Music for a Celestial Journey

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Brainwaves Controller & Software – MAX/MSP, Jitter, Processing, Arduino      Why and how does sound affect emotions in the human brain? How many times have you turned to music to live and feel happy times, or wanted the comfort of music when melancholy strikes? Is there a connection between music & emotions? Music affects us all. But only in recent times scientists have started to explain and quantify the way music impacts us at an emotional level. Researching the links between melody and the mind indicates that listening to and playing music actually can alter how our brains, and therefore our bodies, function. Music therapist with a study in 1992 identified music listening and relaxation instruction as an effective way to reduce pain and anxiety in women undergoing painful gynecological procedures. And other studies have proved music can reduce other ‘negative’ human emotions like fear, distress and depression. Robb and a team of researchers published a report in the Journal of MusicTherapy in 1992, outlining their findings that music assisted relaxation procedures (music listening, deep breathing and other exercises) effectively reduced anxiety in pediatric surgical patients on a burn unit. Music,” says Professor in the AORN Journal in February 2003, “is an easily administered, non-threatening, non-invasive, and inexpensive tool to calm preoperative anxiety. THE BRAINWAVES Our brain pulses and vibrates like everything in this World. The brain pulse is measured like sound in cycles per second or Hertz. The machine used to make the measure is called an (EEG). As stated by in his book “Agents and Artificial Intelligence” Brainwaves are categorized in 5 categories or types, known as Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta and Gamma. Each of these waves types often correlates with different mental states. Delta (0-4 Hz) frequency band is associated with deep sleep. In fact as explained by the , The Delta frequency is the slowest of the frequencies and is experienced in deep,dreamless sleep and in very deep, transcendental meditation where awareness is fully detached. Delta is the realm of your unconscious mind, and the gateway to the universal mind and the collective unconscious, where information received is otherwise unavailable at the conscious level. Theta (4-8 Hz) is dominant during dream sleep, meditation, and creative inspiration. It is the realm of your sub consciousness and only experienced momentarily as you drift off to sleep from Alpha and wake from deep sleep (from Delta). It is at the Alpha-Theta border, from 7Hz to 8Hz, where the optimal range for visualization, mind programming and using the creative power of your mind begins. It’s the mental state, which you consciously create your reality. Alpha (8-12 Hz) brainwave is associated with tranquility and relaxation. These brain waves are present in deep relaxation and usually when the eyes are closed, when you’re slipping into a lovely daydream or during light meditation. It is an optimaltime to program the mind for success and it also heightens your imagination, visualization, memory, learning and concentration. Beta (12-25 Hz) frequency band is associated with an alert state of mind, concentration, and mental activity. While Beta brain waves are important for effective functioning throughout the day, they also can translate into stress, anxiety and restlessness. The voice of Beta can be described as being that nagging little inner critic that gets louder the higher you go into range. Therefore, with a majority of adults operate at Beta; it’s little surprise that stress is today’s most common health problem. How the EEG Works As stated by , the EEG generates a feedback signal by picking up the very low voltage brainwave signals with two or more electrodes. A high-gain circuit amplifies the signal and drives a wide bade filter. This filter passes signals in the alpha through delta range and attenuates signals of higher and lower frequencies. The feedback is usually in