Beginner guide
Binaural beat frequency guide
A binaural beat frequency usually describes the difference between the tones sent to your left and right ears. A 10 Hz beat might use 220 Hz in one ear and 230 Hz in the other. The 10 Hz label describes the perceived pulse, not an audible 10 Hz tone and not proof that your brain activity changed to 10 Hz.
Three different frequencies are easy to confuse
Binaural audio borrows terms from acoustics and EEG research. Keeping these three numbers separate prevents most of the confusion.
- Carrier frequency
- The audible pitch played in each ear, such as 220 Hz and 230 Hz. Changing the carriers changes how high or low the audio sounds.
- Beat frequency
- The difference between the two carriers. With 220 Hz and 230 Hz, the beat rate is 10 Hz. This is the number most binaural tracks put in their title.
- Brainwave frequency
- A rhythm measured in brain activity, often with EEG. Researchers group these rhythms into broad bands with names such as alpha and beta.
Want to hear the distinction? Compare three carrier pairs that all create the same 10 Hz beat.
Binaural beat frequency chart
These ranges follow the conventional five-band model used throughout Binaural Studio. Exact boundaries vary slightly among EEG references, especially around beta and gamma. The labels describe ranges found in measured brain activity. Using the same number in an audio track does not guarantee the matching mental state.
| Band | Range | Practical starting context | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | 0.5–4 Hz | Sleep preparation | 3 Hz |
| Theta | 4–8 Hz | Meditation or quiet rest | 6 Hz |
| Alpha | 8–12 Hz | Relaxed, awake listening | 10 Hz |
| Beta | 12–30 Hz | Focused work | 15 Hz |
| Gamma | 30–100 Hz | Careful experimentation | 40 Hz |
EEG references commonly classify waveforms by frequency, although their cutoff points are conventions rather than perfectly fixed borders. See the NCBI overview of normal EEG waveforms for one clinical reference.
Explore each frequency band
Delta
0.5–4 HzThe slowest brainwave band, dominant during deep, dreamless sleep — the stage most associated with physical recovery.
A place to start: 3 Hz. A slow rate commonly used in wind-down sessions.
Explore delta
Theta
4–8 HzThe drowsy, drifting band — present at the edge of sleep, in deep relaxation, and during some meditative states.
A place to start: 6 Hz. A middle-of-the-band starting point for low-demand listening.
Explore theta
Alpha
8–12 HzThe calm-but-awake band — prominent when you close your eyes and relax, the classic "idle" rhythm of a settled mind.
A place to start: 10 Hz. A common first setting when you want calm without aiming for sleep.
Explore alpha
Beta
12–30 HzThe alert, engaged band — dominant during active thinking, problem-solving, and focused external attention.
A place to start: 15 Hz. A lower-beta starting point that avoids the fastest end of the band.
Explore beta
Gamma
30–100 HzThe fastest band in the common five-band model, where definitions vary and both measurement and binaural-beat claims need extra care.
A place to start: 40 Hz. The upper limit of the current Studio and a setting that needs especially cautious claims.
Explore gamma
How to choose a frequency
Start with what you are doing, then treat the frequency as a setting to compare rather than a prescription. A label can help organize an experiment, but it cannot predict your response.
01
Define one activity
Choose a specific work block, meditation, or wind-down period so you know what you are evaluating.
02
Use a simple starting rate
Begin near the middle or commonly used portion of the relevant band. Avoid changing several audio settings at once.
03
Keep the setup consistent
Use the same task, session length, volume, carrier, and masking sound when comparing two beat rates.
04
Record a practical result
Note whether you stayed with the task, felt distracted, relaxed, or wanted to stop. Your experience is useful without proving a brainwave change.
Hearing the beat does not confirm brainwave entrainment
Perceiving a rhythmic binaural beat shows that your auditory system combined the two tones. Brainwave entrainment is a separate hypothesis: that measured neural activity begins to follow the stimulation rate. A 2023 systematic review found that the available EEG studies used varied methods and produced inconsistent results. Hearing a 10 Hz pulse is therefore not the same observation as measuring a 10 Hz change in EEG activity.
Read the 2023 systematic review of binaural beats and brain oscillatory activity, or browse the Binaural Studio research library.
New to the construction itself? Binaural Beats 101 lets you hear each ear separately before combining the tones.