Electric Guitar Research Articles

Jazz Musicians and Their Disabilities: Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, and Michel Petrucciani.

Musicians with physical disabilities who achieved stardom are part of the lore of popular music. Guitarist Django Reinhardt contrived alternate fingering patterns necessitated by burn contractures of his left hand. Les Paul, a legend in the development of the solid body electric guitar and multitrack recording, mangled his right arm in a car wreck so severely that his elbow was set permanently at 90° so he could continue to play guitar. Michel Petrucciani suffered from osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that stunted his growth to the point where he used a special attachment to reach the sustaining pedals of his piano. Their stories show the force of human genius in music.

The “Gibson Les Paul” Guitar—Conception, Prototype and Production: A Study Through Counterfactuals

ABSTRACT The use of counterfactuals (“what-ifs”) has been a recognized approach in some fields within the humanities, in particular military history, where alternate scenarios can be readily proposed. As an approach it has also been used in fields such as the study of economics, and—much less so—in art history. This article will consider the violin and the piano, and then concentrate on a more modern—and, as such, better documented—example of the Gibson “Les Paul” model electric guitar to assess whether various decisions have had a major bearing on the business success of the model.

A Pluralistic Perspective on the Evolution of Technology: The History of the Electric Guitar

A Pluralistic Perspective on the Evolution of Technology: The History of the Electric Guitar

Spiral Ouroboros: Metasimulacrum in Rock and Metal Electric Guitar Processing and Modeling Technologies

The article reviews Jean Baudrillard’s concept of simulacrum and puts it in dialogue with the evolution of signal processing technologies for electric guitar, introducing the concept of metasimulacrum—a simulacrum of a simulacrum—to describe the historical trajectory from early electric guitar amplification to recent advances in digital signal processing, taking a critical stance on technological determinism

Musician-AI partnership mediated by emotionally-aware smart musical instruments

The integration of emotion recognition capabilities within musical instruments can spur the emergence of novel art formats and services for musicians. This paper proposes the concept of emotionally-aware smart musical instruments, a class of musical devices embedding an artificial intelligence agent able to recognize the emotion contained in the musical signal. This spurs the emergence of novel services for musicians. Two prototypes of emotionally-aware smart piano and smart electric guitar were created, which embedded a recognition method for happiness, sadness, relaxation, aggressiveness and combination thereof. A user study, conducted with eleven pianists and eleven electric guitarists, revealed the strengths and limitations of the developed technology. On average musicians appreciated the proposed concept, who found its value in various musical activities. Most of participants tended to justify the system with respect to erroneous or partially erroneous classifications of the emotions they expressed, reporting to understand the reasons why a given output was produced. Some participants even seemed to trust more the system than their own judgments. Conversely, other participants requested to improve the accuracy, reliability and explainability of the system in order to achieve a higher degree of partnership with it. Our results suggest that, while desirable, perfect prediction of the intended emotion is not an absolute requirement for music emotion recognition to be useful in the construction of smart musical instruments.

Exploring the potential link between prostate cancer and magnetic fields

Prostate cancer is the most common solid cancer in men worldwide. Various lifestyle factors have been established as contributors to cancer risk, and prostate cancer is no exception. Elements such as advanced age, diet, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, circadian rhythm disruptions, Afro-Caribbean ethnicity, and sexual activity have all been linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer. Notably, famous male guitarists from bands spanning the last few decades are now entering the age demographic most closely associated with prostate cancer. It is not surprising that they may fall into the ’at-risk’ category. Media speculation has hinted at a potentially higher incidence of prostate cancer among guitarists compared to their bandmates, although no tangible correlation has been established. This speculation piqued our curiosity and prompted an exploration into potential reasons why musicians, particularly guitarists, might be at an elevated risk of developing prostate cancer. We hypothesise the electromagnetic fields generated by the electric guitar may in part explain the possible increase in prostate cancer risk among electric guitarists. This study delves into these intriguing possibilities, shedding light on an area of research that remains speculative but warrants further investigation.

Multi-Sensor Laser System for Electric Guitar Pitch-Detection.

To attain a direct MIDI output from an electric guitar, we devised and implemented a sophisticated laser sensor system capable of measuring finger positions. This sensor operates on the principle of optical triangulation, employing six lasers and seven position-sensing detectors that are time-multiplexed. The speed and precision of this sensor system meet the necessary criteria for creating an electric guitar with a direct digital output, perfectly satisfying the application's requirements.

