Tongue Drum
Online
Free virtual steel tongue drum with physics-based modal synthesis
Unlike sample-based instruments, Tongue Drum Online generates every note in real time using physics-based modal synthesis — 8 resonant modes per tongue — so each strike sounds natural and infinitely variable. Whether you use it for meditation, music education, or creative exploration, it runs entirely in your browser with no install required. Add it to your home screen and it works offline as a PWA — on mobile, tablet, or desktop.
Key Features
Everything packed into a single, load-once browser page — no accounts, no ads, no IAPs
Modal Synthesis
Each note is synthesised in real time using 8 resonant modes — a physics simulation of how metal tongues vibrate. No audio samples means a tiny download and true instrumental variety.
26 Scales + Custom Builder
Choose from 26 built-in scales spanning Western, world music, blues, church modes, and exotic tunings. Prefer something unique? Build and save your own custom scale on the fly.
3D Interactive Drum
The drum is rendered as a full 3D object. Drag to spin it in any direction and tap any petal to play — giving you a tactile sense of a real instrument on screen.
Recording & Auto-Melody
Record up to 2 minutes of your performance and export it as a WAV file. The auto-play mode generates continuous melodies at any BPM so you can compose hands-free.
Audio-Reactive Visuals
A real-time frequency visualizer and waveform oscilloscope react to every note you play. Four visual themes — Cosmic, Warm, Aurora, Minimal — set the mood.
PWA & Offline
Install it to your home screen like a native app and keep playing even without internet. The interface is in English.
Technology Stack
Zero external audio assets — all sound generated by the browser's audio engine
Why Physics-Based Synthesis?
Synthesis vs. Samples
Most browser instruments rely on pre-recorded audio samples — a fixed set of WAV or MP3 files that are pitched or stretched to cover the keyboard. The result is accurate for those exact notes but sounds mechanical when you push it outside the sample range.
Modal synthesis models the physics of a vibrating metal tongue: each mode has its own frequency, decay rate, and amplitude. Combine 8 modes per note and you get the characteristic sustain, shimmer, and overtone blend of a real steel tongue drum — with essentially zero download weight and no copyright encumbrance.
It also means the sound responds differently depending on how hard you strike (velocity), making performance feel alive rather than robotic.
Who Is It For?
- Meditation & relaxation — drone pad, reverb, and gentle auto-melody make it ideal for background ambience or guided breathing practice.
- Music education — explore scales from Lydian to Phrygian dominant hands-on, without buying a physical instrument first.
- ASMR & content creation — record clean WAV audio directly in the browser for use in videos or podcasts.
- World music exploration — 26 scales include Akebono, Hijaz, Yo, Celtic, and Dorian, bridging musical traditions from across the globe.
- Beginners — no wrong notes in a pentatonic scale; a tongue drum is forgiving by nature, making it the perfect first instrument.
Try It — It's Completely Free
No account, no subscription, no ads. Open the app, pick a scale, and play. Works on any device with a modern browser.