Stringless bowed musical instrument

Abstract

A stringless electric bowed musical instrument is disclosed in which sensors are provided to detect finger positions and bowing motions of the player. A touch-sensitive fingerboard surface is equipped with pitch sensors that detect finger positions. Use of a fingerboard surface that includes an interactive flexible touch screen display provides a plurality of illumination patterns to be displayed on the fingerboard and permits various operational modes that are useful for both students and artists. A bowing platform in contact with either the fingerboard or the body of the instrument provides an adjustable bowing surface for including bow sensors configured to detect vibrations in response to bow motion. The bow sensors may include piezo-ceramic elements. Optical pitch sensors may sense interruption of one or more laser beams that propagate above a top surface of the fingerboard.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.