AirHarp – An ‘Ultrasonic Digital Autoharp’

Reader Peter DeSimone sent word of his AirHarp – an DIY gestural MIDI controller.

The AirHarp combines chord fingering in one hand with gestural note triggering in the other. DeSimone describes the AirHarp as a sort of “ultrasonic digital autoharp”.

Above, DeSimone performs his arrangement of Handel’s Lascia ch’io pianga for voice and AirHarp. 

AirHarp kits are available for $67. An Arduino is also required.

The project can be built as a standalone instrument or as a USB MIDI controller.  In addition to the kits, plans and source code are available for free, as it’s an open source project. See the AirHarp site for details.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NE10K8bPX8

In this video, DeSimone explains how to play the AirHarp and explains some of the music theory and playing technique of the AirHarp.

4 thoughts on “AirHarp – An ‘Ultrasonic Digital Autoharp’

  1. Seriously? WTF? What has the world come to? Air harps? Sorry dude but you look ridiculous and have the balls to put something like this on the internet? WOW! I seriously cannot see the point in this at all. I mean really who would ever buy something like this?

    1. Who would buy one? I would, and in fact I did. Its very clever, unique, fun, and it works. But then, I know a tiny bit of what it took to create it, which makes it even more impressive. The troll is clueless.

  2. whatever. stylistically i’m not down, but this dude actually made this thing and that’s more than most can say. kudos. way to not just eat work and sleep amigo. happy hello from vancouver bc you weirdo.

  3. Adam, I would suggest you spend just as much time it took you to type [ and press auto correct ] that comment to find the brain cells that rushed from that thick, empty skull of yours.
    Otherwise, find something productive to do with your time. Like, I don’t know….read a book with more then one synonym and doesn’t require coloring within the lines. 😉

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