5 ms·

Curious about the tech/science behind this. Is it mostly binaural beats?

by jalopy 11y ago

nefitty 11y ago
They seem to distance themselves from binaural beat technology, in their About Us page: "Gerald Oster, the original researcher of binaural beats, denied it's therapeutic use cases and endorsed other audio methods as more effective" $7/month doesn't seem too bad, at least to test out. I think I will give it a go for a bit.
foxylion 11y ago
The website is a bit vague about that, but they say it has nothing to do with binaural beats. > How is this different from binaural beats (or similar tools)? > Binaural beats is 1970s technology. It's akin to comparing dial up internet (binaural beats) to fiber optic internet (Brain.fm). The difference is advanced technology which equates to superior results. Gerald Oster, the original researcher of binaural beats, denied it's therapeutic use cases and endorsed other audio methods as more effective find the research paper on google. [1] > Why are binaural beats so popular? They've been overhyped by marketers, not scientists. [1] http://www.amadeux.net/sublimen/documenti/G.OsterAuditoryBeatsintheBrain.pdf http://www.amadeux.net/sublimen/documenti/G.OsterAuditoryBea...
- nitrogen 11y ago
  There's another method that shifts the phase of the entire spectrum instead of generating pure tones. That method has been available in software like CoolEdit (I think Adobe bought it later) since at least 1996. I wonder if that is the method used by brain.fm, but I haven't had a chance to check it out.
- pmarreck 11y ago
  FYI: someone from the company just responded in a sister comment
jasbrainfm 11y ago
Hi there, we don't use binaural beats. Or isochronic tones. Our CTO (Adam Hewett) is the founder of Transparent Corp. His older software is used to create the vast majority of isochronic tones, and all those videos you see on youtube, etc. Any rhythmic audio stimulus will entrain the brain. Actually, the very first research on audio brainwave stimulation used simple clicks. As another example if you had a drummer that could be precise enough, drums could also stimulate the brain. But, neither clicks nor binaural beats nor isochronic tones sound very good. Yes, you can get used to them. Adam used them for a decade. But he spent all of that decade finding a better way. And what he found is that if you embed rhythmic modulations into the music in a natural way - disguising it as natural vibrations or vibrato or tremolo - not only is it more pleasant, it is more effective. MUCH more effective. The intensity levels we can get using this method are much higher than what we can get with older methods and still be comfortable for the user. So in 2005 Adam created a system that could single out instruments in a recording and add natural-sounding "vibrations". He has been perfecting it ever since. There's a lot more to Brain.fm as well! We've perfected MIT's HRTF technology to create a kind of "3D audio". And that's the real reason we suggest using headphones for the full effect of Brain.fm. It is a vital part. We spatially place sound around you to enhance your goal (for focus it is in front of you, for sleep it mimics the rocking of a hammock, cradle, etc). And then there's the algorithmic AI-generated music. Believe it or not, all the music in Brain.fm is produced by an algorithm that Adam spent a very long time. The benefit? Imagine a rain sound for a second. Hundreds of thousands of drops! Imagine now that each and every drop is synchronized to the purpose of the stimulation. Now imagine a symphony... That is Brain.fm. I'll have Adam hop in the thread soon so we can answer any further questions!
- JonnieCache 11y ago
  >Any rhythmic audio stimulus will entrain the brain ... the very first research on audio brainwave stimulation used simple clicks. So you're saying that minimal techno is actually good for you? I don't believe it ;)
- sklivvz1971 11y ago
  Can you provide evidence of the effectiveness of your methods? Are there peer reviewed studies that sustain your statements? Spot checking the site, there isn't much convincing evidence (a double blind trial with very few subjects that you sponsored is not really convincing).

Curious about the tech/science behind this. Is it mostly binaural beats?

by jalopy 11y ago

Curious about the tech/science behind this. Is it mostly binaural beats?

They seem to distance themselves from binaural beat technology, in their About Us page: "Gerald Oster, the original researcher of binaural beats, denied it's therapeutic use cases and endorsed other audio methods as more effective" $7/month doesn't seem too bad, at least to test out. I think I will give it a go for a bit.

foxylion 11y ago

The website is a bit vague about that, but they say it has nothing to do with binaural beats. > How is this different from binaural beats (or similar tools)? > Binaural beats is 1970s technology. It's akin to comparing dial up internet (binaural beats) to fiber optic internet (Brain.fm). The difference is advanced technology which equates to superior results. Gerald Oster, the original researcher of binaural beats, denied it's therapeutic use cases and endorsed other audio methods as more effective find the research paper on google. [1] > Why are binaural beats so popular? They've been overhyped by marketers, not scientists. [1] http://www.amadeux.net/sublimen/documenti/G.OsterAuditoryBeatsintheBrain.pdf http://www.amadeux.net/sublimen/documenti/G.OsterAuditoryBea...

nitrogen 11y ago
There's another method that shifts the phase of the entire spectrum instead of generating pure tones. That method has been available in software like CoolEdit (I think Adobe bought it later) since at least 1996. I wonder if that is the method used by brain.fm, but I haven't had a chance to check it out.
pmarreck 11y ago
FYI: someone from the company just responded in a sister comment

jasbrainfm 11y ago

Hi there, we don't use binaural beats. Or isochronic tones. Our CTO (Adam Hewett) is the founder of Transparent Corp. His older software is used to create the vast majority of isochronic tones, and all those videos you see on youtube, etc. Any rhythmic audio stimulus will entrain the brain. Actually, the very first research on audio brainwave stimulation used simple clicks. As another example if you had a drummer that could be precise enough, drums could also stimulate the brain. But, neither clicks nor binaural beats nor isochronic tones sound very good. Yes, you can get used to them. Adam used them for a decade. But he spent all of that decade finding a better way. And what he found is that if you embed rhythmic modulations into the music in a natural way - disguising it as natural vibrations or vibrato or tremolo - not only is it more pleasant, it is more effective. MUCH more effective. The intensity levels we can get using this method are much higher than what we can get with older methods and still be comfortable for the user. So in 2005 Adam created a system that could single out instruments in a recording and add natural-sounding "vibrations". He has been perfecting it ever since. There's a lot more to Brain.fm as well! We've perfected MIT's HRTF technology to create a kind of "3D audio". And that's the real reason we suggest using headphones for the full effect of Brain.fm. It is a vital part. We spatially place sound around you to enhance your goal (for focus it is in front of you, for sleep it mimics the rocking of a hammock, cradle, etc). And then there's the algorithmic AI-generated music. Believe it or not, all the music in Brain.fm is produced by an algorithm that Adam spent a very long time. The benefit? Imagine a rain sound for a second. Hundreds of thousands of drops! Imagine now that each and every drop is synchronized to the purpose of the stimulation. Now imagine a symphony... That is Brain.fm. I'll have Adam hop in the thread soon so we can answer any further questions!

JonnieCache 11y ago
>Any rhythmic audio stimulus will entrain the brain ... the very first research on audio brainwave stimulation used simple clicks. So you're saying that minimal techno is actually good for you? I don't believe it ;)
sklivvz1971 11y ago
Can you provide evidence of the effectiveness of your methods? Are there peer reviewed studies that sustain your statements? Spot checking the site, there isn't much convincing evidence (a double blind trial with very few subjects that you sponsored is not really convincing).