The Infinite Sound That Can Drive You Insane—Shepard Tones

In this video I show you a sound that seems to continually rise in pitch but never actually does. I show you how to make a Shepard tone, and how they work.

[Potemer]

Fun fact: This is the same technique nintendo used for the infinite staircase music in super mario 64!

[rizqiefajar]

The visual is giving me way more anxiety than the Shepard tones lol

[troybb]

The shephard's tones is literally just my teapot boiling

[iloveanimemidriff]

I just think it's pretty cool. I heard these tones for the first time in Mario 64. If you don't have enough stars to get to the last Bowser stage, the door will let you in, but the stairs towards that stage will keep looping forever, and the BGM becomes a Shepard tone.

[toptier]

my tinnitus: "we've trained our whole life for this"

[ReallyPissedOffNow]

Imagine the chaos on a dance floor if a DJ creates a track with a shepardtone rhythm and plays it in the middle of their set

[cybertar]

The sound isn't scary
What scared me are his words: "it will scare you"

[REDMOONI]

The fractal images make me feel like I am on a journey becoming smaller infinitely. Trippy and the idea takes me deeper even after seeing it.

[mackicoA]

It feels like a distressingly unsatisfying sound. It never reaches a crescendo, or properly fades out. It's a waiting sound, but the wait never ends.

[literalcode]

“So if you suffer from panic attacks or anxiety attacks you should mute this next part”
Me, who _suffers from anxiety and panic attacks:_ *Welp time to see what this is about*

[dwarferoniharry]

*Terrifying sound playing*
Me looking at the cool fractals: 👁👄👁

[YoungPhysicistsClub]

the shepard tone with the beats and increased rhythm really slaps!

[DoggoDaOne]

In my perspective, I can actually hear it get higher pitched, it’s literally just the sound starting from the bottom while another keeps going, think about this while listening to it, you’ll notice the difference add up.

[gertsandersilm]

"The Infinite Sound that can drive you insane"
Me: *pulls out speakers.*

[fluzzles]

Action Lab: "this sound will make you go crazy"
My Alien from Area 51: "That's some sick beat yo"

[falconfira]

I wish I had know about this years ago. This is incredibly relaxing, with just the audio. It's almost like hearing a math equation.

[PlasmaChannel]

“Today on Action Lab, I convince you the greys are abducting you...again.” Interesting effect!

[danielflanard]

My chest feels heavy when I'm listening to it, almost like my heart is about to stop.

[pppluronwrj]

sounds like filling a bottle with water and never gets full

[MarkArmour]

I have been going to counseling for mild anxiety, and was recently discharged. I can confirm, the sound and video combination did cause mild anxiety. To satisfy anyone's curiosity, it was a similar feeling to freefalling on a roller coaster, but more discomforting, and my breath did shorten. Personally, it was mild enough that I could handle the full audio. I do not recommend for anyone that suffers from anxiety or panic attacks. But, if you must, try only the last few seconds starting at 1:36.

(I'm absolutely completely fine. very mild, very interesting)