Electronic sound generating system for a stringed musical instrument

Abstract

An electronic sound generating system is disclosed for use with a stringed musical instrument such as a guitar. An RF oscillator is connected with an electrically conductive string of the instrument and a pickup coil is positioned adjacent to the string so that RF signals of varying amplitude are induced in the coil due to vibration of the string resulting from playing of the instrument. The variable amplitude RF signals are detected and an audio signal produced therefrom that is coupled to a speaker, for example. A stereo output can be provided by placing dual pickup coils adjacent to the string with the pickup coils being positioned normal to one another. Each string of the musical instrument can be separately provided with an RF current of a common frequency or different frequencies. A separate pickup coil is provided for each string, with two such coils being provided for each string if the output is to be a stereo output, and the signals from the pickup coils are processed in separate channels each of which includes a filter tuned to the frequency of the RF signal impressed on the associated string. Thus, separate audio outputs from each string are available for independent signal processing. Conventional techniques may therefore be employed to produce effects normally associated with electronic music synthesizers. In addition, a vibration sustaining device can also be utilized for each string to continue or alter vibration of the string.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.