Re: Session types
Hello Daidy,
Thank you for your question and interest. I am going to answer briefly as throughout this week and going forward we are going to be producing introductory videos and more in depth resources.
Session types on the Kasina:
SpectraStrobe audio
SpectraStrobe is an advanced embedded light control signal. It is similar to AudioStrobe but much more flexible because it can control all 3 of the LED lights and the dynamic range (least brightness to highest brightness) is not affected by the volume of the audio on the player.
SpectraStrobe is put into audio: music, soundscapes, nature sounds, or more traditional entrainment type sessions. It controls the lights but we don't hear the signal as it is above our range of hearing. The Kasina includes dozens of SpectraStrobe sessions on the included SD card.
To make your own SpectraStrobe sessions you need software that can generate the SpectraStrobe reference signal (which identifies the SS signal and sets the volume for dynamic range) and SpectraStrobe audio signals for each of the 3 light channels: Red, Green and Blue.
If you want to produce SpectraStrobe please understand that there will be things to learn and effort required on your part.
So far there are 2 ways to do this:
Craig Tice's The Kasina Effect editor: It works with the audio software MuLab. It is free for a limited number of audio channels and does require some knowledge of audio creation. A paid version from MuLab (not profit for MindPlace) is unlimited in channels (depending on your computer). CraigT's TKE editor is very powerful and realtime so once you get everything set up it is very fun.
Mind Workstation from Transparent Corporation: This is a very professional and feature-rich application that is designed specifically to produce brain entrainment sessions. If you are serious about producing content for yourself or others then you must own this. It has many years of development behind it from a talented team and an overall great company. It supports SpectraStrobe creation for the Kasina. Also AudioStrobe and general bwe (brain wave entrainment) sessions. I recommend it hands down even if it does cost a fair bit of money, it is totally worth it. The middle range product from Transparent: NeuroProgrammer will have SpectraStrobe support in the future.
Lots more to say on that but as mentioned I'll keep it brief.
Kasina Basic Session - KBS
The Kasina Basic Session is a more traditional mind machine session format. This means that it uses a 'script' to control the lights and an onboard sine wave sound synthesizer on the Kasina. The free editor I have created - KBS Editor on the SD card - makes these files. They are very small and the software has been designed to be as easy as possible to use. Within just a few minutes you can create sessions for meditation, learning, focus, etc. They are comparable to what our other machines (and competitors) do. This format is still in development and at this time the only way to mix in music with it is through the AUX jack on the Kasina from another player like a smartphone. Much like our other machines. This will change as the Kasina evolves and joint playback of onboard sound files and a KBS session is on the development roadmap as a high priority.
What is unique about the Kasina Basic Session and how the Kasina handles AudioStrobe is that we have included a special feature called Color Sets. Color Sets are light configurations - like Red Only - Blue Only - Red-Green - Random smooth colors - Random shifting colors, etc. There are several of these Color Sets installed. This gives you a lot of variety and flexibility to have different color experiences.
So in the KBS session you do not program the color of the lights. You program the frequency, brightness, sound pitch and type... etc. The Color Sets control the color of the lights and you have the ability to switch between them in realtime as the session plays back to try out different combinations or use random settings. This is very cool and there is a lot of joy to be found here.
Color Sets are also work along with AudioStrobe content from software, cds (by AUX input) or onboard music files. Instead of just 2 colors for AudioStrobe as there was in the past, the Color Sets map many different color combinations to AudioStrobe and are switchable in realtime while the audio plays.
Color Organ
The Color Organ feature included on the Kasina takes any music and looks at the spectrum of frequencies contained within and maps the lights to the music. The lights are controlled by the beat of the music. There are several different 'modes' for the Color Organ so that it can be adapted to any type of music. It is completely plug and play. Send some music to the Color Organ try out some of the settings and strap in for a great personal light show courtesy of the power of the Kasina engine.
As a side note, the Kasina acts as a USB audio device so the music, SpectraStrobe sessions, AudioStrobe session, Mind Workstation, MuLab output etc.. can play into the Kasina directly from your computer.
So, generally as with most things - there are simple and more involved ways to produce your own content.
That is a broad overview and I hope clears a few things up. Please bear with us as we get everything together for a more complete information package. We first needed to handle all the details of the design, production and release of the Kasina.
Thanks for your interest and anymore questions please ask.
Scott Hendrickson
If you know something I don't, speak up! If maybe I know something you don't, ask away!
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