<p><strong>Listen to this music for X minutes to observe Y result</strong>. Is there something like that that has been demonstrated to work for general public?</p>

<p>The only example of an experiment that is similar that attempted to find out that I could find is: <a href="http://www.zlab.mcgill.ca/home.html">http://www.zlab.mcgill.ca/home.html</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Music, an abstract stimulus, can arouse feelings of euphoria and
  craving, similar to tangible rewards that involve the striatal
  dopaminergic system. Using the neurochemical specificity of
  [11C]raclopride positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, combined
  with psychophysiological measures of autonomic nervous system
  activity, we provide direct evidence for endogenous dopamine release
  in the striatum at peak emotional arousal during music listening.</p>
  
  <p>(<a href="http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v14/n2/full/nn.2726.html">Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music</a>)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I know that there's a field of psychology called <strong>music therapy</strong> that attempts to help people with music. But from what I hear, people's responses to music are hard to quantify and are very subjective. <strong>I'm interested if there's a music track out there that has been demonstrated to "entrain" brain activity (shift it from one state to another.)</strong> That is, psychoactive music that has been developed not to <em>express an emotion of the artist</em>, but to <em>change cognition and consciousness</em>. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-15T13:13:14.123Z
I don't know much about the topic, but [binaural beats](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_beats)---although not exactly music---may be worth looking at.
crsh
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-17T04:34:13.113Z
If you're interested in binaural beats, try isochronic beats instead. They're more effective than binaural.
Tyler Langan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-03-31T10:37:41.387Z
This question can't be answered without a definition of what constitutes a brain state. It is trivial to demonstrate different neural activity in participants listening to music and controls, so the only question is what kind of activity you're looking for.
Christian Hummeluhr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-09T19:42:50.623Z
I suppose music *in general* could be called an abstract *class of stimuli*...maybe we should edit? I see it's a quote, but maybe it deserves a little translation afterward.
Nick Stauner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-30T11:59:58.080Z
@crash and others - Binaural beats are an example of an illusion. The question refers to psychoactive effects, which is a different concept.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-11-21T06:57:44.987Z
Yes that is the intent of the music of at [Cranial Sacred](http://cranialsacred.com/). I would suggest you listen and judge for yourself. Although you can induce specific states of mind with various forms of pulsing that your brainwaves will tend to synchronize to, most of the reactions to this type of music vary greatly with the listener.
Mad Dog Friedman
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-05T20:57:35.010Z
I know it is years on from the original conversation. Still, take a look at https://silvermouselive.com/psychoactive - the band is working with brainwave entrainment signals in live performance and creating has done low-level studies - nothing yet peer reviewable, but certainly interesting.
Justin Handley
<cognitive-psychology><perception><music>
Is there psychoactive music?
Alex Stone
# Is there psychoactive music?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-11-14)

**Listen to this music for X minutes to observe Y result**. Is there something like that that has been demonstrated to work for general public?

The only example of an experiment that is similar that attempted to find out that I could find is: <http://www.zlab.mcgill.ca/home.html>

> Music, an abstract stimulus, can arouse feelings of euphoria and
> craving, similar to tangible rewards that involve the striatal
> dopaminergic system. Using the neurochemical specificity of
> [11C]raclopride positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, combined
> with psychophysiological measures of autonomic nervous system
> activity, we provide direct evidence for endogenous dopamine release
> in the striatum at peak emotional arousal during music listening.
>
> ([Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music](http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v14/n2/full/nn.2726.html))

I know that there's a field of psychology called **music therapy** that attempts to help people with music. But from what I hear, people's responses to music are hard to quantify and are very subjective. **I'm interested if there's a music track out there that has been demonstrated to "entrain" brain activity (shift it from one state to another.)** That is, psychoactive music that has been developed not to *express an emotion of the artist*, but to *change cognition and consciousness*.

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, perception, music

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I don't know much about the topic, but [binaural beats](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binaural_beats)---although not exactly music---may be worth looking at.  
> **username_2**: If you're interested in binaural beats, try isochronic beats instead. They're more effective than binaural.  
> **username_3**: This question can't be answered without a definition of what constitutes a brain state. It is trivial to demonstrate different neural activity in participants listening to music and controls, so the only question is what kind of activity you're looking for.  
> **username_4**: I suppose music *in general* could be called an abstract *class of stimuli*...maybe we should edit? I see it's a quote, but maybe it deserves a little translation afterward.  
> **username_5**: @crash and others - Binaural beats are an example of an illusion. The question refers to psychoactive effects, which is a different concept.  
> **username_6**: Yes that is the intent of the music of at [Cranial Sacred](http://cranialsacred.com/). I would suggest you listen and judge for yourself. Although you can induce specific states of mind with various forms of pulsing that your brainwaves will tend to synchronize to, most of the reactions to this type of music vary greatly with the listener.  
> **username_7**: I know it is years on from the original conversation. Still, take a look at https://silvermouselive.com/psychoactive - the band is working with brainwave entrainment signals in live performance and creating has done low-level studies - nothing yet peer reviewable, but certainly interesting.  

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## 0 answers

