CHAPTER
10

A Symphony of Sound

In This Chapter

  • How sound works
  • Whispering and white noise
  • Discovering tactile-acoustic triggers
  • Bilateral stimulation: a side-to-side rhythm
  • How binaural beats can get your head humming
  • Why earphones matter to ASMR

They are ordinary noises that turn your brain to mush and cause your scalp to sparkle like a diamond. Whether it’s something like tapping, clicking, brushing, and scratching, most people rarely notice or disregard them completely, yet they work on you like a drug.

ASMR auditory triggers are a fascinating variety of stimuli because they can come from numerous sources and can be generated in a multitude of ways. Not to mention, contrary to all that we have yet to learn about the ASMR phenomenon, there is quite a bit of solid science to back up why human beings tend to be soothed by sound.

In this chapter, we help you journey down the auditory canal to learn more about the sense of sound. We uncover different audio triggers and what it takes to help people connect to the symphony. Put your listening ears on and let’s go!

Do You Hear What I Hear?

In order to understand how an auditory ASMR trigger affects the tingles in your head, you need to understand what sound is and how you experience it.

Sound is produced when an object releases energy in the form of a vibration and then radiates that energy in all directions from its original source. The vibrating object squeezes the surrounding molecules closer together and rarifies them by pulling them farther apart. Even though there are variations in the air pressure moving outward from the original object, the air molecules themselves stay in a fairly standard spot. As the sound wave moves forward, it reflects off any object in its path and creates more disruptions in the airspace.

There are six elements that determine how people perceive a sound wave:

  • Frequency: The number of times per second that a sound wave cycles from positive to negative and back again. These are measured in Hertz (Hz).
  • Amplitude: Also known as intensity, this refers to the strength of the sound wave—in other words, how loud or soft it is.
  • Phase: This compares the timing between two similar sounds.
  • Direction: This refers to knowing from where the sound originated.
  • Distance: This is the perception of how near or far away the sound is.
  • Timbre: Also known as tone color, this refers to the perceived quality of any sound’s many frequencies differentiating over time.

DID YOU KNOW?

The study of sound perception is called psychoacoustics and is a multidisciplinary subject that concerns itself with the physical as well as the physiological ways in which sound affects people.

How You Receive Sound

Humans receive sound in two different ways: air conduction and bone conduction. Air conduction is when the sound energy moves the tympanic membrane (eardrum). In bone conduction, the sound is transmitted to the inner ear through the bones of the skull.

Have you ever wondered why your voice sounds different to you when you speak as opposed to when a recording of it is played back to you? When you speak, you perceive the sound through the bones of your skull, which conducts frequencies better than the air and results in your hearing a lower, fuller sound. However, when it is played back to you and you perceive the sound through the air, it frequently sounds higher than you expect it to. (This also explains why you hear your own head scratches at a higher frequency than others’.)

As you know, the way people typically receive and perceive sound is through the ear. The ear is a very complex organ of the body that acts not only as a sound filter, but also transfers everything it hears into information the brain can process and prioritize.

The ear is comprised of three areas that contain fragile but intricate mechanisms:

  • Outer ear (the external ear and the ear/auditory canal)
  • Middle ear (the ear drum and three very tiny bones)
  • Inner ear (the cochlea and the auditory nerve)

When you detect a vibration, those sound waves are captured in the funnel-like structure of the external ear and directed to the eardrum by way of the auditory canal. When it reaches the eardrum, the hammer, anvil, and stirrup (the three tiny bones of the middle ear) work together in order to amplify the sound waves before transferring them to the inner ear. In the inner ear, the sound waves are transformed into electrical impulses and sent to the snail-shaped cochlea, which is filled with fluid that moves when exposed to sound waves. That movement is picked up by the sensory cells, which are responsible for sending the impulses to the brain via the auditory nerve for processing. When the impulses reach the brain (specifically the central auditory cortex), it sorts through the data, translates it into sound, and enables you to extract the sounds you need to respond to situation you are in.

It’s a pretty extensive process for something that happens instantaneously. The ear receives sound at 768 mph and those waves do not slow down until they hit the auditory nerve. Even then, they remain at a whopping 200 mph, which makes sound one of the fastest senses that we have.

Hearing’s Advantages Over Sight

Although hearing works in concert with sight as the primary senses, hearing has some distinct advantages over its visual counterpart. Unlike eyesight, which is forward facing, hearing is multidirectional and allows you to receive not only the information you can see but also what you can’t. This helps you remain aware in your surroundings and recognize individual sounds even when there is a lot of noise. Plus, hearing is always available; you cannot temporarily cut off your sense of hearing in the same way you can eliminate your sight by closing your eyes.

