Ever heard of a guitar that closely resembles an arcade game? Well, with innovation creeping in, there is always something new that one would get to enjoy even in the world of music.
Almost everyone is aware that a guitar is a musical instrument to play music using fingers or a pick. It usually has six strings made of nylon or steel attached to its body, which is built in various types of woods. However, this 8 bit arcade based guitar is a unique instrument due to its peculiar use of buttons. Invented by Mike Davenport, this special guitar equipment uses the logic of Field Programmable Gate Array. This guitar will definitely garner a lot of speculation from the arcade gaming fans as it is kind of an enhancement of an arcade machine. Arcade fighters follow a system whereby they use buttons with a given direction for performing an action. Gaining motivation from this machine, Davenport decided to venture into making a highly innovative guitar.
Each button on the guitar manages a certain string. Those in the bottom row function as anchor to create different kind of combinations. When you wish to play three different three-note chords, the toggle switch should be up. And with the toggle switch down, the combos will run through three different arpeggios.
The addition of a joystick at the front of the buttons allows you to change the pitch by pushing the joystick in the y-axis direction. It is strategically designed to manage the rate of LFO oscillator when moved in the x-axis direction. For those who are not aware of LFO concept, the LFO oscillator functions by adding the output wave with a low frequency sine wave. This gives rise to a wave which is an amplitude adjusted by the low frequency wave. The effect thus formed is called the tremolo effect.
Moreover, the rotary encoders modifies the settings of the guitar – for instance from sounds jagged to sine smooth. And if you ever wish to take a break and resume composing music later, you can use save banks. On the extreme left corner opposite the green buttons, there is another button which on hitting saves the current banks.
Moreover, the encoder on besides the green buttons makes it easy to change the various parameters of ASDR envelope, LFO depth, octave and chord combo notes. The USP of this instrument remains to be the membrane potentiometers. In terms of length, they resemble those of a regular guitar neck (18”) and just by moving your finger up and down the neck of the guitar you can control the pitch.
You can also attempt at making one at home provided you have made a thorough research on this guitar. A complex but not impossible task, this would require you to precisely enlist all the required materials before strategically positioning them so as to develop the right chords.
Playing guitar is already fun; enhance that experience with this unique and fun arcade guitar which will enable you to strike the right chord.
For more music, fun and excitement also check out Giana 64 and Vespa Guitar which are amazing for tech savvy musicians.
via: hackaday
