Guide

Navigate modes below to read their documentation.

What are binaural beats?

When two slightly different tones are played into each ear — say, 200 Hz in the left and 206 Hz in the right — the brain perceives a rhythmic pulsing at the difference: 6 Hz. This isn't an acoustic phenomenon; it happens entirely inside the brain's auditory processing. Research suggests these perceived pulses can gently guide brainwave activity toward matching frequencies, a process called entrainment. The effect is subtle and cumulative — not a switch, but a gentle lean in a direction.

Binaural beats only work with headphones. Speakers mix the two channels in the air before they reach your ears, canceling the effect entirely.

Beat Frequency & Brainwave States

The beat frequency is the difference between the two tones — the actual pulse the brain perceives. Set it to match the mental state you want to encourage.

Delta
0.5–4 Hz

Deep, dreamless sleep. The brain's slowest rhythm — restorative, deeply unconscious. Useful for sleep induction or very deep meditation.

Theta
4–8 Hz

The edge of sleep — vivid imagery, creativity, the hypnagogic state just before unconsciousness. Strong for meditation and daydreaming.

Alpha
8–14 Hz

Relaxed alertness. Calm but aware. Good for stress relief, light focus, and the quiet after meditation.

Beta
14–30 Hz

Active, alert, engaged. Normal waking consciousness and concentrated thought. Use for focus, productivity, and problem-solving.

Gamma
30–40 Hz

Peak cognitive performance. Associated with intense focus and information binding across the brain. High-effort mental states.

Carrier Frequency

The base pitch of the tones, before the beat difference is applied. It doesn't affect the entrainment frequency, but it does affect comfort. Lower carriers (150–220 Hz) feel warmer, less fatiguing, and blend better with low-frequency noise like brown noise. Higher carriers (300–400 Hz) feel brighter and cut through more clearly. For sleep, stay below 200 Hz.

Soundscapes

The three noise types create a continuous background layer that masks distracting sounds and gives the binaural beats something to sit against.

White Noise

All frequencies at equal intensity — a sharp, hissing sound. Very effective at masking but fatiguing over long sessions. Use sparingly, or not at all for sleep.

Pink Noise

Lower frequencies are louder, rolling off gradually upward. Sounds like steady rainfall or a gentle stream. More natural and less fatiguing than white noise. A good general-purpose background.

Brown Noise

Even heavier emphasis on bass frequencies. Deep, rumbling — like ocean waves, distant thunder, or a very large fan. Very restful, particularly for sleep.

The and + buttons at the top of the Soundscapes section scale all three noise levels together proportionally, so you can raise or lower the overall noise floor without disturbing the balance you've set between them.

3D Movement

A slow oscillator gently sweeps the noise around your head using binaural HRTF processing. At low intensity the movement is barely perceptible — more like a living, breathing environment than a noticeable sweep. At higher intensity the motion becomes more pronounced. For sleep, keep this low or off. For active focus, a moderate level can help maintain presence.

All modes work best with stereo headphones • Volume always starts at 15% when switching modes • Settings save automatically