What's that banging noise?

GraceB · January 22nd, 2012, 00:08

I've been using Lifeflow for 2 months now and used another company's product for 4 months before that, so am really a beginner with brainwave entrainment.

I find myself distracted when meditating with Lifeflow by that banging or thumping noise on the tracks...like driving with a flat tire or like an unbalanced washing machine. At first I tried to focus more on the other sounds, but my awareness just goes to that sound. Finally, I have just allowed my awareness to go there, since it does anyway, but it feels quite activating for me...like a heartbeat faster than my own. I never noticed a sound like that on the other company's recordings or on the music used in the neurofeedback I had, so I thought at first it was an error in my track, but then it showed up on the next track too so I see that it is intentional.

What IS that noise? What function does it serve? How so you suggest I be with it so as not to detract from the meditation?

Thanks for you help!

Grace

pollyanna · January 22nd, 2012, 15:18

Hi Grace and welcome to the community

It's good that you ask this question because you should not hear any banging noises unless perhaps your headphones have extra settings switched on. Any extra filters (Bass, treble, dolby etc) on your headphones should all be switched off. The soundscapes (nature sounds etc.) simply mask the entrainment which should be almost inaudible. You can turn the volume down really low and you will still benefit the same from the entrainment.

You could try meditating without headphones also. I may have misunderstood what you are focusing on during meditation and wonder what technique you use.

Here's a link about the principles of meditation and entrainment that you may find extremely helpful:-

Principles of Meditation & Entrainment

Please let us know if this helps and I wish you much peace and joy

GraceB · January 23rd, 2012, 01:15

Thanks, Pollyanna. There isn't any setting on my headphones, but I did take a look at the equalizer settings on the iPod I was using. Sure enough, when I played around with several settings I found that they changed the banging sound. I still hear it on all the pre-set EQ settings on iTunes and on my iPod/iPhone, but Lounge and Pop were the best (go figure).

THEN, I poked around online and learned how to create my own custom Equalizer setting and how to get that onto both my iPhone and iPod. In general, I needed the first two sliders to be as low as they can possibly go to eliminate the thumping, although I can still hear it no matter how low they are. Maybe I just have super-good hearing in those low ranges? Anyway, I played around with it to get it just perfect, then created a special equalizer setting for LifeFlow tracks.

Along the way, I learned how to set specific songs to always use a particular equalizer setting by highlighting the song in iTunes, right-clicking and selecting Get Info, then going to Options and choosing the equalizer setting I created. So then no matter what player or speakers/headphones I use, it'll always give me the setting that eliminates that sound. Voila!

Thanks for giving me the first clue that led me to this solution. Maybe others will be able to use it well. The tracks are much more pleasant now...although I do hope that this messing around with the equalizer isn't going to inadvertently mess with the effectiveness of the track. Do you think that's a problem?

Warmly, Grace

GilesC · January 23rd, 2012, 16:08

Hi Grace,

It's no so much that you want to create an EQ setting to eliminate certain sounds, what you want is an EQ setting that Doesn't alter the original sound from how it was recorded, otherwise you can alter the effectiveness of the entrainment sounds. This is why Polly said to check your headphones in case they were effecting the sounds to produce more Bass etc. automatically.

Yes, there is a 'heartbeat' sound on the tracks and on some tracks it's more noticable than others. This is the entrainment beats. However, in general these shouldn't be that noticable (I think Polly was perhaps misguiding a little by saying you shouldn't hear them). If you are noticing these things a lot then perhaps, as Polly says, you just need to turn the volume down. The purpose of meditating with the tracks is not to put focus on the tracks themselves but on your focus of meditation (mantra, breath or whatever technique you use), so how 'pleasant' they are is not really relevant, except if you choose to play them over open speakers (in which case the binaural beats won't be effective, just the monaural and isochronic tones).

