🧠 How Feedback Fine-Tunes Neuroscience-Based Audio
1️⃣ The Core Concept
You’re combining two systems:
- AI-generated music (from ElevenLabs or other models) — gives the aesthetic and emotional tone.
- Neuroscience modulation layer (binaural/isochronic frequencies, amplitude envelopes, etc.) — gives the physiological effect.
User feedback (or biometric input) acts as the reward signal in a loop that tunes the parameters of the second system.
2️⃣ The Parameters You Can Fine-Tune
Each session generates a track with specific entrainment parameters, for example:
Parameter | Description | Example Range |
diffHz | Difference between tones (controls brainwave entrainment frequency) | 4–20 Hz |
mixDb | Volume level of the entrainment layer | −24 dB – −12 dB |
mode | Type of signal (binaural / isochronic / amplitude-modulated) | categorical |
fadeSeconds | Length of fade-in/out to avoid abruptness | 2 – 10 s |
carrierFreq | Base frequency (e.g., 200 Hz – 440 Hz) | 150 – 500 Hz |
sessionLength | Duration (in seconds) | 60 – 180 s |
3️⃣ Feedback Sources
You can treat feedback as explicit or implicit signals:
Type | Source | Example Metric | Signal Meaning |
Explicit | User rating (“felt relaxed”, “too stimulating”) | 1–5 stars, or slider | Direct reinforcement signal |
Implicit (biometric) | HRV, HR, EEG alpha/theta ratio | HRV↑ → relaxed / focus ↑ | Physiological reward |
Behavioural | Session completion, repeats, skip rate | Longer sessions = better response | Engagement proxy |
All these become input features to your optimisation logic.
4️⃣ The Optimisation Loop (Bayesian / Reinforcement style)
You can think of each session as an experiment:
- System generates a sound with parameters (p).
- User experiences it and returns feedback (r).
- Optimizer updates its belief of which parameters maximise reward (focus, calm, etc.).
- Next session picks parameters slightly adjusted toward the predicted optimum.
In pseudocode:
python# simplified bandit loop history = [] for session in sessions: p = suggest_params(history) r = get_feedback_from_user(p) history.append((p, r)) update_model(history)
🧮 Implementation: Bayesian Optimisation
A practical lightweight choice is Gaussian Process / Bayesian optimisation (e.g.,
skopt, ax-platform, hyperopt).It models your function:
[
f(p) = \text{user satisfaction or physiological improvement}
]
and searches parameter space efficiently, balancing exploration vs exploitation.
Example loop:
pythonfrom skopt import gp_minimize from skopt.space import Real, Categorical from skopt.utils import use_named_args space = [Real(4.0, 20.0, name='diffHz'), Real(-24.0, -12.0, name='mixDb'), Categorical(['binaural','isochronic'], name='mode')] @use_named_args(space) def objective(diffHz, mixDb, mode): score = run_session_and_collect_feedback(diffHz, mixDb, mode) return -score # maximise reward res = gp_minimize(objective, space, n_calls=30) best_params = res.x
Over time, each user’s personal optimiser converges toward their “sweet spot.”
5️⃣ Adaptive Tuning Logic (Simpler MVP version)
In your MVP (first 6 weeks), skip the full GP.
Start with rule-based adaptation:
Condition | Adjustment |
User rated “too strong” | ↓ mixDb by 2 dB |
User rated “too weak” | ↑ mixDb by 2 dB |
User “felt sleepy” but target=Focus | ↑ diffHz by 1–2 Hz |
User “felt anxious” but target=Calm | ↓ diffHz by 1–2 Hz |
HRV ↑ vs baseline | keep params steady |
HRV ↓ vs baseline | soften mix, lower diffHz |
This gives immediate perceived personalisation with zero heavy modelling.
6️⃣ Feedback Storage Model
Table | Fields | Notes |
sessions | id, user_id, state, diffHz, mixDb, mode, created_at | Each sound session |
feedback | session_id, rating, comment, HRV_before, HRV_after, computed_score | Links to optimisation loop |
user_profile | user_id, preferred_params (JSON), updated_at | Cached personal optimum |
7️⃣ How It Feeds Future Personalisation
Once you have hundreds of sessions, you can build per-user or population-level models:
- User-specific GP → learns individual neuro-response curve.
- Cluster analysis → groups users by response profile (“low-beta responders”, “theta-dominant relaxers”).
- AI-generated music conditioning → pick emotional timbre that synergises with the found frequency pattern.
8️⃣ Visual Summary (Flow)
flowchart TD
A["User selects state"] --> B["Node.js generates base music via ElevenLabs"]
B --> C["Python DSP adds entrainment"]
C --> D["User listens"]
D --> E["Feedback (rating / HRV / EEG)"]
E --> F["Optimizer updates parameter model"]
F --> G["Next session personalised diffHz / mixDb / mode"]
G --> B
9️⃣ Example in Action
User: chooses “Calm” → system plays 7 Hz theta beat at −20 dB
Feedback: “too sleepy”
Adjustment: next session → 8 Hz @ −18 dB
Effect: moves user’s state closer to alert calmness
Over time, their calm profile converges to 8.3 Hz @ −19 dB (binaural), i.e. their individualised entrainment signature.
🔬 10️⃣ Validation Metrics (for scientific credibility)
Track over sessions:
- Mean HRV delta (before vs after)
- Self-reported calmness/focus Δ
- Retention (voluntary session repeats)
- Optimal parameter variance per user (stability)
TL;DR
Feedback is the reinforcement signal that tunes the entrainment parameters (frequency, intensity, mode) for each user, making the system increasingly personalised and effective over time.
Data schema for Feedback Optimiser