trains your brain and you can enter that state without the binaural beat using the mudra.

Holy mother of god [zomg]

Where can I learn about hand mudras? (I'll google it too, but I prefer well educated opinion [grin] )

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isis.auset5
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by isis.auset5 »

Ok so I was planning on using them for a study session this evening and went to search for torrents of binaural beats. I found a torrent where the uploader gave 'instructions' on how to use binaural beats and you basically tripped yourself out and twitched and convulsed and everything.

Ummm... Are they all like that or should I just not use them for study purposes? I mean, that wouldn't even serve me for meditating, I think.

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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by Asurendra »

Eternal Return,

This is a situation where you create your own mudras or hand gestures to act as a cue to your brain.

Isis,

There are some that can be used for study. You can browse YouTube. All I can suggest is to experiment.

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EternalReturn
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by EternalReturn »

It really depends on the frequencies used in creating the binarual beat. Some like theta waves can be used for studying.

I have one great experience with them. I was studying for one hard exam (statistics) and assumed I won't learn it unless I pull an all nighter. Yoghurt did a great job keeping me awake (I tend to avoid coffe because of blood pressure drop which makes you veeeery sleepy) but it was not enough. So I did a little youtube query and there it was Theta waves. Effect was great. I had such awesome concentration that sleepines was like you feel it but you don't mind.

I couldn't find the one I was listening to but this seems okay too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLjMyORJxgY


When finding it I also ran on some of these binarual beats that were making me feel anxious so I just found another one which was pleasant. So try to listen to few of them and find one which suits you.

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isis.auset5
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by isis.auset5 »

Alright, I will! :)

Thank you for all your help, EternalReturn and Asurendra. I'm o longer going to study tonight so I'll try some for meditating, but tomorrow I'll use some for studying, definitely.

If I like it I'll probably come here to gush :p

Again, thank you!

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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by Nahemah »

I'm not a fan,I'm afraid to say.

I am someone who has a long standing interest in the properties of sound and vibration but I found that I do not enjoy binaural beats and that they seem more discordant to me than anything else.

I have worked with trance states consistently for most of my life and I often employ sound [I chant,sing galdr and use various other vocal techniques] and it may be that it is down to the perception of the individual regarding brain chemistry/audial perception range etc. I know there are other practicioners who feel the same as I do and yet many others who claim to benefit from these arrangements.

I am curious as to why this is.I have some ideas,but nothing particularly concrete atm.

It seems pertinent to add that I am also someone who utlises entheogens from time to time and I have never felt the need to substitute what works for me with digital synthesis,though,IMMV of course.

I do love live music and find that I get quite high from it through asmr stimulation.

I'm geting quite rambly here,so that's it for now,but I'm interesting in knowing if I'm the odd one out here or if others,especially among my fellow trancers,have had experiences similar to mine with binaurals?
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EternalReturn
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by EternalReturn »

I'm curious too about why someone will experience effects of binaural betas and someone will not. Personally, the only thing that worked for me was this concentration/study binural beats I found on youtube.

I did try binaural beats that promised drug-like effect but I didn't experience it but some of my friends claimed that they did. But we were like 17 then so probablity is higher that they were talking bullshit.

But I have to agree, uses of entheogens will probably never be replicated completely or have an alternative that produces same effect. There is something magical about them [grin]

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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by Desecrated »

I've actually worked as a music producer for the last 10 years so I thought I give one warning and one half-assed explanation.

Be sure to download your beats from sites with good reputation. Some amateurs will use frequencies that might be harmful to your equipment and ears.
It's not like anything will explode, but it might case some wear and tear.

Think of it as a car engine, it can go at different speeds but it has a top speed and if you rev it into the red to often to much it will wear faster then with ordinary driving.
Almost all music equipment works within certain frequencies and pushing them towards to higher and lower frequencies to much will hurt them in the long run.



This is also the explanation to why some people have great experience with it and some have none. If you are using your iphone headbuds the beats have no physical effect on you. Because it can't physically reproduce those frequencies.

If you still experience it with such low quality equipment it's most likely self hypnosis and you'll be able to reach the same state with any kind of trancelike music.

The effect is affected by the equipments ability to reproduce the correct stereofield, low range frequency abilities and headroom (the amount of volume it can replay without distorting the signal).
If you want to try a good but still cheap pair of headphones the koss porta pro is in the 25-50 dollars price range and actually reproduces music fairly well.

