Aeolian Harp [iPhone]

The Aeolian Harp is named for Aeolus, the ancient Greek god of the wind. Wind harps are the oldest forms of automatic music. The app uses the wind harp as a metaphor and allows the user to create relaxing animations and sounds without musical knowledge.

Touches and strokes generate visualizations and sounds which evolve in time.

User defined parameter and color schemes can be used to explore the manifoldness of the underlying particle system.

The compass can be used to locate the following instruments in the four directions of the winds: Balalaika, Celtic Harp, Guitar, Gamelan, Guzheng, Kalimba, Koto, Marimba, Orchestral Harp, and Sitar. Each of these instruments can be assigned to a compass direction with a double tap on a cardinal point.

The acceleration sensor is used to simulate the impact of gravity on the flowing particles. (You must increase the impact of gravity in the parameter settings to see the effects.) Other parameters can be used to control the duration of the sounds. Endless loops, for instance, can be created by a reduction of the evaporation parameter and an increase of the elasticity of the particles.

Snapshots of the animation can be sent via e-mail.

Recommended for headphones and external speakers (especially the speakers of the iPod and iPhone may distort high and low sounds).

Featured by Apple in Hot Trends 2010 - Generative Art & Sound