Language

Activation and Acoustic Feedback

Have you ever noticed that your voice can change due to emotional stress? In this case it takes a few seconds for the tone of your voice to return. This is because the auditory feedback circuitry is disturbed and is unable to correctly analyze the sounds of your voice. The fundamental principle of the TOMATIS® Method is that any modification of the mechanisms of reception and analysis of a sound message affects the way that message is reproduced. An individual’s auditory feedback circuitry is affected by auditory discrimination, phonological awareness and the integration of musicality, i.e., the rhythm of language that each individual automatically incorporates. These skills are innate in humans, precede speech and are essential to all learning processes.

The Tomatis® method significantly affects the acoustic feedback circuit. During active listening sessions, you hear your own voice, which is adjusted appropriately through “Electronic Gating®”. The gating is activated based on the volume and timbre of your voice in order to emphasize high frequencies which are very important for language acquisition. This focus on high frequencies activates the brain because it forces it to adapt to the change brought about by “electronic gating”. As a result, you are gradually better able to integrate the rhythm and intonation patterns of your voice.