The audio quality of the beat will have some effect to.
Using sites like youtube will not be as effective as flac or high bitrate mp3.

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isis.auset5
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by isis.auset5 »

Thank you for your input, Desecrated.

Turns out, I overlooked the headphones part, got confused, and just used regular earphones. My bad. [blush] I'll try to buy some headphones to try it out properly.

It was so bad I fell asleep trying to use binaural beats for meditation ahahah I suck at this, guys!

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RoseRed
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by RoseRed »

I get my binaural beats from iDozer.com

I've had the best results with a $100 pair of Sony headphones (which I did not get in my divorce this past week - congrats are in order!)

Even the cheap $10 headphones will kinda work - just not well. I've never had a pair of earbuds work with binaural beats.
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by shaded_shadow »

I work shift work and had trouble sleeping and used binaural beats and isochronic tunes. I prefer the ones that have natural sounds overlapping them, like running water or forest sounds. They get me to sleep easy enough but sometimes create a little tension in my dreams.

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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by Nahemah »

I hate those wee earbuds thingys.

Can't get them to stay in my ears and they were uncomfortable even when I managed to hold em in.

I have decent cans and I still found binaurals awful.I took recommendations for what to listen to from friends who had found particular recordings effective,so it's not a lack of proper equipment or shit recordings that makes me find them unpleasant.

Just thought it may be pertinent to point this out. [thumbup]

I do also possess brain chemistry [and a little injury related damage]that's a little erm ...'funky' shall we say,so that's why I initially wondered if it was just a 'me' thing or if others had also experienced negative reactions.

Whenever I see a new claim in the Occult world,I do tend to put on my logical hat and look to see if there is potential for profit in the prophet.

So,I have been squirrelling around the web,searching for the science behind this and looking into the brain's neurological wiring in greater detail

I found a lot of scepticism but not much proof.

I want to link this article in particular,with this proviso:
...So, in summary, binaural beats certainly do not work the way the sellers claim, but there's no reason to think they're any less effective than any other music track you might listen to that effects you in a way you like. If they make you sleepy (like they all do for me), use them to go to sleep. If they relax you or get you amped, use them for that. But don't expect them to be any more effective than regular music. If someone you know claims that they are, put them to the test, and bust the myth.
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4147

It even has a handy wee link to free software for making your own beats,so not all negative,lol...

http://gnaural.sourceforge.net/

Please be careful with your hearing and what you subject your ears to,It's a precious thing to have and I'd hate to inadvertently lose or damage mine,I know that for sure.
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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by RockDemon »

Interesting topic gonna try some binaural beats.

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Re: Binaural Beats

Post by Cybernetic_Jazz »

Make your own with Gnaural. That's what I've been using for a long time.

One suggestion - their effect is generally pretty mild. Keep the frequency ranges in mind (ie. beta, alpha, theta, delta) and what they do. Then if you want to make the most of the beat to slip into that frequency have it de-escalate from a low beta (14 to 16 hz) over maybe ten to fifteen minutes down toward the alpha or theta target you have in mind. Leave it there for just a few minutes and then bring yourself back up and close the meditation the same way. I like to also use a fifteen to thirty second fade-in or fade-out partly as a tell to when the meditation is over and also just because it's easier on the ears.

To what Desecrated said about audio volume - I have a tendency to put these at .72 of volume. Also as a producer I'd agree about a certain place in a recording one might refer to as 0dB (that would be a soundwave at 100% volume or more) - that's the ceiling and you get really bad clipping if you touch it. Better in fact to not go near it at all. Also I really don't recommend going down below 35 or 40 hz - your ears won't hear it for one and for another you may risk both audio device and hearing damage if you try cranking it up in order to hear it.

A lot gets said about the Oster curve or Oster formula - I didn't really notice any particularly great effect. I do find that I like my theta targets between 85 and 115 hz, you get the most visceral pulsing between 65 and 70hz (if you're going for that) and you can go higher with your base frequency, I just like to keep mine below 300hz at any range of the program - not necessary and I've heard often that it's more of a guy's preference than anything. Similarly I wouldn't set base frequency over 1,000 hz - you start getting into frequency ranges that are just unpleasant if not balanced with lower frequencies.
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