NAMM 2012: Korg Humidi-Beat

NAMM 2012 PRESS RELEASE: Monitor your instrument's environment using the Korg Humidi-Beat, a portable metronome with a built-in thermometer and hygrometer.

Thermometer and hygrometer

Excessive moisture, dryness, and extremes in temperature are major enemies of a musical instrument that can cause damage and can also affect your performance.

The first step in keeping your instrument in good condition is to be aware of the temperature and humidity in its storage location. The Humidi-Beat contains a thermometer and hygrometer, enabling you to check these vital statistics at any time.

The temperature and humidity are checked at 10-second intervals*, and a warning Lo/Hi indication is displayed if the humidity falls outside the range of 40-60% considered ideal for a musical instrument. The Humidi-Beat is extremely compact, so you can leave it in yourinstrument's case, or attach it to the outside of the case, ensuring that you'll always be aware of yourenvironment.

* When the metronome is on.

Set the tempo

The tempo can be set in either of three ways: you can use 'Pendulum Step', which enables you to increase or decrease the tempo in the same steps found on a mechanical metronome; with 'Full Step' you can increase or decrease the tempo in single BPM steps from 30-252; the tempo can also be set by pressing the 'Tap Tempo' button at the desired tempo.

In the Loud position, the Humidi-Beat's audio metronome produces a powerful tone that won't be lost in the ambient sound. The Soft setting is ideal for private practice.

In addition, the tempo is indicated by a blinking red light; and the current Beat number is shown in the display. Muting the metronome allows the Humidi-Beat to be used with only the visual indicators.

Practice to a broad range of musical styles

In addition to beat counts ranging from 0 to 9 (total 10 beats), the Humidi-Beat gives you a choice of five rhythm patterns: duplets, triplets, triplets with inner beats omitted, quadruplets, and quadruplets with inner beats omitted. Altogether you have a total of fifteen variations that will cover your needs for a variety of instrumental practice.

Memory Backup and Auto Power-Off functions

Even with the power off, the Humidi-Beat will remember the user's current tempo, beat, rhythm, calibration, and watch settings. (These settings will be initialised when you replace the battery.) The Auto Power-Off function will automatically turn the Humidi-Beat off if 20 minutes pass while the metronome is stopped.

Highlights

• Portable, full-featured metronome provides enhanced rhythm training for every instrumentalist
• The built-in thermometer, humidity detector, and clock provide an easy way to care for the instrument by
• monitoring conditions inside the case during storage, moving, etc.
• Beat-Counting display makes it easy to practice rhythms and phrasing
• Tempo can be set using traditional Pendulum Steps, Full Steps, or Tap Tempo
• Beat Mode offers from 0 to 9 Beats, plus 5 Patterns to practice any style of music
• Convenient memory backup function recalls the users favorite settings
• Battery-saving auto-power off function
• Available in either Black (HB-1-BK) or White (HB-1-WH)

Price: £42 RRP inc VAT

Availability: May/June 2012

Information taken from official press release, for more visit Korg.

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