Research

"Music is the essence of order and leads to all that is good and beautiful." - Plato c. 427-347 B.C. Sound has an extremely powerful influence on our senses, our perceptions and, most importantly, our psyches - both psychological and spiritual. The Sound Therapy CD is particularly helpful for those that have emotional, physical and/or learning disorders. Autism has three major hallmarks: qualitative impairment in social interaction, qualitative impairment in communication and restricted, repetitive and stereotypical patterns of behavior, interests and activities. Asperger’s Syndrome is also characterized by severe and sustained impairment in social interaction combined with restricted, repetitive and stereotypical patterns of behavior, interests and activities. However, it differs from Autism in that “few clinically significant delays in language or cognitive development are apparent and self-help and adaptive behaviors often appear normal.” (DSM-lV). Music and harmonic overtones are the psycho-acoustic components that train and develop advanced thinking, logic and reasoning skills. Recall Einstein’s contention that imagination is more critical than knowledge. The deepest aspects of creativity and thought are activated by the subconscious to the extent that an individual achieves, actualizes and realizes their maximum potential. MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Images), and PETs (Positron Emission Tomography), have documented that prolonged direct exposure to pure sound waves and harmonic overtones stimulate brain synapses enough to be significantly measurable. This is determined, in part, by measuring the brain’s consumption of glucose, its primary source of energy. EEGs (Electroencepholograms), which measure the electrical activity of neural circuits, indicate that the left prefrontal cortex, the “happiness center” of the brain, is visibly stimulated by harmonic overtones. Tuning forks are made of an aluminum alloy, designed to produce rich harmonic overtones characterized by warmth and depth. The vibrations from the tuning fork create a tone known as the fundamental note. Resonance (from the Latin verb resonare, meaning “to return to sound”), occurs when the vibrations from one source activate the same vibrations from another source. This is known as “sympathetic resonance.” This is the essence of the healing process, because the vibrations from the harmonic overtones of The Perfect 5th (P5) interval (the difference between two frequencies) and The Major 7th Chord (M7) , composed of two P5s, cause a sympathetic resonance in the areas of the brain that release endorphins. Endorphins are among the brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters (chemicals that carry signals from one neuron to another), which reduce stress, anxiety and enhance the immune response. The vibrations also stimulate the higher brain centers, such as the pituitary, pineal, hypothalamus, thalamus stimulates the brain stem, which includes the medulla oblongata, pons and mid-brain limbic region, the transition point between the body and the brain. These areas of the brain regulate not only our physical body, but our perceptions as well. The Perfect 5th creates a vibrational ratio of 3/2, known as “The Golden Ratio.” The precise mathematical proportions are known as Pythagorean tunings and create an archetypal resonance within the inner ear by stimulating the cochlea and the semi-circular canals. Harmonic overtones are produced simultaneously as a direct result of the fundamental (first) note. The first harmonic overtone (the “partial”), vibrates exactly twice as fast as the first note, the second three times as fast as the first, and so on. When two tuning forks vibrate together, this creates a pattern containing two vibrational frequencies. The brain hears not only the two frequencies, but also a third frequency – the actual difference between the two frequencies. When multiple tuning forks are sounded together, a multitude of different frequencies, plus all of the resulting harmonic overtones, a complex “sound bath” is administered, helping to synchronize both hemispheres of the brain. Rhythm is processed by the left hemisphere, while harmony and intonation are processed by the right hemisphere. The convergent zones, which function in the prefrontal lobes, control attention span, judgment, impulse control and motivation. This is where the interconnectivity of the two hemispheres takes place, arousing coordinated thought patterns. Unfortunately, when those with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome attempt to concentrate, their frontal lobes actually decrease in activity. Through the sympathetic resonance of the P5 and the M7 chord harmonic overtones, the frontal lobes are stimulated to process vibration. The following cycle of brainwave frequencies are represented by Hz (cycles per second): 1) Beta (12-23 Hz) – normal waking state, 2) Alpha (8-12 Hz) – relaxed mind and body and accelerated learning, 3) Theta (4-8 Hz) – a tranquil state of mind-body healing and 4) Delta (0.5-4 Hz) – deep sleep. Each of these states produces a unique pattern of brainwaves – electromagnetic waves produced by the electrical and chemical activities of the brain. The resulting immediate and long-term benefits of The Sound Therapy CD include: increasing the speed of brain synapses, enhancing communication of neural networks, stimulating consumption of glucose, resulting in greater overall brain activity, inspiring intuition and creativity, enriching motor coordination, quickening pattern recognition, expanding aural stimulation and prolonging concentration, focus and memory. The conclusion is obvious. Imagine the vibrations from a cello, gently smoothing-out a glass of sand until it is perfectly flat. Such is the direct result from the psycho-acoustics of The Sound Therapy CD upon the brain, both literally and figuratively. - Clifford Neil Zimmerman