Category: Music

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Music Tech Accessories

Sno Speakers adds streaming, touchscreen to the portable speaker crowd

The Premise. Having music any time, any place, is something made increasingly possible through mobile devices. One new product delivers home audio quality with an integrated streaming interface for any music, anywhere.

The Product. Sno Speakers are the next in a growing line of all-in-one streaming music systems. Weighing in at under two pounds, the Sno system includes a proprietary OS that can access Pandora, Spotify, other streaming services, and also play music off internal storage ranging from 16 to 64 gigabytes. With 30 hours of playtime and a fog-proof touch panel, this Wi-Fi-enabled speaker can complement any social activity or be mounted on a wall to create a jukebox on-demand vibe in any room. Bluetooth 4.0 and AirPlay support ensure that music can also be streamed onto the speaker from virtually any device.

The Pitch. With an understated, scarcely narrated campaign video, Sno Speakers just shows the product in use, with pop-up video bubbles explaining the available features. The second half is dedicated to showing off the speakers in a variety of places they would excel, from parties to game rooms, showers to fishing trips. The rest of the campaign materials are dedicated more closely to providing technical specs and installation and mounting instructions for the device, which all look pretty simple and intuitive. Sno Speakers has a prototype in place and is ready to move onto manufacturing, trying to raise $75,000 to do so.

The Perks. A Sno Speaker with 16GB onboard storage is available for only $89. The 32GB model is available at the $109 level, and the 64GB model can be had for $125. Wall mounts are also available to create a stable panel for accessing room-filling music. All speakers are expected to be delivered August 2014.

The Potential. Sno Speakers are a great idea, but the portable 21st century boombox idea is already taking off. We’ve already covered the Auris Wily, which offers less onboard storage but more connectivity and utility options with its integrated camera, and other electronics giants have shown tablet-infused offerings. Ultimately if the Sno Speakers want a chance at finding market traction, it will have to be on the merit of its sound quality and the proving it’s a more convenient option than controlling via a smartphone.

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Connected Objects Music

Speaker Creatures bring sea life tunes to shower karaoke

The Premise. There’s something about a shower that brings out the inner rock star in people. Whether it’s the acoustics of a bathroom or the resemblance between showerheads and microphones, who doesn’t like a little music in the shower?

The Product. Speaker Creatures are fun, shower-safe Bluetooth speakers that sync up with devices up to 30 feet away to bring the whole band into the shower. With suction cups, the Speaker Creatures (thematically shaped like an octopus and a snail) can stick to any surface and play music for approximate 6 hours of battery life before it needs recharging. Better yet, the speaker itself has a control panel allowing owners to play their favorite songs without having to track water through the house. A built-in microphone is also available to take any incoming phone calls — a dubious proposition in the shower, but one that is blissfully free of video capability.

The Pitch. Speaker Creature developer OnHand embraces the cute, fun design of its creatures for its campaign video, breaking up a showcase of the speaker’s features with a little stop-motion animation of the speakers themselves. OnHand also shows off some early design ideas and even how Speaker Creatures can be used as a phone stand outside of the shower, thanks to its universal suction cup design. OnHand wants to raise $15,000 to prepare its inventory for launch and to create the special mold required for the device.

The Perks. Backers who want a snail-shaped speaker can get one at $25, while the octopus is currently only available for $30 pledges.  These speakers will be blasting out tunes by May 2014.

The Potential. A lot of people would probably love to have a little accompaniment to rock out with while singing in the shower. Waterproof speakers like these are nothing new, but the fun design and built-in music player controls certainly give Speaker Creatures an edge. The less said about being able to answer phone calls while taking a shower, however, the better. Speaker Creatures are fun and sure to be well-liked by children and adults, but based on the technology and the price, audiophiles will probably be passing.

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Input Music

Kyub takes MIDI mini, offers six-sided sonic synthesis

Screen shot 2014-03-26 at 1.53.40 PMMusical instruments can be large and bulky, but technology allows people to make music without needing the actual instrument. Kyub is a three-dimensional feather touch MIDI keyboard that fills in the gap between relying on a QWERY keyboard and using a physical MIDI keyboard. What that really means is that it is a compact cube with metal sensors all over it and an accelerometer inside of it. When you touch the sensors, the Kyub makes music and sounds like a piano with different experimentation options. While it certainly entails foreign fingering for experienced keyboardists, this unique little product uses USB for power and is compatible with different software synthesizers. Early backers can enjoy a fully assembled Kyub for $199 by July 2014. Kyub hopes to raise $20,000 in its 33-day Kickstarter campaign.

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Music Smart Home

Musaic takes on Sonos with standards-based multi-room speaker system

The Premise. Multi-room audio has come a long way from the days when it required installation by a professional and cables running throughout the home. Not only have wireless technologies made it much simpler to install and music , but also smartphones and tablets have solved the complexities of how to control it from nearly anywhere in the home.

The Product. Musaic is a wireless audio system that can be set up in the home over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or classic analog input. Controlled by the Musaic app for iOS and Android, users can set their own preferences, search for genres or nationalities, enjoy streaming radio options like Rhapsody, Soma FM, and Napster (still distinct from parent Rhapsody), and queue up tracks for the perfect wireless listening experience. Musaic is also part of the emerging AllSeen Alliance for smart-home integration, with planned integration with WigWag and LIFX already.

