Restoration
Due to the limited recording technology available during Ostad Elahiís time, as well as the fact that his playing was often spontaneously recorded in uncontrolled environments, restoration of the original recordings was necessary for the production of MFM II. Highly accurate restoration software was thus utilized to digitally remove broadband noise and the low rumble of undesirable ambient sound in the recording environments. This was achieved without compromising the tonal integrity of Elahiís tanbour, for the restoration tool was able to recognize and isolate the aberrant audioís waveform from that of the instrument. The result is a significant improvement in the quality of the music, thereby providing a more pleasurable listening experience.
Music Selection
MFM II features all new tracks from Ostad Elahiís tanbour recordings and does not include any of the tracks from the original MFM program.
The selection process of the tracks on MFM II is based on a small clinical study conducted in New York of 30 volunteers already familiar with Elahiís music. After listening to a collection of Elahiís original recordings, each listener rated the physiological influence of each piece in four specific categories: wellbeing, energy, relaxation, and contemplation.
On the basis of the findings from this study, Elahiís recordings were grouped into one of the four aforementioned categories. This experiential approach toward the music selection and sequencing of the tracks is a central feature of MFM II and provides the greatest prospect for the listener to have a deep and meaningful connection with the music.
Psychoacoustic Methods
Specific psychoacoustic methods were employed in the production of MFM II to facilitate optimal effectiveness of the program.
Once the recordings had been restored and categorized, the tracks were filtered to enhance the sound frequencies most favorable to the physiological purpose of each category. Accordingly, tracks on the Well-Being disc are unfiltered, tracks on the Energy disc use a high-pass filter that removes lower frequencies, tracks on the Relaxation disc incorporate a low-pass filter that removes higher frequencies, and tracks on the Contemplation disc use a band-pass filter that removes both lower and higher frequencies.
The result is that each of the four discs of MFM II feature three tracks based on different needs and objectives. Relaxation is for those moments when you feel the need to simply let go and unwind, perhaps after a stressful day at work, or when feeling overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. Contemplation provides the perfect backdrop for times that require reflection, self-analysis, and organization of your thoughts. Wellbeing restores your sense of vitality and helps to promote equilibrium in your life. Energy enables you to reinforce your enthusiasm and sustain your positive motivation for longer periods of time.
High-quality recordings of nature soundscapes were blended with the filtered music to present an added dimension of sound and insight for the listener. Subsequently, the music was processed with Dolby Headphoneģ technology to provide a surround-sound experience when listening to MFM II with high-quality headphones.
Twenty-minute listening segments immerse the listener in an acoustic experience that facilitates entrainment to the desired physiological state in each phase of this active listening program.
