Check out my Erotic Electrical resource at www.officerwes.com/electrical It has kink/BDSM basics, electricity basics, more electricity information, types of gear, vendors, and products with pictures and prices.

Gear & knowledge

A sound source

AudioStrobe Technology

AudioStrobe technology began in Germany where biomedical researcher and computer programmer, Andrzej Slawinski, was just learning about light and sound machines. He was reading about synaesthesia, a merging of the senses, in Scientific America Magazine, and decided to add another dimension to the light and sound experience. By coordinating the flashes of light with that of the music, more of your senses became involved in the experience expanding the synaesthetic effect.

AudioStrobe technology uses specially encoded CDs that are used with light and sound machines. These CDs are encoded so that the light flashes from the light glasses match what the music on the CD is doing. [Empasis mine.] ]When you put on light glasses with strobing lights and close your eyes, you see a myriad of colors and patterns which are quite fun. When you use AudioStrobe where the light flashes match what the music is doing, it makes the color show even more spectacular drawing you more deeply into the experience.

Excerpted from www.toolsforwellness.com/audiostrobe.html, (citation 2008).

Sound will be the conductor for this sound-sight-and-sensation play.

Music encoded with AudioStrobe technology (see box to the right, and below) is usually needed to trigger the lights, though some regular music with instruments in the higher audible frequencies -- hi-hats in particular – can trigger the lights as well.

If your light/sound machine generates its own light/sound programs, and you like them, you can also use it as the sound source instead.

AudioStrobe tracks

· Individual tracks are available on www.SoundCloud.com Search on “AudioStrobe” (Don’t get confused by the artist / group named “Audiostrobe”)

· Find an AudioStrobe track you like, then when your mouse is on that track, click the More icon “…” to the right and one of the options is “Download”

· After downloading, import the track to your music player (cell phone, etc.)

AudioStrobe CDs

CDs available at www.Amazon.com and other sites.

Old school AudioStrobe

You can create AudioStrobe-encoded files using a program like Neuro-Programmer 3 from Transparent Corp. for about $60.

Years ago, I sent multiple music CDs to a reasonably-priced company which made duplicates with Tamas Labs’ AudioStrobe encoding added. They worked great. That encoding company has since disappeared. For years I was unable to locate a replacement. Now that service appears available custom at www.audiostrobe.com/product/audiostrobe-encoding-service for a steep £120.00/hour fee.

Opting to go without lights for simplicity

Some e-stim gear can be triggered directly via audio. Driving rhythms triggers the gear most easily. Conversely, it can be tricky to trigger e-stim in passages that are ethereal, soft and/or twinkly – potentially some favorite sections. (Robert Miles’ Freedom on the 23am CD is one example.)

Light and sound gear

Light and sound machines were developed to help people get to one of the four different mental states -- or types of waveforms seen on electroencephalograms – that have been characterized by neurologists:

	State	Wave form	Corresponding mental status
1.	Beta	13-30+Hertz	Awake and alert
2.	Alpha	8-12 Hertz	Relaxed
3.	Theta	3-7 Hertz	Reverie, Imagery, near sleep
4.	Delta	0.5-2 Hertz	Sleep

“Pulsating light and/or sound patterns have been used for thousands of years in almost all cultures to evoke emotional responses, from exciting a crowd to assisting in meditation to encouraging sleep. The techniques are part of folk knowledge, and science is just beginning to find out why they work. So as you begin to use light and sound stimulation you are embarking on a voyage of discovery and exploration.”

Excerpted from the manual for a Photosonix light and sound machine, the Nova Pro 100

However, gear with flashing lights and sound is not for everyone. It can trigger seizures in “photosensitive” people. Below is the broad warning that comes with the Nova Pro 100. Having had a friend who was epileptic, I already knew about flashing lights being a potential trigger for him. I do not know what the other caveats are about, but include them here for completeness:

Warning

If you, or anyone else who will use this machine, are subject to any form of seizures, epilepsy or visual photosensitivity, are using a pacemaker, suffering cardiac arrhythmia or other heart disorders, currently taking stimulants, tranquilizers or psychotropic medications, specifically including illicit drugs and alcohol, please do not use ours, or any other Light/Sound system.

There are many different light and sound machines on the market. A search for “light and sound machines” finds sites like www.Amazon.com and www.toolsforwellness.com/light-sound-machines.html which both carry many products, and also www.mindplace.com which has its own (Kasina, Procyon, Proteus, Sirius):

· DAVID PAL

· DAVID Paradise XL

· InnerPulse

· Luma 10

· MindSpa

· Muse

· Nova Pro 100 ($399 retail)

· Procyon

· Proteus

· Sirius

· Zen Master

What we want for our purposes is a machine that not only uses its internal programs for relaxation, etc., but one that can be triggered by external music encoded with AudioStrobe as well. When shopping for an item, check its specs to make sure it has this capability. I use a Nova Pro 100 and it works fine.

