Tag Archives: laser harp

We Need An Inexpensive DIY Laser Harp Kit

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via DeftAudio – a quick demo of a new laser harp, 40K points/s, X-Y scanning, 300mW version.

Seeing this makes me think that the world needs an inexpensive DIY laser harp kit. Visually, they make stunning MIDI controllers, but they’ll need to be available and affordable before musicians will really be able to explore their potential.

A couple of years ago, we featured Steve Mobley’s impressive DIY laser harp. He estimated the cost of building his harp at around $600. He’s posted updated information on his laser harp at his site.

There are lots of small companies creating excellent DIY kits for electronic musicians now – so I wonder if there’s enough interest in laser harps to make a kit viable.

What do you think of the idea of a laser harp kit? Would you be interested in building one? And, if so, what would you be willing to pay for one?

Amazing Jean Michel Jarre Tour YouTube Videos

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Saturday Synth Porn: Jean Michel Jarre is on tour and there are some really amazing fan videos popping up on YouTube from his recent shows.

The ones featured here come from Jarre’s Braunschweig 03.03.10 show.

Above, Jarre plays the laser harp on Third Rendezvouz. Listen close and you may hear the cameraman singing a long……

Anybody else think that we need an affordable DIY kit for laser harp MIDI controllers?

More of these amazing Jarre fan videos below! Continue reading →

Little Boots Is Cool Again, Builds A DIY Laser Harp

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We liked Little Boots before she was cool and then she got cool and….then she wasn’t so cool any more.

But now she’s building a laser harp – so she’s cool again.

Here’s a trailer for the documentary of Little Boots on her quest to build a Laser Harp to use on tour.

To see the full documentary, you have to be a member at her site….which isn’t so cool.

Yeah, It’s A Friggin’ Multi-Laser Gestural Interface

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A short demonstration of the MLGI (Multi- Laser Gestural Interface) designed by Meason Wiley at California Institute of the Arts.

Strap it on a dolphin, and you’d have a lethal weapon.

The Multi- Laser Gestural Interface is an open source and modular ?free-gesture? controller that uses beams of laser light along with photo resistors to create a physical, fluid musical instrument.

With the MLGI, Wiley is attempting to bring a physical interactivity to electronic music performance. By removing the performer from behind the laptop, the audience becomes aware of the performer?s interaction with the controller, which creates an instant visual connection between the sound and the performer.

The MLGI was created using Dan Overholt?s multi I/O CREATEUSB or CUI interface, which, along with the programming language ChucK, can be made to send MIDI or OSC via USB port.

For more information about this open-source + modular controller,  visit www.cyclespersecond.net.