The World`s Finest Custom One-of-a-Kind Multimedia Laser Beam Harps

Public Interaction Multimedia Laser Harps, using USA-FDA/EU approved for Public Interaction, low powered Blue, Red and/or Green lasers. We use only <1mw (EU regulation), or <5mw lasers (USA-FDA regulation), lasers which are approved as safe for public interaction, when installed in a laser harp.

For Installation in your Science and Technology Center, Children`s Museum, Children`s Hospital,  Exhibit Hall, or Entertainment Center, with from 6 to 64 laser beams.

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Using the worlds fastest, most sophisticated midi controller and custom Windows software, we can can design, create and install in your Museum or other Public Venue, a vibrate, brilliantly lit Laser Beam Harp, with from 6 to 64 Red, Green, and /or Blue lasers.

This controller responds instantly with superb quality sound, at the speed of light, to a laser beam being broken by the player`s finger or hand, with a single note of music in a scale, of harp, piano of other instrument per beam, or as a complete jazz combo including a full range of instruments, one per laser beam, ( or as an endless possible range of nature and musical sound choices). Among other possibility’s, a  piece of Classical or other music can be set to be played with the notes in the correct order and pitch, via “play any beam” mode, where the speed of the music is controlled by how quickly the laser beams are ‘played’.

The controller and software we use, can also trigger video projection, still image projection, and other light effects, including side-light-up fiber optic cables, that can be installed between layers of safety glass, to light up as “strings”, when the adjacent laser beam is broken. In this type installation another set of lasers is installed to be triggered to light up the ends of fiber optic cables, stretched between two fixed points.

The size and style of your Custom Laser Harp, has no real limits, with virtually any shape or size possible, with from 6 up to 64 laser beams. The body of your Laser Harp can be metal in a clean streamlined shape and style, or created from wood, in a simple or complex style.

I can design a compact lap or floor sized laser harp, created from figured Hardwood, that looks just like a harp, in a simple or elaborately carved ‘look’ or style.. Or I can design for you a laser harp installation in a shape that is very sculptural and stream lined. For example in a large open “C” shape, or any other shape that you have in mind.  Or for a entirely different approach, your Laser Harp installation could be in the shape of a grand old Oak tree, carved from figured Maple or Myrtle wood, with the lasers shinning down from the branches, onto the sensors in the exposed tree roots !

 

The Laser Harp shown above on the left is a custom 28 Laser harp with both Red and Green Lasers. Shown with theatrical haze

The harp at right and at bottom,  is a custom carved laser harp, with 8 red lasers, created for the ‘Strong National Children`s Museum of Play’, in Rochester NY. It was created to be “The Giant`s Harp”, from “Jack and the Beanstalk

This is a Carved Myrtle wood Laser Harp with 8 green Lasers. This harp is about 38 inches tall, designed to be installed on a about a 4 for high cabinet.

Laser Harp shown here above.

This is a custom carved Laser Harp, made from Oregon Myrtle wood,  with 7 green lasers, designed, and carved for the “Jewish Children`s Museum”, in Brooklyn New York.  It is carved as if it is made from part of a living Olive tree, with olive leaves and fruit, and with gilded gold highlights to the carving. There are three buttons, with the active one lit up, that change the music played, form one traditional Jewish Melody to another. The laser beams are set so that the music is played in the correct order, with the speed of play determined by how fast the laser beams are broken. The Hebrew inscription says, “King David, Blessed by G_d.”

All of the Laser Harps described here are what is called a “Framed” style. In this type of laser harp, the lasers shine onto optic sensors, located on the “sound board”, or the body of the harp. The lasers are most often located in the neck of the harp, shining down on the “string rib.” The lasers are generally set about 2 to 3 inches apart, to allow indiviual laser beams to be “plucked.” (the spacing can be customized, depending on how you wish to use the harp).

A ‘framed’ laser harp can be designed and created in almost any shape or size that will allow a stable beginning and end point for the laser beam and it`s sensor. And that will allow you to break that laser beam, and thus trigger the midi event or sound you have programmed, with your hand or in any other way.

An entire room can actually become the laser harp, with a set of lasers shining across the room to a bank of sensors, set on the opposite wall. We have such an installation of a room sized Laser Harp, at Science Works, Hands On Museum,in Ashland Oregon. The lasers are set to shine about one foot off the floor, and the young visitors love to jump, run and roll through the lasers beams. Since these lasers are certified safe for public interaction, they are perfectly safe for young children to interact with. A room sized installation could also be designed and custom built with the lasers shining down from an elevated structure, down to sensors set on the floor, or from one wall to another.

