Beyond Music: The Physical Qualities of Sound

Sheela Rahman aka Xosar describes herself as a Metaphysical Sound Scientist, Sonic Exorcist, Techno Shaman, and a Frequency Freq. The DJ and producer has been carving a niche path for her artistic expression over the years by incorporating her vast knowledge of quantum physics, spiritual and religious teachings, and her passion for elevating the vibrations on the Earth plane. Sheela’s blazing sound has been imprinted on various labels like L.I.E.S, Opal Tapes, and her own Gyrocyre. Xosar often contemplates and aims at bringing forth feelings of “anti-perfectionism, anti-elitism, anti-censorship and anti-fear based programming” amongst her listeners, but also within herself. She does so through her musical productions as equally as being an advocate of the healing potentials of sound, a music teacher and an inventor of transformational sound tools, gadgets and processes to hex the system sonically.

Xosar points out that one of the main problems of our society is regulating our “chaotic emotions” which results in using unhealthy coping methods such as substance abuse, leading to long-term damaging effects. She strongly advocates for incorporating vibrational medicine instead, and expands further on her vision for intentional sound immersion and use in music production:

Xosar: I’ve been delving into more intentional types of frequency-based sound healing protocols for several years now. Currently, the field of frequency entrainment is considered a separate field from music production, but I hope to bridge the gap by helping people understand how to integrate more conscious frequencies into their music production.

There is a way to link the feeling-based and scientific contrasts, and this starts with more tools being created that are harmonic at the core, along with people’s consciousness evolving to become more intuitive and intentional. I think in today’s society of ADHD & hyper-consumption of media, content is more regularly consumed in ways that are less mindful and sacred, but I do feel there is a collective hunger to feel more depth and it is my sincere hope that more and more producers will feel a need to shift into creating things with sacred intent & sacred presence.

Xosar explains how to use specific sound ranges and urges us to become our own frequency doctors by prescribing ourselves the right tone for each mood and condition:

There is a proven scientific use of entraining very specific brain states using frequencies, such as the use of binaural beats. I was skeptical about this at first but then I got the Muse headset and MindMonitor app, and tested myself and many of my friends to see if the binaurals actually work, and they do! The next step here would just be for people to learn how to intuitively feel into what state of consciousness their consciousness needs in a particular moment, and then have the discipline to feed themselves with that frequency combo… and to sit with it in meditation for a given period of time consistently. It’s almost like becoming a frequency doctor and giving yourself the right frequency prescription. We all already do this by choosing what music we want to listen to at a given moment, but the frequency protocols have a more subtle and specific type of lasting deep neurological and physical effect. 

The starting point in understanding this involves, looking at each of the different types of brain waves, Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta, Gamma… and reading about what each brain state entrains. For example, if I want to relax more, I would need to entrain my delta waves, if I wanted to be more focused, I would want to entrain with the Beta brain state. For example, to entrain with Beta, I would choose two different frequencies that, when subtracted from each other, would equal that particular bandwidth. So let’s say Beta is 20hz, I may pick two frequencies like 128 hz and 148hz, and hardpan one to the left and one to the right. Listening to that in headphones could entrain Beta waves in someone’s brain. The calculation there is 148-128 hz = 20 hz. 

She also speaks about creating music for specific spaces and how the acoustics of certain venues could enhance the quantum effects of a musical piece:

Xosar: Yes, I’ve definitely composed music with specific spaces and venues in mind, for example, the track “Heavens Gates” was conceived while I was working on a live set for Berghain. I hope that in the future there are more spaces built with acoustics in mind, like the wooden dome in the Integratron in California. Like many churches, the sonic resonances in the geometries of a dome structure are able to produce certain types of mathematical fractal reverberations. This is an amazing type of space for healing frequencies to be played because it resonates more deeply into the quantum through the reflections or ways the sound bounces off the walls in spiral fractal geometries. I hope more architects start to tune into the sonic geometries needed for more coherent and quantum field-piercing harmonic reverberation and resonance. 

As a sound producer, Xosar has done a thorough tonal detox of her gear and shares about her favorite digital and acoustic instruments:

Xosar: I have decided to get rid of all of my gear which does not align with my microtonal values, which means, any music equipment that only allows for the use of the A=440 12-Tone Equal Temperament system is no longer in my field. My favourite gear that unlocks the portal to microtonality is the uTune microtonal multitool module. The way that works is that you plug a MIDI keyboard or sequencer into it, it has thousands of microtonal scales included and you can add your own as well. You plug a MIDI or CV out into an analog oscillator and then any of the notes you play into it will be transposed into frequencies from the selected tuning system. 

