🎵 Ambient Sounds

✨ What It Does

Ambient Sounds gives you a lightweight soundboard built into Benji. Dial in rain, fire, wind—or a rotating lofi track—and keep the mix running while you write, plan, or run a pomodoro without juggling another tab.

🚪 Access & Activation

Enable Ambient Sounds from Settings → Features → Ambient Sounds. See the Enabling Features guide for details on feature toggles and visibility options.

🧭 Core Workflow

• Click the music note in the header, sidebar widget, My Day widget, or hit Alt + A to open the Ambient Sound Manager.
• Use Master Controls to start/stop playback and adjust the global volume.
• Toggle any sound tile (Rain, Fire, Waves, Birds, etc.) to layer it into the mix; each tile has its own volume slider and animated feedback when active.
• Shuffle the selection with the dice icon—Benji randomly picks a few sounds, sets pleasant volumes, and starts the mix.
• Switch on the Lofi Player if you want a melodic background; shuffle the track or adjust its volume without leaving the modal.

🛠️ In-Feature Settings

• Master controls live at the top: play/pause, master volume slider, and (when available) the lofi mini player.
• Each sound tile includes:
  • Tap-to-toggle enable/disable.
  • Per-sound volume slider.
  • Visual animation so you can see which layers are active.
• Use the shuffle actions to rotate ambient layers or lofi tracks automatically.
• Under Settings → Pomodoros, enable “Toggle ambient sound when starting or ending a pomodoro.” Benji will start your mix when a session begins and mute it when you finish.

🔐 Global Settings & Privacy

• Ambient audio runs entirely on-device, leaving your privacy settings and timelines unchanged while you listen.
• Desktop notifications let you know when the quick toggle runs (Ambient sound on/off) so you always know the current state.

📊 Widgets & Dashboards

• Sidebar widget (left rail): shows current state and opens the Ambient Sound Manager with one click.
• My Day “Ambient” widget: surfaces the same controls—active sounds, play/pause toggle, and master volume slider—inside your dashboard layout.

⚡ Alfred & Quick Actions

Learn more about Alfred in the Alfred & Spotlight guide.

• Ambient sounds: opens the Ambient Sound Manager

⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts

• Alt + A: open the Ambient Sound dialog from anywhere
• Alt + M: toggle the entire ambient mix on/off
• Cmd/Ctrl + K: open Alfred to access Ambient Sounds commands

🔗 Integrations & Dependencies

• Pomodoro sessions can auto-toggle the mix when you start or end a timer.
• Usage checklist (“Try ambient sounds”) nudges new users to open the manager once.
• Ambient playback runs through the AmbientSoundPlayer, so closing the tab or signing out stops the audio automatically.

💡 Tips & Edge Cases

• Layer two or three sounds at modest volumes instead of cranking one channel—it feels richer and avoids fatigue.
• Use the shuffle button when you’re unsure what to play; it intelligently picks a handful of complementary textures.
• Remember the keyboard shortcuts (Alt + M, Alt + A) when you need to mute quickly for calls or switch contexts.