 

 Custom Laser harp with 8 red lasers, created for the “Children`s Hospital of the King`s Daughters”, in Virginia Beach Virginia, 2008. This Laser Harp included a complete “plug & play” cabinet, complete with computer and sound system. The installation consisted of simply bolting the base of the cabinet to the floor, and then plugging in, and turning on the computer and laser power. The software was pre-loaded and pre-programmed for the client.

How Do They Work?

In its simplest form, a Laser Beam Multi-media MIDI Harp, is a light controlled switch. When a laser beam is shining onto a photoelectric sensor, a low voltage signal is created. When the beam is  interrupted with a players hand or fingers, the voltage form the sensor drops, which activates previously selected events, via the midi controller, computer and software.

The windows software can run on a Windows 7,8, or 10 device, or on a Mac Computer, in a Windows emulator. This Custom software I supply is fully programmable to produce a wide variety of different sound and visual effects when you break or reflect  any of the laser beams with your finger or hand. This software has a fully programmable synthesizer and wave event editor built in to it. There is an already loaded, extensive library of sampled wave file nature sounds and music, as well as an wide array of ready to load ‘songs’. These ‘songs’ are collections of wave file sounds and music, and/ or synthesizer produced sounds, all set to play on the your newly installed Laser Beam Harp.

Here is a run down of the specs of the Mountain Glen Harps-OptiMusic MIDI multimedia controller system that I supply with each of my Laser Harps.

Cabinet for the “Children’s Hospital of the King`s Daughter`s” custom laser harp, containing all the midi, stereo sound and computer equipment and controls needed to run the harp. It is all plugged into a AC/DC power supply in the floor. Laptop  computer used with this Harp was a WinXP. The software is shown in the left picture.

This system is a  simple ‘plug & play’ type,  on a Windows 7,8, or 10, desk-top, rack mounted or, laptop windows device. The software can also be used with a Mac Computer, in Windows mode.

The software is controlled via the OptiMusic controller unit, which processes the voltage-level signals from the optic sensors installed in your Custom Laser Harp, triggered via the Laser Beam interaction of the players runnign their hands or fingers through the laser beams.

This beam interaction can trigger sounds music, still visual images, video projecting, and via DMX, special effects, smoke, pyrotechnics and other digital applications – all instantly,  in real time. Variations of these simple examples, in endless combinations,  are what give the Mountain Glen Harps-OptiMusic MIDI Multimedia controller system its power and versatility.

All systems come with many presets and libraries to choose from that require little or no setting up and no special technical knowledge.

Remote Control

Mountain Glen Harps-OptiMusic  MIDI controller systems are supplied with a User Button Box, with a cord connected, to install with the harp, or as a wireless remote control,  with four control buttons, to control and change settings, sounds etc. This box has a long cable that allows remote placement of the box in a staff accessible only placement for Museum staff use, or for it to installed in reach of the public . The buttons can be used , with a simple push, to allow total change of the sounds/music being played by interaction with the Harp, using a set of 3 or 4, or more,  pre-programed ‘song’ selections.

Play Modes, in the software/controller

* Trigger Mode In this mode, breaking a beam always triggers the event, sound (a sample, loop or MIDI note), image or video that that particular beam has been preset to trigger. Each beam will always trigger its own preset event when broken. e.g. If the blue beam is set to play a bass drum and the yellow beam a snare drum; then the blue will always play a bass drum and the yellow a snare.

* Sequence Mode In this mode, breaking any of the beams plays a preset melody or song one note at a time. Familiar tunes may be played by the breaking the beams in time with the song. Little or no musical ability is required to play a tune. Similarly, a sequence of images could be displayed or an image could be built up one part at a time.

* Event Mode When broken, a beam set to ‘Event Mode’ can change octaves, sounds, songs or programmed settings for any or all of the beams.

Switch Modes

* On-Off A sound will play only while a beam remains broken. The sound stops when the beam is unbroken.

* Play to end Once triggered, a sound will play to the end regardless of when the beam is unbroken.

* Toggle Mode Breaking a beam the first time triggers a sound which plays to the end (or loops) until the beam is broken a second time.

All beams do not have to be set to the same Play or Switch Mode – each beam may be set up differently. Beams can be set up to be secondary control beams, that can play events or sounds, as well as changing any aspect of the whole sequence programming.

The system can interface with most existing lighting control systems (via  MIDI/DMX inputs to your lighting board or controller.)

I often build my laser harps in three basic sizes, with 8, 16, or 32 lasers, though as few as 6 laser beams or as many as 64 can be controlled via the software and controller system.

Laser color choices are expanding all the time, with Red, blue and green Lasers readily available but new color choices are now an option, at additional cost. Please ask about other current Laser color choices, for a current price quote.

