Ocarina

We spend a lot of time around here thinking about interactivity, how to engage visitors and what The Leonardo could use to get people excited about learning. Back in February 2008, The Leonardo ran a month-long workshop in South Towne mall where one of the emphases was on sound and music. Visitors -- especially teenagers -- were enthralled by the composition and general tinkering they could accomplish with GarageBand, LogicPro, a midi keyboard and a couple of iMacs.

Fast forward to the AAM conference in Philadelphia last month, and a session about gestural computer interactives. Among the many interesting things in that session was a tidbit about Ocarina, an iPhone and iPod touch application that turns your hand-held device into a musical instrument.Ocarina is the brainchild of a Stanford assistant professor, who has also created an iPhone orchestra -- members "play" their phones and amplify the sound by speakers attached to the back of their hands.

Ocarina (named for an ancient flute-like instrument) has a global setting as well, giving players a chance to listen to what people are doing with the application all over. The original application has a "Zeldrian" tone setting, and Wang has figured out how to play Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" on the iPhone. You can also check out a free trial of the company's leaf trombone that's worth your time for the memories of junior-high band class, if nothing else.

Although Wang doesn't come out and say it, Ocarina tweaks familiar technology to allow entry points to those unfamiliar with an instrument, and it has great potential for getting people interested in music, technology and sound.