This interview by Mark Mosher of ModulateThis features Dr. Ge Wang, CTO and Co-founder of Smule.com – the makers of iPhone apps Sonic Lighter and Ocarina.

Wang is also an assistant professor at Stanford at the Center for Computer Research in Music an Accoustics and founding director of the Stanford Laptop Orhcestra.

In Part 1, above, Dr. Wang discuss the iPhone as an app platform, how constraint drives innovation, and his vision of how technology can bring us closer together.

In Part 2, below, Dr. Wang discusses how people are using Ocarina and how Ocarina has brought music to the disabled. He also discusses the future of the Ocarina and Smule, and what it’s like to be “Smulian”.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Mosher’s interview highlights that there’s a lot more the Ocarina app’s success than just letting people play tunes on their iPhone.

Here’s a few bizarre new iPhone music apps:

• UkeChords - a virtual ukelele chord dictionary.
• Jaw Harp (App Store link) - A realistic simulation of an authentic vintage Jaw Harp for Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch. Never be caught without your Jaw Harp Again!
• Theta Pack (App Store link)  - more binaural beat/digital drug mania - The Theta Pack includes three variations of Binaural Beats in the theta range; from low to high theta. Theta brain waves are associated with the development of ones intuitivity, deep meditation, lucid dreaming and some say even the awakening of paranormal abilities. So whenever you want to totally relax or get into that deep meditative state a little faster, the Theta Pack will help you achieve this state of mind. 
• iConductor - conduct a symphony orchestra with your iPhone or iPod Touchn. iConductor detects the motion using the iPhone’s accelerometer.
• iReal - a real virtual “fake book” – which is actually kind of a cool idea. Is it real or is it fake? The world may never know.

There are now hundreds of iPhone music apps, ranging from Internet radio apps to music toys to experimental music apps.

Today Apple announced its top iPhone Apps for 2008 (App Store link).  Here are the top 10 commercial and free iPhone music apps:

Top Paid Music:

1. PocketGuitar
2. Drum Kit
3. Ocarina
4. Pianist
5. Band
6. Tuner Internet Radio
7. Beat Maker
8. Guitar Toolkit
9. Harmonica
10. Guitarist

Top Free Music:

1. Pandora Radio
2. Shazam
3. AOL Radio
4. Midomi
5. Mini Piano
6. iheart Radio
7. MixMeister Scratch
8. FlyCast Mobile Radio
9. Last.FM
10. DigiDrummer Lite

Apple’s list is a popularity contest, so it misses interesting music apps that don’t have mainstream appeal. 

What apps do you think should have made the list, but didn’t?

Very Cool Software’s iStylophone (App Store link) is a new $5.99 virtual instrument for the iPhone that’s designed to be is a faithful reproduction of the original Stylophone electronic musical instrument.

It may be very cool software – but it would be even cooler if Iconic Apps hadn’t already introduced a $ .99 virtual Stylophone for the iPhone, RetroSynth (App Store link).

The Stylophone’s unique sound has featured on numerous hit records, by a diverse range of artists including: David Bowie, Brett Domino, Erasure, Hexstatic, Kraftwerk, Marilyn Manson, Orbital, Pulp, The Raconteurs and They Might Be Giants.