Guitar Synthesizer - Guitar-based Models

Guitar-based Models

Guitar-synthesizers based on electric guitars.

Typical guitar-synths in this category consist of:

• an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar;
• a hexaphonic pickup (also called a "divided pickup") that provides a separate analog output for each vibrating string;
• a converter that converts each of these analog wave forms to corresponding digital representations, from which it recognizes and extracts the fundamental frequency or pitch of each, which it then converts and outputs as electronic (CV/Gate in early days, and later MIDI-formatted) data.

This data can be stored or input directly to a synthesizer that generates corresponding notes that can be made audible when played through an amplifier and speaker.

These components may be integrated into the instrument body or modularized in different ways. The hexaphonic pickup may be a separate component added to the guitar, or it may be built-in. Earlier guitar-synths required the musician to use a proprietary guitar with an integrated hexaphonic pickup.