FAQ Frequently Asked Questions

Transcription

1 FAQ Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is the Beamz? Beamz Interactive, Inc. is an interactive music products company that develops innovative music-making and music entertainment products to enable people of all ages and skill levels to play music. The Beamz Player is an affordable new musical product that allows people to make music without having to know how to read music. Powered by a computer through a USB port, the Beamz Player is easy to install and begin using. By passing your hands through the laser beams, you will trigger streams of musical notes to play with one of the 50 free pre-programmed song tracks you select. Each beam controls a different instrument, rhythm or sound, which works harmoniously with any of the pre-selected songs. There are over a hundred different songs, including original, top hits, kids songs and video jam songs, from more than 20 different music genres for purchase at the Beamz music library. The Beamz Player also comes with ShadowBeamz, an interactive musical game that allows users to sharpen their playing skills by mimicking prompted cues of when to play the beams. Beamz software also includes the option to easily record your music performances making your own songs for playback as a WAV or Windows Media File. Beamz Interactive s technology portfolio includes multiple patents, patents pending and trade secrets covering interactive music, software, laser-based controllers, gaming applications, and related designs and devices. The Beamz Player can be purchased through for $ The company also offers a professional product for $ that bundles its Beamz Studio and Beamz DJ software. These applications enable DJs and electronic musicians to create their own interactive music and to use the Beamz Player as an interactive laser controller to use with virtually any DJ application and/or lighting control application via MIDI and keystroke mapping. 2. How Does the Beamz Player work? The Beamz Player is a music product that contains four lasers. Powered by a computer through a USB port, the Beamz Player is easy to install and begin using. This hardware comes with a PC-based software application to load onto your computer. The software responds to the players motions when their hand passes through any of the four laser beams. Players play the beams to a pre-selected song and arrange the musical sounds or instruments according to their own desires. Each pre-programmed beam works harmoniously with any song you select. Because each player-inspired performance is unique, the true number of arrangements is unlimited. The product comes with 50 top hits and original songs in a variety of musical genres including rock, jazz, reggae and classical, in addition to 5 video jam songs and the ShadowBeamz interactive music game. Players can find over a hundred different songs online to purchase, including popular hits, kids songs and video jam songs. The way you interact with the Beamz Player is totally up to you. You can choose to sit back and listen; rearrange the song by passing your hand through the laser beams you select; or actively experience music videos by adding a sound effect to a video while it s playing. Then, you can record your performances of Beamz songs right into the computer and save the music as a wave file (*.wav) or as a Windows Media file (*.wma) to share. You can also choose to play the fun, interactive ShadowBeamz game, which challenges players to mimic prompted cues of when to break the beams. ShadowBeamz players can advance up three different levels and record and compare scores. Play it alone or with friends and family for a fun group experience. 3. What is a Beamz Song? A Beamz song is an interactive song created to work with the Beamz Player software. Each song has a background rhythm track and up to 12 different instruments, music clips and/or sound effects for a user to add into the background rhythm track. Beamz songs have been harmoniously composed so no matter Page 1 of 5 January 2011