The Pitch. London’s Musaic is keen on some basic design tenets that are easy to get behind. In the team’s video, two members of the Musaic team (including CEO Matthew Bramble) show how easily a home can be setup with the wireless speakers to deliver high-quality sound in a multitude of formats. What really stands out is the simplicity and variety of options available with the Musaic control app. The system looks easy to set up, control, and customize for individual users, or for events and parties. Musaic needs £60,000 to finish developing the software and complete the applications for certifications and regulatory approvals.

The Perks. A Musaic MP5 player with metal stand can be had for a contribution of £160, with free shipping to North America, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The larger, MP10 model is available at a £260 pledge, with a MP5/MP10 combo package starting at £370. Musaic should start filling homes with music in September 2014.

The Potential. Just by premise alone, Musaic is easy to write off as just another, albeit well-designed, option for wireless home audio that challenges the multi-room market leader and powerful newcomers. After seeing the app in action in the campaign video it’s hard to argue with the proposed platform. The song selection options, ability to queue up tracks, and plethora of streaming options make Musaic extremely attractive as are the presence of physical buttons to make switching up tunes simple when closer to a speaker than a table. That said, the company has a long way to go to catch up with the streaming options offered by Sonos.

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Music

8Scape keeps your sheet music from blowin’ in the wind

The Premise. Your preparing for your big concert and will be looking off of several pieces of sheet music. You’ve been around the block enough to know that if you don’t organize it into a binder with sheet protectors that you will be driven crazy because it will either blow off the stand or fall off when you go to turn the page. But sometimes getting three or four sheets of music to stand side by side on a piano can be a balancing act exercise worthy of a circus.

The Product. 8Scape takes the concept of a binder and sheet protectors and extends it into a bit of a different direction. The clear plastic covers and folder provide musicians with the potential to secure eight pieces of sheet music on a music stand and a total of two page turns; the added thickness stabilizes the sheets. The finished product will allow for music to be loaded in from the side, as opposed to top-down.

The Pitch. The video for the modest $5,000 campaign is a bit dry and looks something like a sales pitch. While there is something intended to be sold here, it would be nice to see it presented in a warmer, more personable and creative way – as opposed to something like you might see in a B movie or infomercial.

The Perks. There are six tiers from which backers may choose. For $30, backers get one 8scape and an expected delivery of July 2014.

The Potential. The best niche for this may actually be classical musicians, especially if there is someone available to turn pages for them. However, the way that this product was presented made page turns look cumbersome and there seemed to be a risk of the entire product falling off of the stand or piano because the design may not be sturdy enough. The concept is a great one, but it could use some polish. For now, a binder with sheet protectors (items available in any office supply store) seem like they would do better. Despite there being more page turns, such a tried-and-true system provides more stability and organization.

As for other alternatives, the campaign owners argue that just putting your music on an iPad isn’t a good option because your battery might die. That’s true, but you could also forget to bring paper along or it could get torn or lost. The 8Scape may be help prepare your music for being played, but there’s no substitute for a musician’s being prepared.

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Music

MIDI Sprout turns home vegetation into Robert Plant

The Premise. Humans have had a long-time love affair with music. It is part of our culture, our customs and even our identity. We’ve crafted instruments of all shapes and sounds and musical genres to suit every culture and mood. But numerous individuals and groups have proved that you don’t always need an instrument to make music.

The Product. MIDI Sprout shows us that humans are not the only species who can create sophisticated musical compositions. It is a biofeedback-to-MIDI converter that enables plants to play synthesizers in real-time based on their physiological changes from the environment. The MIDI Sprout comes with two probes that send out a small electrical charge from a battery and attach to a leaf. In humans, the same technology provides insights into emotional states and is the basis of simple lie detector readings. While MIDI Sprout will not be able to prove whether plants have a hidden consciousness, it can transform data from living plants into biofeedback art to be experienced by all – just add a computer or synthesizer.

The Pitch. A-sharp? Data Garden, makers of the MIDI Sprout focus their Kickstarter campaign on educating potential backers on the concept of the “DIY biofeedback movement” and its benefits. The campaign video features music generated by plants and the voice of a futuristic woman who talks over images of people experiencing biofeedback art and interacting with plants. Data Garden aims to raise $25,000 in 45 days which will be used to produce prototypes for artists to use in installations and performances and to distribute to the wider public, including backers.

The Perks. Just to give backers some room for options, Data Garden amazingly offers 23 commitment levels, ranging from $1 to $10,000. You’ll have to pledge at least $95 to the project if you want to receive your very own pre-built MIDI Sprout converter ready to hook up to your plant and synthesizer/computer. If Data Garden reaches goal, MIDI Sprouts are expected to ship by November 2014.

The Potential.  While there are products which convert human biofeedback to MIDI, they are for medical use and quite expensive. MIDI Sprout would be the first affordable converter intended to be marketed “to the masses”. For the general public, raising awareness of biofeedback art and its potential impact will be necessary for the product to gain success. Until then it will likely become a fad that only a small niche of artists and perhaps some environmentalists will open their wallets for.