In addition, hearing is critical to your ability to communicate with others. Not only does it allow you to understand the individual words that are spoken, but it enables you to discern the emotions and meaning behind them through the tone that is used to express them. For example, although the human brain processes thousands of sounds throughout the day, not surprisingly, the one it responds most to is the human voice. This is because there are special voice-sensitive regions around the primary auditory cortex that react to the emotional cues it perceives. Studies in humans, primates, and canines have determined that these areas of the brain light up more when exposed to happy sounds (laughter) as opposed to unhappy ones (screams, whines, and cries). Because of this, some scholars say the sense of hearing is the closest thing to mind reading people have.

Whispering and White Noise

Of all of the human vocalizations, the most popular ASMR trigger is the whisper. In fact, when we asked tingle heads about the first sounds they sought out to stimulate the ASMR sensation, whispered and softly spoken content were mentioned nearly three times more than other general sound triggers or visual stimuli. We weren’t surprised. Because so many early ASMR experiences are tied to the soothing events of youth, it only makes sense that whispering is intrinsically connected to it.

DEFINITION

A whisper is a pronounced means of communication that is emitted through the mouth but does not require the vocal chords to vibrate.



A whisper is a pronounced way of speaking that doesn’t cause the vocal chords to vibrate. Instead, the words are hyperextended to create a certain amount of audible turbulence (hissing) on exhale that can be perceived by the listener. When someone whispers or uses a combination of whispering and soft-spoken vocalization to talk to someone, it tends to have a calming effect even if it does not produce an ASMR episode.

Whispering is a rudimentary form of sound therapy, a technique used to stimulate the pathways of the brain via frequencies that can trigger the release of hormones, such as dopamine and oxytocin. Sound therapy has been used to help listeners hear better and combat stress, fatigue, and insomnia.

Although from a clinical standpoint, sound therapy falls into the category of fringe medicine similar to biofeedback, hypnosis, and other alternative treatments, everybody knows that sound (especially music) can soothe the beast within.

According to Stephen Porges, a neuroscientist at the University of North Carolina, there is a reason for that. Apparently, there are high-frequency sounds that act like air conduction on the muscles of the middle ear and regulate those three little bones that are so precious around the eardrum. When those sounds stimulate the muscles, it can slow down the heartbeat and help you settle down.

In an interview with Radiotonic in Australia, he said the soft-spoken whispers of the ASMR community create a sensation that is not unlike the one people received when their mothers or other early caregivers used to croon lullabies to them. With the most popular ASMRtists being women, “the frequency band of female vocalization is higher, and it’s that frequency which our nervous system evolved with to detect safety,” he said. So the high-frequency, softly spoken ASMR vocalization content creates the feeling that everything is going to be alright.

While whispering or soft-spoken language is usually the first and one of the most common forms of sound therapy for tingle heads, it’s far from the only one. There are a number of ways that sounds that can have a soothing effect on people, many of which fall into the category of white noise.

Similar to the idea of white light being created from every color within the spectrum, white noise is a conglomeration of all sound frequencies that result in a kind of nothingness. The resulting pitchless sound can then be used to mask all other individual sounds around it and give listeners something upon which to concentrate.

DEFINITION

White noise is a collection of sound vibrations that contain all known frequencies and result in a pitchless nothingness, which is used to mask other sounds.

Though it may sound absurd to mask noise with more noise, it’s really not when you stop to think about it. Have you ever lived or worked near a construction zone and become so distracted by the resulting noise that you turned on the TV or some music to drown out the noise from beyond? That is the perfect example of how you can use white noise to build a better environment.

The broad category of white noise can include any number of background noises that can be used to help people sleep, meditate, or focus on a specific task. For example, there are a number of individuals who are steadfast in their need to have a ceiling fan running above them in order to sleep at night. There are also some who can’t walk into a room or work without the sound of the television or radio in the background (even if they aren’t watching it), and still others who are simply soothed by environmental noises found on white noise machines, recordings, and CDs that give them a sense they are far from their everyday lives.

Some of the most popular white noise sounds include the following:

  • Ocean waves and other water sounds (for example, a babbling brook, waterfalls, and rain)
  • Nature sounds (for example, birds, crickets, wind through the trees, and thunder)
  • A fan or small motor sounds
  • Music, especially classical, folk, or other gentle compositions
  • The drone of home shopping channels, often used because it helps individuals feel less alone

A whisper is an example of white noise because it is created by turbulent airflow that emits different pitches simultaneously. However, because it lacks intensity and penetration and cannot be heard from far away, it tends to blend into other environmental sounds.