2 which beams you choose to activate, you will always sound great. The instruments, music clips and sound effects assigned to each laser beam varies in each song to complement the background rhythm track. In the Beamz song library there are hundreds of different instruments, music clips and sound effects to stimulate one s creativity. All of the Beamz songs were created using the Beamz Studio software, which may be purchased separately for $ What are the differences between Beamz Original, Top-Hit Jam and Video Jam songs in the Beamz Song Music Library? Beamz Original Songs are original works created by Beamz composers with contributions from independent artists. These are great songs for users to explore a wide range of music genres and hundreds of different instruments and sound effects within these original works. These songs provide users ultimate creative expression opportunities. Beamz Top Hit Jam Songs are interactive versions of popular songs composed in the style of the original artist. Songs include rock classics, party favorites and recent top-hits (e.g. Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Michael Jackson, The Eagles, The Beatles, The Black Eyed Peas, etc). Interacting with these songs is like being the band and playing your own version of the popular song based on how you choose to play the laser beams within each song. Beamz Video Jam Songs are interactive versions of popular songs using the original artist recording and music video (e.g. Alpha Rev, Aly & AJ, Billy Idol, Blind Melon, Moby, etc). Interacting with these songs is like joining the band playing along with the original song and adding harmonious instruments and sound effects into the playback of the music video. 5. Why would I want the Beamz Player? The Beamz Player allows you to go beyond just listening and experience music in a whole new way. It gives you the ability to add movement and creativity to any song by touching laser beams and interacting with light. The Beamz Player appeals to amateur and professional musicians as well as those individuals, young and old, who have always aspired to play a musical instrument. Based on its ease-of-use and instant playability, regardless of skill level, players can get jamming in minutes. It is a great new way to have fun with the family, and to share new compositions electronically with friends both near and far away. It is also a great addition to a DJ s toolbox, a wonderful therapy resource for children and adults with special needs, and those recovering from strokes. 6. What makes the Beamz Player different from other music products? The Beamz Player is unlike any music instrument on the market. First, while it may look like a harp, it is more dynamic in its ability to play multiple notes, sounds and musical clips with the touch of each single beam. Unlike a digital piano or keyboard which features a variety of instrument sounds by assigning a single instrument sound for each key, the Beamz software allows Beamz players to play multiple sounds on one beam. And, the Beamz will always be in tune when playing any combination of instrument sounds in any given song. This harmonious quality makes creating music fun, easy and enjoyable. The Beamz Player also allows players to record and share songs with friends and family. Playing the Beamz Player is as simple as tapping on a drum, but the outcome and range of sounds and instruments goes well beyond any digital drum on the market. The depth of the Beamz software and music content puts this instrument in a class of its own. 7. What is the recommended minimum experience needed to play the Beamz Player? The Beamz Player can be played by anyone regardless of age or experience. You do not need to know how to read music and no training is required. Beamz is ideal for everyone from age 7 to 107; we recommend assisting or group play with children under 7. Accomplished musicians and DJs and will especially enjoy exploring this new technology as a unique way to play back music by interacting with light. 8. Can you play the Beamz Player with other instruments? Yes. The Beamz Player can be added to any jam session. It can be used to accompany a group of other instruments or it can be the centerpiece to any music performance, interactive or traditional. 9. Is playing the Beamz Player similar to playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band? No. The Beamz Player provides a richer music experience for consumers. The Beamz Player is a recreational musical instrument and music entertainment product that allows you to actually create or make your own music. By activating each of the four beams at the players discretion, players can change the course of any Beamz song. Just as a jazz musician will improvise and contribute a unique solo within a jam Page 2 of 5 January 2011

3 session, Beamz players control the destiny and uniqueness of each song played. Players can be the band, rather than pretend to be in the band -- and the video jam songs allow users to join the band and interact with original artist videos in an extraordinary music experience, unlike any other. The ShadowBeamz game helps users sharpen their skills with the Beamz Player. It adds a competitive component to the Beamz experience. 10. What is the difference between interactive and traditional music? Interactive music is creative, dynamic and spontaneous. Beamz interactive music is harmoniously designed and structured for players to perform interactive music with limitless possibilities. Unlike traditional music, where a musician plays a song by reading and performing to a defined musical score, interactive music is free flowing - there is no musical score to follow. Players are inspired to interact with the Beamz songs and create unique sounds different from any other type of instrument. 11. What comes in the box when I purchase the Beamz Player? Here's what players will find inside The Beamz Player box at purchase: The Beamz Player hardware device USB cable 1 DVD includes beamz player software, 50 songs & ShadowBeamz game Quick Start Guide 12. How much does the product cost? The Beamz Player costs $ This includes 50 top-hits and original Beamz composed songs. To purchase additional songs, visit for a complete selection of original, top-hits, kids and video jam songs. Each song costs $2.99 and video jam songs costs $ What do I need to get started? To get the most out of The Beamz system, we recommend the following: A PC with a processor greater than 1.3Ghz and 2GB RAM running Windows 7, Vista (service pack 2 or later) or XP (running.net 2.0 Framework), - Five GB of free hard disk space. - One free USB port. While not required, external speakers or headphones are recommended to get the full Beamz experience. (These items are not included.) 14. Does the Beamz Player work with a Mac? The Beamz Player software may be used on a Mac computer using the boot camp software utility from Apple or virtualization software such as VMware. The Beamz Player DJ & Pro Audio Edition product is the 2 nd generation professional product and includes both Beamz Studio and Beamz DJ software. Beamz DJ software enables users to configure up to 54 triggers to control DJ applications and lighting applications via MIDI and keystroke mapping. The Beamz DJ software is PC and Mac compatible. 15. Does the Beamz Player come with any games? Yes. ShadowBeamz is included with the new Beamz Player (model C4) and first generation Beamz model C6 users may download ShadowBeamz at How do I get more songs? The Beamz comes with 50 songs as part of the software package during original purchase. Visit to purchase additional original compositions and popular hit songs. 17. I noticed the top-hit songs are called Jams. What is a Jam? The Beamz composers have taken top-hit songs from popular artists and have created an interactive version or remake in the style of the original artist. By remaking and editing the original music into an interactive format, Beamz players can jam to these familiar songs, by pulling in a variety of music clips and sounds at the players discretion. This is the beauty of interactive music. Each player creates their own signature to playing a popular song. 18. What music categories or genres are available for use with the Beamz? The Beamz comes with original, top-hit, party favorites and kids music in 20 genres, including: jazz, blues, rock, classical, reggae, hip hop, Latin, dance, jazz and more. Page 3 of 5 January 2011

