Individual notes · Webcam or keyboard
Air piano, at your fingertips.
Turn empty space into a keyboard. Play individual notes with your index fingers, or try the virtual piano below with touch, mouse or computer keys.
Lower either index fingertip onto the camera keys. Lift it to release.
Camera stays off until you choose Start camera.Tap or hold a key. On a computer, use A W S E D F T G Y H U J K. Use two index fingers in camera mode for two notes together.
Camera frames are processed on this device. No microphone is requested. Start at a comfortable speaker volume.
How to play air piano
- 01
Try a note
Tap C4 on the keyboard or press A. The first interaction enables sound. The piano has eight white keys and five black keys, covering one chromatic octave from middle C to the next C.
- 02
Start the camera
Allow video access, then wait for hand tracking to load. Keep a hand fully visible in even light. The camera view is mirrored so your movements follow the screen.
- 03
Point, lower, lift
Extend an index finger and move its tip onto a key in the camera overlay. Hold briefly to sound the note, then lift above the keyboard to release. Use the upper part of the keyboard for black keys and the lower part for white keys.
Each hand controls one note with its index fingertip. Both index fingers can play together. Touch and computer keys also support more than one note at a time.
Make a melody before adding harmony
Play C4 → D4 → E4 → G4, then reverse the order. With a computer keyboard, that is A → S → D → G. In camera mode, lift your fingertip between notes so each attack is distinct.
Next, hold C4 with one hand and play E4 with the other. Listen to how two separate notes create an interval. For full chords selected by hand shapes, open the original Gesture Synth and follow its chord map.
Air piano and other ways to make gesture music
This air piano is a small virtual keyboard with a synthesized, decaying piano-style tone. It is useful for experimenting with note order and two-note combinations. It does not model acoustic piano mechanics, offer 88 keys, or measure the force of a physical key press.
If you want smooth pitch bends between notes, play the online theremin. If you want to compare notes, chords and continuous pitch before choosing, see the hand gesture music guide.
Camera, sound and mobile questions
Can I use the virtual piano without a camera?
Yes. Tap the keys, click with a mouse, or use A W S E D F T G Y H U J K. You can also Tab to a key and hold Space or Enter. No account or camera permission is needed for these controls.
Why is my fingertip not playing a note?
Keep your whole hand visible with the index finger extended. Move the fingertip inside the keyboard shown on the camera view and pause briefly. Folded fingers, dim light or a fingertip outside the play area do not trigger a note. Lift out of the keys before playing the same note again.
Does it upload my camera video?
The hand tracker processes camera frames in your browser. This piano does not upload or record them and does not request a microphone. The site uses analytics and advertising as described in the privacy policy.
What if my phone cannot track my hands?
Use the touch keyboard. Camera mode needs a browser with camera, Web Audio and WebAssembly support, and performance varies by device. A supported desktop browser and a steady camera give you more room to position both hands.