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Cell Phone Accessories Music

Nearbuds and Nearbuddy let your earbuds hang out, avoid tie-ups

Nearbud, nearbuddy 8081d1194ae408bbad661b322e724a82_large[1]It seems that even if you do find a good place to store your earbuds, you’re still stuck with the annoying task of untangling them out before using. Hearkening back to the magnetic back that was one of the better features of the Zune premium earbuds, Nearbuds and Nearbuddy are small clasps that attach to the standard apple earPods to keep the gangly appendages better organized. When not in use, you can hang them up by sticking your earbuds to pretty much any metal surface. The product provides similar benefits to the Zipi, but are a lot more compact and let you hang your earbuds to the wall (for when you want to listen to some cool tunes, one would suppose). For $20, backers get a complete product with an expected deliver of August 2014.

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Music

PonoMusic aims to set new audiophile listening standards with device, digital distribution

The Premise. Audiophiles and musicians alike have bemoaned the digital era for ripping all the humanity and natural sound away from listening to music. Despite a dedicated community who still swears by vinyl, the rest of the music-listening population has merely accepted these imperfections as something that comes with the territory.

The Product. Named for the Hawaiian word for “righteous,” PonoMusic makes it clear that it is not a new file format or audio standard, and yet what it does is revolutionizes the digital music store. Using FLAC as means to distribute sound  at a bitrate well above CD quality and without any compression, Pono wants to deliver users music the way it was meant to be heard. The player itself looks like an early MP3 player but has a unique, triangular shape and a LCD touch screen making control as easy as other personal music players.

The Pitch. With a lengthy campaign promo video, viewers are shown a parade of legendary music acts ranging from David Crosby and James Taylor to My Morning Jacket and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Each of these mega-stars talk about Pono as if it were the best thing that’s happened to home audio, a telling endorsement if nothing else. The rest of the campaign helps explain what makes Pono’s audio playback unique, and how it stands above other existing digital distribution models, making it more like the digital equivalent of a record album. Pono’s goal is to raise $800,000 to help establish the format for the consumer market.

The Perks. A first edition PonoPlayer can be had in yellow or black for a pledge of $300, with an expected release date of October 2014. For $100 extra, backers can get their hands on a limited-run chrome version with a laser-engraved signature from a variety of different artists supporting Pono.

The Potential. Even if the glowing praise from all of the high-profile rock stars in the video have more to do with how well Pono sounds versus trying to be respectful toward Neil Young’s vision, it is difficult to see Pono taking much momentum from smartphones and existing streaming services. Not only is the price high, but the campaign is built around the notion that hearing is believing; it will be some time before most folks can experience he triangular player versus lesser alternativs.

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Music

LineShark lets musicians jack in to their smartphones nearly anywhere

LineSharkMusicians looking to create music outside of the studio now only need their mobile phone and the LineShark. This portable audio interface works with both Android and iOS products and provides a way for any musician to plug any instrument into it to begin creating effects or simply recording unique sounds. Somewhat similar to the MixerFace, the LineShark is designed to be in the center of the action and enhance your musical performance without hindering it. One LineShark goes for $100 at a special early-bird price with an estimated delivery date of July 2014. In its 45-day Kickstarter campaign, LineShark is looking to raise $60,000.

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Music

For those about to rock, Amperage Pedals will help

The Premise. Trying to make it in the music business is hard, that’s no secret. Besides all the shows, all the writing and the practice, there’s a physical aspect to it as well. Putting on a good show usually requires managing a lot of equipment and making audio adjustments. Without a roadie or a sound guy, that just becomes even more work to add into the mix.

The Product. The Amperage Pedal is designed to take the ease of bringing a laptop or tablet on stage with an act and give it the kind of functionality that a quality amp would. With chicken-head knobs that are easy to turn and full programmability through the StageManager program packaged with it, musicians can change the volume, tone, treble, bass, mid, reverb, or anything that can be assigned through a MIDI controller. This package of hardware and software is designed to ultimately do one thing: rock crowds.

The Pitch. The North Shore Guitar team shows off what the Amperage Pedal can do with a quick studio jam session. The demonstration is a little long for what it offers, but true guitar aficionados will see the impact, and after all that’s who this product is made for. The other campaign materials show off the Amperage Pedal’s internals, and there is also a video demonstration of the StageManager software necessary to bring the most out of the pedal. The project is looking for the oddly precise sum of $9,781 to order all the necessary parts to manufacture the pedals.

The Perks. The Amperage Pedal takes the stage in May 2014. Early backers can get the pedal and the corresponding StageManager software for $178. Musicians that want to add a little flair can have custom artwork put on their pedal at the $370 tier.

The Potential. The Amperage Pedal isn’t exactly high-tech, it’s not stylish or flashy, and it probably won’t revolutionize the small concert. But it does look extremely well-built, perfectly functional, and will probably be a giant leap forward for those that take the time to get used to how the device works and how it can improve a live performance. It’s a curious mix of effect pedal and mixing board that could become a staple for upcoming bands everywhere.