The use of drums in shamanic journeys has the purpose of inducing people to non-ordinary states of consciousness, in order to access and connect with other dimensions of reality. In these drum beats, which should be monochord and repeated, ideally there are three to four beats per second, harmonics being a common feature in many of these sounds and also in other instruments that help us to travel internally, such as singing guttural, berimbau, crystal and/or tibetan bowls, didgeridoo, among other instruments from other cultures.
Theta rhythms are associated with these deeper states of consciousness, with science having found that if a rhythm of four beats per second is maintained for at least 15 minutes, most people can travel successfully even on the first try.