Automated stringed instrument player

An automated player for playing an unmodified stringed instrument comprising:

• a first frame member;
• a second frame member,
• said first and second frame members being connected by a first rail and a second rail, said first and second rails being spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other;
• a fretting mechanism comprising a plurality of carriages, said carriages being slidably attached to at least one of said first rail or said second rail whereby said carriages slide on one of said first rail or said second rail, with each carriage having a plurality of actuators, each actuator operating a finger to depress a corresponding instrument string;
• a corresponding belt fastened to each of said plurality of carriages, said belt being driven by a fretting servomotor connected to a first drive pulley and said belt also being supported by a second pulley;
• a plurality of plucking mechanisms, each plucking mechanism being dedicated to one of said plurality of corresponding instrument strings, each plucking mechanism including
• a rotor having a rotational axis generally perpendicular to said instrument string and an aperture eccentric to said rotational axis,
• a retractable spring-loaded quill, said quill being slidably disposed within said aperture,
• a pawl shaft passing through said rotor and freely rotatable within said rotor, said pawl having a disk portion, said disk portion having a slot for mechanical cooperation with said quill,
• a torsion spring connecting said rotor and said pawl shaft, and
• a plucker servomotor driving said pawl shaft causing rotation of said rotor;
• a plucker housing for supporting said plurality of plucking mechanisms in a line skew to said corresponding instrument strings, said plucker housing being adjustably mounted to said lower frame by an adjustment mechanism, said plucker housing having a roller clutch for each of said plurality of plucker mechanisms wherein said roller clutch receives said plucker mechanism rotor, allowing said rotor to rotate only in a first direction;
• and
• a control circuit for controlling the direction of rotation of said plucker servomotor,
• wherein said quill is naturally disposed in a retracted position within said rotor, said plucker servomotor receiving a signal from said control circuit rotates freely in said first direction, said quill head portion being in contact with an inclined surface slidably moves said quill into an extended position as said quill head portion traverses said inclined surface, said slot mechanically cooperating with said quill maintains said quill in said extended position, while rotating in said first direction said quill mechanically cooperates with and selectively displaces said instrument string, whereupon receiving a control signal said plucker servomotor rotates in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said roller clutch preventing said rotor from rotating in said second direction allows said pawl to rotate within said rotor in said second direction rotating said disk portion out of mechanical cooperation with said quill allowing said quill to return to said retracted position releasing said instrument string causing said string to vibrate producing a sound.