Is there any validation to the claims of Dr. Len Horowitz that the frequency of 528hz has healing power?
On his various websites Dr. Horowitz claims a few things about about 528hz and it’s legitimacy. The following is an attempt to address these claims, find source material to prove them true or false, and give an assessment of what to take away from them.
His claims are as follows:
1. The Solfeggio Scale promotes a musical scale based on the 528hz C as being the “holy” scale of God.
2. That the current musical standard (440hz A) was institutionalized by the Rockefeller Foundation and Joseph Goebbels.
3. That sound frequencies can effect cellular structure/DNA.
4. The frequency of 528hz (C) has the ability to heal DNA.
Other claims are made about the consistency of the number 528, and 528hz, throughout nature; such as 528 being the frequency of the Green-Yellow color of much plant life in the visible spectrum (528THz [Terahertz] does correspond with a Green-Yellow color).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visible_spectrum
All that this article will cover are the four above mentioned Historical and Scientific claims.
As we investigate both these Historical and Scientific claims, it should be pointed out that while the Historical claims may be of interest, it is the Scientific claims that are important. What is important is whether or not sound, specifically the frequency of sound, has an actual effect on the cellular structure of life, and if so, whether or not a specific frequency (in this case 528hz) has the ability to heal broken DNA (Cancer).
These claims will be accessed using only sources found outside of Dr. Horowitz. No links from his page were followed. All source searches were done independently, and any mention of his work in the materials found can be contributed to his involvement in the subject, not to his influence over the evidence.
I am in search of the truth, and have a personal interest in finding it.
Claim 1: The Solfeggio Scale is Based on 528 C
The origin of the Solfeggio Scale dates back to the 8th Century, when Paulus Dioconus wrote the hymn “Ut queant laxis” in honor of John the Baptist, “So that these your servants can, with all their voice, sing your wonderful feats, clean the blemish of our spotted lips, O Saint John!”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ut_queant_laxis
It is this hymn in which the “Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do” scale in which all musicians refer to today originated (with a few alterations).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solf%C3%A8ge
So where does the 528hz as “Mi” come from?
The designation is associated with Dr. Joseph Puleo, who during a mystical experience saw Jesus who told him to look in the Book of Number to find the holy scale. It was his interpretation of the series of numbered items in Chapter 7, using the Pythagoras Theorem, that led him to discover the hidden scale.
http://www.soulsofdistortion.nl/SODA_chapter11.html
http://www.tldm.org/bible/old%20testament/numbers.htm
The idea that the Bible was used to hide scientific knowledge has been used to allude to many scientific claims. The claim that a specific frequency to base the musical scale on was hidden in specific passages of the Bible, unlocked by using the Pythagorean Theorem, is attractive, but shouldn’t be regarded as evidence.
Claim 2: Rockefeller and Joseph Goebbels Institutionalize the 440 A Tuning Standard
One of the claims to support the need to change our standard tuning is that the current “Concert Standard” of 440 A was instituted by Nazi Propagandist Joseph Goebbels at a 1939 international conference.
http://web.mac.com/len15/MUSICAL_CULT_CONTROL/Leonard_G._Horowitz.html
The most legitamate source for this claim comes from an article published in FIDELIO Magazine, citing an book written by Charles E. Dull;
“In fact, A=440 has never been the international standard pitch, and the first international conference to impose A=440, which failed, was organized by Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels in 1939.“
http://www.schillerinstitute.org/music/rev_tuning_hist.html
The 1939 “international conference” is mentioned in a number of other sources.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concert_pitch
http://www.piano-tuners.org/history/pitch.html
According to George Martin’s book “The Opera Companion,” the standard was proposed by the American Standards Association in 1936.
Whether or not this was organized by Rockefeller and promoted by Joseph Goebbels seems to be in question. With that said, whether or not these historical claims are true has no effect on whether or not the scientific claims hold up. It is the reality of the claim that 528hz is a healing frequency that is of importance.
Claim 3: Frequency and Sound Effects Cellular Structure and DNA
It is obvious that sound effects matter, otherwise we wouldn’t hear it. Sound is a vibration that physically effects objects. We hear it by how our brain interprets through our ear drums what sounds are effecting it.
http://74.220.219.71/~niftynod/schizophonia/installation/trauma/trauma_thesis/index.htm
It is well known that specific sounds have psychological, physiological, emotional and cognitive effects on animals, as Julian Treasure explains in this video:
Humans are able to hear a range in frequency of 20hz-20,000hz. Certain sounds have the potential of damaging hearing, and are claimed to even be able to cause vomiting or death.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_weapon
LRAD (Long Range Acoustical Device) is a technology developed by the U.S. Military aimed at using sound as a non-lethal weapon against enemy targets. It has been used on pirates and on crowds of protesters.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,385048,00.html
But this is only evidence that sounds effect people in psychological, physiological, emotional and cognitive ways. Does sound effect matter structurally? Does it effect DNA?