An electric stimulation (“e-stim”) power unit + attachments

Electrical stimulation power boxes are the units that power most erotic electrical play other than violet wands. For integrated sound, sight & sensation play we’ll need a unit that can accept external input, like a music source, for triggering. The ErosTek ET312 ($599 retail) or ET232 ($299 retail) would each work. Take a look at Officer Wes' electricity demo handout if you would like a pretty good representation of the broad array of products – including e-stim units and attachments -- on the market.

How do these work?

Electricity likes to go from point A to point B.

At an appropriate level, electricity can give interesting sensations as it travels from A to B.

Think across my prostate or across my clit as one erotic possibility.

Attachments help configure the A-to-B route.

Electricity can force muscles to contract.

At an appropriate level, electricity can be gloriously sexual as it forces muscles to contract.

Think about a butthole’s sphincters contracting, or the large buttcheek muscles flexing, as two areas with potential.

Because electricity travels, and can force muscles to contract, the most important safety thing to know about electricity is this:

You never, ever want to send a current where it can pass across the heart (or brain).
That can interfere with the heart's natural pulse and stop it.
Shorthand: "No contact above the waist."

Quick recap of basic safety

Pacemakers and related: Avoid e-stim units

Elaborated by this excerpt from the ErosTek 312B user manual:
E-stim devices are NOT for use by or on anyone with implanted electronic devices – pacemakers, defibrillators, drug pumps, etc. – heart problems, heart disease, epilepsy, brain disorders, nervous system disorders, a history of strokes or seizures, serious skin problems or similar medical conditions. Not for use by pregnant women, women who might be pregnant, or anyone under the age of 18. Current passed through the heart, neck or head can be fatal.

Epilepsy: Avoid light and sound gear

Configuration

Combine gear and knowledge together to wow your partner or yourself with a high-end electrical scene.

We’ve covered the three types of gear that we need a sound source, light and sound gear, and an electric stimulation (“e-stim”) power unit and safety or limitations for each type of gear. If you’re starting out and want to save some bucks as you gather equipment, buying gear used via eBay seems to shave up to $100 each from a Photosonix Nova Pro 100, an ErosTek ET312, and Bose QuietComfort configuration. Now we’ll combine all this gear together.

I personally like to flow the wiring from the sound source to the light and sound gear, and then from there to the sensation (electrical) gear. In essence it’s a simple line from A to B to C. Here is the step-by-step process for such a configuration, using a CD player and AudioStrobe light-encoded CD as the sound source, along with helpful notes:

Sample gear configuration

A sound source (cell phone, iPod, CD player)

1. Plug a male-male stereo-stereo wire¹from the headphone jack²of the music source³into the Nova Pro 100’s “EXT” (external source) jack.
Notes:
¹One ships with the Nova Pro 100 and one ships with the ErosTek ET312.
²It’s really helpful to have a headphone jack with a volume adjustment.
³The line out on an amplifier connected to a CD player may also be used, but a stereophonic size changer may be needed as these jacks are often larger.

2. Queue up the sound source

· Pull up your playlist on your cell phone or iPod
(Best: Create a playlist with just AudioStrobe songs. See the Tips section on finding some.)
or

· Put in an AudioStrobe light-encoded CD (if using a CD player and you have an AudioStrobe encoded CD)
or

· Use the built-in AudioStrobe function in your light and sound gear

Light and sound gear (here a Nova Pro 100)

3. Set the Nova Pro 100 to AudioStrobe mode. (Turn power on, then hit the ê arrow twice. Display will change to “AuS”⁴)
Note:
⁴Curiously, volume is now controlled by the external source, not the Nova Pro’s volume adjustment. The light intensity adjustment still works within the limitations of the signal it is receiving, but the triggering volume from the external source on a non-AudioStrobe CD will dictate the maximum light intensity. As a practical matter that means my AudioStrobe CDs work fine, but on generic CDs soft passages have to be turned up too high volume-wise / ear-wise in order to get the goggles to trigger.

4. Connect the goggles & headphones.

5. Plug a male-male stereo-stereo wire from one of the two Nova Pro 100 sound jacks out into the ET312B’s “Audio” input⁵.
Note:
⁵The ET312B box, like the Nova Pro 100 set, contains a male-male stereo-stereo wire. This is so it can be connected directly to an audio source, when not using in conjunction with the Nova Pro 100.

e-stim unit (here an ET312B) + attachments

6. Set ET312B to Audio 2 program. (If you were just using the mic without the Nova Pro 100, use the Audio 1 program instead.)

