I saw this wonderful instrument the first time, played by Jean Michel Jarre.With the years I became NewAge music composer, and I found a really great idea to play it.
In 2010 I started to looking for who, in the world, was really producing this instrument.
Browsing in Google, it was very difficult to find somebody.
The main reason: it is full of blogs of self-builders, or empty pages or some not well defined products that's lokking like a toy.
As musician I needed something that's a product, that's an instrument with certain peculiarities that no links/website was offering.
I was already to the point to give definitely up when at once, I found this site:
http://www.kromalaser.comthey are building and commercializing Laser Harps! Wow, it was what I wss looking for.
I no wanted things from China, so I was looking who/what is Kromalaser. I discovered it's a Western European Company.
Ok, I was extremely wondered when I found it lies in Italy. God: we are talking the same language.
I contacted them in order to get more information about their Laser Harps, and they answered quickly and with all details.
For me, that's great. Because I finally found a Laser harp that's not a toy, and a company that's answering correctly, completely and without "turns of words".
I decided to get their littler model the KL-450.
It was delivered perfectly on time.
Once received I was amazed. This laser harp: compact, very portable, and rugged.
I opened it and the elegance and simplicity of the controls has astonished myself.
I started immediately to play in order to get some confidence with. Great!!
Just I connected my USB/MIDI Interface to the MIDI out of the Laser Harp, the other top of the USB cord to the PC, I started Kontakt, loaded the library of Jean Michel Jarre and I was already playing!
Being my career in the technical environment, I was very curious to watch how this instrument was made. I wrote to
kromalaser asking if I could. Of course they informed me that the warranty goes to expire and I was risking my eyes with Lasers.
I worked with lasers in my life, to align optical systems (telescopes) so that I got some confidence, and about the warranty: I got the risk.
I opened the Laser Harp.
I was astonished! It seems it is made in Germany or Switzerland, so good the whole structure and circuitry is made!!!
i couldn't avoid to call
kromalaser back expressing my congratulations. I clearly told them that my Warranty was expired but I wanted to see in what manner the interior was. And I was not touching anything else.
After the talk, the owner told me that if I really didn't touched anything, I could consider the warranty again valid.
I had care really do not touch anything: any trimmer, any mechanism.
I felt myself really well treated. My money where spent in a very good way.
The little bag in which the Laser harp is crafted, is very elegant and robust, internally it's very strong and can really resist to heavy duty.
No "kits" not "self-built" not any little box that flies away when you are sneezing.
After a while a friend came to my place to watch and test this jewel.
he went away with it!!! He just payed me the whole amount and went to his place with it :D
So that I had to buy another one!
The lasers of the
kromalaser Laser Harp are in two colors and this is an invention of
kromalaser. They wanted the Red beams for the chromatic notes and the green for the diatonic.
At least I can orient my self on :where I am when I'm playing.
Indeed, to have all the lasers green, I didn't liked at all. Nevertheless, this laser harp, can have also all lasers green and all red. It's just a setting that's very easy to be activated.
The
kromalaser Laser Harp come with a little pedal board. GREAT! because all the toys I found in internet they have or some pushbutton here and there or "dip-switches"! gents! I need to play! Not to surgery a person! When I 'm on Stage aI need to find immediately the set-up.
Indeed with this Laser Harp, taking example from Guitar players that are working with Pedals in a very very very good manner (I'm guitarist as well! So I know what I'm telling!), I found that solution simply: GREAT !
Covering 6 Octaves, it is more than sufficient for my needs. NewAge music is centered on the three central octaves and I can play this Laser Harp of
kromalaser very easily.
I opened a project and I will make a CD with it. I'm really enthusiast about this Laser Harp.
thank you
kromalaser ;)
I know they invented in 2010 also an ILDA Controller in order to drive also all the Laser Projectors. It was named KL-ILDA, now they changed the name in
KL-KONTROL and it follows the same philosophy of the
KL-450. It's very good for DJs also. It will be my next step when I design big concerts in open space ;)