All evidence leads to the fact that not only do the type of sounds effect our state of being, but so does frequency. That alone should give some value to the idea that the frequency in which music is played can have some effect on the health of the person listening to it, if even in so much that they personally are pleased by it. This could then through proxy effect the persons actual physical health, as state of mind often has some impact on health.
But this is not the ultimate claim of Dr. Horowitz and the proponents of 528hz C as a musical standard. Their ultimate claim is that this frequency actually effects DNA in a positive way, possibly even healing disease directly. So for all the benefits we can prove, without this fact being validated, the idea of a new music standard can only be valued as a personal preference.
The conclusion of a study entitled, “Effect of sound wave on the synthesis of nucleic acid and protein in chrysanthemum” finds the following:
“This result indicated that some stress-induced genes might be switched on under sound stimulation and the level of transcription increased.”
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0927776502001522
If genes can be switched on or off due to “sound simulations” is it within reason to think that DNA can be effected by sound, and if by sound, then also by the frequency of that sound.
Claim 4: 528hz is the Healing Frequency
This is the ultimate claim by Dr. Leo Horowitz. The historical claims regarding 528hz, and 440 A as the Standard Tuning, are inconsequential to whether or not 528hz can actually heal DNA. As the previous scientific claim that sound, and specifically, frequency can effect a persons health both passively, and potentially, directly through the manipulation of genes, the possibility that there may be a specific frequency that would have a positive effect is within reason.
Inspired by Horowitz’s theory, a couple attempted to clean up the Gulf of Mexico following the Oil Spill last year using the 528hz frequency. The couple claims to have removed contaminants from the water through the process.
The results were analyzed by Analytical Chemical Testing Laboratory, Inc. which stated:
“Based on testing performed from samples received, the frequency exposure resulted in the complete removal of Oil and Grease from the after treatment sample source tested. ACT recommends investigation of this process further to determine large-scale capabilities in cleaning water bodies and areas affected by the dissolved oil/dispersant in water.“
“While the technology is not completely understood by the undersigned, it is clear that the process may have extreme value, and it should be given a chance to be presented and tested on a large scale basis.”
http://mattovermatter.com/2010/11/528hz-frequency-healing-the-gulf/
Conclusion
Based on the research and finding in this article, it is obvious that more research needs to be done. The potential of sound positively effecting our lives is obvious, and the potential for a specific frequency, or specific tuning, may have some validity. However, not enough independent scientific research has been done on the subject.
What we can take away from 528hz?
That tuning should be a preference, not a standard. That you should feel free to experiment and play around and decide for yourself how to tune your instrument. That maybe there is some more harmonious tuning, but that 528hz may not be it. Many people like 432 A as a Tuning Standard (for reference: 528 C = 444 A).
http://www.omega432.com/music.html
The 528hz concept, while potentially unfounded, like many “new age” concepts, leads the researcher into understanding many things they might not know. All of the above information was only sought out in pursuit of the truth regarding this concept.
As long as the researcher looks into these subjects objectionably and has the genuine goal to find the truth, they often lead a person to learn about concepts and truths that they would not have otherwise looked into.
2012 may not have any intrinsic value, but the concept itself brings a lot of people to the very factual ideas of how to transition society into a more healthy future.
Veganism may not be the scientifically superior diet, but having practiced veganism or vegetarianism often leads a person to better understanding nutrition, where food comes from, and what products in the stores are actually made of.
Conspiracy theories may often be unsubstantiated, but those that follow the Illuminati often have a greater understanding of world events and actual power structures.
Again, the value of these ideas are that they have the potential to free the mind from standardized thought. However, they also have the potential of attracting a belief in Pseudo-Science and distracting the researcher from reality. Like all scientific inquiries, it is important to not make a personal judgment prior to finding empirical evidence to support it.
Many of these ideas may be attractive, and the temptation to use “faith” as proof can keep an individual from grasping reality, and cause them to either shun, or be shunned by, their peers. A mistake many people make is that they feel they must have an opinion on any subject presented to them. This is not the case, and can lead people to subscribe to something that is both untrue and unhealthy.
Dr. Len Horowitz may have arrived at his theory through questionable techniques, and his theory may not be completely correct, but what he has done is question standardized thought.
Whether or not 528hz is the Healing Frequency is less important than whether or not we respect that sounds, both natural, musical, and manufactured, effect our state of mind, and through that, our health. It is also important for musicians to realize that there is in fact no “proper” tuning, and that they should feel free to tune their instruments to which ever pitch most pleases them. That may be the true healing frequency, that which makes the listener the happiest.
