The Theory of Brainwave Entrainment

"What are binaural beats recordings?"

Binaural beat recordings are specially generated sounds, designed to alter your brainwaves - bringing about different states of mind, such as happiness, creativity, or relaxation. They're perfectly safe, non-addictive, and can be used as often as you like.

"Tell me more about how binaural beats work..."

Let's take a few minutes now to discuss the history behind binaural beats... and how they work in more detail.

For a long time, the scientific community has been aware that certain frequencies are associated with certain states of mind. For example, the alpha frequency of 8 to 12Hz is present when individuals are in the "zone", in "superlearning", positive-thinking modes. This frequency can be verified through an electroencephalograph (EEG) reading, and can usually only be obtained through meditation.

So, why don't we just LISTEN to that frequency in an attempt to adopt that state of mind?

We could try, however the ears can only typically hear between 20 and 20,000Hz. Frequencies such as 8Hz simply don't register. But if we COULD somehow manage get the mind to hear those lower frequencies, we'd be able to recreate such states of mind literally on demand.

And that's just what German experimenter H.W. Dove discovered in 1839. He found out that by playing two coherent sounds of similar frequencies into each ear, one could produce a third "binaural beat" at a specific frequency INSIDE the mind... thereby directly influencing the brainwaves and the state of mind.

Let’s take an example. Imagine a pure tone of 400Hz is presented to the right ear, and a pure tone of 410Hz is presented to the left ear (using stereo headphones). Inside the head, the difference between the two tones is realized... and a third “binaural beat” of 10Hz is produced. This is equal to the alpha frequency, which brings about light relaxation, “superlearning” and positive thinking.

Of course, all of this information would be useless without actually knowing which frequencies induce the desired states of mind.

Thankfully, thanks to much scientific research and many thousands of electroencephalograph reading studies, these frequencies have long been well-known to the community. And here they are:

Delta	1 - 3 Hz	Deep sleep, lucid dreaming, increased immune functions
Theta	4 - 7 Hz	Deep relaxation, meditation, increased memory, focus
Alpha	8 - 12 Hz	Light relaxation, "superlearning", positive thinking
Beta	13 - 25 Hz	Normal state of alertness, stress, anxiety

Of course, further studies have shown that specific types of exposure to certain frequencies is better at assisting different mind states. For example, we know that a 30-minute session at 5 Hz can replace around 2 to 3 hours work of sleep. Insomnia can be assisted with a ten minute dose of between 4 Hz and 6 Hz, then entering frequencies below 3.5 Hz for twenty to thirty minutes, then settling on 2.5 Hz and fading out. Accelerated learning can take place at between 7 Hz and 9 Hz.

Want even more technical detail? Please click here for a third party explanation of binaural beats.

Binaural-Beats.com creates CDs based on the very latest research studies, utilizing thousands of research hours in a bid to create the best self-development CDs for home use.

All of our CDs are professionally-produced, drawing inspiration and frequencies from the most prestigious research projects. We also integrate the more complex binaural beat effects, such as panning, triangular wave chords, sound "spinning", enveloping, and the "phaser" effect, to produce the most EFFECTIVE RECORDINGS AVAILABLE.

Our CDs are powerful and require NO EFFORT whatsoever. Just sit back and let the binaural beats influence your state of mind. Improve your mood, boost your creativity, get into the "zone" during the day, and get super-relaxed at night.

THAT is what binaural beats are all about. They're the 21st century tool for accessing your genius mindset, a method of tapping into "zones" that would usually take years of meditation and enlightenment. And at Binaural-Beats.com, we're extremely proud to be a part of that movement.

