Tuning of musical instruments

An automatic tuning system for a stringed musical instrument having a plurality of strings (2), the system comprising:

• a. electrically driven resonating means (4) arranged to resonate a string (2) at its fundamental frequency, with an air gap between the resonating means (4) and the string (2);
• b. resonating control means (22) arranged to drive the resonating means (4);
• c. vibration detecting means (3) arranged to detect the mechanical vibration of the string (2) and to convert said vibration into a corresponding electrical signal;
• d. comparing means (23) arranged to compare the frequency of said electrical signal with a predetermined frequency and to output a comparison signal;
• e. adjusting means (5) arranged to adjust the tension in the string (2);
• and
• f. closed loop tuning control means (2,20,21,22) arranged to receive said comparison signal and automatically control operation of said adjusting means (5) until said comparison signal indicates that the frequency of said electrical signal is substantially equal to said predetermined frequency:
• characterised in that:
• g. the tuning system is adapted to be installed in the instrument as a permanent fixture such that:
• i. said electrically driven resonating means (4) is mounted as a permanent fixture of the body (1) of the instrument such that it may resonate all of the strings (2) of the instrument;
• ii. said vibration detecting means (3) is mounted as a permanent fixture of the body (1) of the instrument such that it may detect the mechanical vibration of all of the strings (2) of the instrument;
• iii. said adjusting means (5) is mounted as a permanent fixture of the body (1) of the instrument such that it may adjust the tension of all of the strings (2) of the instrument;
• iv. after installation, the tuning system maintains the tension of all of the strings (2) of the instrument during normal playing, via said adjusting means (5), and requires no assembly or disassembly to or from the instrument, in order to carry out tuning;
• and
• v. the tuning system makes no contact with the strings (2) of the instrument, both during normal playing of the instrument and during tuning, other than via said adjusting means (5).