Jack Wagner is the Editor of The Free Independent-Sun. Born in Sonoma, California and currently residing in San Francisco, Jack set up The Free Independent-Sun on July 4th, 2009, after sleeping in and not making his usual trip up north for his hometown festivities. He figured he'd do something revolutionary to make up for it. In the Summer of 2010 Jack registered Seraf Media with the City and County of San Francisco as a Sole-Proprietorship. He is dedicated to articulating the finer points of the Revolution in order to bring about a Global Renaissance and Abundant World Economy. He also isn't afraid to get his hands dirty transplanting succulents. 
I’m a professional musician and have worked for many years with musicians playing 17th – 19th century music on so-called authentic instruments. As part of my musical work, I play and tune the harpsichord.
Pitch has always been a problem for the “authentic” musician, since there were no agreed standards during the time of the music which my colleagues and I have specialized in! Tuning, especially “just” or “mean” tuning – both instrumental and vocal – presents its problems, since the “resonant standard” of this part of the universe is slightly expansive, ie the circle of perfect fifths when completed finishes slightly larger than the pure octave. Any system of tuning which is based on getting back to the octave of the note one started with is thus always some kind of compromise – the interval A to C is not a “fixed” value – it depends on which tuning system one’s using and which period of music!!!
LH’s 528Hz as a C is actually a modern phenomenon – most orchestras these days tune to somewhere between A=442 and 444 as standard – which gives C as somewhere in the region of 528 (depending on your system!) A=440Hz as a STANDARD has had real problems “catching on” (maybe because of people’s aversion to Goebbels – who knows?) – anyway in big concert halls with organs and fluctuating temperatures, finding a standard tuning which works is almost impossible – when the heat goes up, strings go down in pitch, musical tubes (flutes, trumpets, organs) go UP!
If we’re talking buzzing in the head and other pleasureable body sensations, I invite anyone reading this to listen to a tone at A=443.7ish Hz (LH’s system) and compare with A=432Hz (as in the YouTube video above.) For me 432 gives the buzz, 443-point-something doesn’t. Interestingly much of the “mozart effect” works with increasing potency at A=432. A as 432 was common at the end of the 1800′s and into the early 1900′s – much of the standard repertoire of the modern orchestral concert was written then. I’ve used Audacity to transpose down music from that period from 440Hz to 432Hz – (Audacity can change the pitch without altering the tempo, unlike LH’s “re-tuner”) and it is very much more “buzzy” in my opinion. Also, singers will usually thank you (I’m also a vocal accompanist) for a slightly lower pitch rather than a slightly raised one (which LH’s system is!)
I agree that the present information on conspiracies, new modalities, other ways of nutrition, possible dire threats and the different “ends of the world” helps us to re-think and re-feel what is true. An enquiring mind and a well-tuned intuitive body are very useful these days!!!!
John Overton
musician, acupressurist, shamanic counsellor, et al.
PS Some people claim that 528Hz is not LOVE but easy-programming (see http://freeindependentsun.com/healing/the-solfeggio-scale-528hz-c-love-music-and-how-sound-effects-us/ !) However, my own main problem with “Dr” Len is with what I perceive to be his inability to shut up and listen combined with his seeming oblivion to the original use of Solfeggio to teach the diatonic scale – he quite blithely talks about re and mi (etc) without seeming to feel he needs to explain why the names in HIS system refer to notes quite unrelated to the normal scale – and the origin of the musical scale is very ancient indeed!!! As for the 521 (?) supposedly (of the Vatican, knowingly) “hidden” chants – Horowitz would need only to go to Solesmes (see http://www.solesmes.com/GB/gregorien/hist.php?js=1 ) and he would find not only the hymn for St John the Baptist’s Day but thousands of other chants that are there for all to hear and see. The abbey’s old music can even be found on line!
I often use the Solfeggio frequencies in my work. As an artist, I find these frequencies inspiring: it is truly a new palette of sound for me to explore. While I have seen an abundance of anecdotal evidence indicating that the Solfeggio frequencies may have “healing” qualities, this evidence is subjective, unsubstantiated and inherently flawed. I like the Solfeggio frequencies, but I have realistic expectations from them.
Interesting article. As a musician I find that tuning to 528 (by adjusting your pitch standard “A” to 444hz) is the most beautiful, wonderful sound I have ever felt. It uplifts the spirit, stirs the soul, and brings out a heavenly magnificence on any instrument, especially guitars and keyboards. Creativity soars, the music flows effortlessly. It does feel divine. As a musician I highly recommend it.