What Are the Best Music Frequencies for Focus and Attention?

Mar 24, 2023

There have been times when a quality headphones and a good playlist of loud rock songs has helped me tune out the world and focus. Add in any type of stress or anxiety, however, and both lyrics and jarring tempo escalate my distractibility.

So I went on a search for music that will help me focus during work activities such a typing, reading, strategizing, and problem solving. I didn't find the perfect solution immediately. Take a walk with me down my path of discovery.

YouTube Videos

I started off searching for coffee shop playlists on YouTube, because I've historically found coffee shop music easy to work with. That approach was very hit or miss. Then I stumbled upon Youtube recordings of actual coffee shop background noise, like this and this and this.

Results varied, depending on my own capacity, the problem I was trying to solve, and the amount of sleep and food I've had recently. So I next looked into types of music that might help focus and attention.

Apple Playlists

My next stop was Apple Music playlists, specifically Pure Focus and Pure Yoga. Each of these helped me focus more than regular music, and for more than a year they became my exclusive go-tos for focus music.

Over time, they became less effective because the playlists are dynamic and constantly changing. The songs in these playlists change over time, and I kept finding songs that didn't fit the previous patterns I enjoyed.

Wholetones and Frequency-Specific Music

Years ago I came across a CD called Wholetones, which was a collection of songs, each of which was formulated to produce a particular frequency. The idea being that specific frequencies have specific unique effects upon the brain and the mind.

The creator, Michael Tyrrell, named each song based on the idea of what effect that song's frequency would have. He produced at least three other albums I'm aware of. One was Christmas music, one workout music, and the third was a re-composition of well known songs altered to produce a specific frequency each.

Do these frequencies really affect the human brain the way musician like Michael Tyrrell claims?

Binaural Beats and Isochronic Tones

Binaural beats and isochronic tones are often used to enhance focus and concentration. The frequency range typically associated with enhancing focus is in the beta range, which spans from 12 Hz to 30 Hz. Within this range, frequencies around 14-16 Hz are commonly used to improve focus, mental clarity, and alertness.

Individual experiences may vary, and some people might respond better to slightly different frequencies. Experiment with different frequencies in the beta range to find the one that works best for you.

To use binaural beats or isochronic tones for focus enhancement, listen to audio tracks designed for this purpose using headphones or speakers. Listen to the audio while working, studying, or engaging in other focus-intensive tasks, and adjust the volume to a comfortable level.

Keep in mind that the effectiveness of binaural beats and isochronic tones for enhancing focus can vary between individuals, and more research is needed to understand their full potential.

What is the difference between binaural beats and isochronic tones?

Binaural beats and isochronic tones are both types of auditory brainwave entrainment techniques. They aim to influence the brain's natural frequencies to achieve various mental states such as relaxation, focus, and sleep. However, they work in different ways:

Binaural beats

Binaural beats involve playing two slightly different frequencies, one in each ear, using headphones. The brain perceives the difference between these two frequencies as a third, separate frequency – the binaural beat. For example, if a 300 Hz tone is played in the left ear and a 310 Hz tone in the right ear, the brain will perceive a 10 Hz binaural beat. The brain then tends to synchronize its own brainwave activity with the binaural beat frequency, which is believed to induce various mental states depending on the frequency of the beat.

Isochronic tones

Isochronic tones, on the other hand, involve a single tone that is turned on and off at regular intervals, creating a rhythmic pulsing sound. The frequency of the pulsing determines the brainwave entrainment effect. Isochronic tones do not require headphones, as they work by using the same frequency in both ears. The brain synchronizes with the frequency of the pulsing

Where to find Binaural Beats in Optimal Focus Range

There are many free and paid resources available online, including YouTube videos, audio streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify, and other dedicated websites.

For a place to start, check out these songs on Apple Music:

Some music listing the frequency will really just be a rhythmic sound or couple sounds blended together. Others embed the desired frequency within the music or tune the instruments to play that frequency for the entire song.

I love finding new options and the best way to go about it is to search by frequency + binaural beats and then bookmark, favorite, or create a playlist of the songs you like most. Rinse and repeat each time you need help focusing and before long you'll have a decent playlist to work from.

Good luck and happy focusing!