The Cowboy Harp instrument from the developer New Nation Audio is now free. The plugin is compatible with macOS and Windows.
I’ve never heard anyone say that harp VSTs are like buses, you can wait ages without any in sight, then two come along at once. But after going for some time without a harp VST to discuss, we’ve recently had The Lucky Harp from Bad Cat Samples, and now Cowboy Harp, by New Nation Audio.
Admittedly, it’s a bit of a stretch to use that analogy, since the similarities end with the word harp.
Rather than a classical or Celtic harp, the Cowboy Harp brings us the weird and sometimes wonderful sound of the jaw harp.
Where the classical harp makes you think of dreamy, ethereal runs, the jaw harp makes you think BOING!
The jaw harp features heavily in everything from meditative drones to Wild Wild West dual soundtracks to solo techno vibes from enthusiastic performers.
As a result, Cowboy Harp provides a versatile sound that you can use in various scenarios. But if you’re not crafting meditation music or scoring a Western, it will work well as a sparse melodic tool in heavy trap or hip-hop music.
Cowboy Harp features two multi-sampled jaw harps, each with ten round robins.
Each harp has dedicated Attack, Release, Gain, Pan, and Pitch settings. You can layer both jaw harps to create a distinct sound.
The interface sports an old-time Western look, which adds to the novelty of the instrument.
In addition to the two available jaw harps, Cowboy Harp features three dedicated FX modules: Delay, Reverb, and Dimension.
It also features some handy presets, ranging from duelling pistols vibes to weird and trippy sounds.
I’m new to Cowboy Harp, so I’m not familiar with its pricing history. It has been available for free in the past, but it also had a list price of $19.95 at times.
Whatever the case, it is now available for free in AU and VST3 formats for macOS and Windows.
I know it’s somewhat of a niche and often comical sound, but sometimes something different is just what you need, and it’s certainly different.
Download: Cowboy Harp (FREE)
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Last Updated on July 25, 2025 by Tomislav Zlatic.