Are you interested in the sound therapy of whispering and white noise? The following videos can get you started:

Tactile-Acoustic Triggers

ASMR auditory content is about more than whispering and white noise. In fact, it contains a vast library of ordinary, everyday sounds that have become the most addicting thing since caffeine in recent years. Why is that, and what is it about scratching fabric, tapping on a cell phone, and crinkling candy wrappers that is so euphoric?

It is a question with several possible answers. The easiest is that the tactile-acoustic trigger is connected to a specific event in people’s lives and when they hear it, it conjures memories of that experience. A quick and efficient tapping sound may remind you of the way your teacher’s heels clicked against the classroom floor. The scratch of upholstery fabric may remind you of the sofa your grandmother used to have and how you used to do the same thing in order to call her cat. Whatever the trigger may be, when you hear it, you are transported back to that time and place and, if it is a pleasant memory, it gives you an extra shot of oxytocin or dopamine and a tingly sensation that you want to experience again and again.

DEFINITION

A tactile-acoustic trigger is a touch-based sensation that results in a pleasurable sound (for example, popping bubble wrap, tapping fingers, clicking blocks together, shuffling cards, and so on).

Although a lot of people who do not experience ASMR may think of these triggers as odd, they are not as strange as you might think. Individuals use various tactile acoustic triggers to self-soothe at times when they are most anxious. You’ve probably seen this kind of behavior if you know someone on the autism spectrum. It is a protective response that results in an individual needing to “self-stimulate” in order to regain control over their body and relieve anxiety. However, it’s fairly common in nonautistic people as well. You probably know many people who twirl their hair, tap their foot, or whistle absentmindedly. The difference between autism spectrum self-stimulation and self-stimulation in people without autism is that the latter have more control over those stimulations and seem to have a better grasp on what is acceptable to do in public.

Although the sound itself may seem fairly ordinary, like visual triggers, they are often presented in deliberate ways. There is care taken to make sure that every sound is audible, is a little slower, and is as effective as it can be. Merely wadding a piece of paper will have no effect on someone, but if it’s done slowly and gently, it may hit the right frequency in someone’s brain to help the person achieve ASMR.

Some of the most popular ASMR tactile-acoustic triggers include the following:

  • Tapping: Glass, metal, wood, and plastic objects are the most popular tapping videos.
  • Scratching: Fabric tends to be the most popular, but any textured item can make a satisfying scratching sound.
  • Brushing: This trigger is usually performed directly on the microphone itself and is often unseen by the viewer.
  • Picking: This is another trigger that is often performed gently on the microphone itself, though it can be done on an object that has a unique texture.
  • Crinkling: Plastic candy wrappers, aluminum foil, and paper are the most popular crinkles.
  • Nonenvironmental water sounds: This refers to pouring, swishing, bubbling, dripping, and so on.
  • Clicking: Video game controller sounds as well as the sound of handling plastic and wood blocks are among fan favorites.

ASMR “sound slices” (the term for a collection of auditory sounds) include a number of these kinds of triggers within a single segment. Some of our favorites include the following:

Bilateral Stimulation

Another audio technique that many ASMRtists employ in order to help their fans get the most out of their listening experience is bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation is a process in which someone uses visual, auditory, or tactile stimuli in a rhythmic side-to-side pattern. Passing a beanbag from one hand to the other is an example of bilateral stimulation.

DEFINITION

Bilateral stimulation is a process in which someone uses visual auditory or tactile stimuli in a side-to-side pattern for therapeutic purposes.

While they cannot employ tactile methods of bilateral stimulation in ASMR videos without viewers consciously participating, content creators often move their hands from side to side in order to have viewers follow their movements with their eyes and use binaural microphones to trigger one ear and then the other. (This is another reason why earphones are important to the ASMR experience, which we’ll get into more later in this chapter.)

Bilateral stimulation has been shown to do the following:

  • Result in relaxation and decreased physiological excitement
  • Increase your ability to open your mind and become less focused on a particular stressor
  • Create a sense of distance between you and whatever problems you are having so you are most likely to relax and get some rest
  • Relieve you of your worries for the present time

The following are some bilateral stimulation videos you can check out:

KEEP IN MIND

Although bilateral stimulation is a very safe and relaxing methodology for most tingle heads, because it is a direct sensory stimulation of the nervous system, there are some conditions for which it is not appropriate for ASMR use. These conditions—such brain injuries, migraine sufferers, complex PTSD, and dissociative identity disorder—often result in hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli. Therefore, it is critical if you suffer from any of these conditions to consult with your personal health-care physician before using any bilateral ASMR content.

