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Music for the Mind - Achieving
Higher Intelligence Through Active Listening
$124.95
Music for the Mind is a unique,
sound stimulation program using the rich and intricate music of Persian
musician Ostad Elahi. The four CD set features world music combined
with psychoacoustic techniques, gentle filtration and nature sounds.
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Discovering the Tanbour
and the Music of Ostad Elahi
 "Never
had I heard anything like it; it is the greatest impression of
this kind I have ever had. It was very sensitive, very intense music,
but
also very precise and pure. I almost couldn't believe what I was
hearing.
It was a refined power, like some sort of laser…"
- Sir Yehudi Menuhin,
on
the music of Ostad Elahi
Music for the Mind is a unique, auditory stimulation program using the
rich and intricate music of Persian musician Ostad Elahi. The four CD
set features world music combined with psychoacoustic techniques,
gentle filtration and nature sounds.
 Ostad Elahi was a
master musician and virtuoso of the tanbour for whom music was above
all a means of inner reflection and contemplation. Tanbour is a generic
term used to designate a class of lutes whose necks are longer than
their bodies. It has been used almost exclusively for devotional
purposes since the 15th century.
When the music of Ostad was first introduced to Advanced Brain
Technologies, they were immediately interested in its potential
therapeutic applications. The project was first conceived by
Brainquiry, LLC after one of the company's members attended a TLP
Training Course to become an Authorized Provider.
Brainquiry realized that ABT was examining various kinds of music to
determine if they contained possible therapeutic qualities. They saw
that trainers Richard Lawrence and Alex Doman were very knowledgeable
about the effects of music. They also found it very interesting that
they had a deep understanding of intention in music and to them this
was tremendously important.
Brainquiry had been very moved by Ostad's music and found that it had
an affect different than listening to most music. They proposed their
idea to Alex: that Ostad's music might prove to be ideal for sound
stimulation and would appeal to a broad audience who enjoyed listening
to music from cultures other than western european.
ABT found Ostad's music offers a unique and powerful opportunity for
promoting active listening for several reasons. All the music is
improvised which gives it a free quality, while the unusual harmonic
and rhythmic structures cause the brain to be attentive in a dramatic
way.
With repeated listening the language of the music starts to reveal
itself, yet we constantly encounter slight twists and turns that
prevent the mind from placing the music into a known format. Since
auditory stimulation programs often are created to move us from a place
where we are stuck, Ostad's music seemed particularly well suited for
our purpose of encouraging active listening.
 Moreover, the tonal qualities of
the tanbour are quite dramatic. When ABT conducted a digital spectral
analysis, they found the dense range of high frequencies in the music
to be more intense than in any other instrument they had previously
analyzed. This density can partially be attributed to the fact that
Ostad often played multiple notes per second that built on
each other's harmonics. Furthermore, the percussive nature of the sound
creates the effect of audio bursting to the unaccustomed western ear.
ABT decided to break the music into sections that are easier for the
ear to digest, so it would be pleasing to both the Eastern and Western
ear. They
took small phrases from Ostad's playing and used them as introductions
to certain sections to draw the listener into the music. Nature sounds
are often used to open the section before blending with the music,
ensuring that the brain stays alert and does not habituate and tune out
sounds.
 To maintain authenticity, ABT
arranged to have nature sounds specifically recorded in Tehran, Iran
where Ostad Elahi lived until his death in 1974. The recordings were
done monaurally and sent to them. Richard Lawrence, Music
Director and sound engineer, then worked with the sounds to create a
stereo
effect.
ABT also added spatial dynamics, their method of moving the instruments
or sounds of nature such as a bird, across the sound stage between the
left and right ear. This enhances spatial awareness and helps the
listener with auditory attention as they identify the location of
sounds. The odd numbered tracks are all designed for morning listening
and thus use authentic morning or daytime nature sounds, while the even
numbered tracks are designed for evening listening and thus have either
authentic nighttime nature sounds
or none at all.
 As Ostad's music was
recorded under simple and nonprofessional conditions in a small room
with almost no resonance, ABT softened the sound of the music by adding
resonance to the original recordings, creating the effect that
the music is being heard in a medium-sized concert hall. As the
recordings progress, this effect is diminished to provide a more
intimate sound that better communicates the power of Ostad's music.
Removing lower frequencies of the sound spectrum allows the listener to
focus on the mid and upper range frequencies. Almost immediately on the
first CD, there is some filtering of the lower frequencies. With a high
pass filter allowing everything over 100Hz through, the first CD has
100
% of the resonance of a medium-sized hall added. Approximately 60% of
the
first CD features music plus nature sounds.
The second CD has a high pass filter that allows the sound spectrum of
everything over 175Hz to pass through; 85% resonance of a medium-sized
hall has been added. Music plus nature sounds comprise 45% of the CD,
while the remainder features music only.
The high pass filter used on the third CD allows everything over 250Hz
to pass through. ABT added 70% resonance, and nature sounds are added
to approximately 30% of the music.
Over the recommended listening time of four weeks, the filtration is
gradually increased on the CDs until it reaches a level of 325Hz on the
fourth CD. This filtration intensifies the already high frequencies of
the music and thus its effect on the brain as well. The high frequency
sounds invite deeper and more precise listening. This richness is why
we only needed to use very mild filtration. The resonance on the fourth
CD has been decreased to 50%, and nature sounds are added to only 20%
of the music.
Audio bursting is already present in a natural way because of the
percussive nature of the sound of the tanbour. Ostad's improvisational
music is so rich in randomly intense sounds, that no additional audio
bursting was necessary.
Music for the Mind comes with a Handbook and Listening Logs. The
beautifully illustrated handbook gives short overviews of Ostad Elahi,
why ABT became interested in co-producing the program, the special
energy in improvisation, a basic understanding of auditory stimulation,
and the importance of optimal acoustic environments.
 The set contains four CDs, each
containing six tracks. By listening to the tracks in pairs (tracks 1
and 2, tracks 3 and 4, etc.) you will finish all six tracks on CD 1 in
three days. Each CD should be listened to twice daily for 6 days with
one day off per week before beginning the next CD. Recommended
listening time is 10 minutes, each morning and evening, for 6 days a
week
for one month. Suggested equipment and activities are the same as for The Listening
Program®.
Brainquiry has tested the Music for the Mind program in a Pilot Study
with forty listeners. Overall feedback confirms that listening is
bringing
improvements in various cognitive and auditory domains.
Why did ABT become involved as a co-producer in this project? "I feel
that these CDs can help to break the habituation to most people's
normal
sound environment," Alex Doman told us, "and to train the ear to adapt
to
something new and unfamiliar. The music is so vibrant and energetic
that
we feel it can truly help those who close out sound or become stuck in
behaviors
or patterns."
We invite you to try this unique improvisational music for yourself.
The music is complex and its changing rhythms and tonal variety make
the acoustic patterns rich and interesting. Since there is a great deal
of information to process, the auditory system receives a great workout
while listening. You may find that Music for the Mind is something you
will recommend to clients and friends.
Listening to music from many parts of the world can help make our
desire to listen come alive. Ostad's music is an effective and
enjoyable way to exercise both our ears and our intelligence. Let Music
for the Mind sweep you away on a journey to another place and another
time.
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Music for the Mind
Achieving Higher Intelligence
Through Active Listening
$
124.95
4 CD
Set
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