One possibility we haven't fully considered yet is reproducing instruments in virtual reality. Usually, most projects lean toward video games and other more advanced fields like architecture, engineering, and design, but VR Guitar is a solid introduction to what could become a platform programmed with multiple virtual instruments, allowing users to practice and save costs at the same time.
The development of franchises like Guitar Hero and Rock Band gave rise to all kinds of "alternative instruments"... although in reality they have nothing to do with instruments, because you can't make music with them. In the past we've seen attempts to reproduce pianos and guitars on a keyboard, but the results have always been terrible. Some instruments are really expensive, but there's the option of virtual reality. Imagine having a complete set of instruments at your disposal, and all you have to do to access it is put on a virtual headset.
The VR Guitar project goes in that direction by reproducing a kind of virtual guitar that floats before your eyes. With the help of an Oculus Rift headset and a Leap Motion device for gesture recognition, the user can basically play whatever they can imagine. Its developer states that prior experience with a real guitar is not necessary, since the software doesn't seek to imitate the physical shape of a guitar, but rather virtually copy its functioning. The most interesting thing is that VR Guitar has the ability to behave (partly) like a piano, or even a harp.
VR Guitar is a project aimed at the 2015 edition of the Leap Motion 3D Jam, whose voting will extend for one more month. The software is available for download free of charge, but you need to obtain the audio packs separately (some are free, others cost a dollar). Now, if you only have a Leap Motion, no problem: The experience will be much more complete with an Oculus Rift, but at the end of the day, the headset is optional.
