If your tinnitus is tonal (ringing, whistling, a steady hiss with a “pitch”), you’ve probably seen notched sound therapy described as “removing your tinnitus frequency so your brain turns it down.”
That description isn’t entirely wrong—but it skips the parts that matter most: how “notching” is supposed to work, what outcomes are realistic, and why results vary so much between people.
The concept in one minute
Notched therapy removes a narrow band around your tinnitus pitch from a broader sound (noise or music). The goal is to reduce stimulation of neurons tuned to the tinnitus frequency while stimulating nearby frequencies, which may promote inhibitory effects in auditory pathways.
You’ll also hear the phrase “lateral inhibition.” It’s a real neural mechanism, but it’s not a guarantee of clinical relief.
Why personalization isn’t optional here
Notched therapy lives or dies on accuracy. If the notch isn’t centered on your tinnitus frequency (or you’re not truly tonal), you can end up with “generic audio with a random hole in it.” That doesn’t help—and it can make you feel like you “failed” a treatment.
A practical takeaway: spend more time getting a stable match than you spend tweaking playlists.
What studies suggest (and what they don’t)
Research on notched music and notched sound therapy has produced mixed results: some studies show improvements in loudness or distress, while other trials show small or non-significant differences compared to “regular” music listening.
That doesn’t mean the approach is useless. It means two things can be true at once:
- Notched audio has a plausible neural rationale and can help some people—especially with well-matched tonal tinnitus.
- The average effect in the real world may be modest, and it’s not consistently superior to simpler sound approaches in every trial.
A more useful framing
Think of notched therapy as one lever in a broader habituation plan. If you’re still living in silence, spiking stress, and checking the sound all day, the notch alone won’t rescue you.
Who tends to be a better candidate
Notched therapy is most often discussed for people with tonal tinnitus and a stable pitch match. If your tinnitus is primarily roaring, fluctuating, or “all over the place,” it may be harder to notch effectively.
Green flags
- You can match your pitch reliably within a narrow range.
- Your tinnitus is clearly tonal (ring/whistle/hiss with a pitch).
- You tolerate sound therapy without needing high volumes.
Proceed carefully
- Hyperacusis or sound sensitivity (start gentle, keep volumes low).
- Highly variable tinnitus pitch day-to-day.
- You only “match” in loud environments but not in quiet.
A simple way to use notched audio without overthinking it
- Match your frequency first. Don’t notch until you can reproduce the same match on multiple days.
- Keep volume comfortable. If you feel tense or “amped,” lower it.
- Give it a fair window. Track sleep and distress weekly; don’t judge by hour-to-hour loudness fluctuations.
- Use it inside a plan. Counseling/education and a non-silent environment still matter.
The highest-leverage step
A notch is only as good as your frequency match. If you’re guessing, fix that first.
Educational content only. Keep sound levels safe and comfortable.