Subject: Re: [AUDITORY] Neutral sound for a relaxation experiment From: ginacollecchia <maximumrandb503@xxxxxxxx> Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 21:54:20 -0700 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>--Apple-Mail=_5A87A26C-B14E-47DB-B055-F42DD7B85CCD Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 I would also stray from anything algorithmically generated that is = intended to be low-valence. You run too much risk of the brain = identifying or trying to identify the patterns. That could result in a = pretty emotional response to the discovery (or suspicion) that the = sounds might not be authentic. (Lots of thoughts of the =E2=80=9Cuncanny = valley of sound=E2=80=9D now, hmm.) In spite of that statement, I would choose low-passed, algorithmically = generated white noise, e.g. pink noise, at a low volume=E2=80=94the = sorts of sounds white noise machines and other sounds intended to = silence the mind for sleep. You could use a recording instead, but make = sure it doesn=E2=80=99t have to loop, as I=E2=80=99ve found that = distracting. Hope that helps. -- Gina Collecchia http://ginacollecchia.com <http://ginacollecchia.com/> > On Sep 19, 2017, at 9:28 PM, Kevin Austin <kevin.austin@xxxxxxxx> = wrote: >=20 > Having recorded ocean waves since the mid-1970s, I would suggest a = good recording of ocean waves rather than an algorithmic version of AM = white noise, as I have found that real [acoustical] ocean waves are = among the most complex =E2=80=98simple sounds=E2=80=99 in nature. There = are usually multiple asynchronous cycles, and there is, IME, never one = simple wave. Each wave is a continuously evolving noise complex with = lots of variables. These include spectral changes resembling band reject = filters, phase shifters and transient resonances. >=20 > The wave breaking on the beach adds two more basic elements, one the = wave collapsing onto the beach itself, and the other the =E2=80=98sucking = back=E2=80=99 that occurs as the water recedes and stones and particles = tumble back into the ocean. This is added to by the number of waves = which can be heard from any one place. >=20 > For some people I have met, the sound of moving water installs fear. I = would suggest the sound of a gentle wind in tall pine trees. >=20 >=20 > Kevin >=20 >=20 >=20 >=20 >> On 2017, Sep 19, at 8:11 AM, Bob Masta <audio@xxxxxxxx> wrote: >>=20 >> How about "surf" sound, such as white noise with a slow=20 >> AM modulation? Easy to generate "live", and can run for=20 >> as long as you want. More soothing than continuous=20 >> white, pink, or "colored" noise. >>=20 >> If you don't already have a suitable system, the signal=20 >> Generator in my Daqarta for Windows software can do=20 >> this with any Windows sound card. Let me know if you=20 >> are interested, and I can get you started with a Generator=20 >> setup which you can easily modify to change AM depth or=20 >> rate, etc. =20 >>=20 >> Since it only uses the Generator, it's free! (Keeps working=20 >> even after the trial period expires.) >>=20 >> Best regards, >>=20 >> Bob Masta >>=20 >> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D >>=20 >> On 19 Sep 2017 at 11:05, Aurore Hakoun wrote: >>=20 >>> Dear list, >>>=20 >>> One of my colleagues is conducting a study about the comparison of = EEG activity between two relaxation conditions: a postural relaxation = versus a voice-guided relaxation. >>> She would need an emotionally neutral auditory stimulation for one = of her conditions. This neutral hearing stimulus will last 20 min. >>>=20 >>> Do you have any clue about what kind of neutral sound she could use? >>>=20 >>> Many thanks in advance, >>>=20 >>> Best regards, >>>=20 >>> Aurore Jaumard-Hakoun. --Apple-Mail=_5A87A26C-B14E-47DB-B055-F42DD7B85CCD Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 <html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html = charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; = -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" = class=3D"">I would also stray from anything algorithmically generated = that is intended to be low-valence. You run too much risk of the brain = identifying or trying to identify the patterns. That could result in a = pretty emotional response to the discovery (or suspicion) that the = sounds might not be authentic. (Lots of thoughts of the =E2=80=9Cuncanny = valley of sound=E2=80=9D now, hmm.)<div class=3D""><br = class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">In spite of that statement, I would = choose low-passed, algorithmically generated white noise, e.g. pink = noise, at a low volume=E2=80=94the sorts of sounds white noise machines = and other sounds intended to silence the mind for sleep. You could use a = recording instead, but make sure it doesn=E2=80=99t have to loop, as = I=E2=80=99ve found that distracting.