Custom Laser Harp Prices 01/1/2022  Please contact me for current prices

These are prices for basic harp-like configurations, most often made from wood.It is possible to use all metal, in a open “C” style, of square cross section thick aluminum, which simplifies the harp construction and results in a clean lined shape. Using this material, I can offer my Laser Harps in a bit lower price range.Custom carving and shaping of a wooden  laser harp will be quoted on an individual bases, though these prices do include cusotm designing and shaping.

These prices include:

One OptiMusic USB Data Controller module w/USB cable, (for the first set of 16 laser channels). This box can be daisy chained to 1 to 3 more boxes to control up to 64 Laser beams. You connect this USB Data box to your  computer.

For  32  to 64 laser beam models, an USB extender unit for each additional set of sixteen lasers is included.

A button Box for users to scroll through settings (4 Buttons). Either corded or wireless.

And the OMPC-AV Version 4.0 software for Audio (Wav + MIDI) and Visuals (Pics and videos).

One  AC/DC power supply for each set of 6 to 16 lasers.

A fully “plug and play” system can be designed and created for your project, as a self contained cabinet mounted Laser Harp. This type of project comes complete with a three speaker stereo sound system, all needed cables and power supplies, ready to plug into a AC110 or AC240 power outlet, and the software loaded on a pre-programed computer. The price for a ready to plug-in Laser Harp, as a self contained unit, is from $2,000 to $4,000 additional to the prices listed here below.

Prices With Eight Laser Beams       These prices are subject to change, please inquire for current prices.

For an Eight beam Laser Harp, with  Red, blue, and/or green Laser beams, made from custom hardwoods……………..$13,000

For an Eight beam Laser Harp, with  Red, blue, and/or green Laser beams, made from all-metal construction………….$12,000

Without Midi controller and software, (supply your own midi controller and software),all hardwood…………………………….$8,000

Without Midi controller and software,(supply your own midi controller and software), all metal……………………………………$7,000

Prices With Sixteen Laser Beams

For an sixteen beam Laser Harp, with  Red, blue, and/or green Laser beams, made from custom hardwoods……………$17,000

For an sixteen beam Laser Harp, with  Red, blue, and/or green Laser beams, made from all-metal………………………….$15,000

Without Midi controller and software, (supply your own midi controller and software),all hardwood…………………………..$10,000

Without Midi controller and software, (supply your own midi controller and software),all metal………………………………….$9,000

Prices With Thirty two  Laser Beams

For an Thirty two beam  Laser Harp, with Red, blue, and/or green Lasers, made form cusotm hardwoods…………………$34,000

For an Thirty two beam  Laser Harp, with Red, blue, and/or green Lasers, made from all-metal………………………………..$31,000

Without Midi controller and software, (supply your own midi controller and software),all hardwood…………………………….$22,000

Without Midi controller and software,(supply your own midi controller and software), all metal……………………………………$19,000

Prices With Sixty Four Laser Beams

For an sixty four beam  Laser Harp, with Red, blue, and/or green Lasers, made from custom hardwoods, or all-metal, please ask for a current specific project  price quote.

Shipping, packing and handling are extra.

Payment can be made via Bank Wire, PayPal, check, or Visa/Master card.

Please inquire about a specific size and configuration for a possible Laser Harps for your project. Smaller sizes at lower costs are possible.

Warranty on Mountain Glen Laser Harps

The constructed and carved wood parts of  my Laser Harps, is warranted by Mountain Glen Harps LLC, for a period of Five years from the time of delivery. Warranty does not cover misuse, accidental damage, abuse, or exposure to weather or humidity extremes.

The AC/DC power supply are also warranted for Five years. Warranty does not cover damage due to, power surge, misuse, accidental damage or exposure to weather extremes.

The Lasers are warranted by Mountain Glen Harps LLC, for a period of One year from delivery. ( The normal life expectancy of the laser diode modules is usually at least Five years, according to the manufacture.)

 Here below are videos, showing a laser harp I  installed in Sept 2008, in the ” Children`s Hospital of the King`s Daughter`s “in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

This video here below, shows the harp playing a ‘jam session’ programs that combines many of the possible ways to use and trigger wave files via breaking the laser beams. These are all real sampled sounds of real instruments, vibes, drums etc. The sound can be triggered instantly, and for a moment, as well as a play to end file, or as a start with first break, stop with next one, and then with a third touch, to change the file being played. there is also several loops being triggered in this sample, that give the back beat to the mix.

 

Thank you for coming to visit my Harp Pages, please let me know how I can bring your Dream Laser Harp to Life !

Follow your Bliss, and live your Life in Joy!

Glenn J. Hill