MIDI-guitar (was: Touch Switches/TS instruments )

[Theo]

Lasers? Good havens you sure like it the hard way.
Chances are that the lasers will play like shit, because you won't be able
to feel them.
What about short strings;
1) simple approach, non velo: connect short string to a micro switch,
2) elegant approach, velo sens: measrue the string movement and translate
that into a triger pulse.
The srting may be stif pices of metal, like on the Digitar.

If you only want CV control the whole thing could analog, no midi needed.

When midi output is no problem you may want to check out the Casio midi
guitar (the japanece Casio from the wimpy keyboards).
Not sure if they still make them.
It has a rubber fret board with no strings and rubber ribs as string
triggers, althoug I saw a model that used 5inch "real" strings as triggers
once.

Cheers Theo


----- Original Message -----
From: <matti at devo.com>
To: <synth-diy at node12b53.a2000.nl>
Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2000 1:00 AM
Subject: MIDI-guitar (was: Touch Switches/TS instruments )


> Okay, this is even more off the topic, but casio's post brought something
up:
> have you ever considered using a MIDI-guitar (not sure of the real name)?
It's
> (those that I've seen, anyway) as follows: laser beams are emitted from
the
> bridge, and picked up just before the neckboard; if one of the beams is
blocked,
> an output is sent via MIDI, indicating that a note has been hit. Note
control is
> done via four sets of keys replacing the frets on the neckboard. Now,
assuming
> that you've equipped your modular with a MIDI->CV (or are using a modular
> emulator on your computer), this has a certain amount of potential.
>
> ONly problem here, is that they are moderately expensive. Which brings me
to a
> more relevant point -------> does anybody know of any schematics for such
a
> device? I've looked myself, and not found any (the lasers may be a
problem.....)
>
>