Hope that helps

Hugs

Giles

GraceB · January 23rd, 2012, 20:10

Thanks, Giles. The volume must be the issue, although I don't feel like I have it on very loudly. It turned out that adjusting the EQ didn't transfer to my iPod anyway, so it only helped if I'm listening on my computer and if it undoes the effect then it doesn't make sense anyway.

The file as it comes to me in the download definitely is dominated (to my hearing, anyway) by the thumping sound. I wouldn't call it background at all. I will lower the volume and let the tracks be less in my awareness as I meditate now.

I do like the idea, though, of listening to Classical Magic and Optimal Learning when I am not meditating/while I work and those are hard to enjoy with that sound in them. Maybe I just need to get used to it.

In any case, thanks for the insight.

Grace

pollyanna · January 24th, 2012, 20:42

Hi again Grace,

Please bear with me here because I am not technically minded at all

and may be repeating what has already been suggested.

If you listen from your computer with the exact file you downloaded from PM website and plug your headphones in to computer (making sure your computer audio settings are switched to flat setting i.e. no equalizer etc.) and there is no problem, then it must be an issue with your ipod settings.

I play Classical Magic, Creative Flow, Optimal Learning and Nirvana (over open speakers) when I'm working, during business meetings, having dinner etc. and we don't hear any banging so I'm sure something is wrong with a setting somewhere. You don't have to get used to this

Maybe you can check with support staff (they are really helpful) unless someone from the community answers first.

Hope this is of help and wish you much peace and joy

I

Karmoh · January 25th, 2012, 14:30

Originally Posted by pollyanna

Hi again Grace,

Please bear with me here because I am not technically minded at all

and may be repeating what has already been suggested.

If you listen from your computer with the exact file you downloaded from PM website and plug your headphones in to computer (making sure your computer audio settings are switched to flat setting i.e. no equalizer etc.) and there is no problem, then it must be an issue with your ipod settings.

I play Classical Magic, Creative Flow, Optimal Learning and Nirvana (over open speakers) when I'm working, during business meetings, having dinner etc. and we don't hear any banging so I'm sure something is wrong with a setting somewhere. You don't have to get used to this

Maybe you can check with support staff (they are really helpful) unless someone from the community answers first.

Hope this is of help and wish you much peace and joy

I

Hi Grace, Im no expert on lifeflow, but the other tracks like Classical Magic, i do own and they give nothing but pleasure...and at times needed concentration.. Banging could be just be a simple setting... i do have a blue ray player that when certain audio tracks are played cause a popping sound. I have always played entrainment style tracks without any enhancement features that are so abound today.... please be assured the ones i own are benefical to my daily life..PS i'm a natural meditator that doesn't use lifeflow.... sorry Lifeflow team

or is that

this is the perfect community.......and thats the truth

GraceB · January 29th, 2012, 02:46

Well, Karmoh and Pollyanna, its certainly encouraging to hear that you don't hear the banging.

To be clear, I DO hear it no matter where I listen to the tracks when I play them as they come on the download. I was able to reduce the noise on my computer by playing with the equalizer, but understand from this thread that doing that might reduce the effect. In any case, whether the unhelpful setting is on my iPod or the computer or both, I did LOVE hearing the reminder, "you don't have to get used to this".

I'll definitely call the support team. Thanks for your encouragement!

GraceB · February 6th, 2012, 18:38

Pollyanna, is there a way to reach the support team by phone? I can only find the process of creating a "ticket" by sending an email.

I did that and had a disappointing experience. It took them 3 days to respond, and then they didn't answer my question....just congratulating me for already knowing to turn off the equalizer. So I replied with as clear a statement as I could of the problem and what I've done that isn't working to fix it. I suppose it will take another several days to hear again. I'm about to get my 3rd month of LIfeflow and am still having this horrible banging problem.

Any suggestions for getting a better response from the support team?

Grace

GilesC · February 6th, 2012, 21:36

Hi Grace,

Did that 3 days include the weekend? I've found the support team quite quick to respond, but as with anyone, I'm sure they have times when they are busy, or if it's the weekend, it won't be "office hours".

Hugs

Giles