Tomatis® Maestro are your personal headphones of the Tomatis® Method
Find here all useful resources for having the best experience with your Tomatis Maestro® Headphones.
Music listening function
Sound is transmitted to you through the speakers and through a bone conduction in the arch of the headphones.
It is therefore important that the headphones are in good contact with the top of the head.
Audio-vocal training function
The sound is processed through a dynamic filter system.
You thus perceive the music or the sound of your voice modified with sound contrasts effects.
The Tomatis® Method, a brain re-training program utilizes the ear as a powerful sensory integrator to enhance the crucial process of auditory processing and the connections between the ear, brain, and body. Through the stimulation of the ear, the method is able to improve the integration of sensory information to help your brain interpret better, leading to an improved listening.
Not just hearing!
The Ear Plays a Vital Role in Three Key Human Functions
Balance and Coordination
The inner ear’s vestibular system is the “organ of balance”. It detects the slightest body movements and sends this information to the brain, allowing it to control posture and maintain balance
Brain Energy and Emotional Regulation
The ear can stimulate and revitalize the entire cortex, acting as a natural energy boost. High-frequency stimulation can increase arousal and improve readiness for learning, while low-frequency stimulation can promote relaxation and a sustained sense of calm.
Cognitive and Listening Abilities
When the brain is misaligned with the ear, it can misinterpret the information sent by the cochlea (spiral-shaped bone found in the inner ear). You perfectly hear but you don’t really listen, which means your brain is not able to decode the message received and add meaning.
Neuroplasticity: Rewiring your brain with lasting changes
What is neuroplasticity?
The brain has the ability to change, grow and adapt in response to new repeated experiences and learning, which is known as neuroplasticity. Scientists, once believed that neuroplasticity only occurred in early childhood and that the brain “solidified” and became fixed in its habits in adulthood. However, research has shown that the brain can continue to change and develop regardless of one’s age.
Even before the term ‘neuroplasticity’ came into being, Dr. Tomatis vouched that the brain is capable of forming new neural connections and rewiring existing ones – which is crucial for learning, development, and recovery from injury. In his book – The Brain’s Way of Healing, Dr. Norman Doidge pays homage to Dr. Tomatis, the founder of the Tomatis® Method and sees in him a precursor of the new theories on the human brain.
The Tomatis® Method leverages this concept of neuroplasticity by providing auditory stimulation to retrain or rewire the neural connections involved in listening and cognition, balance & coordination, and emotional regulation. Simply put, the method retrains the brain and reorganizes the nervous system, helping individuals overcome difficulties and enhance their well-being.
How does the Tomatis® Method leverage neuroplasticity?
Here’s where it gets interesting! The Tomatis® Method plays on 3 factors identified as especially important in facilitating neuroplasticity :
Interest
Undoubtedly, your own motivation is essential, however, here we refer to your ‘brain’s interest’ or capturing the brain’s attention through the use of dynamic filters and modulated sounds. [Electronic Gating®]
Intensity
The brain needs an intense sensory workout to form new neural pathways. Over 80% of the brain stimulation comes from the ear, which is ideally suited to strengthen neural connections. The combination of air-bone conduction, rich harmonics and auditory stimulation make the Tomatis® Method an intensive program that integrates multi-sensory information in the brain.
Repetition
Building and strengthening your brain requires time and repetition. The listening program [neuroplasticity exercise] is spread out into 3-4 listening blocks with breaks in between to integrate changes. One block typically lasts for 14 days allowing it to create new neural connections and transform them into highways (read lasting changes) with time.
The Tomatis® Method utilizes targeted sounds and frequencies to stimulate the nervous system, promoting improved brain function. By harnessing neuroplasticity, Tomatis® helps individuals overcome challenges and enhance their well-being by retraining the brain and reorganizing the nervous system.
5 Neuroscience Techniques in the Tomatis® Effect:
The Parameters of the Method
The Tomatis® Method incorporates six advanced techniques from neuroscience into a single proprietary technology, making it a standout and exclusive approach. By utilizing the natural pathways of the auditory system and employing techniques inspired by nature, the method stimulates various brain centers.
2. Air and Bone Conduction :
Helping you to listen better
In the realm of hearing, there are two methods of sound transmission: air conduction and bone conduction. Air conduction is the conventional way we perceive sounds, as they travel through the air and enter the ear canal. However, bone conduction is an alternative method where sound waves directly reach the inner ear through the skull’s bones.
The Tomatis® Method headphones are intelligently configured to initially transmit sound through the bones of the skull, priming the auditory system for subsequent reception via the air channel. This dual transmission technique serves to educate the brain in accurately deciphering sensory sound messages, promoting enhanced auditory processing. Technology allows us to adapt the speed of transmission to the listening skills through specific double settings through air conduction and bone conduction.
BC: Bone Conduction (Trad. DE: Knochenleitung)
AC: Air Conduction (Trad. DE: Luftleitung)
3. Rich Harmonic Music :
The Transformative Power of Sound
A Tomatis® program encompasses two key components: the integration phase and the audio vocal work phase.
During the integration phase, the participant engages in listening to filtered high-definition musical recordings, primarily compositions by Mozart, without intentionally attending or engaging with it. This phase stimulates the auditory system through the Tomatis® Electronic Gating® technology, leveraging the enriching effect of high-frequency harmonics and promoting the process of perceptual contrast. The brain is effectively stimulated and engaged by these higher frequencies
Research shows that rich harmonic music can affect the brain in a variety of positive ways, from boosting memory and attention to aiding in relaxation. Conversely, low-frequency sounds or music specifically chosen for the purpose of Gating®, tend to have a relaxing effect on the body by reducing heart rate and inducing a state of calmness. These specific modulations enhance the Tomatis® effect.
