The Beamz Music System ($199) is an ingenious idea for a totally new kind of musical instrument, one that requires no physical contact whatsoever to play. When connected to a Windows PC's USB port (sorry, no Mac support) the Beamz unit allows a user to play original, unique music by breaking laser beams with their hands.
At first glance the Beamz Music System is reminiscent of the early days of electronic instruments, when the Theramin and the first synthesizers came on the scene to mixed reviews. That, however is where the similarities end and the musical discovery can begin.
What is the Beams Music System?
When a person first hears about a musical instrument that uses lasers one almost immediately jumps to the conclusion that it is a child's toy. It isn't. From the moment the Beamz is first unpacked a user realizes that it is a very sturdy and professional looking piece of computer equipment.
Shaped in the form of a large "W" the Beamz Music System has six red lasers that cross from one leg of the W to the next. When a user breaks any of the six laser beams it triggers an event that causes the included software to play a tone. The laser beams themselves are not visible to the naked eye except in low light and in the presence of dust or a fog machine.
Each of the beams is set by the software (after choosing a song) to one of hundreds of different sound patterns. Passing a finger through the beam plays a single note while holding the hand in the beam plays a sequence of notes for as long as the beam remains broken.
The Beamz system ships with several CD's filled with premade music and rhythms in a variety of genres. Buyers of the Beamz unit also receive five free downloads of current, popular musical selections that are available from the Beamz web site. A user's compositions can be recorded, complete with the background accompaniments and exported to WAV format for use in any audio editing program.
Is The Beamz Music System A Legitimate Electronic Musical Instrument?
There are few musical instruments that are as easy to play as the Beamz. Reviews in other publications have occasionally called the Beamz system little more than a pricey toy, but in truth the opportunities for musical experimentation and composition are very evident. The Beamz unit is not a glorified Rock Band or Guitar Hero controller.
Unlike several other electronic musical instruments on the market today the Beamz actually allows a user to create a unique composition that can be customized in any way they wish. In many ways the Beamz Music System is similar to a MIDI controller like a keyboard or a DJ's sound effects panel. It is not the software that controls the composition, it is the user. This simple fact sets it apart from other computer accessories that one might consider to be toys.
In general, the Beamz gets high marks for being a unique and fairly versatile PC based musical instrument. While there are other ways to do basically the same thing the accompaniment software and the cool factor of using laser beams to create music make it stand out as more than just a toy. It is truly a musical instrument that requires no musical skill or talent to play, and indeed could be a stepping stone towards learning other more complex musical instruments down the road.
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