Shadowbeamz is a company which specializes in creating “laser” based music for both the consumer and professional music industries and they showed off their consumer version this week at CES 2010.
The concept is simple enough, users plug the Shadowbeams system into their computer and then they choose from the hundreds of available songs. Once a song is chosen the user can play the beats they desire by looking at what sounds are available on their computer screen and then swiping their hands across the corresponding laser. A simple press of the rhythm button and the background music of your choice will become available so you can play along. The ability to change which beats play with each song selection is also available with a quick click of the mouse button.
The lasers on the system are excellent, picking up even the quickest and most slight hand movements I made, while also allowing for multiple instruments to be played. I used my hands and even blocked the laser with a piece of paper, the quick effects were the same, regardless of how I used the instrument.
The consumer version is $199.95 while a professional version which Shadowbeats reps says is used by various musicians around the world is available for $299.95 and offers the ability for users to import their own beats and background music, providing a fully operational producer type gadget.
If you want to keep your kids, heck even yourself entertained for hours you’ll love this gadget, almost everyone who walked by the Shadowbeamz booth couldn’t help but play for at least a few minutes.