4 19. Can I record with the Beamz? Absolutely. You can record your performances playing any of the songs right into the computer. You can save the music as a wave file (*.wav) or as a Windows Media file (*.wma) to share with family and friends. 20. How many people can play the Beamz at one time? Several people can team up to play the Beamz Player. You can also connect up to three Beamz Player devices into one computer for group play into a song. The Beamz Player hardware includes a SWAP button to easily move around the laser beam assignments from one player to another. 21. Where can I purchase this product? The Beamz can be purchased online at Amazon.com, FAO Schwarz and selected Brookstone and Learning Express stores. Check the website for specific locations of specialty, musician and education retailers carrying the Beamz. 22. When playing the Beamz Player, does the placement of your hand affect the sound that you create? The sound is generated by the touch. So the amount of time you place your hand in front of a beam will determine the amount of sound you will produce from that beam s designated instrument or sound effect. The placement of your hand from left or right doesn t change the sound. It is the placement of your hand through the beam that impacts the production of sound. 23. Are the lasers safe? Yes. To ensure the safety of Beamz players, the product has successfully met all safety standards after undergoing testing by a professional laser compliance consulting service which helps companies meet national and international standards. The Beamz emits a class 2 laser, which is the same as the lasers used in grocery store scanners. While the lasers are very safe, no one should stare directly into the path of the laser beams. 24. How can I use my own MIDI, WAV and/or MP3 files in Beamz songs and/or assign my music files to play with specific beams? Beamz Studio software provides Beamz users the capability to import MIDI, WAV and/or MP3 files into the Studio application. It also enables users to edit any aspect of a Beamz song and provides the means to compose interactive music songs of their own. The Beamz Studio application is available from for $ Additionally, the company offers a Beamz Studio Premium Bundle Edition that includes full versions of Sony s ACID Music Studio and Sound Forge Audio Studio to create a comprehensive studio solution suite for original song creation, audio recording, MIDI production, studioquality mixing, effects processing and audio mastering. ACID Music Studio and Sound Forge Audio Studio each retail for $ However, when bundled with the Beamz Studio application, consumers receive a $140 value for an incremental $50. Beamz Studio Premium Bundle Edition is also available at for $ Can I change the positioning of the instruments assigned to the Beamz Player in a specific song? Yes. In the Beamz Player software users may edit the beam assignment of the instruments, adjust volume settings for each instrument and modify the overall tempo of the rhythm. 28. May I use the Beamz Player with an instrument stand? Yes. Beamz Interactive offers an Adjustable Beamz Player Stand for $49.95, which can be purchased at This stand may be used with both the new Beamz Player model C4 and the first generation Beamz model C6 products. 29. Are there any wireless options for the Beamz Player? The current Beamz Player product requires a USB connection from the laser controller to a computer. We are exploring wireless options for future products. 30. What are Video Jam Songs? The Beamz Player includes a whole new way to experience making music by bundling 5 Video Jam Songs with each system, which are interactive versions that use original master recordings and videos licensed from EMI Music Services and Disney. Beamz Interactive is also in dialogue with other labels and publishers to rapidly expand its video jam song library. Additional Video Jam Songs are available for purchase for $3.99 each from Interacting with video jam songs provides consumers a rich and Page 4 of 5 January 2011

5 unique music entertainment experience this dynamic new content for the Beamz Player goes beyond traditional music gaming products. 31. What other type of applications beyond music are available to work with the Beamz Player? Beamz Interactive offers a Beamz Software Developer s Kit (Beamz SDK v1.0) for Windows, Mac and Linux. A simple license will be required for access to the development tools as well as the online support groups and forums. 32. What are the differences between the new Beamz Player (model C4) and the Beamz model C6? The new Beamz Player (model C4) is a second generation product with several hardware and software improvements resulting from user feedback and experiences with the first generation model C6 product. First, the new Beamz Player laser controller features a smaller, sleek one piece footprint attractively designed with the consumer in mind to blend in with other audio/video media devices in a home living room. The new Beamz Player product uses 4 laser beams and an open design so that the user may see through the laser controller to interact with a computer screen, TV, audience or classroom. Each Beamz song is composed with a background rhythm track and up to 12 laser beam assignments; now up to three Beamz Player laser controllers may be connected into one computer for group play into a Beamz song. The new design also adds a record button on the laser controller so users can start recording without going into the Beamz Player software. Second, the Beamz Player software features an updated dashboard with improved customization for displaying multiple Beamz units and the laser triggers. The new software also provides users more controls for advanced features and re-programming buttons on the hardware. The ShadowBeamz interactive music game is included with the Beamz Player model C4; first generation C6 users may download ShadowBeamz from the Page 5 of 5 January 2011