From piano to guitar, there are a multitude of applications to help beginners get to grips with playing a musical instrument. The latest example enables players to familiarize themselves with the favorite instrument of Mstislav Rostropovich and Jacqueline du Pré – the cello.

       The application is called Viola The Bird. It enables anyone to try out or perfect their cello playing skills through a series of fun exercises, in the style of the Guitar Hero video game.

       You don't need to know music theory to play Viola The Bird, or even how to hold a bow correctly. A purple-plumed ostrich takes care of that for you.

       This cartoon-looking bird takes charge of holding the cello and bow while musical notes appear on the screen. The player must then move the mouse left and right to reproduce notes or chords with the virtual instrument.

       At first, you miss them all. Then, as you concentrate on the music and rhythm, you really get into the game. You might even end up thinking you're the next Pablo Casals, Yo-Yo Ma or Jacqueline du Pré.

       Viola The Bird offers music lovers a series of pieces from the classical repertoire, from Beethoven's Ode To Joy to Gustav Holst's Jupiter Hymn, to help them learn how to play the cello. It also offers them the chance to test their improvisational skills with the help of a string orchestra generated by artificial intelligence. Amateur cellists can record their musical exploits and share them with friends and family.

       This musical game is available free of charge on the Google Arts and Culture website. It was created by video game developer David Li, who is also responsible for the equally cute and fun game, Blob Opera. The latter allows players to make four opera voices sing in real time through four colorful creatures.

       StarPicks

       Becoming a residential prosumer of solar energy

       To create Viola The Bird, David Li enlisted the help of several cellists and violinists, including Ashok Klouda, Peter Wilson and Elizabeth Goble. The result is a virtual music game that is sure to delight aspiring musicians of all ages. – AFP Relaxnews