British developers have created a 'virtual' guitar that lets you make music by strumming thin air.
The Kurv, funded through a Kickstarter campaign, is made up of a wireless pick with an in-built sensor and a touchpad that replicates the fretboard.
The pad detects the pressure of a user's fingertips while the pick detects movement as you strum.
These two elements connect to a smartphone app using Bluetooth, which you can then plug in to any sound system to hear the music you're creating.
The product is targeted at beginners, with the idea being to remove the barriers that put some people off in the early stages, like sore fingertips or hand cramp.
"This is aimed at people who perhaps don't have time to play or learn the guitar, but have always wanted to. Our product simplifies some of the elements of guitar playing," says co-creator Mick Grierson.
"We keep the tradition of the pick so we have that as part of the product but we simplify the process of holding down chord shapes so you can do that with one finger or a group of fingers in a much more simple way."
Other entrepreneurs are experimenting with virtual reality as a way to help novices get into making music.
One of these is US-based Zach Kinstner, who's working on a programme that displays a series of keys and strings in front of the user once they put on their VR headset.
They can then create compositions of their own by using hand gestures.
"It's actually pretty easy for people who don't play an instrument or may not even be very musical to pick it up and start playing," Zach says.
"But, I don't think that a virtual instrument is ever going to replace a real instrument. I hope they don't I see a virtual instrument as being an alternative. It's a new class, a new branch of instrument that doesnt have the same physical limitations that a real instrument does."
With devices like these not intending to compete with the real thing, there is scepticism over whether or not they are likely to take of.
Kurv, for example, is set to retail at around £100 once it goes to market - which is more expensive than a good beginner's guitar.
Paul Stokes is the associate editor of Q Magazine, and he feels products that mimic the real experience aren't worth beginners' time.
"I think these virtual instruments are a bit of a gimmicky gadget for beginners," he says. "You're not really going to get a real sense of the instrument you want to learn, the feel of it, or where you need to put your fingers."
"And also the musicality is another issue, because it's all sort of done for you. If you really want to learn an instrument then you just need to pick one up and practice, practice, practice."
Of course, technology has been helping budding musicians teach themselves how to play for years.
There are a number of smartphone apps that help you tune your instruments, show you basic chords, or even let you monitor your progress.
And YouTube lessons from skilled musicians have helped people learn their favourite songs, or pick up key techniques.
With so much help already around, there is an argument that virtual instruments are an unnecessary extra step in the learning process.
But for people who are keen to get jamming without any strings attached, they could provide a fun alternative.
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