Legal Obligations and Potential Risks for Chinese Electric Guitar Enterprises from a Perspective of International Commercial Law

Legal Obligations and Potential Risks for Chinese Electric Guitar Enterprises from a Perspective of International Commercial Law

Opening the “Door”: A Multifaceted Approach to the Analysis of Text Setting in the Third Movement of Kate Soper’s “Door” (2007)

Abstract: The majority of Kate Soper’s (b. 1981) output as a composer-vocalist focuses intensely on the relationship between words and music. Methods of text and music analysis have primarily focused on relating musical materials to the semantic meaning of texts or have studied the ways composers musicalize sounds and use the materiality of poetry. Building on past scholarship and drawing from Soper’s program note to “Door” (2007), a setting of poems by Martha Collins for soprano, flute, tenor saxophone, accordion, and electric guitar, I develop a model that looks beyond semantics to investigate the roles of acoustic and aesthetic properties of words. My novel approach examines the relationship between music and words through four different but interrelated interpretive lenses: 1. Lexical, 2. Figurative, 3. Acoustic, and 4. Aesthetic. I demonstrate my methodology using the third movement of “Door” as a case study. I use Lexical interpretation to interrogate the piece-specific associations developed by Soper. My Figurative interpretation draws on the meaning of the words and extrapolates meaning from the poem before finding sonic analogues within the music. Acoustic interpretation involves inspecting the phonemes and acoustic envelopes of words and relating them to Soper’s choice of instruments. Finally, I observe which qualities of the poem and text resonate with me. Through Aesthetic interpretation, I attempt to understand what makes these qualities appealing. This multifaceted approach opens the door to consideration of new dimensions of comparison between text and music.

Influences of electric guitar pickup magnetic force on string vibrations

The design of a magnetic pickup has a significant impact on the tone of an electric guitar. In particular, the magnetic force from the pickup can influence the string vibrations and cause a beating effect, depending on the strength of the magnetic force and the amplitude of the string vibrations. To understand this behavior, we performed experiments and simulations. We measured and modeled the transversal string restoring force at various displacements from the magnetic pickup in directions both parallel and perpendicular to the guitar body. We observed that the magnetic force distribution is asymmetric in the perpendicular direction but symmetric in the parallel direction, which distorts the frequency of vibrations in opposite ways for the two directions and causes a resultant beating. This effect increases with larger string amplitudes or greater magnetic force and also varies over the duration of a plucked tone.

Research and Application of Artificial Intelligence in Electric Guitar Performance

The article explores the application of artificial intelligence technology in electric guitar playing. It delvesinto the advantages of artificial intelligence and its seamless integration into electric guitar performance. Additionally, itinvestigates the application of artificial intelligence technology through an intelligent playing robot. The research aims tooffer substantial support for the advancement of artificial intelligence in electric guitar performance.

Neural electric bass guitar synthesis framework enabling attack-sustain-representation-based technique control

Musical instrument sound synthesis (MISS) often utilizes a text-to-speech framework because of its similarity to speech in terms of generating sounds from symbols. Moreover, a plucked string instrument, such as electric bass guitar (EBG), shares acoustical similarities with speech. We propose an attack-sustain (AS) representation of the playing technique to take advantage of this similarity. The AS representation treats the attack segment as an unvoiced consonant and the sustain segment as a voiced vowel. In addition, we propose a MISS framework for an EBG that can control its playing techniques: (1) we constructed a EBG sound database containing a rich set of playing techniques, (2) we developed a dynamic time warping and timbre conversion to align the sounds and AS labels, (3) we extend an existing MISS framework to control playing techniques using AS representation as control symbols. The experimental evaluation suggests that our AS representation effectively controls the playing techniques and improves the naturalness of the synthetic sound.