EEG and the brain's state EEG (Electroencephalography) technology is used to measure brain's electrical vibrations from the surface of the scalp. The resulting EEG pattern will contain frequency elements mainly below 30Hz. The frequencies are categorized into four states as follows:
	State	Frequency Range	State of Mind
	Delta	0.5 Hz - 4 Hz	Deep sleep
	Theta	4 Hz - 8 Hz	Drowsiness (also first stage of sleep)
	Alpha	8 Hz - 14 Hz	Relaxed but alert
	Beta	14 Hz - 30 Hz	Highly alert and focused
The dominant frequency in the EEG pattern determines what shall be called the current state of the brain. If the amplitude of the alpha range frequencies is highest, then the brain is said to be in the alpha stage. Note, that other frequencies still exist and it is impossible to give any "exact frequency your brain is operating on." However, later references to the brain states use the simplification of assuming that such a single frequency exists. Entraining the brain to a desired state If external stimulus is applied to the brain, it becomes possible to entrain the brain frequency from one stage to another. For example, if a person is in beta stage (highly alert) and a stimulus of 10Hz is applied to his/her brain for some time, the brain frequency is likely to change towards the applied stimulus. The effect will be relaxing to the person. This phenomenon is also called the frequency following response. When the brain's state is close to the applied stimulus, entrainment works more efficiently. Thus, when doing a sweep from one frequency to another, the starting frequency should be as close to your current brain state as possible. The sweep speed should be such that your brain's state changes steadily with it, so that the difference never gets very large. In practice, it is difficult to determine your brain state without extra equipment (like EEG devices). However, you can quite safely assume that during the day your brain is in the beta stage (about 20Hz) and you can start the sweep from there. If you are already somewhat relaxed, you can use a start frequency of 15Hz or a few Hz lower. Stimulating the brain with binaural beat frequencies The easiest way of applying stimulus to the brain is via ears. Other senses could be used as well, and vision is actually used quite often (often in addition to hearing). However, humans cannot hear sounds low enough to be useful for brain stimulation, so special techniques must be used. One such special technique used is called binaural beats. If the left ear is presented with a steady tone of 500Hz and the right ear a steady tone of 510Hz, these two tones combine in the brain. The difference, 10Hz, is perceived by the brain and is a very effective stimulus for brainwave entrainment. This 10Hz is formed entirely by the brain. When using stereo headphones, the left and right sounds do not mix together until in your brain. The frequency difference, when perceived by the brain this way, is called a binaural beat. The effect of the audible frequencies used To get a stimulus of 10Hz, you may use tones of 500Hz and 510Hz, or 400Hz and 410Hz, or 800Hz and 810Hz, or so on. The only requirements are that the tone is heard well enough and that it is below about 1000Hz. Below 1000Hz, the wavelength of the skull is sufficiently small so that the sound waves curve around it. Altered brain states As mentioned above, applying a stimulus to the brain will eventually bring the brain's state closer to the stimulus frequency. The following paragraphs describe some possible effects of this. Helping in meditation Meditation is essentially about willingly being able to alter one's brain frequency to a desired state. While meditators have traditionally used several years to learn the techniques of meditation, you can now attain the same effect with brainwave entrainment. No special training or great discipline is required. Good meditation frequencies are in the alpha range, from 8Hz to 13Hz. When a certain brainwave state is experienced and practiced over a period of time, the brain will "learn" the state change and it will become easier to self-produce the desired brainwave state at will. Thus, using brainwave entrainment, you can expect to get some of its effects later even without any entrainment. Reducing learning time The theta stage (4hz - 7Hz) has been found to increase learning capabilities. In fact, children spend more time in theta stage than adults, which probably explains the accelerated learning capabilities of children. Alpha frequencies are also useful for learning purposes. You can play language cassettes, subliminal tapes, etc. during an entrainment session for a maximum effect. Reducing sleep needs Some people have found that half an hour a day of the Theta stage can replace up to 4 hours of sleep. Treatment of certain mental diseases Brainwave entrainment is used in treatment of depression, low self-esteem, attention deficit disorder, drug and alcohol addiction and autism, to name a few. Brainwave entrainment has also been found helpful in alleviating headaches and migraines. Miscellaneous Some users have also reported increases in their sex drive as a result of brainwave entrainment.