When you hear the word “ocarina”, what do you think of? Well, for me, the first thing that came to mind is The Legend of Zelda. Though I haven’t played the 1999 Game of the Year, I still hear that memorable tune/soundtrack playing in my head when I think of Zelda.

Upon hearing that someone made an application for it on the iPhone, I just had to go see it. The application is called Ocarina.

Ocarina is the first true musical instrument created for the iPhone. Ocarina is sensitive to your breath, touch and movements, making it even more versatile than the original. Unlike other musical applications, there are no pre-compiled riffs so musicians will find unlimited opportunities for self-expression. But you don’t have to be formally trained to appreciate this enchanting instrument. For beginners, Smule provides an interactive tutorial on its website. It is so easy, anyone can play, even if you don’t read sheet music.

What an awesome use of technology, right? It is now available at the App Store for only $0.99. At the time of this post, it seems that its been getting great reviews (i.e. average of 4.5 stars). If you want to check it out before you buy it, SMule produced some awesome demos for the public. Check them out below.

Theme from Zelda
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Stairway to Heaven
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PS. SMule also has another cool iPhone app that I think is far better than current “lighter” applications. It’s the Sonic Lighter. Check out the demo here if you are interested. It’s $0.99 though but very feature-rich and getting an average of 4-stars per review. It’s available at the App Storehere.