In terms of objects, I work with tuning forks often as well as different types of harps like the Zither. I like working with physical objects because they create the most pure sonic resonance that can penetrate the deepest into the quantum realms, and the sound-healing objects are mindfully tuned to sacred harmonics that encode the resonances of reality. 

Ultimately though, all of these objects should be used as blueprints or models of how we tune the ultimate instrument, the human vessel. Toning vocally with tuning forks is one of the most powerful practices in creating internal harmonic purity, tuning up the human instrument and creating internal coherence within. 

Experimentation with the sonic realms has inspired Xosar’s boundless creative mind to also invent several physical tools and Ableton plugins, enabling more musicians to adopt this knowledge in their practice:

Xosar: Some tools I have developed and am so proud of are my plugins for Ableton. The name of these plugins (which can be found in the drone lab pack) are XITHER, X3RKABA, XEMF, 3RDEYEZ, XARP, Solfeggio Mirror Gong, Solfeggio Mirror Forks. Each of these 7 plugins has a very deep concept behind it.

For example, the Solfeggio Mirror Forks uses actual recordings of my tuning forks and puts them into a playable keyboard. This can be used by sound healers or producers to add layers of healing frequencies on top of their tracks, harmonising the environment.

You can watch Xosar’s Tutorial #1: “Solfeggio Mirror Forks” Plug In Demo on YouTube.

Veiled in the allure of an enigmatic alter ego, multidisciplinary artist Seth Horovitz known as Rrose, often voyages beyond the structures of predictability both in their tactile music productions and in their intensely beautiful live and DJ sets. Rrose’s musical input has been evolving over the years, reaching a new realm of intricacy, bridging techno and experimental composing techniques in their mind-altering album Please Touch from 2023. The artist challenges perceptions by interpreting tension and depth, visceral and atmospheric, through overlapping sonic threads. The ethereal presence of Rrose’s multi-layered sound can be found on projects spanning from their early works on the Sandwell District label, to their collaborations with Lucy on Lotus Eater, and most recently in with Polygonia. This expansive discography has opened a liminal space for hypnotic and groovy techno to bloom, while also reaching out to the organic mechanisms of ambient, delicate sounds. Rrose’s idiosyncratic approach to music can also be recognized in their performances outside of the electronic music scene, namely in their journeys with the ancient Tam Tam Gong. The artist was also influenced greatly by their studies at Mills College where the pioneer of deep listening and quantum sound practices Pauline Oliveros was part of the faculty. 

Acknowledging the subliminal effects of sound is essential for Rrose’s approach to music production:

Rrose: There is no doubt that sound affects our emotional and physical bodies. I don’t look for specific reactions measured in a scientific way. Instead, I try to discover reactions that cause me to question my very existence and how it relates to the physical world. Similarly, with emotions, I look for sounds that illicit indescribable feelings.

Deep listening sessions and the intentional approach to sound experiences are ever-growing in popularity, parallelly with the resurgence of Pauline Oliveros’ book Quantum Listening from the 1960s, and her pioneering manifesto on listening as activism. Oliveros explored the consciousness of sound as a foundation for a new social matrix and the transformational potential of sonic meditations she created for communities as part of the anti-war movements. Pauline’s experimental approach has also inevitably influenced the curriculum of Mills College where she taught, and which Seth Horowitz attended. Rrose reflects on the inspiration gained from these concepts and their expanded perceptions of music:

Rrose: Playing prolonged pieces allows the listener to engage with the sound on a meditative level that goes beyond the instant emotional gratification of most music. It forces us to confront the sonic space from a vertical, rather than horizontal perspective, to enter the spectrum of sound and explore it rather than simply follow a timeline of events. I completed my graduate studies at Mills College where Pauline Oliveros taught for many years. I wasn’t able to attend her courses, but the whole program was infused with deep listening practices which inspired me profoundly.

Everyone listens with their emotional and physical bodies, but not everyone maintains a distanced awareness of that interaction. Most people want to use music as an escape, so building a habit of intentional presence would defeat the purpose of their musical consumption. Patient, intentional listening practices can benefit anyone, but people need to find their own way into it. 

