Repeatability of Visuals

I was playing with the Proteus User Mode last night and noticed that each frequency created a distinct and repeatable visual, conspicuously different with each 0.1Hz step. I also found that the visual changed with the pitch of the audio and that the visual responded to any noise heard from outside, dramatically so with loud noises.

Wanting to veryify that this wasn't a quirk of the Proteus, I repeated the experiment with Mind Workstation. Lo and behold, repeatable visuals at each frequency, affected by any additional audio.

Looking more closely at the visual, I noticed that there were characteristics that were related to frequency - sometimes there would be vertical lines, stationary or rotating, other times there would be circles/ovals, yet other times there would be more complex shapes, but always with a characteristic that could be counted.

This got me thinking about Lissajous figures and wondering if there is an interaction between what we're hearing and what we're seeing and that the visuals are some representation of a literal propagation of sense-data in the brain.

Some combinations of sound and light caused dark bands or ripples to move through the pattern - standing waves/interference patterns?

Is there the possibility that these patterns could be interpreted to give some indication of brain structure.

I love playing around inside my head :)

Cheers,
Craig

Hi Craig,

I've had similar thoughts about such patterns being interference based. But my thoughts were that they are interference patterns between the brainwaves created by entrainment and any existing brainwaves. One can see similar patterns when "hypnogogic", which I interpret as being patterns that are always there, but swamped by thoughts and the general noise of waking conciousness. As you get drowsy, the noise dies down and the patterns become apparent. The hypnogogic patterns being interference between different frequencies produced throughout the brain. And as you suggest by mentioning Lissajous figures, changes in just the amplitude of one of the frequencies would cause a change in pattern.

But it's interesting that your patterns are stable and repeatable. I've not noticed that, but I think it might depend on the sort of person one is. (i.e. visual, tactile, etc). I tend to get patterns when the entrainment frequency changes, and then they tend to fade with time once the frequency becomes stable.:(

Mike

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your input on this and my other thread. I was very much hoping to get an idea of whether others perceive things as I do - it's all very well doing informal research, but when you're the only sample it's hard to know if there's any sort of general rule that can be deduced.

You're absolutely right - changing any characteristic of the stimulation changes the pattern somewhat, but there are features that are unique to particular pitch/beat rate combinations, irrespective of the source.

I also find it hard to hold onto a particular image for any length of time, but even as they fade the basic features remain intact. In agreement with your comment that the interference patterns would include the waves that are already present, there are always things going on in the pattern that can't be directly attributed to the entrainment stimulus, but there are definite artifacts that are directly connected - so yes, there's a lot of waves happening, entrainment allows you to impose some that are quite dominant and conspicuous.

Cheers,
Craig

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I was very much hoping to get an idea of whether others perceive things as I do

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Hi Craig, have you uploaded any of your sessions? I would be happy to test them and let you know what i "see".

Edited to add:
If not can you give us the precise details of frequency and description of your visuals.
I'm using the Proteus, btw.

Hi Lucy,

There's no particular session or frequency involved - just stepping through and noting the major characteristics of the visuals at each step. It's the fact that I find that each frequency elicits an essentially similar display that intrigues me - however the visuals are formed, there is something constant.

Precise description of the visuals is beyond my vocabulary and artistic ability - I've accepted that I'll never really know what anyone else sees, but it would be interesting to know if others find that they see pretty much the same thing whenever they use a particular pitch/frequency.

I find the visuals arising from the 7-16Hz most dramatic.

Of course, adding anything, music, another light channel, changes everything, so the repeatability applies only to a single frequency. The audio aspect can, of course, be eliminated by just turning the volume down, in which case the repeatability of the visuals by frequency becomes even more pronounced.

Cheers,
Craig