Meditation Music Psychoacoustics and Brainwave Entrainment 3

Question 1

Gamma brainwaves (30–100 Hz) in meditation are most associated with which mental state?

Accepted Answer

High-level cognitive processing and peak experience

Answer

Gamma waves are linked to heightened perception, binding of sensory information, and peak experiences such as those reported by advanced meditators.

Question 2

What is 'auditory masking' and how does it affect meditation music design?

Accepted Answer

A louder sound reducing the perceived loudness of a quieter nearby frequency

Answer

Auditory masking occurs when one sound makes another harder to hear, which composers use strategically to embed subtle frequencies within ambient soundscapes.

Question 3

The 'cocktail party effect' in psychoacoustics refers to:

Accepted Answer

The brain's ability to focus on one audio stream amid competing sounds

Answer

The cocktail party effect is the brain's selective auditory attention, allowing a listener to focus on a single voice or sound amid background noise.

Question 4

In psychoacoustics, what is a 'phantom fundamental'?

Accepted Answer

The perception of a bass note that is not physically present but implied by its overtones

Answer

The phantom fundamental (missing fundamental) is a low-pitch tone perceived by the brain from the harmonic series even when the actual fundamental frequency is absent.

Question 5

Which of the following best explains why pink noise is often preferred over white noise for sleep and meditation?

Accepted Answer

Pink noise has equal power per octave, closely matching natural soundscapes and EEG patterns

Answer

Pink noise has equal energy per octave (1/f distribution), which mirrors natural sounds like rain and has been shown to promote deeper, more restorative sleep.

Meditation Music Practice Test

Meditation Music Practice Test

Meditation Music Psychoacoustics and Brainwave Entrainment 3