Rrose speaks about cultivating patience as a listener and as an artist through their extended performances with the ancient Tam Tam Gong and experimentation with different frequencies in electronic pieces: 

Rrose: At least once a year I am invited to perform James Tenney’s “Having Never Written a Note for Percussion” for solo tam tam, which is essentially one long, gradual crescendo and decrescendo, played without any additional expressive gestures. One of the beautiful things about the piece is that it allows you to gradually explore the entire frequency spectrum, starting with fairly pure, steady tones that gradually become a full-spectrum noise assault full of chaotic interactions. The tam tam is incredible because it seems to contain every sound and frequency within it, yet it is simply a single piece of metal.

With electronic pieces, I am endlessly fascinated by the interactions of frequencies which are close, but not equal (Alvin Lucier spent most of his life exploring this phenomenon). However, the specific frequency is less important for me.  

When I’m invited to perform in an unusual acoustic space, I always keep this in mind when preparing my set and try to spend as much time as possible during sound check to hear how different frequencies and sounds react. I enjoy the opportunity to explore and test material in unique spaces.

Sanna Mun’s sound signature flows boundlessly between galloping drums, hypnotic synth sequences, and inscribed celestial frequencies, imprinted on Modwerks and her own label Katabasis. Sanna has been weaving a unique blend of sonic tapestries not only through experimenting with music genres and techniques, but also by applying the tones of unseen mystery excavated during her studies in archeology, astrology, and her sound healing practice with gong. From field recordings and ambient sonic meditations to cathartic, trance-inducing techno cuts, her range as a music producer and DJ has distinct intensity and vigor.

Sanna draws inspiration from various ancient teachings and scientific theories, one of which is Music of the Spheres, a concept known to Pythagoreanism, dating two millennia before The String Theory emerged. Music of the Spheres dates back to ancient times and has been present in various cultures and philosophical traditions: 

Sanna Mun: For me, the idea of music’s ability to influence us emotionally and physically is foundational. In my philosophical pursuit to understand this effect on me personally, I found many bodies of work on the topic, explaining my revelation. For example, yogic theory describes the body as a 72,000-stringed instrument that can be tuned and played through combinations familiar to what we might digest in modern music formats: sound (nāda), movement (āsana), breath (prāņāyāma), meditative focus and absorption (dhāraṇā and dhyāna), sensory withdrawal (pratyāhāra) and ecstasy (samādhi). Science seems to be reconciling with ancient spiritual teachings. Einstein’s theory of spacetime demonstrates that the universe isn’t silent but an orchestra of vibrational energy. While it’s hypothesised by physicists like Michio Kaku, “in string theory, the notes on a vibrating string are subatomic particles. Physics is the harmonies on a string. Chemistry is the melodies on these strings. The universe is a symphony of strings. The ‘mind of God’ is cosmic music resonating through 11-dimensional hyperspace.” This metaphysical concept was known to Pythagoreanism already two millennia ago as musica universalis, or music of the spheres. It regards the movement of celestial bodies as a form of music in which Earth reflects the tenor of astronomical sounds that we can’t perceive but feel through the symphony of the human experience. It’s the principle on which astrology operates and is evidenced across cultures in music theory that builds upon the harmonic series observed in nature. 

“If music is our very nature, I do believe sound affects our emotional and physical bodies in ways we can’t even begin to comprehend. As an artist, the connection to this knowledge is an important aspect I channel into my creative process.”

Sound meditation and gong bath are key practices for Sanna, allowing her to observe the array of sensations arising from the ability to hold a constant frequency and guide listeners through a prolonged meditative piece:

Sanna Mun: Playing the gong has taught me a lot about the value of minimalism when it comes to performance. Although it covers a spectrum of frequencies, holding them constant over the ebb and flow of an extended period creates a potent container for deeper emotional and physical sensations foreign to us in our fast-paced, overstimulating modern environments. 

The arising sensations can be powerful—overwhelming, visceral, euphoric and even hallucinatory. The gong is sacred for its ability to break through deeply rooted subconscious blockages and aims to retune the body to the primordial Om, the original sound that created the universe in Hindu scripture. 

It simulates the vacuum of space in which its currents envelop the listener, cells and all, so the mind can become completely silent. I’ve realised it’s possible to emulate this state of hypnosis in a club environment. When experiencing performances revolving around prolonged, repetitive motifs, audiences can encounter an explicit oneness that underlies the concept of unity in electronic music and club culture. 

In her music production, Sanna Mun experiments with an abundance of mystically encrypted tones from cosmic objects, field recordings from temples and nature, and infuses classical instruments in analog techno tracks. She shares more about her process and current explorations:

Sanna Mun: In my early techno works, I experimented with Solfeggio frequencies but now actually take a more classic approach. My techno tracks tend to abide by their Detroit grassroots, while my ambient compositions underscore specific ranges of tones. I like to incorporate astrological frequencies, building on my work with gongs. For instance, 140.25 Hz is associated with Pluto, which personifies the energies of death and rebirth. It’s a transformative energy I relate to club culture and apply to the concept of my label, Katabasis.

