[sdiy-interim] [Bulk] MIDI guitar, the hard way

[Edward King]

How I would do it is to use QTC sheet on each fret (with some sort of thin 
plastic overlay) covering a small array of contacts per fret, so that moving 
your finger within each fret gives you a matrix of analogue values (which 
you can interpolate) to give you finger position.

On the string side, I would use vibration sensors attached to each string. 
Some noise cancelling to differentiate between synpathetic resonance and 
genuine activation and you're away.

I think the response times are pretty important and doing it this way will 
ensure that you get note data out and along the pipe very quickly.

If you want an optimised schematic for the qtc sheet layout, it shouldnt be 
too hard to rustle up.

Edward


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gorka Garcia" <torpedo at demadrid.com>
To: <synth-diy at vermine.org>
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 6:10 PM
Subject: [Bulk] [sdiy-interim] MIDI guitar, the hard way


> So... Now for a crazy idea that hopefully I will be able to work on 
> whenever I finish the other 20 projects in the list:
>
> I have this korean made Les Paul style guitar which I want to become 
> something useful. I thought about different artistic ways of using it and 
> finally I realized it was born to be a MIDI guitar controler, but not the 
> usual MIDI guitar with expensive Roland pitch to midi hardware. My thought 
> was to connect every fret and every string to an AVR/PIC microprocessor, 
> creating a matrix of switches between strings and frets. That by it self 
> will make of my guitar a pretty cool synth controler (I know, no string 
> bending... oh well) however, I will also like to be able to sense 
> individual string strumming. I though about it and the only solution I 
> found is using an Hex pickup (magnetic or piezo). Can you guys think of 
> another solution for detecting individual string strumming? hopefully 
> something DIY and cheap? Once the guitar/controler is finished, it does 
> not necesary have to sound right when the strings are strummed.
>
> Would something like this work (from Dave_B in the diystompboxes forum):
> http://davebales.com/me/stompboxStuff/hex_pickup.jpg
>
> Notes from Dave_B:
> "Could it look something like this?  I left out the wires and guitar 
> strings for clarity.  The white and gold part is the cut piezo, the black 
> part underneath is foam rubber or something similar.  I've seen articles 
> about glueing whole peizos to guitars for pickups (and tried with some 
> success a long time ago).  If you put these close to the strings would it 
> be enough to keep them from triggering notes from adjacent strings?"
>
>
> Have in mind that I am not expecting to capture sound out of the piezos, 
> only the amplitude of the strumming.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Gorka
>
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