Laser-beam music is now high-tech reality

Tag: laser machine

It's been a long time coming, but Valley performer Jerry Riopelle's idea that you can make music with laser beams is finally a product in stores.
The Scottsdale musician's beamz music system debuted in The Sharper Image stores last month and stars on the cover of the gadget retailer's next catalog, hitting mailboxes nationwide this week.

The new top executive of Scottsdale-based beamz Interactive Inc. is showing off the beamz to Wired, USA Today and other national publications in hopes of reviews that will explain the product and drive gadget and music fans to the stores.

"I'm most proud that we've got it mounted and out and available. We've been trying a long time," Riopelle said as he demonstrated the beamz at the The Sharper Image store in Kierland Commons. "This is a tremendous thing for me."

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, Riopelle says, is that you don't have to know music or how to play an instrument. Users simply move their hands in front of any of the six beams, and the music software delivers harmonious sounds.

"We're not turning people into musicians," CEO Mike Gaumond said, "but we allow people to experience the passion and fun of it."

The Sharper Image struck a deal with beamz Interactive to be the product's exclusive retailer for 90 days. The Scottsdale company liked The Sharper Image's history of launching innovative, cool products and its "try, not just buy" selling style, Gaumond said.

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.

The machine is also available on both The Sharper Image's and beamz Interactive's Web sites.

Riopelle, a Valley musician best known for his rocking New Year's Eve concerts at the Celebrity Theatre, has been working on the laser-music idea for 14 years.

Since being named best emerging company at a Scottsdale investors' conference last year, his company has seen some big changes. Among them:


• It dropped the "Human" from its previous HumanBeams Inc. name, streamlining the machine's name to beamz and the company's name to beamz Interactive.


• It redesigned the machine with a sleek, industrial look that can be manufactured in large quantities. A Taiwanese firm does the initial subassembly, and Chandler-based South Bay Circuits does the final assembly, packaging and shipping.


• It raised $4 million in investments, which financed design work, initial inventory and marketing.


• It hired Gaumond as CEO. Gaumond was formerly with Motorola Inc.'s Global Media Solutions unit, where he launched its iRadio digital music service.

Gaumond says the company is happy with sales so far. He hopes the buzz builds in time to make the beamz a hot gift for graduations and Father's Day.

The company also plans a major viral-marketing campaign, hosting Web-based contests for beamz performances and letting fans vote for their favorites.

Over time, Gaumond wants to expand to other specialty retailers and internationally. He's negotiating rights to hit songs. Patented beamz technology also could be applied to video gaming, he said.

Riopelle will make another 40 original songs available on the Web site soon, and he will get to work on additional software and prototypes for video gaming. He also wants to see beamz spread into hospitals as therapy for sick children and stroke patients.

And after 14 years, he sends another message: "If you believe in it, keep on going."