Make Binaural Beats With Audacity

Awhile back I was looking online to download some binaural beats to help me study but I found that most of them weren't free or had background music mixed in. I, personally, find that the background music can be distracting while I'm working so I decided to make my own binaural beats.

Binaural beats can be useful for many different reason. They have been found to help study, meditate, and even boost creativity levels. Without going to far in depth, binaural beats are the resulting pitch created in your mind when two pure tones are played in each ear. The goal is to have your minds current brainwave state match the frequency created by the binaural beats. So what does that mean? Say your mind is in a very active or stressed state. If measured, many Alpha or Beta waves would be found on an EEG. Using binaural beats, however, one can potentially lower their brainwave state to something more relaxed.

Step 1: Download Audacity

If you don't already have Audacity click here to download it. If you have never heard of it, Audacity is a free, easy to use audio editor and is what we are going to be using to create binaural beats.

Step 2: Generate the Base Tone

The first thing you need to do is generate a base tone (This is usually around 100-200Hz depending on the desired waves produced). To do this go to Generate -> Tone, then type the frequency and duration you want. *Make sure the other options look the same as the picture.

Step 3: Create the Left Stereo Channel

In order for the binaural beats to work, the left and right audio need to be separate. To do this select the drop down arrow at the beginning of the newly created audio track and the select "Left Channel".

*Edit, this still works for older versions of Audacity but just moving the L---R slider for each tone all the way to one side works as well.

Step 4: Generate the Second Tone

Next repeat the second step only set the frequency higher or lower than the base tone. **Make sure you deselect the first audio track by clicking away from it before generating the second tone. You should see a second grayed out audio track before you select "Ok".

Step 5: Create the Right Stereo Track

Repeat step 3 only select "Right Channel" not left.

Step 6: Export and Finish

To finish this and turn it into an mp3 file go to File->Export Audio and then name it. Set the audio quality to what you want but make sure the Channel Mode is set to "Stereo" and not "Joint Stereo". I also I attached a video I made using the audio from audacity if you want to hear what it's supposed to sound like.

Comments

[mark101]

This works for me in 2022, but I have had some experience with Audacity. For testing turn the time duration down to 30 seconds , not 30 minutes as in the example. Also a 10 HZ binaural beat is too fast. so I recommend 100 Hz and 101 Hz instead.

[rjaffri]

What is the frequency of this output? Is it 10 Hz (130-120), or is it 120 Hz or 130 Hz?

[mark101]

You are suppose to hear 120 Hz in one ear and 130 Hz in the other ear. In your head you are supposed to hear the 10 Hz. IMO Ten HZ is far too fast for the novice. Try just a one or 2 HZ difference between the first frequency you choose. Like 100 Hz in one ear and 101 in the other.

[clovisfiesta]

Hello. In reality, your ears will hear 2 signals and the brain will "perceive" a third signal from the DIFFERENCE (in Hertz) between them. In the case of this instruction, you have an audible signal of 120Hz and another of 130Hz. The difference between them (in hertz) is equal to 10Hertz and that is in the range of "INFRA SOUND", that is, our ears cannot hear, but the brain PERCEIVES this wave, but not its TONE, right? Hugs. **Sorry for my bad english. I speak Portuguese.

[alexstanhamnmb]

got lame_enc.dll error , so you cant export using mp3 files , which i need to use , so need to audiocity to fix this error in the software , if not need to export in wav and then use another program to convert from wav to mp3 , too much work , going to search for other softwares , this one , i wont recommend if you plan to use mp3 files

[mark101]

To avoid lawsuits the dll is not included in the program. It is easy for any competient person to install various CODEC's.

[kamkid.2127]

If you search how to instal lame mp3 encoder a video by Anthony godinho on YouTube gives you the link

[kamkid.2127]

The newer versions of audacity don't have the option, the one i found that works is the 2.0.6 on fosshub

[fubugoogoo]

Sound forge also has generator for tones

[wmy2k7]

Even though I choose LEFT CHANNEL from the drop down, I still hear it coming from the right. I cannot get the left sound to ONLY come out the left earbud.

[fubugoogoo]

Did you setup a stereo channel?
That may be why.
Setup a mono channel and set to left.
Setup 2nd mono channel and set to right.
Then generate a pure tone in each channel.
I can't think of any other reason.
Hope it helps.

[AlluriP]

This is really perfect to make plane binaural beats. I would like to know how to make BB making us to drift from Alpha State to Theta state and after some time back to Alpha State.

[sarah.l.moors]

The dropdown menu is different and I don't know how to assign the tracks to left and right. I'm assuming this is different than "pan to left/right" on the track itself?

[WayneR4]

You add a stereo track then split the stereo track.
You then create a separate frequency on the left and right tracks

[AutumnAconite]

Hey there I figured it out ! ^_^
Just go to Tracks > Add New > Mono Track
then generate your beats afterwards within those Mono Tracks you created!

[Pymer]

Did you ever find out how to resolve this?

[thesaltiest]

If the Left and Right channel options are greyed out for you try this: Create 2 separate Mono tracks the difference being the beat frequency you want. Select them both, then from the Audio Track drop down, select: Make Stereo Track.

[Pymer]

I have the same problem as Sara.l.moors, i don't have "Mono>Left channel>Right Channel" can anyone explain how to get this to show?

[thesaltiest]

Create the first tone as mono like the other folks answered. Create the second tone mono at whatever difference beat you want. Go to: select all > the the audio track drop-down menu on either track, with both selected remember.. then: make stereo track. This worked for me

[AutumnAconite]

Hey there I figured it out ! ^_^
Just go to Tracks > Add New > Mono Track
then generate your beats afterwards within those Mono Tracks you created!