Jaw Harp Synth

A digital jaw harp (kubyz/vargan) synthesizer for iOS. Bringing the ancient sounds of the traditional Bashkir and Turkic instrument to your iPhone with modern digital effects and an intuitive touch interface.

Features

Authentic Sound Engine

Physics-based sound synthesis that captures the unique overtone-rich timbre of real jaw harps. Multiple tuning presets from different regional traditions — Bashkir kubyz, Yakut khomus, Vietnamese dan moi, and more.

Tap-Based Interface

Intuitive touch controls designed for expressive playing. Tap to pluck, slide to bend pitch, and use multitouch gestures for overtone selection and resonance control. No music theory required — just play.

Effects & Processing

Built-in reverb, delay, and modulation effects to shape your sound. From traditional acoustic tones to experimental electronic textures. Chain effects to create unique soundscapes.

Recording & Export

Record your performances and export as WAV or MP3. Share directly to SoundCloud, Instagram, TikTok, or import into your DAW.

Sound Library

Multiple jaw harp models with distinct tonal characteristics. Each model tuned to capture the authentic sound of instruments from different cultural traditions.

About the Jaw Harp

The jaw harp (known as kubyz in Bashkir, vargan in Russian, komus in Turkic languages, dan moi in Vietnamese) is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world. Used across cultures from Siberia to Southeast Asia, it produces distinctive overtone-rich sounds through vibrations of a metal or bamboo reed.

The instrument has been central to the musical traditions of Bashkortostan and other Turkic peoples for centuries. Jaw Harp Synth brings this heritage into the digital age while respecting the authenticity of the sound.

Listen

Sound samples created with Jaw Harp Synth:

Privacy

Jaw Harp Synth respects your privacy. No registration required, no personal data collected. See our Privacy Policy for details.