ASMR & Binaural Harmonic
Brittany Kurtinec, ASMR, Video, Stero Audio, Projection, MOTU mixer, MacMini, 17:40 loop, 2015
Binaural Harmonic, Three Projections, Audio, Headphones, Suspended Glassine, Paper, DVD Player, Amplifier, 10:35 loop, 2015
Kutztown University,
Sharadin College of Visual & Performing Arts
Room 200 & Lighting Studio
April 27, 2015
Caution: Binaural Harmonic specifically outputs frequencies that replicate cycles of brain waves. By syncing up your brain with these frequencies, your brain will be alerted. Because of strong and repetitive pulsating rhythms, people who are prone to seizures or epilepsy should not partake in the aural aspect of this piece. Children and pregnant women should also use caution when considering listening.
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a distinct perceptual phenomenon recognized by a pleasurable tingling sensation beginning at the head or scalp; spreading to peripheral regions of the body. These sensations, also known as “brain massages”, “brain tingles”, “spine tingles”, or “attention induced euphoria”, are in response to visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory or cognitive stimuli. This concept is not to be confused with frission, a sensation similar to shivering, combined with goosebumps caused by an overwhelming emotional response. Triggers of this phenomenon differ between individuals, and each individual may have more than one specific trigger.
Binaural Harmonic captures the phenomenon of binaural tones. The brain produces a perceived sound of low-frequency pulsations when two pure, low tones are played at slightly different frequencies separately in each ear. A beating tone will appear as the brain naturally recognizes the difference of the two interfering tones. Each pair of tones creates a musical pitch, and harmonics are created when these pitches are stacked on top of one another. Binaural tones replicate brainwaves that happen during different states of consciousness. Delta waves, during deep sleep; Theta waves, associated with reduced consciousness; Alpha waves, that occur during a state of physical and mental relaxation; and Beta waves, emitted when we are consciously alert and feel agitated.