Neuroacoustics

In Chapter 6, you discovered that sound is at the core of the human existence. Not only is it the only sense you use prior to birth and the sense responsible for your first memories, but we also know that human beings have been using it for thousands of years to reach deeper states of consciousness and increased awareness and as a tool for healing the body, heart, mind, and spirit. It only stands to reason that it can still be used today.

Leading the way in this field of study for the past 35 years is Jeffrey Thompson, DC, founder of the Center for Neuroacoustic Research in Carlsbad, California. Since 1980, Dr. Thompson has been on the cutting edge of neuroacoustics and the various therapeutic applications of sound. His research has led to the development of specific practices that can be used to alter one’s brain wave patterns, change sympathetic and parasympathetic balance, and coordinate the activity between the two hemispheres of the brain. He has also used these methods in a number of health-related areas, including stress reduction, behavioral health, cardiovascular disease prevention, depression, and more.

Unlike traditional music therapy, which is about the individual’s personal expression, Thompson said that his work involves the direct application of precise sound combinations that are specific to the individual to encourage physiological responses. “Using this technology as a daily tool for mind-body integration and stress reduction can have many positive benefits,” he noted on his website.

One of the techniques Thompson specializes in is brain wave entertainment. Brain wave entertainment or “binaural beats” is a relaxation practice in which an auditory brain stem response results when two different impulses (that are not quite in tune with one another) are played in opposite ears at the same time. When the two signals come together, it produces a third sensation in the brain and, as the two wax and wane, it creates a wavy sound that is perceived as a fluctuating rhythm between the other two pulses.

This process is known to create a kind of hemisphere synchronicity in the mind and is affiliated with the brain’s “a-ha moment,” which typically doesn’t last too long. This technique prolongs the process and has been shown to help people alleviate pain and improve cognitive function. Plus, some people say that a binaural beat of 4 cycles per second can result in the feeling of an out-of-body experience.

KEEP IN MIND

Some people have claimed that binaural beats are “digital drugs” and can simulate the effects of recreational stimulants. This has not been proven, nor have claims that they help individuals stop smoking, lose weight, or improve athletic performance.

Studies show that binaural beats have a relaxing effect and can be used to change your brain wave state in order to stimulate focus and attention as necessary. They have also been known to result in the ASMR sensation just by listening to them, which is why they have been incorporated into ASMR YouTube content.

Here are a few links to give you an example of how they work:

Using Earphones to Listen to ASMR

If you were to ask 100 ASMR experiencers about how they listen to ASMR content, you would probably get 100 different opinions. There is a general consensus that if you can’t experience the ASMR sensation without earphones, it is unlikely the addition of them will improve your chances. However, if you can achieve ASMR without earphones (or with a cheap pair found in a clearance bin), it is a safe bet they will only add to your ASMR experience.

Some tingle heads say that ear buds are the best for ASMR because they send the trigger straight into your ear. Still, others prefer the more traditional over-the-head options. While there is a wealth of options on the market, the following are just some of the ones that come highly recommended by ASMR experiencers:

  • Beats by Dr. Dre ($299): A little pricey and hotly debated online, these are favorites among those who want an enhanced ASMR experience.
  • Bose Quiet Comfort ($299): These ear bud–style headphones are recommended for mobile devices. Like Beats, the Bose name is one tingle heads either love or hate.
  • Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, 80 ohms ($270): This closed-back model is good for outside sound noise reduction.
  • Sennheiser HD 598 headphones ($181): These headphones are particularly good for high-quality, binaural sounds.
  • Sennheiser ear buds ($39.99): This is a proven name in headphones with a style some tingle heads swear by.
  • Sony ZX series ($17.99): These are good-quality, over-the-head earphones for a reasonable price.

Keep in mind, however, that earphone and ear bud technology is always evolving and changing. Models that we recommend today may not be top-of-the-line or readily available a year from now. When shopping for your perfect pair, be sure to seek out those devices that offer you a good fit and are comfortable enough to allow the ASMR content go right into your brain.

The Least You Need to Know

  • The sense of sound has distinct advantages over eyes, such as being multidirectional and helping you understand words and the emotion behind them.
  • Whispers and white noise are two of the most popular ASMR sound triggers.
  • Tactile-acoustic triggers are made up of ordinary objects that make sounds that are pleasurable.
  • Brain wave entertainment is a part of neuroacoustics that can coordinate the sides of the brain and help influence conscious state.
  • Earphones can enhance the ASMR experience.
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