Binaural beat frequencies
One player, the whole range. Drag the beat slider from 0.5 Hz to 40 Hz while it plays — the change from a slow sway to a rough flutter is the whole subject in one gesture.
A beat frequency is the difference between the two tones, not a sound you can hear on its own. 200 Hz in one ear and 206 Hz in the other gives a 6 Hz beat. The bands below are named after EEG rhythms; the names describe where the number sits, not what it will do to you.
The bands, and what each one is like
| Band | Range | How it sounds | Usually used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | 0.5–4 Hz | Barely there — a slow swell you stop noticing | Sleep, all-night sessions |
| Theta | 4–8 Hz | A gentle sway, about one cycle per heartbeat | Meditation, naps, winding down |
| Alpha | 8–13 Hz | A clear but soft pulse | Calm focus, reading |
| Beta | 13–30 Hz | Fast enough to sound like texture rather than motion | Work and study blocks |
| Gamma | 30–40 Hz | A rough, continuous flutter | Short alert blocks |
Individual rates
How to pick a rate
- Decide what the session is for, not what the label promises. Sleep, sit, read, work — the four cases cover almost everything.
- Start at the middle of the band rather than the edge: 2, 6, 10, 14, 40 are the useful defaults and the presets above.
- Keep it for several sessions before changing. Switching every day measures novelty.
- If the beat is the thing you keep noticing, lower the volume or add a noise bed — that is what the bed is for.
Does the exact number matter?
There is no evidence that 6 Hz outperforms 7 Hz, or that a band boundary is a real threshold for anything you will notice. The bands come from EEG classification, where they describe measured brain rhythms — borrowing them for audio is a naming convention with a hypothesis attached, and the hypothesis is not well supported. Choose by how a rate feels to listen to; that part is real and immediate.
Questions
What Hz is best for sleep?
Delta rates between 1 and 4 Hz are the usual choice, with 2 Hz the common default. No study establishes a best number; comfort and volume matter more.
Do I need headphones for every beat frequency?
For binaural beats, yes, at every rate. If you cannot wear headphones use isochronic tones, which work on speakers.
Why can I not hear the beat frequency itself?
Because rates below about 20 Hz are under the range of human hearing. You hear two audible tones and perceive the difference between them as a throb.
Is a faster beat stronger?
It is more noticeable, which is not the same thing. Fast beats are harder to ignore and therefore worse as background sound.
Running this on a phone? The Brainwave Generator app keeps playing with the screen off, works without a connection, and carries the same engine. Free on iOS and Android.