This USB-C mouthpiece turns your smartphone into a playable instrument

There are a lot of different phone accessories out there: Smartwatches, earbuds, cases — the list goes on. But have you ever imagined an accessory that turns your phone into a playable musical instrument? Well, one company has, and it could be in your hands soon.

Artinoise, an Italian startup company, has created a USB-C accessory for your phone that turns into a playable instrument (via The Verge). It’s called the Zefiro, and it’s basically the size of a flash drive. It works by blowing into one end to simulate various musical instruments. The best part: it requires much less skill than playing the trumpet in a high school band and is much easier than playing the recorder in middle school.

The Zefiro is available for pre-order through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign starting at €29 (about $30). “This campaign is a key part of our journey to make music a universal language, and your support will help us bring zefiro to musicians worldwide,” Artinoise says. “Our aim with zefiro is to empower everyone — from beginners to professionals — to experience the thrill of creating music, anywhere.”

How the Zefiro works

You can have a recital every day now

To connect the Zefiro mouthpiece to your smartphone, all you need to do is plug into your device’s USB-C port. It’s equipped with lip and air pressure sensors that capture your breath power, which in turn influences and directs the sound volume, pitch, and harmonics of your chosen musical instrument.

To start playing instruments with the mouthpiece, you can download Zefiro’s app, which let’s you access a library of virtual musical instruments. When you open an instrument on the app, like the flute, you’ll see on-screen finger placements you can use to simulate musical notes. You can even record your performances and share them with friends and family.

Artinoise

My initial impression of the Zefiro is that it’s a great way for beginners to learn music and for those more experienced to practice on the go. Music can be a powerful force for good, and it’s awesome to see a device like the Zefiro make music more accessible. The device is also lightweight and portable, making it easy to take anywhere.

Artinose is selling the Zefiro in its Kickstarter campaign starting at €29 (about $30). A Pro version, which offers an added accelerometer for “more nuanced musical performances” is also available for €39 (about $41). The Zefiro is expected to ship next year in February. The Kickstarter campaign for it has already reached its goal of $5,309 with 781 backers at the time of writing.

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