The Music of Fausto Romitelli: Concerning the Question of “Musical Material”

The end of the 20th century demonstrates an expansion of horizons of the comprehension of musical sonorities, the conception of their transformation from music into “sound,” which radically changes the perception of timbre: this element becomes transformed from a peripheral component of sound to the primary element, thereby changing entirely the entire conception of musical material. Thus, the theory of music material developed by outstanding German philosopher Theodor Adorno in the middle of the 20th century has found its confirmation. The latter’s concept of the historicity of music material was upheld and further developed by Italian composer Luigi Nono, who fundamentally changed the sphere of perception of this phenomenon, which subsequently was testified by his German student Helmut Lachenmann. This required not only new combinations of sound, but a reevaluation of the attitude of working with them. Fausto Romitelli (1963–2004) pertains to the generation of composers that discovered new paths for work with sound. In his musical output sound becomes a complex multicomponent phenomenon presuming an interaction between acoustic instruments, electronic sounds and reverberation — the sound “aura” and the sound “halo,” both of which are also composed consciously (presenting “composed resonance”). Romitelli’s individuality demonstrates itself in the fact that he builds this component of his musical material, basing himself on sonar discoveries in the sphere of rock music, in particular, the Pink Floyd ensemble, which finds reflection in such of his works as EnTrance, Professor Bad Trip, etc. Romitelli characterized the “aura” of his sound as “dirty,” comprehending this as a specific resonance of the sound of the electric guitar in rock music. Romitelli’s “composed resonance” is not characteristic solely of him; “composed resonance” as an element of musical material may be discerned in the works of other composers, in particular, Kaija Saariaho in her Amers for solo cello and ensemble.

Exploring socioeconomic factors for the sustainability of electric guitar brands: focusing on traditional values and psychological attachment

The primary objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive quantitative analysis to investigate the factors influencing the purchase of electric guitars. Building upon prior research related to the decision-making process behind electric guitar purchases, our research took a quantitative approach to shed light on this intricate process. We designed and tested six hypotheses, utilizing structural equation modeling to analyze a dataset consisting of 433 responses collected within the electric guitar community. The results of our study have uncovered intriguing insights into the factors that drive purchase intention among electric guitar enthusiasts. Notably, two out of the six variables examined, namely ‘Brand’ and ‘Heritage Value,’ were found to exert a significant impact on consumers’ intentions to purchase electric guitars. This discovery carries profound implications for the industry. It is worth highlighting that electric guitars possess inherent features that can enhance a player’s skill and convenience through cutting-edge digital technology. However, our findings reveal that players place a higher emphasis on the perceived heritage value and brand identity of electric guitars, which take precedence over their functional attributes when making guitar selection decisions. This preference for cultural and emotional aspects over utilitarian features is a significant revelation. In light of the current state of the electric guitar industry, which is experiencing a decline, our research suggests that emphasizing and promoting the heritage and brand values of electric guitars could prove instrumental in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones. This strategic shift could serve to revitalize the industry and counter the challenges posed by advancements in technology. In summary, our study reaffirms the importance of cultural and emotional elements in consumers’ decisions regarding electric guitar purchases, underscoring the need for industry players to adapt and focus on these aspects to remain competitive in a changing market landscape.

Розвиток музичних здібностей молодших школярів засобами інструментального музикування

The article is devoted to the problem of developing musical abilities of younger schoolchildren in the process of instrumental music making. Today, reforms are actively taking place in the field of education, the purpose of which is the formation of a competitive, creative personality capable of self-determination, self-realization and self-improvement; promote his comprehensive development, talents, abilities, competences, creativity and curiosity. Therefore, a modern school should ensure the formation of such a personality, and an important role in the implementation of these tasks should be assigned to the art of music. The influence of instrumental music-making on the development of abilities, the formation and improvement of musical hearing and skills, emotional and conscious perception, expressiveness, improvisational development, a deep sense of music, aesthetic, patriotic and musical education of younger schoolchildren in modern education is considered. Attention is focused on finding ways to activate the development of musical abilities and constantly improving the methodology of musical education of younger schoolchildren in the process of various musical activities, and especially in the process of instrumental performance on elementary musical instruments. A certain number of elementary musical instruments are considered, both conventional (instruments without a certain pitch: sticks, bars, box, drum, tambourine, triangle, plates, brushes, spoons), and electronic (keyboard-electronic, instruments with non-fixed tuning). Methods of organizing training using such tools and their impact on the development of younger schoolchildren. The need and expediency of teaching younger schoolchildren to play musical instruments is determined. The focus is especially acute on modern musical instruments, such as: electric guitar, synthesizer, drums, etc. The effectiveness, efficiency, usefulness and perspective of using musical instruments in the process of education, training and activation of musical abilities of younger schoolchildren are revealed. Ways and methods of promoting the development of various musical abilities of younger schoolchildren through instrumental performance, such as: musical ear, technical skills, emotional perception, musical creativity, joint musical interaction, self-discipline, responsibility.

