EEGer has an incredibly vast array of options when it comes to auditory feedback. Like all areas of EEGer, we encourage suggestions and ideas on how to improve these offerings further!
How to Add Custom Sounds to EEGer
To begin exploring auditory feedback with EEGer, we must first find audio files to use during training! Choosing the appropriate sound files is important and can be a complex process. Considerations should be made for both continuous audio such as music or ambient soundscapes, as well as discrete feedback sounds such as reward beeps or state markers.
EEGer has some sounds included by default, but most clinicians choose to use custom sounds that they add to the software manually.
EEGer allows for sound files in .wav format (16-bit PCM). There is not a limit to the file size or length of an audio file, but smaller files will require less processing and take up less space on the computer. When EEGer reaches the end of a sound file during continuous playback, it will loop back to the beginning of the file. This allows for a relatively short sound file to be used for longer sessions.
Once the sound files are chosen, they will need to be added to a location EEGer can be directed to. We recommend placing a new subfolder at C:\EEGer\Games named Custom Sounds.
Choosing & Preparing the Feedback Display
Most of EEGer’s core games have full access to the auditory feedback settings. This means that a game like Highway, Long Term, or 4mation can be used with expanded auditory feedback. For eyes-closed training with auditory feedback, the specific game will not have as much impact on the training as if it was eyes-open training.
Once a game is chosen, EEGer will need to be told where to find the new sound files. To do this, follow the instructions below:
- Open EEGer and navigate to Tools>Game Initialization Tool from the top toolbar of EEGer’s Main Screen.
- A list of installed games will appear. Double-click the game to customize.
- A list of configuration options will appear. Locate option 2020: List of possible sounds and click the field to the right. This will open a new window with a list of currently configurable sounds.
- At the bottom of the window, click Add to browse the computer for the new sound files.
- Navigate to the folder created to store custom sound files, then select a new sound to add.
- Repeat Steps 4-5 until all new sound files are added. When completed, press Done.
- At the bottom of the list of options, press Done-Save changes to return to the list of games.
- If desired, repeat Steps 2-7 to add these custom sounds to other games to customize.
- When finished, press Done-Save Configuration at the bottom of the game list to save the changes and open the Tailor Installed Games screen.
Tailoring a Specific Feedback Display
- Locate the game to edit and press the Edit button next to its title or double-click the game. This will open specific settings for the selected game.
- Settings ranging from 2000-2999 relate to EEGer’s sound module. This includes choosing reward sounds, and adding additional sounds. In addition to the reward sound, there are six additional sound files that can be set and configured.
- If making changes, it is recommended to rename the game to help identify it. This can be done using option 2: What You want to call this tailored game. By putting a different name here, like ‘Highway Custom’ or ‘Highway Music’, we can make it easier to choose the correct game when starting a session.
- When finished customizing a game, press Create new selection at the bottom of the screen to create a new game using these unique settings. To override the existing game, press Replace selection with changes.
- To exit the Tailor Games screen, press SAVE all games in the bottom-right of the menu.
When tailoring a game’s settings, there are a variety of customizations we can make depending on the type of auditory feedback that is desired. Instructions on common customizations are included below.
How to Disable or Change Discrete Feedback Sound (Reward Beep)
To disable discrete reward sounds, select option 2021: Pathname of reward sound and select None on the window that appears. This screen can also be used to change the reward beep sound to another audio file.
How to Add Multiple Sounds to One Game
EEGer allows for up to six additional sounds to be used for auditory feedback. These settings are grouped together by sound and labeled as Sound 3 through Sound 8.
To add a new sound, locate one of the options that says Pathname of sound X where X is the number of the sound. Choose the sound file that should be added to the game and press Ok.
Once a sound has been added, EEGer must be told how to play the sound.
How to Adjust the Play Mode of a Sound
EEGer provides several different ways that a sound can be triggered during feedback. For a full list of these options and a description of them, see the Operator’s Manual for the software (Appendix 9: Sound controls).
To adjust the play mode of a sound, locate one of the options that says Sound X play mode where X is the number of the sound. Choose the desired play mode and then press Ok.
As an example, a user can enable background music that is not influenced by performance by selecting 2 CONTINUOUS. Alternatively, 5 PROPORTIONAL can be used to allow for audio that becomes louder or quieter depending on performance.
After EEGer has been told how a sound should be played, it must be told what triggers the sound to play.
Selecting Appropriate Game Strand
Each sound can be triggered to play by a specific ‘game strand’. Each filtered trace during a session has an associated game strand that can be used to provide feedback for that specific trace.
To select the strand to use, locate the appropriate option like 2033: Which strand feeds sound 3. On the screen that appears, enter the desired game strand.
For a full list of game strands and their associated traces, see Appendix 9: Sound controls in the Operator’s Manual.