Soundbeam

What is Soundbeam?

Soundbeam is a system that detects the distance, direction and velocity of body movements in a defined space, and translates these body gestures into control signals for creating electronic music or manipulating multimedia.

Invented by composer Edward Williams to give dancers a new relationship with music, Soundbeam now narrows for everyone the gap between what can be imagined and what can be physically acheived. Soundbeam is intuitive, engaging, and encourages collaboration.

Up to four ultrasonic sensors send out beams of ultrasonic pulses - similar to a bat's sonar, too high in pitch for us to hear - listening for echos from any interruption of the beam and converting them into MIDI instructions for playing electronic musical instruments, and achiving images or visual effects.

Who is using Soundbeam?

Soundbeam in special education and music therapy
Soundbeam provides a medium through which even profoundly physically disabled or learning impaired individuals can become expressive and communicative using music and sound. The sense of control independence that Soundbeam provides can be a powerful motivator, stimulating learning and interaction in other areas as well.

Soundbeam in the music classroom
Soundbeam offers teachers and students new opportunities for contemporary forms of composition and classroom music making. A group of 12 Soundbeam players (4 beams and 8 switches) - with comparatively little training - can form a useful nucleus for ensemble music making and multimedia projects. This in turn can provide a powerful stimulus to student creativity.

Soundbeam in museums and science centers
Installations in museums and science centers world-wide feature Soundbeam as a way of enabling visitors to interact with exhibits in an enjoyable, educational and creative way. Artworks at The Lowry in Salford, England; Seattle's Pacific Science Center; the Parque de las Ciencias in Granada, Spain; and Eureka! Halifax are amoung these centers.

What people are saying about Soundbeam

"Soundbeam has played a major role in helping students realize their fullest potential. Multi-handicapped with visual impairment, in the past they were constantly being given assistance to hold and shake percussion instruments. Now with the help of Soundbeam they are independently making music...students whose movements are slow and slight are instantly rewarded...as they become more confident they begin to interact and take more chances, and to explore more and more the environments around them."
- Astrid Galipeau, Music Therapist, New York State School for the Blind.

"I think it's given some of the children the opportunity to shine in ways they wouldn't have shone in the classroom. Given them the chance to see each other in a different light they've seen to be shining in something, whereas normally they wouldn't be seen by the others to have (any) particular talents..."
- Helen Smith, Music Educator

"I really do believe that (using Soundbeam) is a process by which children can be brought in to making music, with potentially less barriers."
- Mike Parrott, Arts and Development Administrator

More information:

For more information on the Soundbeam system or for a formal Soundbeam system quote, call us at (800) 963-8733 or fill-out our Soundbeam Proposal form.

Soundbeam 5 Video: