Sound in Altered States

[Machine Elf]

Hi all,

I'm currently researching a bit on sounds heard during altered states (not the TOOL you put on your stereo, the internal auditory effects/music ala Terence McKenna's "a tone, a tone...a mmmmmm"). If anyone has an experience they'd like to share, I'd be very interested in hearing about it...and I'll even tell you why afterwards (wouldn't want to contaminate my sample now would I).

Belf

[alkatrope]

Ok..

Nitrous gives that typical ringing.

DMT gives a very powerful wizzing noise that greatly affects the intensity of the trip..

[Pelinster]

DMT can also create a sound distortion similar to a skipping CD, but this is more of an effect on the background noise.

A FOAF who tried a DMT mixture whilst sailing international waters, frequently heard what can only be described as 'ethnic drumming' comprising of sounds that are what you would imagine a tom tom would sound like when it is filled with water? This is usually combined with visions of natives, jungle and fire..

When I was younger I used to experience a flanged sound whilst under the influence of cannabis. This sound was so stereotypical of 'trippy' background sound that it was just weird. I can only describe it as what it would sound like if you mic'd up the sound from under a bridge where cars are constantly passing and played it through a very slow flanger (or similar delay effect). Sometimes this sound would mix with other sounds in the background giving me the ability to hear music that really wasn't there. For instance, on a lot of long bus trips (whilst stoned) if I 'tuned out', I would hear music coming from the bus engine! This also occurred frequently when travelling on boats with outboard motors. It would actually sound like music was coming from the motor, not from my mind. Sometimes I could govern what was playing, most other times not. Sometimes I would think I had heard something in the song that was 'playing' that I had not consciously noticed before. I don't smoke it any more, so I don't know if I would still get that effect. A similar, slightly more disturbing effect Cannabis would have on me, is sometimes when going to bed after a hard day of toking, I would wake up to voices, right as I would drift off. I would swear I had actually heard them and they would always be of friends saying things, like single words, sometimes things they had said recently. A little disturbing, but I smoked a lot after that and had no more serious disturbing side effects.

I hope some of that is something along the lines of what you were after.

Edited June 15, 2006 by Pelinster

[Machine Elf]

DMT can also create a sound distortion similar to a skipping CD, but this is more of an effect on the background noise.

A FOAF who tried a DMT mixture whilst sailing international waters, frequently heard what can only be described as 'ethnic drumming' comprising of sounds that are what you would imagine a tom tom would sound like when it is filled with water? This is usually combined with visions of natives, jungle and fire..

Thanks Pelinster, that is great. The drumming sound is something that the literature I've read says should be a part of it, but I hadn't come across any 'real world' examples. Very interesting.

And I know exactly what you mean regarding the CD skipping effect on DMT. Well, at least a friend of a friend told me I know exactly what you mean...

Belf

[macro]

Nitrous Oxide - a ringing sound, with everything else either drenched in reverb or sounding like you're in an echo chamber, sometimes pulsating.

Marijuana - a tinnitus like noise in the ear, often accompanied by some sharp pain in the ear/glands behind the ear, possibly attributed to a rise in blood pressure?

LSD - more than once, chanting, whist coming down. Sounds like the infamous section on The Beatles' "I am the Walrus" that forwards says: "I have to admit it's getting better. A little better all the time." Backwards (the chant): "After all, Paul is dead. He lost his hair, head." A bit odd... Has also made 4/4 techno sound like drum&bass at times

[Aopocetx]

After a while of doing DXM, or after taking a large dose, I get a ringing sound, like as if I just came home from a loud concert.

[ballzac]

Marijuana - a tinnitus like noise in the ear, often accompanied by some sharp pain in the ear/glands behind the ear, possibly attributed to a rise in blood pressure?

I thought marijuana LOWERS blood pressure. I used to almost feint sometimes when I stood up after a long session.

[botanika]

Its also interesting to investigate how sound itself can cause altered states. There is an easy viewing dvd called 'ancient astronomers' on this. I wouldn't regard it as an in depth documentary but it interviews people like Professor Stanislav Grof. It demonstrates how certain frequency sounds and oscillations can induce a hypnotic spiritual 'astral flying' out of body state in lab experiments and theorizes the implications on ancient shamanic rituals. Many ancient cultures appear to have learnt the powerful effect certain acoustics, rythmns and sounds could have on our consciousness. Much of it has to do with rthymical drumming and the influence reverb (echoes) can have on visual stimuli in the darkness. Many famous ancient shamanic sites are either positioned next to suitable natural acoustic chambers (caves etc) or built purposely to enhance their rituals. The dvd skips a bit lightly over ethneogens though, it is quite obvious sound can have an impressive effect on the consciousness by itself, but visionary plants are much more profound in their experience. Perhaps sound was effectively used as a way of helping guide and stabilise visionary plant rituals?

[woof woof woof]

If hormones / nuerotransmittors / drugs change the way you preceive (process) the world, then this is also whats happening to sound.

so drugs basically influence the speed the sounds are processed at. The route of processing is also affected.

so they may act like the sound effects used on guitars - reverb - delay - distortion - resonance - whawha etc etc etc

later peeps

bri

[Infinitee]

Well, i hate to be the purporter of the odd and freaky.

