Even though most people today keep their favorite songs on their phones or tablets, access to a nice, high-quality audio system to really enjoy that music can be hard to set up. Freer is a simply Wi-fi bridge that allows devices to be connected to any DAC wirelessly, and then provides a USB output to connect that bridge to quality home audio equipment. With built-in, easy to use compatibility with both Android and iOS devices as well as with home Wi-fi networks. Freer is expected to ship out to supporters in September of this year, and is available for a pledge of $49 or more.
Category: Music
Well, at least it’s not another solar powered cooler. But the Anywhere-Fridge and SolarCooler can’t satisfy that all important element of good music at an outdoor event. Boombox Cooler doubles as beverage chiller and music to which guests can chill. And since it’s built for the great outdoors, it not only easily reaches 103Db to overpower the sound of rolling beach waves and public hubbub, but it’s also water resistant, will function for about 10 hours, holds up to 90 cans, and has a host of other perks. Early bird backers can start singing along for $229, with an expected delivery of December 2014.
For those who’d like to learn to play the guitar “just for fun” and only like to practice when the mood strikes them, Finger Friendly Guitar Company Keyboard may be the ideal option. Created by a guy who didn’t like dealing with pains in his fingertips and frustrated by learning which fingers go on what strings to form the chords, this gadget allows the casual player who thinks playing the guitar is a great idea, but working at it is not, a way to be the life of the party on a whim. Alas, aspiring female guitarists still won’t be able to grow out their nails. For $75 backers get one product with an expected delivery of January 2015.
The Premise. Most musicians in high humidity areas know about the annoying impact that it has on their acoustic guitars. Oftentimes, central air and heat will be enough to combat this, but for those seasons when it’s not quite cool enough or hot enough to justify the increase that will be incurred when the next electric bill comes due, musicians don’t have many options available.
The Product. Kiln is something of a mini dehumidifier that fills in the gap for those in between seasons with high humidity, or those times on the road when keeping an acoustic guitar out of high humidity can be even more complicated. The item fits snuggly at the bottom of the sound hole between the strings and body, but is lined with felt so that the guitar doesn’t get scratched. When the gadget is turned on, it gradually heats the soundbox so that the air will absorb the moisture. Through the principle of convection, the moist air gets replaced with dry air to reduce bowing and issues with strings going out of tune.
The Pitch. The video for the $155,000 campaign gives some great clarity to the problem that comes with owning an acoustic guitar and living in a high humidity area. The demonstration of how the product works makes it appear simple to use, and the detailed description of why it will be effective is presented in a way that is easy to understand.
The Perks. There are 11 tiers from which a backer may choose. Early bird backers can get one product for $182 if they respond by June 1, 2014. This is 33 percent off of retail.
The Potential. The idea seems great, but the process takes eight hours to complete. So a musician needs to be thinking ahead where their gigs are concerned. The built-in safety features of temperature sensors and operation timers should give acoustic guitar owners piece of mind about using the product overnight, or being able to run a few errands while the process of dehumidifying is taking place.
Guitars are engineered to be comfortable to hold or fit over your lap, but they’re not great at standing up by themselves. Hence, guitar stands proliferate to keep them safe, upright and convenient to access, but they can be difficult to take on the go. That’s why bnd /one created a bendable guitar stand. In spite of the fact that it looks a bit unusual, being bendable means that it can travel in a guitar case with the guitar, in the back of an amp, or in a book bag. It’s also designed to be sturdier than a traditional stand and can accommodate a keyboard. For $50, backers get one product with an expected delivery of December 2014.
The iPod made portable music players accessible to the masses and really launched the mass market for portable computing products. Unfortunately, most of them focus more on storage than on sound quality. Like PonoMusic and the Astell&Kern AK100, the Geek Wave places a much larger emphasis on sound quality than most other commercial portable music players. With up to 2 TB of storage space and compatible with every file type from 32 bit MP3 to DSD 128, the Geek Wave can deliver music any way users want it, from millions of tracks to thousands of the best-sounding audio around. The Geek Wave 64 player is expected out in March 2015 and is available for $269.
Listening to music can be one of the most relaxing ways to unwind at the end of a long day. But if a person wants to use headphones, lying down is not a comfortable option. This can be especially frustrating for those who are bedridden, which was exactly the case for the husband of Mysiga’s creator. The health challenges of her hospitalized husband spurred her to create puffy headphones that would allow for music to be enjoyed while lying on either the back or sides. For $125, early bird backers get one product with an expected delivery of January 2015.
The Premise. The performance stage has changed for musicians in the last few years, as many performers are finding it easier to just connect their equipment through a MacBook and play through AirPlay. However, going beyond what AirPlay was designed to support can cause a wealth of problems, certainly not the least of which is lag between the performance and the outputted audio.
