Binaural

[Robert Pietrusko <bobby@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>  > Has anyone come across these before? Briefly, it involves playing one
>>  frequency into one ear (through headphones) and a very slightly different
>>  one into the other ear. Then, just as when the signals combine in the air to
>>  form a beating effect, the brain combines the two signals and produces its
>>  own beating effect. There is no real physical effect as it is all purely in
>>  the mind and it can apparently be used for enhancing certain brain functions
>>  as well as investigating the hearing system and the brain. Could be an
>>  interesting one to investigate in the context of a piece of microsound-type
>>  music....?
>
>Actually I think it IS a physcial effect that happens and not as much
>as a brain effect.  You may notice it better with speakers and
>not so much as with headphones.

Hi Everyone,

It is in fact a brain effect because the percieved pitch is the 
*average* of the beating tones.  This average is not physically 
present in the air.

two tones  :  999 Hz  and 1001 Hz  results in -
percieved tone (999+1001)/2  = 1000 Hz
this is non-linear and a result of the hearing system.

it is quite pretty to think about.

hope this helps.

take care,

bobby.

-- 

_one thought : many forms_

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