But altered states and what it does to sound...? Huge can of fish (tuna maybe..) your opening there.

I've made what you might call 'visions' out of sounds. (My gnome was eating shiitake's at the time, who knows why ). Basically, it got oddly tribal. Some chanting and odd distortions of sound (yes, emanating from myself, my voice i mean) gave way to alterations in the 'vision'. Note, this does nothing to do it justice, and truthbetold, first time i've tried to articulate my thoughts on this.

I've heard T. Mckenna say before that if one was to get into "too deep water with tryptamines" then you should sing and you can actually Sing the experience away, or at least dilute its intensity.

I think I've only tried this once, but without a doubt it helped me greatly to recover from would've otherwise been

Of course, the meaning of sound can also change greatly when in altered states and sometimes create false interpretations of music/rhythm/lyrics which can confuse an already confused person quite alot. Nevertheless, there is a great amount of exploration to be done with music and discovering oneself - and others - within it.

I think sounds creating visions and both being altered by myself is one of the most amazing things i've encountered sound-wise, altered-wise. But if anything else imposes itself, i'll be sure to let know.

Would love to know any others experiences similar - or otherwise - to this, as it's pretty damn cool.

Oh yah, last note, on short or long-lasting tryptamines I have sometimes acquired a synthesiser-like accuracy with my voice, pitch, SFX etc (not 2 mention thoughts, problem solving and tonnes more, but..).

Thanks all.

[The Dude]

My gnome on earlier mushroom voyages listening to music would have what is often described as the widening of sound. It didn't sound slower per se, but it was as if it Had slowed down enough to make out every single sound with absolute clarity... another time it had more of a washing over effect. That is, the previous sound would echo into or 'wash into' the next sound. - Hard to describe...

But yeah music and whatnot is all good. It's all about what you're brain is occupied with and how it ...joins sounds together I guess, how it associates it with memories of music or with.. new creations you make. Regarding the hearing of music from bus engines. After a long night of doof, hearing the sounds over and over and over... as is the case usually, the music seemed to continue on the following morning. Car engines, whipper snippers, fridges, toilets flushing ... all made excellent psytrance tracks within the head of the acid gnome.

...speaking of. a gnome i know can't get over the mind music that high doses of psychedelics bring on in absolute silence. His recolection is hazy but during one of his very early mushroom trips with a high dose he was laying down in darkness and silence and the music in his head was like the most full-on psytrance, always building up with that rising sound. Relentless, this having been before any real exposure to psytrance music, later upon hearing said genre the gnome commented on how uncanny the resembelance was to the music in his head.

Last I heard of his mind musical adventures he had a strong acid trip. After the peak wore off and it was time for sleep (he he he) he experienced very random music, unlike anything with a steady rythm, composed mostly of.. an infinite universe of rubberbands twanging. As each got plucked they'd stretch or contract effecting the sound post-pluck into a flanging wah kinda thing.. They'd be fading in/out of each other, like on offbeats of each other.

He says it's very similar to this one track by "zowzi" - some rubberband track. Dont know which one...

Edited July 6, 2006 by El Duderino

[botanika]

with a steady rythm, composed mostly of.. an infinite universe of rubberbands twanging.

Nice imagery!

[other peoples pubes]

I recently had a dream where I watched Fear & Loathing in Los Vegas with my good mate Cid.

At one point all the voices sounded very deep, like they were being played at a slow speed - it was quite trippy.

Not long after this the movie turned into a cartoon for a while.

What a great dream that was

Also, I almost always get music replaying in my head after going to doofs with Adam.

[elzar]

As others have noted when using DMT i get a sound which has been described to me as tearing paper. Along with reports of full visual and auditory hallucinations.

When i used to use LSD i would also get a loud thumping noise when peaking.

When the effects of calea begin you can start to hear your heart beat.

[wandjina]

sounds....read about a woman who hears very similar sounds under the influence of dmt...kind of random but patterned toning, assocaited with other goins-on? A buzzing, whirring, oscillating humming? When the sounds are heard/felt...usually experienced as so familiar, and though an attempt to remember is made for later analysis (shoosh mind, shoosh!!!) , she hasn't pulled it off as yet.

Also, sound in 'external' environment heard as if through a vocoder, or kinda tinny reverb as if echoing inside soem kind of enclosed structure/vessel.

Voice definately effected, vocal range extended (low and high), tone and timbre...'frequency'...from buzzing to more 'animal-like' like vocalisations (i.e. big cat, bear, wolf, yowie????). Laughter and crying may take on melodic quality...becoming musical, not unliek bird song...one pretty funky bird though LOL

Once, many many moons ago....heard about a woman who took large quantity of LSD...and post-peak seemed able to tune herself like a radio...classical/techno/bizarro music...voices...you name it...and aural acuity greatly enhanced, ...she could've heard a spider fart a mile away. Interesting.

Edited July 24, 2006 by wandjina

[Ed Dunkel]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned DIPT or Heimia (if that actually gave anyone an auditory experience as is proclaimed).

(from a place where this is legal, offcourse )