The Product. Really two separate products, the Brick is a Mac mini-like Ethernet switch designed for professional digital audio that can connect to instruments, mixers, amps, and more, bringing it all together to be controlled with a single application. The Bullet is an adapter to connect audio jack-controlled instruments to Ethernet devices like the Brick, bridging analog and digital. The Brick and Bullet setup is natively supported by and MacOS device running Mavericks, including MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, or iMac.
The Pitch. AVB.io, creators of the Brick and Bullet, demonstrate the difference between using AirPlay with an AirPort Express and using a Brick through simply playing the keyboard. It can be almost painful waiting for the sound to come out after each of the keys is hit on the former setup, but with the Brick the two are simultaneous. While the technology behind the Brick and Bullet is certainly a little more than just end user-level stuff, the campaign for the Brick and Bullet keeps things simple and straight to the point, perfect for performers who just want to know if the device will fix their issues. AVB.io has set its goal at $35,000, largely to finish development of the Bullet.
The Perks. The Brick Ethernet switch will launch in September 2014 and backers who pledge $300 can get their hands on one. For those that want to get the complete rig for live digital audio, a Brick with two Bullets is available at the $850 tier in November, and the set can be custom engraved for $1,500.
The Potential. For performers, adding a Brick and Bullet setup to the stage can certainly make things easier to handle DIY digital audio. For a similar price however, it’s not too much to expect to be able to set things up using a standard analog setup with amps and cables. If it’s digital or bust, then there’s certainly nothing wrong with picking up these items to get the most out of a simple MacBook-style performance setup.
The Premise. The world of entertainment is an ever-changing industry, always looking for ways to make the audience feel that they’ve gotten the best show possible. One of the most popular ways that 21st century performers do that is by breaking that “fourth wall” and interacting with the audience. While much of this has relied on the front person (or lead singer), guitar players are now getting a shot at this. Why is this important? Because more interaction usually means an invite to return to a venue. And if the band has merchandise, it can also mean more sales.
The Product. SoulPedal lets guitar players have the technology of their wah wah pedal in wireless form. To make it even more convenient, it gets worn like an in soul inside the right shoe, with a “dummy” left one included for balance. Built in arch support and a total weight of three ounces help ensure comfort. A tap of the foot turns the pedal on, and when it’s time to change the sound, a bend of the knee, slight lean forward, or stop of the foot makes it happen.
The Pitch. The video for the $35,000 campaign gives just enough detail on how the product works to satisfy the curious, and plenty of clarity on how to use it. Seeing it in action among other users is a nice touch, and it appears very user friendly.
The Perks. There are nine tiers from which backers may choose. The $279 early bird special offers the complete product with an expected delivery of September 2014. There is a chance for a full refund on the price for the backer who wins the contest announced at the indiegogo campaign site.
The Potential. The wireless technology aspect for this product makes it an especially exciting development for guitar players. Lead singers who play the guitar will likely be especially appreciative of this particular item. If there is an interest in the upgrade kit, a Windows system will be required. It’s noteworthy that there is also a development in the works for keyboard players in connection to note/velocity parameters that would eventually be available through the upgrade kit.
The Premise. It’s often said that learning a musical instrument can be tough, and it is. But teaching a musical instrument can also be a difficult task. You need to have an instrument to demonstrate on, but also need to be free to make corrections to your student.
The Product. RoboTar is a robotic guitar hand. More simply put, it can be placed over the first four frets of any standard size guitar and it plays chords while you strum. The device attaches to a computer, tablet or smartphone via a USB cord. Existing songs or songs of the musicians own making can be loaded onto the app which controls the product. A foot pedal allows the player to change chords. The product is made of a thin white plastic and lights show which frets are being played when RoboTar is on.
The Pitch. RoboTar’s creator speaks in his video about how his father’s debilitating stroke inspired the product. He was looking for an instrument that could be played by anyone unable to use both hands. From there, the product’s uses branched out to novice players and music teachers. The campaign also shows footage of people using RoboTar, making it easier to understand the product. RoboTar is aiming for an ambitious $230,000 goal in its 40-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. For a first production run version of the RoboTar, backers will have to donate $795 for delivery in December 2014. To save $50, backers can also opt for the later second production run RoboTar for $745 set to ship in June 2015. Higher tiers offer a wireless version of the product which uses Bluetooth technology and a battery pack.
The Potential. Any product that allows someone to play a musical instrument who otherwise would not be able to is awesome. In addition, it has great benefits for everyone else like holding chords while the melody is played higher up on the fingerboard, cutting out the need for a rhythm guitarist. The MiKord is a similar product aimed at helping novice guitar players perform songs, but doesn’t give the freedom to change chords at will. However, the MiKord’s lack of freedom makes it much less expensive than the RoboTar. Still, the RoboTar is a great product for anyone who would like to play the guitar, but is unable to do so.