This app lets you play a traditional Japanese string harp by “plucking” the strings with your fingers. It opens with a lovely intro screen of falling cherry blossoms. Then you touch the screen to get started. If you want to play an individual string, you simply tap it, or you can glide your finger down across more than one make a chord.

After you’ve become a master musician, you can start recording your symphonies by touching the musical note icon at the bottom right of the screen, selecting a recording number and then touching the icon with the black circle on it to start taping, so to speak. If you turn out not to be so good, don’t worry. You can also play preinstalled music by touching the musical note icon and picking one of the songs listed under demo play and then touching the play arrow. Just tell your friends that you recorded the song yesterday.

Those who want a little different sound can change the tone scale. There are 11 options that give you an array of pitches. The names are related to actual Koto instruments, so it is pretty much trial and error for anyone not familiar with them. There are also options to turn the string numbers on or off as well as the pitch bend.

This app can be a little tricky to get the hang of at first, but the help menu is your friend. Just touch the icon at the very bottom of the icon list (the circle with the white center) and you’ll be on your way to annoying – I mean, entertaining – your friends and neighbors in no time.

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