What are binaural beats? A simple guide

Most of my tracks have a binaural beat in them somewhere, and I get asked what that actually means. Here's the short version.

Two tones, one in each ear

A binaural beat is made from two steady tones that are very close in pitch. One plays in your left ear, the other in your right. Say the left is 78 Hz and the right is 84 Hz. Neither ear hears anything but a smooth, low hum. But your brain combines the two and you perceive a gentle pulse at the difference between them, 6 times a second in this case.

That pulse isn't in the recording. It's made inside your head, which is why it's called binaural: "two ears". It was first described by a German physicist, Heinrich Wilhelm Dove, in 1839.

Why you need headphones

Because the effect depends on each ear getting its own tone, binaural beats only work through headphones or earbuds. Through speakers both tones reach both ears, mix in the air, and the binaural effect disappears. In the mixer, the layers that need headphones are marked in pink.

If you'd rather use speakers, isochronic tones do something similar in a different way. I've explained the difference in Isochronic tones or binaural beats.

The different speeds

Binaural beats are usually named after the brainwave bands they match:

• Delta (about 0.5 to 4 Hz): the slowest, linked with deep sleep. Rain on Window uses a 3 Hz delta beat.
• Theta (about 4 to 8 Hz): linked with drowsiness and deep relaxation. Theta Thunderstorm uses 6 Hz.
• Alpha (about 8 to 12 Hz): a calm, awake state, eyes closed and resting.
• Beta (about 12 to 30 Hz): alert and focused. My study tracks use 16 to 20 Hz.
• Gamma (above about 30 Hz): the fastest band, often used for concentration. See Is listening to gamma waves dangerous?

The idea behind them, called entrainment, is that your brain may drift towards the speed of the beat. The research on this is genuinely mixed. A 2023 review found some studies supporting it and more that didn't. So I treat binaural beats as part of the sound rather than a treatment: a slow, steady pulse that many people find helps them settle.

Getting the most from them

• Use stereo headphones. Which way round doesn't matter.
• Keep the volume low. The beat works best when you barely notice it.
• Pick the speed for the moment: delta or theta for sleep, alpha to unwind, beta or gamma to work.
• Don't use them while driving, and if you have epilepsy, ask your doctor first.

The easiest way to hear the difference is to try it. Open the mixer, put your headphones on, and turn the Tones channel up and down while the rain plays.

For relaxation, not a medical treatment. If you have a health condition, ask your doctor first.