</div><div class=3D""><br = class=3D""></div><div class=3D"">Hope that helps.<br class=3D""><div = class=3D""><div class=3D""> <div style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: = 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: = normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; = text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: = auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class=3D""><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline">--</div><div style=3D"color: rgb(0, = 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; = font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; = orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: = none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; = -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class=3D"">Gina Collecchia</div><div = style=3D"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; = font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; = letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: = 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; = word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;" class=3D""><a = href=3D"http://ginacollecchia.com" = class=3D"">http://ginacollecchia.com</a></div> </div> <br class=3D""><div><blockquote type=3D"cite" class=3D""><div = class=3D"">On Sep 19, 2017, at 9:28 PM, Kevin Austin <<a = href=3D"mailto:kevin.austin@xxxxxxxx" = class=3D"">kevin.austin@xxxxxxxx</a>> wrote:</div><br = class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=3D""><div class=3D"">Having= recorded ocean waves since the mid-1970s, I would suggest a good = recording of ocean waves rather than an algorithmic version of AM white = noise, as I have found that real [acoustical] ocean waves are among the = most complex =E2=80=98simple sounds=E2=80=99 in nature. There are = usually multiple asynchronous cycles, and there is, IME, never one = simple wave. Each wave is a continuously evolving noise complex with = lots of variables. These include spectral changes resembling band reject = filters, phase shifters and transient resonances.<br class=3D""><br = class=3D"">The wave breaking on the beach adds two more basic elements, = one the wave collapsing onto the beach itself, and the other the = =E2=80=98sucking back=E2=80=99 that occurs as the water recedes and = stones and particles tumble back into the ocean. This is added to by the = number of waves which can be heard from any one place.<br class=3D""><br = class=3D"">For some people I have met, the sound of moving water = installs fear. I would suggest the sound of a gentle wind in tall pine = trees.<br class=3D""><br class=3D""><br class=3D"">Kevin<br class=3D""><br= class=3D""><br class=3D""><br class=3D""><br class=3D""><blockquote = type=3D"cite" class=3D"">On 2017, Sep 19, at 8:11 AM, Bob Masta <<a = href=3D"mailto:audio@xxxxxxxx" class=3D"">audio@xxxxxxxx</a>> = wrote:<br class=3D""><br class=3D"">How about "surf" sound, such as = white noise with a slow <br class=3D"">AM modulation? Easy to = generate "live", and can run for <br class=3D"">as long as you want. = More soothing than continuous <br class=3D"">white, pink, or = "colored" noise.<br class=3D""><br class=3D"">If you don't already have = a suitable system, the signal <br class=3D"">Generator in my Daqarta for = Windows software can do <br class=3D"">this with any Windows sound card. = Let me know if you <br class=3D"">are interested, and I can get = you started with a Generator <br class=3D"">setup which you can easily = modify to change AM depth or <br class=3D"">rate, etc. <br = class=3D""><br class=3D"">Since it only uses the Generator, it's free! = (Keeps working <br class=3D"">even after the trial period = expires.)<br class=3D""><br class=3D"">Best regards,<br class=3D""><br = class=3D"">Bob Masta<br class=3D""><br = class=3D"">=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D<br class=3D""><br class=3D"">On 19 Sep 2017 at 11:05, Aurore = Hakoun wrote:<br class=3D""><br class=3D""><blockquote type=3D"cite" = class=3D"">Dear list,<br class=3D""><br class=3D"">One of my colleagues = is conducting a study about the comparison of EEG activity between two = relaxation conditions: a postural relaxation versus a voice-guided = relaxation.<br class=3D"">She would need an emotionally neutral auditory = stimulation for one of her conditions. This neutral hearing stimulus = will last 20 min.<br class=3D""><br class=3D"">Do you have any clue = about what kind of neutral sound she could use?<br class=3D""><br = class=3D"">Many thanks in advance,<br class=3D""><br class=3D"">Best = regards,<br class=3D""><br class=3D"">Aurore Jaumard-Hakoun.<br = class=3D""></blockquote></blockquote></div></div></blockquote></div><br = class=3D""></div></div></body></html>= --Apple-Mail=_5A87A26C-B14E-47DB-B055-F42DD7B85CCD--