Founder of Pineal Labs

Neal, could you tell us a little bit about your background? Where did you grow up, what did you study and when did your passion for music start?

Sure. I grew up in the Bay Area, California but spent my high school years in England. I attended University of Miami in Florida for undergrad and studied Entrepreneurship, while minoring in Music Business. I started taking piano lessons at a very young age and began composing my own music in my early teens. I’ve loved music for as long as I can remember.

How has music helped you find inner peace?

Music is a very powerful tool for influencing emotions. Everything from the tempo, key and instrumentation can have a significant effect on your mental state. Creating music is like therapy for me because I get an opportunity to express how I’m feeling at that moment and document it on a record. Listening to music is a completely different experience but it helps me shift my mood depending on what I’m looking to do.

It is said we are energy at a certain frequency and our emotions are a result of it. How can music impact our state of wellbeing - mentally, emotionally and even physically?

Music is all about frequency. Certain levels of pitch are reflected by higher or lower frequency vibrations. When you listen to music, you’re experiencing a symphony of vibrations across the frequency spectrum. And as an artist or music creator, you have the ability to consciously manipulate those vibrations to achieve a desired effect on the listener.

Do you think that at first, people are usually reluctant to use technology for wellness purposes? Which are the benefits that we can find through listening to music even if its through our phones?

It’s definitely ironic that so many of us are turning to technology to improve our wellbeing. But tech is so ingrained in our modern lives that it makes sense to turn these portable devices into healing tools. Fortunately, the adoption of mobile phones, high-speed internet, portable headphones and music streaming services makes music much more accessible to the public. With the restorative music we produce at Pineal Labs, listeners are able reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and focus better.

Could you explain further what Paz APP is and how can we use it on a daily basis?

Paz is our restorative music app that gives users access to our entire catalogue of restorative music through personalized listening experiences. We’ve curated these experiences to suit various use cases, like sleeping, waking up, relaxing and focusing to name a few. Many of our users like the app for falling asleep or reducing daily symptoms of stress and anxiety. It’s great for taking a break in the middle of the day, studying, yoga, reading and walking.

Which is the main focus of Paz, and how is it different to other meditation and music streaming apps?

We produce all of our content in-house and focus only on restorative music. We don’t offer guided meditations or sleep stories. We are not a wellness supermarket. We offer one thing - and that is high-quality restorative music that is scientifically tested to significantly reduce stress and have restorative effects on the brain in just a few minutes.

In your daily life, when do you use Paz? Do you have any special routine that you would like to share with us?

I use Paz every morning for 10-20 minutes. It’s part of my daily routine. I like to listen in the morning because it centers me and makes me feel calm before the day begins. I’ve also been using it while I work lately, especially later in the day while doing emails. It helps me get to the bottom of my inbox faster!

Where are the majority of subscribers located? How do you envision creating a community via PAZ through an individual experience?

Most of our subscribers are in the US. We’re a California-based company and have been promoting the app through partnerships with the UC school system as an example. I think what’s most important is that Paz provides value to our users. In my eyes, as long as it’s providing value, we will be able to build our global community and continue to find new ways to serve it.

How do you see the future of technology and wellness?

I think it’s a bright future. As tech continues to play a bigger role in our lives, I believe more entrepreneurs will find new ways to leverage tech to improve our wellbeings.

Do you have any future professional projects or goals in mind that you would like to share with us?

We are conducting more research to see how Paz can help people over longer periods of time. We’re excited to see the results!