Music Made with Intention: Our 432 Hz Approach

At Meridian Gates, we create music with the intention of inviting calm, reflection, and connection. That intention guides our melodies, phrasing, instrumentation, and production choices.

Research shows that musicians can communicate intended emotions through performance. A study of professional musicians found that expressive intention influenced timing, dynamics, and other audible features, and listeners often recognized the intended expression. Recognizing an emotion is different from experiencing a therapeutic benefit; this does not establish that an unexpressed healing intention independently changes health.

Broader music research suggests potential benefits for stress, anxiety, and perceived pain in certain settings, although individual responses vary. The recent study covered by TIME involved 204 patients undergoing IV cannulation and found promising short-term results for favorite music. It was not truly randomized, and pain was followed for only two minutes after the procedure. Personal connection and listener choice deserve attention.

We use A=432 Hz tuning as part of our creative approach. A=432 Hz describes the reference pitch used for tuning; the recording contains many frequencies. Small studies have reported promising relaxation-related findings, but research has not established consistent health advantages over A=440 Hz.

In a 42-person dental trial, both tuning groups reported less anxiety than the no-music group, while the 432 Hz group had lower measured cortisol. A pilot involving 54 healthcare providers found anxiety reductions in all three groups, including an ordinary-break group, with some physiological improvements within the 432 Hz group. These findings are preliminary and do not establish benefits for Meridian Gates recordings.

Our music is an invitation to listen, pause, and connect. Its benefits should be understood as possibilities for the listening experience, rather than guaranteed medical effects. Music can complement a wellness routine and appropriate medical care.

Explore Meridian Gates music and our creative approach: Explore Meridian Gates

Sources and further reading:

Gabrielsson and Juslin (1996), Emotional Expression in Music Performance: https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735696241007

NIH/NCCIH, Music and Health: What You Need To Know: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/music-and-health-what-you-need-to-know

Dragnea et al. (2026), Effect of music on short-term pain perception during peripheral intravenous cannulation: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2026.1923943

TIME, Your Favorite Song Might Make Pain Hurt Less (October 9, 2026): https://time.com/article/2026/10/09/favorite-song-pain-relief/

Aravena et al. (2020), Dental anxiety and cortisol trial: https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-7757-2019-0601

Calamassi et al. (2022), Emergency nurses pilot: https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v93iS2.12915