Daily iPad App: Air Harp

The Air Harp is an interesting stringed instrument. It produces breath-taking sounds, yet it's relatively easy to play. It's so easy that many elementary schools use the instrument to teach children music. If you enjoy the sound of a harp and don't want to worry about tuning the strings, you should check out Air Harp, an iPad and iPhone version of the stringed instrument.

You'll never replace the feel of the instrument with an iPad, but the Air Harp app does an excellent job reproducing the sound of a harp. The virtual harp has 15 strings representing two octaves of notes in G Major. You can tap the strings to create your own tune, or use sheet music to play a well-known song. The app includes several pieces of sheet music, and you can buy additional collections for 99-cents each.

Playing the harp is easy, even for the musically-challenged individual. All you have to do is follow the notes on the sheet music. It helps if you have a basic understanding of music, but even if you don't know the difference between an eighth note and a quarter note, you can still play the harp. You just have to know the tune well enough to tap along. If you want to get a little crazy with the harp, the app lets you pluck or strum the strings without changing any settings. This tap-and-strum mode was a much-requested feature missing in previous versions of the app.

Overall, Air Harp is enjoyable and relaxing for the music-oriented adult. Unlike other music apps which require you to tap falling dots on a screen, the app uses real notes and strings which makes it an excellent learning tool for children. Air Harp is a universal app and available from the App Store for $0.99.