The effect of psychedelic music on the mind

I have noticed that when I listen to certain music it really opens my mind and makes me think more out of the box then normally. This type of music is usually very strange sounding music that is well written. A majority of the time it is at least partially electronic, but the effect can be achieved with instrumental music just as well.

I used to take certain drugs when I was younger which were intended for “mind expansion” (such as psilocybin, psilocin, LSD, DMT, mescaline, etc.). Although I was never a heavy user of these chemicals, these chemicals largely changed my outlook on life and the universe, and the way I perceived certain types of art including visual and audio art. Now I have noticed that minus the intoxication, hallucination, etc. I still get the effect that I was intending by ingesting those chemicals by listening to certain types of music, or looking at certain types of art. In fact, I would even go as far as to say it increases my power of perception. I also know of several other people who report similar effects.

So there are two questions that I have. First off, would this type of music still have the same effect on me had I not ingested the above listed chemicals earlier in my life. Secondly, are there any studies on the effects of psychedelic music on the mind. I tried googling that, but came up empty. I thought maybe someone here might know of some studies such as these, or have some information regarding this.

I’ve heard plenty of anecdotes about synaesthetic experiences induced by a combination of drugs and music, particularly electronic forms (although I’m a big fan of that type of music, so it may be that my social group is biased). It’s a fascinating subject, but one I don’t really know a great deal about.

Of course, that’s not exactly what you’re talking about (from what I can tell), but it might be dealing with some similar issues at a psychological/biological level.

I only smoked pot for a little while, dropped half a hit of acid only once and before all that I listened to that style of music. It had its affect on my thoughts to a decent extent. I still listen to it, it still provokes thought. All I do is drink the occasional beers. I know of no studies.

Very good, that info helped. I have yet to meet a person that enjoys psychedelic music in particular and finds it to be enlightening who has not done some psychedelic drugs at some point or another. I suppose pot counts, but it is not really the same. I was hoping to find someone such as yourself when I posted. I wanted to rule out remnant effects of the drugs as I have not done them in a long time, but I have heard after effects can last over ten years. I did not think this was the case with me, but I am trying to be somewhat objective.

Assuming that there are plenty of others who find the music enlightening, now the question is what exactly is it about the music which is enlightening. Perhaps it is certain waveforms which resonate with brainwaves. That is my hypothesis. If what it is that is enlightening could be pinpointed, then perhaps music could be made specifically for the purpose of helping people achieve enlightenment. They already do this with meditation music, but this is a little different, and I have tried the meditation sound waves that match the beta/theta waves and I do not think that they are quite there yet with the technology. It does help a little, but to me it seems that the difference between the music which matches brain waves and the music which does not match brainwaves that is for meditation is very minute, almost indistinguishable.

So I think that maybe these companies that make sounds that clone brainwaves may be missing the point a bit. The idea is not to receive brainwaves (unless you are attempting telepathy), but to provoke certain types of brainwaves. I doubt that psychedelic music matches any brainwaves, alpha, beta, theta, delta, or otherwise. Instead, certain frequencies probably stimulate certain sets of brainwaves, or combinations of brain waves to be produced by the brain. So that is what needs to be studied.

Now I only wish I had an EEG. If I had one of those, the things I could do…

I need to get one.