Binaural beating refers to an auditory illusion that occurs in the brain, where a person perceives a beating or beat when two simple tones are played simultaneously in both ears.
Simply put, beat is the “vibrating” or pulsating sound you hear when two frequencies are very close to each other. Oster (source below) explains that there are two types of beat:
Normal (acoustic) flutter: This can be heard with just one ear. It occurs in the air when two sound sources mix. For example, if two guitar strings are almost (but not exactly) in tune, you will hear a “flow” or flutter between them.
Binaural beating: This is a “brain-generated sound.” You need both ears to perceive it. It only occurs when slightly different sound frequencies are sent to the left and right ears separately (usually with headphones). Your brain combines these signals and creates a third, pulsating sensation.
What are binaural sounds used for?
P. Lizana’s (2010) study “Brain synchronization for learning” and other similar contemporary research explain that binaural rhythms are mainly used for brainwave entrainment. According to Lizana and other studies, the advantage of binaural rhythms is that they are a non-invasive and safe way to change your brain state.
This means that the brain is naturally inclined to adjust its frequency to an external rhythm. When you listen to binaural sounds through headphones, your brain “tunes in” to that frequency, helping you achieve the desired mental state – whether it’s deep sleep, concentration for learning, or stress relief.
The main reasons for using binaural beats are:
Enhancing learning: Beta and Gamma frequencies help the brain connect information faster and store it in memory (i.e., they synchronize different parts of the brain to a common frequency).
Reducing anxiety: Alpha and Theta rhythms help calm an overactive mind by reducing stress hormone levels.
Improving sleep quality: Delta rhythms help people who are otherwise unable to “switch off their thoughts” to reach the deep sleep phase more quickly.
Brainwave cheat sheet: what’s going on with you?
| Brainwave type | Frequency (Hz) | Condition and effect on humans | When to use? |
| Delta (Δ) | 0,5 – 4 Hz | Deep sleep and recovery. This mode eliminates the awareness of the surrounding completely. The body deals with cell renewal and “repair”. | Insomnia, physical recovery. |
| Theta (θ) | 4 – 8 Hz | A deep relaxing and daydreaming. Similar to the state immediately before falling asleep or in deep meditation. Increases creativity and access to subconscious. | To meditate in order to create a spark this, fall asleep to. |
| Alpha (α) | 8 – 14 Hz | Calm and ‘flowing’ to focus on. You’re ärvel, but your mind is empty and stress-free. This is the so-called ‘puhkeasend’ ärveloleku time. | To reduce stress, easy to learn, to ease anxiety. |
| Beta (β) | 14 – 30 Hz | Active thinking and attention. This is our usual ärveloleku status, in which we solve problems, talk about and analyze. | Complex mental operation, vivid lifting, logical thinking. |
| Gamma (γ) | Over 30 Hz | Maximum performance and kognitiivsus. The brain is running at full capacity. Associated with the ‘eureeka!’-moments, fast computing and high awareness. | Tippsoorituseks, very fast learning, memory to boost. |
What happens to a person as a result?
If you listen to a 10 Hz (alpha) rhythm, for example, after a few minutes your brain will start to generate more alpha waves. As a result, your muscles relax, your heart rate may slow down slightly, and you feel more emotionally stable, but you are still mentally present. It’s like “tuning” your brain to the right channel according to what you want to do at the moment.
When can we hear it? (Frequency limits)
Binaural beating does not occur with just any sounds. Oster’s research revealed specific rules:
Low frequencies are key: This effect only occurs when the original sounds (called carrier frequencies) are low.
Permitted range: The sounds must be in the range of 90 to 1000 Hz. For comparison: this is roughly from a low bass voice to a female singer’s mid-range.
Best point (440 Hz): The brain perceives this effect most clearly and strongly when the sound frequency is around 440 Hz (in music, this is the first octave “A” note).
What happens outside these limits?
When the sound is lower than 90 Hz, things get confusing. A person can no longer tell whether they are hearing the flutter created by the brain or the original sounds themselves.
If the sound is higher than 1000 Hz, the binaural beat simply dissipates and disappears – our brain is no longer able to create this “trick” at such high frequencies.
Binaural beats, or reprogramming the brain with music
Binaural beats occur in the brain when listening to the corresponding sound waves with headphones. We highly recommend using high-quality over-ear headphones that allow you to really “get into the music” in order to fully immerse yourself in the experience.
At LoveArtFlow, we use binaural beats in audio files that are designed to rewrite old patterns in your brain that no longer serve you. For example, “Out of Survival Mode: Affirmations” contains both binaural beats and high-frequency music tracks to help you gently and easily reprogram the beliefs and thoughts that are holding you back or trapping you when used consistently.
Sources: Oster G, (1973). Auditory beats in the brain. Scientific American, 229(4), 94-102.
Lizana, P. (2010). Brain synchronization for learning. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 128(4), 2343-2343.