“Long” Contented Waltz was created to get real brain wave frequency data to explore reactions to 432Hz tuning. It is the long version (10 minutes) of “Contented Waltz” a four minute piece that began as a solo classical guitar work in 1995.
This extended version duplicates the same 4 minutes and then slows from 88bpm to 60bpm to help induce relaxation. The new section is improvistory in form. The end section repeats the opening material with voice and counterpoint variations – overall, an ABA’ form. To lessen the mechanical feel apparent in MIDI sequences, I emphasized the downbeat in all of the sections containing more melodic motion by extending their lengths. I thought of the feeling of skating or dancing, pouring my body’s weight into my forward leg on every third beat and realized each of those beats was a little longer in duration. I also moved the key from Cmajor to A, so as to increase the number of 432Hz occurances.
The Inspired Performance Institute generously provided me with their facilities, personnel and Enchanted Wave Brainwave Sensing Headband EEG devices. Three duplicate copies of the 10 minute extended arrangement, tuned differently to A=432, 440 and 450Hz would provide more time for my listening Volunteers to become acclimated to the music. 450Hz was chosen to provide a ‘control’ entry – something far enough distant to be different, but near enough to not change the nature of the instruments’ ranges.
Though the qEEG measuring devices recorded all of the frequency bands of the brain, I was most interested in alpha waves, 8-12Hz, because they are most associated with relaxation, creativity, memory and a flow state of mind.
The Institute’s sizeable listening facility was well equipped with an OPPO disc player and a Marantz 5.1 Surround Theater Reciver playing through large, wall-mounted JBL loudspeakers. To get maximum musical involvement, I created a 5.1 surround mix of each version, burned to Blu-Ray discs.
The Results: Inconclusive!
Was there a measureable difference between tuning frequencies, particularly between 432Hz and 440Hz? Not enough data.
I only had two volunteers who met on a single day. Much more data is required to even test our system. More experience with the methods is needed to understand/eliminate “noise”, like:
- How much electromagnetic interference entered the test environment, adding noise or distortion to the signals from outside the room – or from electronics in the room?
- A large power difference between my subjects was also evident in the data. Was that really a difference in brain power, or was that because the devices were worn on different places on the head, or at a tilt, or were pulled tighter to the skull, or was more hair or shampoo chemicals on one of my subjects interfering?
- Were the batteries in each headworn device in better shape?
- How hydrated were my subjects in comparison with the other?
- How tired were my subjects?
Lia
Here, Lia, a female of about 20 years of age, was measured at nearly 1200 (pT?) on the 432 Hz version, the highest measurement by far. Though this seems to support the supposed benefit of this tuning, it dropped after 40 seconds. But, even rising above the other two playbacks two or three times before the end, her highest average alpha wave power was 110, for 450Hz. She did respond better to 432Hz overall with a 100 average power than 440Hz with a 94 average.
What explains the spikes in the first minute? Perhaps the music felt fresh in the new key, after returning to the chair after a break?
Logan
Logan, a male in his 30s, had much more consistent readings than Lia, but overall, slightly lower with his lowest alpha wave power being eminated with the 432Hz tuning of the music.
