Use of Isochronic Tones in Brainwave Entrainment (Bwe)

If you are familiar with brainwave entrainment, you will know that the normal recipe is to use binaural beats, but new studies have shown that in fact the use of isochronic tone is more efficient for brainwave entrainment.

What is it actually, and how can it be more efficient than binaural beats?

Headphone

While binaural beats use sound with different phase for different ear, isochronic tone is created by evenly space burst of tones. Because of this, entrainment using this tone does not require the use of headphone.

One of the major shortcomings of binaural beats are that they require the use of both ears, and special speakers (headphone) assignment. The requirement to use both ears also limit the use with some methodologies which do specific are stimulus - not both side of the ears.

Isochronic tone also has its own shortcoming. First, in order for isochronic to withhold its full effect, both tones must have the same amplitude. Second, in order for them to yield any important Bwe isochronic tones must be at a suitable volume - loud enough for the listener to hear a noticeable modulation in the tones.

On higher level, isochronic tone falls under brainwave entrainment (Bwe), not cortical evoked response (Cer). What is the different between the two, you might ask?

In Cer the stimulus is trigger less frequent - below four hertz (four times per second). At this level the brain response does not fall into synchronization mode. Once the frequency is faster as in isochronic tone, the brain start to follow the stimulus pattern. When this happen, the stimulus is categorized as entrainment.

Its' counter partner recipe is photic stimulation - where light instead of sound is used. In photic stimulation normally a goggle with Leds is used. The Leds flashes in specific frequency like strobe lights.

New technologies in brainwave entrainment are trying to maximize the follow by using combination of both sound and sight in form of isochronic tone and photic stimulation together. This recipe is known as audio-video entrainment (Ave).

One of the earlier study on this tone was done in 1981 by Artura Manns. Before that most of the studies have been on the light stimulus - the photic stimulation effect. It was used to treat inpatient with facial pain and jaw tension (Tmj dysfunction) and insomnia problem. As a follow it is now common to use Bwe to sacrifice risk of getting Tmj dysfunction during dental procedure.

There are a lot of tools in form of actual hardware and software that can create some kind of isochronic tones for you. And there are many ready made isochronic tones Cd sold on the internet, but you have to be very particular because wrong application can cause seizure to the users.

Use of Isochronic Tones in Brainwave Entrainment (Bwe)