I often include field recordings from ancient sites or historic pieces that inspire me. My upcoming EP, Deus Ex Machina, being released on Clone’s Repetitive Rhythm Research imprint in December, features the static hiss from a wax cylinder funerary violin recording dating to the 1800s. The three-act vinyl is inspired by the ancient Greek tragedy device and the concept of “god from the machine.” We designed an animated etching derived from Petrus Apianus’s Cosmographicus Liber as a kind of audiovisual compliment. I also like to layer ambiences I’ve captured within pyramids or temples that are sentimental to me. I might experiment with convolution reverbs that recreate these sites and the resonances of early electronic music, such as gong amps. In my ambient and experimental compositions, I play more freely with sound design. I work with planetary gongs and create instruments out of field recordings, as opposed to the analog synths of my techno tracks.

Recently, I’ve been reviving my past as an instrumentalist and would like to experiment further with electroacoustic composition. I’m developing a concept for my ambient works incorporating more traditional instrumentation. As part of my sound research and to further refine my current techniques, I returned to Egypt for an artist residency in the Sahara this fall. The potent desertscape served as a natural studio for my next project. I also had the opportunity to update my field recording library there at the source. I look forward to uncovering the sound alchemy inspired by this exploration.

Sanna Mun: Katabasis, the prototypical hero’s journey to the underworld, is a motif profoundly entwined in the founding mythologies of Western civilization. In ancient Egypt, the sun was believed to illuminate the living world for the twelve hours of the day, descending into the underworld in the twelve hours of the night to animate the dead, whereupon death, one must confront numerous beasts in order to achieve the afterlife. Rituals and celebrations honouring these ideas have played a significant role in society since ancient times. We enter otherworldly spaces under the cover of darkness, confront various monsters and emerge into the silence of the next day, when the sun is reborn from the horizon. Leaving the club is a kind of shavasana, or the shedding of a snakeskin. The politics of nightlife are different, resembling a parallel society in which daily oppressions and learned restraints dissolve. There’s a scope of experiences—while it can be excessive, an escape or even a form of self-destruction, clubs can also be a place to encounter the spiritual, a space for self-discovery and reawakening. It’s clear that the entire spectrum of the human experience is welcome. I approach my techno and ambient sets similarly, the latter being an inertial form of this confrontation, which can be just as, if not more, powerful. My performances strive to create an intensity that invites the surrendering of the mind and the freeing of something else. This might be personal or collective. Each evening is different and arises from an energetic exchange with the crowd, space and moment in time.

The Berlin-based, São Paulo-born low frequency sound artist Stefanie Egedy is a visionary in the field of low frequencies and subwoofers, bringing forth knowledge through her artistic and academic practice that revolutionizes how we experience sound in both musical and therapeutic contexts. Just as the depths of the ocean remain the most unexplored area on Earth, the low frequencies of the sound spectrum are still a vast sphere of uncovered potential for the music industry and for creators alike. In her conceptual pieces and experimental works, Stefanie delves deep into the possibilities of sound design and low-frequency sound bodies, with her works presented at CTM Festival, Berghain, KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Tresor, and Harvard University to name but a few. Egedy is fascinated by the interaction between human and architectural bodies and sound waves, incorporating field recordings, analog and digital synthesis in her practice, branching out further into investigating the therapeutic psychosomatic effects of sub-bass and infrasound. 

Based on the concept of a vibrational experience, Stefanie has created a series of site-specific installations and performances named BODIES AND SUBWOOFERS (B.A.S.), designed innovatively for each individual space and built to stimulate the body in specific wave ranges. She shares her findings beyond the auditory effects of sound, her love for low frequencies, and the symbiotic relationship with the project:

Stefanie Egedy: In therapy, it dawned on me that BODIES AND SUBWOOFERS (B.A.S.) isn’t entirely within my grasp, much like life itself. I learn from the work and the social interactions it brings me to; it is not only about my input on it. This realization came as a big finding; it underscores the dynamic nature of learning. It’s not merely a one-way street; rather, it’s a symbiotic, polylectic relationship.

Empirically, I’ve discovered that many individuals resonate with the therapeutic effects of low frequency sound (LFS), such as relaxation, alleviation of stress and anxiety, and relief from bodily pains. What I find fascinating is how the communal act of experiencing LFS together amplifies these effects, emphasizing the potency of shared experiences.

