About
Yerko Sepulveda is the bass player behind the BackBeat. He got his first bass guitar while studying engineering at the University of Sydney in Australia. After a few cringeworthy stints with tribute bands, he found his niche in a jazz funk ensemble called The Bedfords. When the band won a competition during the 2000 Olympics, he used his share of the winnings to buy a 5-string Ibanez. A tinkerer at heart, he eventually converted the Ibanez into a 6-string.
Two years ago, Yerko was having trouble finding his bass in a crowded sound mix. Nothing he seemed to do helped. Thinking if he could feel the bass instead of straining to hear it, he could quit bugging the sound guys and take control of the situation himself.
The tinkerer went to work experimenting with various components, until he came up with the wearable subwoofer he never gigs without— the BackBeat.
When other musicians took notice and wanted one for themselves, Yerko knew he was onto something big. He left his engineering job two years ago to focus full time on developing the BackBeat, and plans to have it on the market in 2018.
Victor Wooten on why he loves BackBeat
Designed in Detroit, BackBeat is a wearable subwoofer designed to meet the performance and practice needs of the serious bass player.
When you play a string on your bass, BackBeat turns the sound you make into a vibration you can feel.
Clip it to your strap, connect it to your bass, feel what you play.
Plug your headphones into the BackBeat for a complete auditory and tactile immersion experience.
BackBeat allows you to play with confidence by providing instant feedback directly to your body.
Description:
ON/OFF - powers the BackBeat.
Rumble Control - controls rumble feel from zero to max.
Headphone Control - controls headphone volume from zero to max.
DC/recharge Jack - DC power connection to recharge internal Li-Ion battery or to use plugged into a wall outlet.
Signal INPUT - a signal plugged into this 1/4" Jack will drive the transducer shaker as well as send the signal to the Headphone OUTPUT.
Signal OUTPUT - used in an Through scenario. Bass goes to IN, then OUT goes to DI box, wireless pack, amp, etc.
Aux INPUT - 1/8” input from iPhone or MP3 player for practice.
Headphone OUTPUT - 1/8” jack. Mixes anything connected to Signal INPUT and Aux INPUT.
Uses:
Through Function
Connect your bass into the Signal INPUT, then Signal OUTPUT feeds a DI, amp, wireless transmitter, pedalboard, etc. BackBeat has an output buffer that ensures your signal is maintained.
PRACTICE
Practice on the go, anywhere, by connecting your bass directly into the Signal INPUT. Plug your headphones into the Headphone OUTPUT and MP3 player into the Aux INPUT. You can choose to turn up the rumble or not, or choose to attach the BackBeat to the bass strap or have it sit next to you.
IN ONLY
Some personal monitors have a separate channel that could be used to provide a standalone signal to the BackBeat. It could be a mix of any low end signal such as bass, bass drum, keys, or a low frequency click track.
IEM SETUP
Want super mobility? Use the BackBeat to thump all the low end you would normally hear in your IEMs. Connect the IEM receiver to the Signal INPUT, and connect your IEMs to the Headphone OUTPUT. The Backbeat will rumble your entire signal below 200Hz, and the Headphone OUTPUT will transmit clear 20-20,000Hz in stereo for your IEMs.
Electronics
Inputs
- 1 x 1/4” Neutrik TRS jack
- 5.5mm DC power jack
- 1 x 1/8” TRS aux input jack
- 1 x headphone volume potentiometer
- 1 x transducer force potentiometer
Outputs
- 1 x 1/4” Neutrik TS jack
- 1 x 1/8” TRS stereo headphone jack
Transducer
- Diameter - 2”
- Output - 20-200Hz frequency range
- Force - 10N
- Dimensions - approx. 72mm W x 170mm L x 24mm H
Accessories for BackBeat
Add-On Walk-Thru
Add-On Mock-Ups
**Note: These are examples of the add-on cases. The final shipping products will be customized to fit BackBeat and it's corresponding accessories.
Play Bass, Feel Bass, Make Money?
Click the kickbooster button to learn more.
Stretch Goal #1 ($110,000) - Ultimate Ears Every person who has pledged for at least one (1) BackBeat will be entered into a random drawing to win a FREE pair of Ultimate Ears In-Ear Monitors!
First Prize - One FREE Pair of UE-11 Pro IEM’s + Free Custom Wood Faceplates ($1,300 value) http://pro.ultimateears.com/ue-11-pro
Second Prize - One FREE Pair of UE-900s IEM’s ($400 value)
http://pro.ultimateears.com/ue-900s
The drawing will take place approximately 15 days AFTER the BackBeat Kickstarter campaign ends and all pledges are verified and collected by Kickstarter. Winners will be notified and announced shortly thereafter.
PLUS, every person who pledged for a BackBeat through Kickstarter will receive an exclusive 10% discount code for any model of Ultimate Ears IEM’s including FREE Custom Wood Faceplate upgrades on eligible models (a $100 value).
Instructions on how to claim discounts will be sent via a backers-only update approximately 15 days after the BackBeat Kickstarter campaign ends and all pledges are verified and collected by Kickstarter.
We would like to thank the fine people at Ultimate Ears for their enthusiasm and support of BackBeat, and our growing community of backers!
Stretch Goal #2 ($130,000) - Backers Get to Choose a Third Color Option for BackBeat! Let’s launch BackBeat in style! Once we hit $130,000 we will offer BackBeat (currently available in black or silver) in a third color option chosen by YOU, the backers! Voting begins now on our Facebook page and right up until the Kickstarter ends. The winner color will be added as a free custom option to all BackBeat backers. Choices are:
Gun Metal Grey Red Blue Green Purple Yellow White Orange
Vote now! The winning color will be announced shortly after the BackBeat Kickstarter Campaign Ends.
https://www.facebook.com/getbackbeat/?view_public_for=120964918458903
Risks and challenges
While there are many risks & challenges with creating and delivering a brand new product, we've minimized these as follows.
We own the intellectual property used to develop the BackBeat. We have no restrictions developing and delivering this product as promised in the campaign.
We have relationships with several suppliers and are in the midst of signing agreements with them. We have thoroughly tested BackBeat through several prototype iterations to work as promised in the campaign.
We have the expertise to make this product and do it well. That, along with experienced crowdfunding experts, leaves little room for error and ensures an on-time delivery of a functioning product.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterQuestions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Support
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