It’s been a long time coming, but long-time Valley performer Jerry Riopelle’s idea that you can make music with laser beams finally is a real product in real stores. The Scottsdale musician’s beamz music system debuted in Sharper Image stores last week and stars on the cover of the gadget retailer’s next catalog, hitting mailboxes nationwide next week.
The new top executive of Scottsdale Airpark-based beamz Interactive Inc. is showing off the beamz to USAToday, Wired and other national publications in hopes of positive reviews that will explain the innovative product and drive gadget and music fans into the stores.
beamz Interactive is targeting the big-spending market of “zoomers,” or baby boomers ages 45 to 65 who spend their above-average incomes on themselves and their children.
It expects buyers to use the beamz with friends and family, or alone as a way to relax and get creative with music.
Either way, the appeal of beamz is that you don’t have to know music or how to play an instrument. Users just move their hands in front of any of the six beams, and the music software delivers harmonious sounds.
The beamz machine retails for $599.95 and comes with the W-shaped music-making device, software and 30 original songs. Users connect it to their own computer and speakers.
Photo by Sharper Image.
A.G. Hopkins on April 25th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
When I was a youngster, we called these things Theremins. And we didn’t have any of them fancy new laser beams, either. ;)
Angelica Jones on April 26th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Honestly, i don’t get the idea of this new gadget. But i’m thinking it may be something worth spending for if it really delivers the sound i wanna hear.
I guess have to research about this further. This post is really helpful though.
Good thing there’s a place in cyberspace for quality posts about interesting businesses.
Reese Young on April 27th, 2008 at 12:09 am
“It is not meant to be a traditional musical instrument because that takes so much training for people to master. The beamz was conceived and created by an accomplished Hollywood musician and songwriter whose goal was to allow the average music lover to experience the passion of making music”
Finally, a musical instrument for those who doesn’t have the patience to study and play a real intsrument. I wonder how beamz sound though and in which category of instruments does it belong.
curt on April 27th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I simply loved that idea the first day I saw it many, many years ago at the live concert of Jean Michel Jarre. He called it a Laser Harp and it was extremely expensive, but he was a millionaire, who has been spending zillions on electronic gadgets, especially created for him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_harp
Kelly Ricks on April 28th, 2008 at 4:37 am
Laser Harp? Now that’s something i really want to be created just for me.
Mariel Milby on April 28th, 2008 at 6:26 am
I’ve read some stuff about this gadget. I realized the gadget is not for me. Aside from the fact that it’s pricey, i still prefer the feel of strings a normal instrument has.