“A not admitting of the wound”

This essay contextualizes my recent studio EP, Tender Carpenter, a cross-genre setting of an envelope poem by Emily Dickinson that uses electric guitar in 19-tone equal temperament, voice, and virtual instruments. I reflect on microtonality as a mode of Queer musicality and its personal significance in my own coming-out as bisexual in mid-life, drawing connections to the cultural and formal significance of Dickinson’s work. I situate my use of microtonal music theory within discourses of “purity” and “nature” inherited from just intonation, exploring temperament as a Queering gesture toward ambiguity that opens onto alternate paths, referencing Sara Ahmed’s Queer Phenomenology. I discuss the role of embodiment and the interactions between performer and altered instruments—the 19-tone guitar, the pitch- and formant-shifted voice—as tools of disorientation and play with musical relationships and gendered identities. And I reflect on the role-play involved in musical genre, referencing Jack Halberstam’s The Queer Art of Failure.

Features of the Performing Style of Bass Guitarist Paul McCartney (based Examples of hi performance)

This article explores the features of the performance style of the English composer and bass player Paul McCartney. Of particular interest is the musician's choice of the first Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass. It is noted that this decision was due to practical considerations, in particular, the shape of the instrument had a symmetrical body. The scale and the distance between the strings were close to those of an electric guitar, which made it possible to play with a mediator (plector) technique. In addition, the use of the Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass bass guitar allowed P. McCartney to get a special sustain and characteristic sound attack, in comparison with bass instruments from other companies. The author analyzes the bass parts of P. McCartney in the works I Saw Her Standing There and Please Please Me. Particular attention is paid to the musician's commitment to a clear and accentuated performance of the bass canvas, based on the bass riff or the main sound of the chord. An important aspect of the instrumental lines is the absence of pauses, emphasizing the density of the musical fabric. The practical application of mediator technique allows P. McCartney to perform works in a more rigid and aggressive manner. The key element is the ornamentation of the bass part with the help of rare grace notes and glissando, which contributes to the activation of the metro-rhythmic basis, demonstrating the nature of the performed works. Thanks to the original manner of performance, the musician manages to transform the bass guitar from an auxiliary instrument into an independent one, revealing its performing and expressive potential. At the same time, most of the bass parts created by P. McCartney are studied in music educational establishments around the world, thereby emphasizing the musician's contribution to the development of bass guitar performance.

Processing Measures for the Beautiful Tone of the Electric Guitar

A beautiful tone can not only make the electric guitar present a better performance effect, but also enable the player to immerse himself in the performance atmosphere and convey his performance demands to the audience. However, the factors affecting electric guitar tone include multiple individuals in both software and hardware, such as pickups, string lengths, circuits, paints, and musician's musical aesthetic ability, so it is necessary to apply tone processing methods according to the basic tone requirements, apply differentiated tone processing techniques based on the construction of electric guitars, regulate the tone in steps in accordance with the basic process, and continuously improve the musician's artistic comprehensive literacy.

피크 재질에 따른 사운드 비교

In modern pop music, electric guitars are played in many different genres. When playing an electric guitar, use the pick to hit the strings of the guitar. The pick varies depending on the material, thickness, and shape, and it often has a great influence on other sound changes depending on the material and thickness of the pick. Nevertheless, there are no guidelines for pick selection in Korea according to the material of the pick. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the frequency of how the electric guitar sound changes depending on the material of the pick and to present the criteria for the selection of the pick. The research method analyzed graph changes through PAZ Analyzer after the same performer played using four types of picks in the same environment. As a result of the analysis, Ultem emphasized the middle range, and the sound sounded solid. Derlin had a flat middle range. Celluloid material showed a sound that emphasized the middle of Ultem and Derlin, and Nylon showed a high-pitched range.

Analysis of Electric Guitar Improvisation Techniques

As an important form of modern fusion music performance, electric guitar improvisation is widely praised and welcomed for its unique performance style. The main points and difficulties of its performance lie in tone switching, speed playing skills, and grasping the title, mood, and style of the music. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate the conventional techniques of string sweeping, pizzicato, and dotted strings with improvisation, applying differentiated rhythmic rhythms, timbre modulation, and special playing techniques to deepen the distinctive art-rock music characteristics.