Krisztián Hofstädter: NeuroMeditation with Music, OpenBCI and Greentek Gelfree-S EEG Cap

Last Updated on June 20, 2021 by pg@petergamma.org

performed at the Cambridge Festival of Ideas 2019:

Krisztián Hofstädter:

https://khofstadter.info/

«The initial stages of my doctoral research looked at brainwave patterns associated with meditative states of the brain and compositional methods associated with helping trigger and maintain these meditative states. My first experiment designed a generative soundscape in SuperCollider [1] employing the concept of sonic driving (often called synchronisation or entrainment) in shamanic journeying. I programmed the musical techniques in these concepts into algorithmically generated soundscapes and used them with neurofeedback protocols in 8 channel EEG sessions. Traditionally, shamanic journeying aims to take participants on a trip to a non-ordinary reality often through drumming, where they are encouraged to ask for clarity on a specific question [2]. The drumming techniques in my shamanic Brain-Computer Music Interfacing (BCMI) soundscape are largely based on the traditional shamanic form, but I added additional sound textures, more diverse rhythms, tempo changes and 4 channel sound immersion when performing with an audience. In a BCMI aided shamanic journey, the music responds to changes in the states of mind of the participant and aims to be a guide in the deepening of the journey. The current stage of the research collects and analyses data from real-time EEG sessions and off-line audio surveys to further refine how brainwave changes should be mapped to sonification/musification mappings in new soundscapes.»

by khofstadter (2020-01-20)[1]SuperCollider,Online:https://supercollider.github.io/[2] Literature often draws correlations between the ‘spirits’ who help answer the question and Jungian archetypes.More info about the research: https://bcmi.khofstadter.infoFree hi-resolution downloads of two music files on BandCamp including 4.0 surround sound files:https://tedor.bandcamp.com/album/shamanic-soundscape-level-two Surround streaming of this track on

(under soundscapes). The BandCamp playlist also includes a binaural version of ‘jester’ (the track in the video). «

Krisztián Hofstädter uses an OpenBCI setup with a Greentek Gelfree-S EEG Cap for Neuromeditation:

https://openbci.com/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/1663/greentek-gelfree-s-eeg-cap/p1

Has the effectiveness of Krisztián Hofstädters setup been scientifically confirmed?

If not, can Hofstädters setup be scientifically confirmed with Arnaud Delormes PhD. approach, which he uses in his meditation research project?

http://arnauddelorme.com/mind-wandering-and-meditation/