MUSICAL MUSHROOM INC.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do You Attach This to My Singing Bowl? Can You Remove It?
The Musical Mushroom® unit has soft rubber feet and is simply placed at the bottom of the bowl. A small exciter coil (similar to a speaker) needs to be secured to the inside wall of the bowl during a performance. To do this, a small plastic threaded mounting disc is glued to the inside surface of the bowl using a small strip of special double-sided tape. This disc can either be left inside the bowl permanently and won't affect its resonant characteristics should the bowl be played with a regular mallet. It can also optionally be removed by applying a steady pressure with fingernails and won't damage or leave residue on the bowl. Replacement discs can be purchased should they be required. Once the disc is secured, the exciter is simply screwed onto it and can be unscrewed when no longer needed.
Can I Still Play My Signing Bowl With a Mallet?
You may remove the Musical Mushroom® from the bowl and unscrew the exciter at any time to allow you to play it in the traditional manner using a mallet. It is important to note that if you chose to leave the exciter mounted in place while using the mallet, the bowl's output will be dampened to a varying extent depending on the bowl's properties. This dampening effect is more pronounced on very thin lightweight bowls and less pronounced on thicker heavier bowls. As a result, we don't recommend using Crystal Tones / Alchemy singing bowls with super thin walls. All other bowls such as frosted/colored/clear ones with thicker walls work well. You can always use the mallet to strike the bowl while using the Musical Mushroom®. However, rotating the mallet in the usual way around the rim of the bowl while using the Musical Mushroom® is unnecessary and will cause your arm to interrupt the gesture sensor light beam which is used to electronically control the bowl. It is also possible to mount the exciter on the outside surface of the bowl and move the Musical Mushroom® outside the bowl. In all cases, playing the bowls using the Musical Mushroom® itself is not a problem since it actively drives the bowl using its internal energy source rather than the mallet.
Can You Control Your Singing Bowl Only With Hand Gestures?
Not only can you control the bowl via hand gestures, but you can also control it via a direct USB Type C cable to a computer using the MIDI protocol. 3rd party Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software can be used to control the singing bowl using MIDI (such as Ableton Live). Perfect for live as well as pre-scripted shows!
Do I Need To Wear The Hand Reflectors?
A pair of hand reflectors is included in every kit. The hand reflectors are simply used to improve the strength of the reflected light pulse from the laser range sensor to detect the hand position. Most people don't need it at all. The main scenario where it might be needed is when playing your bowls from a standing position where your hands are farther away or if the light level in the room is very high.
Does The Musical Mushrooms Work With Tibetan (Metal) Bowls or Gongs?
The Musical Mushroom® was designed to work with crystal singing bowls. Metal signing bowls or gongs are not recommended because of their non-uniform surfaces difficult to mount to an more complex harmonics.
Does The Musical Mushrooms Work With Crystal Tones Alchemy Bowls?
The Musical Mushroom® was designed to work with crystal singing bowls. Generally speaking, all crystal signing bowls (frosted / colored / clear) work well with the Musical Mushrooms® with the exception of the higher end super thin-walled bowls like the Crystal Tones Alchemy which get dampened too much by the weight of the exciter and are not recommended. They are also taller than other bowls and trigger the laser sensor on the tall rim edge unless the Mushroom is elevated from the bottom.
Can You Use The Musical Mushrooms Outdoors in Full Sunlight?
The Musical Mushroom® uses an infrared time of flight laser light sensor to measure the position of the hand. Because sunlight has a lot of infrared energy, it interferes with the operation of the sensor and therefore it is not recommended to use outdoors in full sunlight. Indoor use is best..
How do You Recharge The Unit?
The unit is charged using a standard USB Type C cable and wall charger adapter.
Do You Need One Mushroom Per Bowl?
You don't necessarily need one Mushroom per bowl. Some people only need a few Mushrooms to hold drone notes in their larger bowls in the background while they play their other bowls manually at the same time. Others prefer the ability to play all their bowls using hand gestures so they install one mushroom per bowl. It is a matter of personal preference. Just be aware that you should space your bowls about 1 bowl apart when they have mushrooms installed so the hand gesture sensors don't interfere with each other. You might want to start with a few bowls at first and add more later on.
Where Can I Buy One?
We ship worldwide on our online store and also have distribution partners in various countries. If you are a retailer / dealer and are interested in reselling the product, contact us below.
What is Your Warranty Policy?
This Limited Warranty applies to physical goods, and only for physical goods, purchased from Musical Mushroom Inc. (the "Physical Goods"). This Limited Warranty covers any defects in material or workmanship under normal use during the Warranty Period. During the Warranty Period, Musical Mushroom Inc. will repair or replace, at no charge, products or parts of a product that proves defective because of improper material or workmanship, under normal use and maintenance. Musical Mushroom Inc. will either repair the Product at no charge, using new or refurbished replacement parts. The Warranty Period for Physical Goods purchased from Musical Mushroom Inc. is 180 days from the date of purchase. A replacement Physical Good or part assumes the remaining warranty of the original Physical Good or 180 days from the date of replacement or repair, whichever is longer. This Limited Warranty does not cover any problem that is caused by: conditions, malfunctions or damage not resulting from defects in material or workmanship. To obtain warranty service, you must first contact us to determine the problem and the most appropriate solution for you.
Does the Musical Mushroom Have Healing Properties?
The Musical Mushroom® is sold as an electronic musical instrument enabling users to mechanically vibrate an existing musical instrument in response to hand gestures. It is NOT a healing instrument. We do not claim to heal, cure or ameliorate any health condition with this equipment. It is the client's responsibility to do their own research and seek professional medical advice in every instance. No individual should use the information found on this web page for self-diagnosis, treatment, or justification in accepting or declining any medical therapy for any health problems or diseases. Any person using or reselling Musical Mushrooms® and making any such claims are not endorsed or condoned by us.