Electrophonic chordophone system, apparatus and method

An electrophonic chordophone apparatus comprising:

• an input for receiving notes produced by strings of a guitar;
• non-transitory processor-readable storage means containing first and second user-configurable tonal formats;
• a processor arranged in signal communication with the input and storage means;
• and
• an output whereby the processor is able to output signals to a synthesiser;
• wherein the processor is adapted to:
• (i) associate a melody group of notes producible by the strings with the first tonal format in a one-to-one mapping,
• (ii) associate a control group of notes producible by the strings with the second tonal format in an one-to-many mapping, said control group forming a subset of the melody group, and
• (iii) output, to the synthesiser, both the first and second tonal formats simultaneously in substantial real-time, the first tonal format actuatable via the melody group of notes and the second tonal format dynamically selectable via the control group of notes and actuatable via the melody group of notes,
• so that a melody is producible by the synthesiser via the first tonal format and a dynamic backing track, independent of the melody, comprising multiple timbres is producible via the second tonal format.

A computer-implemented electrophonic chordophone method comprising the steps of:

• sensing respective strings of a guitar;
• associating a melody group of notes producible by the strings with a first tonal format in a one-to-one mapping;
• associating a control group of notes producible by the strings with a second tonal format in a one-to-many mapping, said control group forming a subset of the melody group;
• and
• in response to actuation of the strings, synthesising both the first and second tonal formats simultaneously in substantial real-time, the first tonal format actuatable via the melody group of notes and the second tonal format dynamically selectable via the control group of notes and actuatable via the melody group of notes, so that a melody is produced via the first tonal format and a dynamic backing track, independent of the melody, comprising multiple timbres is producible via the second tonal format.