Dear all,

Some time ago I posted a technique for binaural beat biofeedback using a Soundblaster AWE32 driven by WaveRider. Since then, a few people have asked me if I could come up with something similar for the SB16 sound card. Well I finally got around to playing with this but it seems that the SB16 is not as successful as the AWE32 version.

So here is a zip file containing the Waverider config file for use with SB16 cards, and a spreadsheet for working out the binaural beat frequency versus the MIDI note range.

It isn't difficult to set up - here's the outline of how it works:

The idea is basically to play two notes a semitone apart, one in each ear. This WaveRider setup plays two MIDI instruments identical in every respect but their note range. One is set to the range 20 - 60, the other to the range 21 - 61. This produces a semitone offset between the instruments irrespective of variations in the input parameters. One instrument is assigned to MIDI channel 1, the other is in MIDI channel 2 to permit separate panning of each instrument.

The panning is achieved by two additional WaveRider MIDI windows selected to output to Controller 10 (pan position). One is set on MIDI Channel 1 and its output range is set to 0 - 0, i.e. panned left irrespective of input variations. The other control window outputs to MIDI channel 2 and its output range is set to 127 - 127, i.e. panned right irrespective of input variations.

The principle of operation is the same as the setup for AWE32 - as the average EEG frequency reduces, so do the MIDI note frequencies, as well as the difference between the tones (i.e. the beat frequency). SB16 owners who don't have a Waverider could program binaural beat sessions using this concept on MIDI sequencing software such as Cakewalk.

The SB16 is less than ideal for binaural beats in two respects:

1. This setup only works at very low note frequencies (40-100Hz) and the higher frequency digital noises produced by the SB16 synthesizer are audible above the low notes. It can get a bit annoying - not entirely conducive to meditative repose.

2. There are only a few instruments amongst those available in the SB16's FM synth that don't drive you nuts after prolonged listening to the somewhat discordant combination of notes separated by a semitone.

Ideally what is needed is an instrument that has few harmonics and a slow attack/decay to move from one note to the next as smoothly as possible. The humble Ocarina seems to fit the bill, but experimenters might also try Synth Pad 2, Pad 5 or Pad 7 for a bit of variation (MIDI instrument numbers 89, 92 and 94 respectively). I first tried using the MIDI Detune control function as a way of producing the beat, but it seems that the SB16 does not support this, or at least won't do it under MIDI control. If anyone has knowledge to the contrary please let me know as this would potentially give a better result than the "semitone apart" method.

Kind Regards

Phil Soden

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