In my case, when I like something, I immerse myself in it, and it was no different with sub-bass and subwoofers. Add to that when I connected the dots about the benefits they offer for both my physical and mental well-being, voila, it became clear that, for someone seeking relief from the stresses of everyday life, this was one of the places I found the largest support.

Expanding the role of subwoofers from a key component of sound systems into a fully adept musical instrument makes Stefanie’s work a field of opportunities for new tools and experiences to emerge. This depth of research on the intersection of science, art and technology is an exciting process to observe both in the context of large-scale music events and in intimate, focused gatherings. Stefanie shares more about her set-up and composing technique: 

Stefanie Egedy: I consider the subwoofer to be an instrument, similar to my sound-generating hardware. Like any other instrument, it is up to the creator to discover new possibilities and ways to play it. This is where I stand. Feeling and hearing sub-bass is one of my favorite sensations, so naturally, from the very beginning, I was often in contexts in which I could feel it, whether at concerts, clubs, or dub events, and in this process I developed a kind of love for this type of sound that was even more intense than my love for sound as a whole.

I made a new addition to my setup, a micro-tuner that allows me to meticulously micro-tune low frequencies, providing more possibilities for composition. I have a variety of techniques that I am constantly experimenting with. I also created sound designs that I named, for example, Tornado. By exploring, I come across discoveries that I like combining (or not) with older composition techniques. For me, it’s all about tuning to the context I’m in and intuitively understanding what will work best for it, particularly acoustic and sound design-wise.

Stefanie’s project BODIES AND SUBWOOFERS (B.A.S.) manifests uniquely each time she is invited to present it. Egedy crafts a bespoke sonic sphere according to the site and venue specifications. She explains further the importance of the space and her approach to mapping out the different spatial zones where the vibrations play out: 

Stefanie Egedy: Designing for specific spaces is the core of the research that I do. Building upon the concept of a “vibrational experience” and the therapeutic effects of low-frequency sound and the physicality of working with subwoofers, BODIES AND SUBWOOFERS (B.A.S.) is a series of site-specific installations and concerts with bespoke compositions, produced for each location.

I analyze the specifics of the room, arrange the subwoofers, and select specific low-frequency sound waves, taking into account sonic characteristics such as resonances and reverberations that are created in interaction with the architecture of the room, and their transparency, which can only be perceived in a tactile manner. 

Each B.A.S. is formed by a bespoke subwoofer arrangement that is designed following the space’s dimensions and subwoofer type. With these calculated measurements, one can create ”living zones’’ (with higher or variations of acoustic pressure) and ”dead zones’’ (no acoustic pressure). The liveliness of an area is determined by the expression of the acoustic pressure throughout a region, where bodies can or cannot perceive the acoustic signal with their skin/body parts.

The importance of educating audiences, collaborators and fellow artists is important to Stefanie’s work in the music world. She is dedicated to bringing low frequency benefits awareness to the forefront and to the development of advanced sound systems incorporating these ranges of sound:

I consider myself a sonic advocate, which includes advocating for speakers. Influenced by my journey, and further enriched by experiences such as working with people like DVS1, who was a great boss during the period when I managed Monom Berlin, I’ve deepened my expertise in this field.

More than just delving into the intricacies of LFS, I emphasize, during my workshops, lectures, and conversations, the paramount importance of selecting the most adequate speakers for your show. Their significance rivals that of any instrument you might consider to be the solution for everything. With this perspective in mind, one can contemplate how to optimize the use of the tool at their disposal.

By following the path of our innate, primordial connection with sound, we have the opportunity to create an expansive shift in community well-being and personal transformation. As Nikola Tesla said: “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”

Sound enables us to access information beyond our awareness and knowledge that we cannot conceive otherwise, but rather experience and feel through our subconscious and physical bodies, existing in the collective and personal electromagnetic biofields. This exchange of information with the vibrations in the ether as encoded frequencies has been accessed by yogis thousands of years ago, and documented in Vedic scriptures across India. As vibrations, that we can or cannot hear, all penetrate time and space in a non-linear way, we are able to connect our senses with the potency of new realities. By immersing ourselves in melodies we love, intricate sound compositions for deep listening, or certain frequency ranges, we are tuning into a more authentic and liberated vibration of ourselves. Once we acknowledge that we are not merely the receivers or creators of music, but rather a vibrating instrument in constant co-creation with the fields around us, we can intentionally explore the potentials of frequency medicine, both in healing and creative practices.