Plans to make a tone generator for 1hz to 24hz

Thread Starter

matencio

Joined Feb 8, 2020
5
I haven't made many things but want to. I want to create a tone generator capable of binaural sound in the
1 Hz - Delta | Lethargic, 2 Hz - Delta | Deep Sleep, 3 Hz - Delta | Dreamless,4 Hz - Theta | Drowsy, 6 Hz - Theta | Fantasy, 8 Hz - Alpha | Relaxed, 12 Hz - Alpha | Conscious, 16 Hz - Beta | Focussed, 24 Hz - Beta | Active range. Here's the harder part for me, the left speaker must have a slight difference. Example: Headphones - left speaker is 8hz, right speaker is 8.1hz.

What am I using this for? My own research to see if what Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein believed really worked. Basically, this slight shift synchronizes the left and right hemisphere of the brain improving endorphin release, and creating Alpha waves better. Theta waves occur at a lower Hz (see the chart above).

If someone can help me create this I would really appreciate it. I'm strictly a beginner electronics enthusiast. At 60 years old, I thought it was time to make this. Thanks!
Mike
 

Dodgydave

Joined Jun 22, 2012
11,284
That's quite a tight frequency shift, probably best to use a Microcontroller, a 556 timer chip will give you the two frequencies..around 0.5 to 1Hz.
 

Thread Starter

matencio

Joined Feb 8, 2020
5
That's quite a tight frequency shift, probably best to use a Microcontroller, a 556 timer chip will give you the two frequencies..around 0.5 to 1Hz.
Hi Dave. I want to be able to select different frequencies in these ranges on a pot.

A tone generator for something that isn't audible isn't something easy to find but the fact that Tesla and Einstein both swore by it tells me it's work trying to build and experiment with, even if there isn't a shift between left and right. If I can get it to pulse some way +/- .5, then that would be just as effective.

There's got to be a schematic and instructions somewhere.
Thanks for the quick reply.
Mike
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,705
At these very low frequencies and with good accuracy and precision, your best solution would be to use a microcontroller.
You can select the two frequencies digitally. If you must use a variable controller using a pot you can digitize the pot position and generate the required frequency.
 

Thread Starter

matencio

Joined Feb 8, 2020
5
At these very low frequencies and with good accuracy and precision, your best solution would be to use a microcontroller.
You can select the two frequencies digitally. If you must use a variable controller using a pot you can digitize the pot position and generate the required frequency.
Cool Mr. Chips. Any idea where I can find some plans to make this thing? I'm kinda new at building things like this so any help would be great.
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,804
Yep, microcontroller driving a DAC. Crystal clock source tp get accuracy in the frequency. And a good low pass filter for the output. The last part should be easy because of the large difference between sampling frequency and output frequency.

Bob
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,280
I assume you want a (near) sine-wave and that can be generated using a look-up table in a microprocessor with two DAC (digital to analog converter) outputs.
That means you would need to learn the fundamentals of how micros work and how to do simple programming.
Others on this site can help you with that.

Difficult to do with analog circuits.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,705
If you are new to programming MCUs (microcontroller) then there is a learning curve ahead of you.
One path to take is to get an Arduino and a DAC (digital-to-analog) module.
There are many members here on AAC who would be willing to help you with this.

Where are you located?
Here are some links.

Arduino Uno - R3

MCP4725 DAC Module
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,804
Another possibility is filtered PWM out of the micro, making the DAC unneeded.

And a third, and the one I would use, is a PIC micro with a built in 16-bit Audio DAC. (dsPIC33FJ128GP802) I have used that chip, and it puts out beautiful waveform that does not need additional filtering.

Bob
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079
My 2c on this project.

Making the source of the signal(s) is fairly easy as an engineering task but there is more to the system. Do you already have amplification equipment and sound transducers for this frequency range if you plan to use a speaker of some sort? I've seen moderately expensive headphones that claim 5Hz low end response but to use the frequencies you want will require a direct drive headphone amplifier system without DC blocking. A large number of cheaper digital amplification units have brickwall 20Hz filters in the digitizers so they won't work.

https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/design/technical-documents/tutorials/3/3979.html

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286768647_The_influence_of_infrasounds_on_humans
 

Thread Starter

matencio

Joined Feb 8, 2020
5
If you are new to programming MCUs (microcontroller) then there is a learning curve ahead of you.
One path to take is to get an Arduino and a DAC (digital-to-analog) module.
There are many members here on AAC who would be willing to help you with this.

Where are you located?
Here are some links.

Arduino Uno - R3

MCP4725 DAC Module
I'm in Deltona Florida. I have worked with my Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Even made a couple of things with them.
 

Thread Starter

matencio

Joined Feb 8, 2020
5
My 2c on this project.

Making the source of the signal(s) is fairly easy as an engineering task but there is more to the system. Do you already have amplification equipment and sound transducers for this frequency range if you plan to use a speaker of some sort? I've seen moderately expensive headphones that claim 5Hz low end response but to use the frequencies you want will require a direct drive headphone amplifier system without DC blocking. A large number of cheaper digital amplification units have brickwall 20Hz filters in the digitizers so they won't work.

https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/design/technical-documents/tutorials/3/3979.html

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286768647_The_influence_of_infrasounds_on_humans
Hmmm. Is it possible to remove the brick walls in these? I'm really new to electronics. I have learned a lot over the years but, I'm not an engineer - Novice and capable of figuring out problems in systems and using multimeters, wiring a house, yes. This project? Nope. LOL
 

LesJones

Joined Jan 8, 2017
4,174
This signal generator is the nearest thing at a low cost to your requirements. The resolution is 1 Hz so it does not meet your need for 0.1 Hz resolution. If you could find the source code for this device on the web you could probably modify it to do what you want. I have also seen what appears to be the same device for sale on Ebay.
Edit. I have just found this device which seems to meet your requirements while looking on ebay

Les.
 
Last edited:

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079
Hmmm. Is it possible to remove the brick walls in these? I'm really new to electronics. I have learned a lot over the years but, I'm not an engineer - Novice and capable of figuring out problems in systems and using multimeters, wiring a house, yes. This project? Nope. LOL
In most cases, no. You're building something that's outside the normal audio range of most inexpensive audio equipment by deliberate design.
 

Hymie

Joined Mar 30, 2018
1,277

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
I haven't made many things but want to. I want to create a tone generator capable of binaural sound in the
1 Hz - Delta | Lethargic, 2 Hz - Delta | Deep Sleep, 3 Hz - Delta | Dreamless,4 Hz - Theta | Drowsy, 6 Hz - Theta | Fantasy, 8 Hz - Alpha | Relaxed, 12 Hz - Alpha | Conscious, 16 Hz - Beta | Focussed, 24 Hz - Beta | Active range.
just be sure to wear depends the first time you use this, just in case. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_note
 
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