'Brain wave music' therapy benefits Japan tsunami, quake victims

As the anniversary of the March 11 quake and tsunami tragedy in Japan nears, a Japanese artist has come up with a unique way to help the healing process —with music recorded from brain waves.

 

The Brain Pulse Music (BPM) is artist Masaki Batoh's way of addressing the emotional wreckage caused by last year's tragedy, CoolHunting.com reported.

 

"Music and acupuncture treatment are really one and the same to me, an extension of my spiritual expression. It's a very natural thing," he said.

 

Batoh, who has had 20 years of acupuncture work, is also head of the musical group Ghost, CoolHunting.com said.

 

His BPM seeks to set traditional spiritual tracks alongside music recorded from the brain waves of patients.

 

Batoh is donating profits from BPM towards a fund for orphaned children. A promotional video was posted on YouTube.

 

Additionally, the Brain Pulse Machine has been reproduced and is available for purchase.

 

A separate article on CNET said the album is available now for $20.

 

"In addition, you can buy the Brain Pulse Music Machine for $700 if you feel like making some experimental music of your own," it added.

 

In making BPM, Batoh said he wanted to produce an album that would help the healing process in the same way that acupuncture relieves stress.

 

"The Japanese were hurt and beaten down by the great quake, very frequent aftershocks, no fuel at gas stations, no safe food and the explosions of nuclear reactors hit by the quake and tsunami ... This is the requiem for dead and alive victims," he said.

 

Modified EEG machine

 

Two of the tracks on the album were created using signals from a modified EEG machine, CoolHunting.com said.

 

It said the songs are purely improvisational, created by non-musicians in therapy-session settings.

 

"This method comes from Ghost's history of using improvisation, during which band members would be kept in separate compartments to minimize communication," it said.

 

Batoh specializes in treating developmentally disabled patients, and the machine is designed to help them normalize brain levels.

 

With an audible response to cognitive changes, the patients can learn to gain some control over their mental activity.

 

Brain waves as performance

 

The machine itself has a headgear sensor that communicates with a motherboard. EEG waves are sent via radio to the motherboard, which outputs the signal as a sound image.

 

Eventually, the "performer" learns to control the signal and can actually create music from their mind.

 

"The goal is to quiet the mind to a meditative state and allow the sensors to interpret the slight pulsations from the brain. Created by an electric pedalboard company, the custom-built machine is modeled off of medical EEG recording equipment," CoolHunting.com said.

 

Other tracks

 

On the other hand, the other tracks on the album come from the Kumano manuscript, Batoh's name for his replications of religious melodies heard in his youth near the sacred Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. — TJD, GMA News