7. Connect the unit to where you will be sending sensation (buttplug, vaginal shield, TENS pads, etc.)

Then…

8. Start the music source and make adjustments.

1. On the ET312, adjust MA (multi-adjust) up until LEDs are flashing fairly brightly, then turn up the Level controls until you’re getting the sensation response you desire. ⁶Note:
⁶IMPORTANT NOTE: Having MA all the way down does not cut off power to the Level controls.
Side note: The ET312B box, like the Nova Pro 100 set, also contains a stereo-stereo wire. This is so it can be connected directly to an audio source, when not using in conjunction with the Nova Pro 100.

2. On the Nova Pro 100, adjust the light goggles’ intensity.

9. Enjoy.

Note: If you wanted to use the built-in light and sound programs such as “binaural beats” as the driving force for the show, remove the music source from the above configuration.

Tips

Use noise-canceling headphones for deeper immersion. They are truly amazing

The Bose QuietComfort series is about $169 (wired) - $349 (wireless) retail. Wired is fine for our purposes.

Pick up some ultrasound gel from a leather vendor or medical supply store

Don’t use silicone lube: Silicone doesn’t conduct electricity, which works against what’s desired here

Utilize an extra pair of glasses and headphones to be able to “drop in” on what your sub is experiencing

A stereo 1->2 “Y” splitter may be helpful to feed the audio source to two different pieces of gear, depending on how you route things

Airplane mode avoids cell phone audio being interrupted by a call or txt

If you run into problems where your AudioStrobe songs aren’t activating your light-sound unit

Try increasing the intensity / volume from the audio source

Headphone volume may need to be decreased if possible. The Bose QuietComfort, for example, has a “Hi / Lo / Off” selector. I’ve also seen a headphone jack with a loudness adjustment on an amplifier.

If the above doesn’t work, avoid using compression during importing and during synchronizing

Years ago I ran into an issue where compression seemed to remove the out-of-the-range-of-hearing encoding utilized to trigger AudioStrobe.) Here’s the workaround in iTunes:

1. During importing

Edit / Preferences / General, Import Settings / (do change to Import Using WAV Encoder (mine previously was set to “AAC Encoder” and the compression seemed to remove the out-of-the-range-of-hearing encoding utilized to trigger AudioStrobe)

2. During synchronization to iPhone

in iTunes’ sync settings do not select “Convert higher bit rate songs to…”

Showtime

Recap

The notes for this presentation are online at www.officerwes.com

Three types of gear are required

1. a sound source

2. light and sound gear

3. an e-stim unit

Need more basic information?

Quick recap of basic safety

Pacemakers and related: Avoid e-stim units

Epilepsy: Avoid light and sound gear

Configuration

Tips

Use noise-canceling headphones for deeper immersion. They are truly amazing

Pick up some ultrasound gel from a leather vendor or medical supply store

Don’t use silicone lube: Silicone doesn’t conduct electricity, which works against what’s desired here

Utilize an extra pair of glasses and headphones to be able to “drop in” on what your sub is experiencing

Airplane mode avoids cell phone audio being interrupted by a call or txt

If you run into problems where your AudioStrobe songs aren’t activating your light-sound unit

Questions and answers

Other resources at officerwes.com

About our leather family

"boys" and "slaves"

Cathartic flogging (by Master Skip)

Dominance and submission

Dungeon parties

Electrical -- Erotic

Electrical – High End (this presentation)

Focus

The Good of BDSM (compiled by Dr. Richard A. Sprott)

Kink 101

Leather 101

Leather and spirituality

Leather/SM resources

Mastery and slavery

Nine Degrees Of Submission (by Mistress Diane Vera)

Protocol

Rope harness (by Ropeman)

San Diego

Shit: Exploring An Ancient Taboo

Things That Pinch

Uniforms

About this workshop

Interested in taking your partner (or yourself!) beyond the violet wand and standard TENS-type electrical experiences? Integrated sound, sight and sensation play delivers a synchronized symphony of sensual input that can take an adventurer into another world. Officer Wes has been presenting electrical for 25 years and doing it even longer. He'll bring an array of gear, explain what it is, cover safety, describe how to configure setup, and show it in action.

It's going to be a fun workshop!

About this presenter

Officer Wes has been presenting on a variety of fun kink topics for 25 years. His experiences and viewpoints have appeared in many publications including USA Today and The Advocate. He is credited as an influence in the books Protocol Handbook for the Leather Slave and Master/slave Relations. His Web sites on sexuality, health and kink have been visited by over a million people. He was an inaugural mentor for SAADE, a formal mentoring program for new dominants that instructs its apprentices not only in physical SM practices but on the mental, emotional and spiritual dynamics of BDSM as well. Officer Wes has an open leather family built around shared values of respect, honor, trust, and love. He has a slave and dogslave and is himself in service to a Daddy. Resources and information at www.officerwes.com