Koto

About this game

A calm music game for the Japanese long zither. Slide the ivory bridges to tune thirteen silk strings, pluck with your fingertips, sweep across the strings and press behind a bridge to bend a note upward. Learn six short pieces phrase by phrase, or let Watch and Learn show the finger, the string and the reason for every note. Silence counts too: keep still during a rest. Five traditional tunings, free play with movable bridges, portrait and landscape, no ads, works offline.

How to play

1. Pick a piece and start with Learn: a short phrase is played, then you play it back.
2. Red discs slide along the strings towards you. Tap the string, in front of its bridge, when the disc reaches the ring.
3. A gold ring means press: hold the same string behind its bridge. Close to the bridge bends a half step, further back a whole step.
4. Teal discs on neighbouring strings are a sweep: drag one finger across them.
5. Pale bands with the character for ma are rests: keep still and the silence scores.
6. Clean playing adds accompaniment. Show me points out the next note.
7. Watch and Learn shows the finger, the string and the reason for every note, with time to think.
8. On a keyboard: Q W E R T Y U I O P [ ] \ pluck strings 1 to 13, Shift or Ctrl press, Space pauses.