A string synthesizer is also commonly known as a guitar synthesizer, or guitar synth. It is any one of a number of systems originally conceived to allow a guitar player to play synthesizers. There are two main types of string synthesizers. One outfitted with real guitars as an additional gear to actuate a synthesizer. The other one are guitar like MIDI controllers. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages. MIDI guitar is often used as a synonym for the field of guitar synthesis or for a string synthesizer, but MIDI is not involved in every case.



By tradition, the synthesizers have a keyboard interface that allows a human to play the instrument. However, a human interface does not necessarily need to be a keyboard. At the same time human interface is also not necessary. This is because the synthesizers produce sound electronically, thus any sort of input device can actuate them. In this case a string synthesizer provides an interface, which is familiar to the instrument player.

To make the job of the player easy, a few manufacturer of effects unit market string synth pedals. These effects use a variety of techniques to make the stringed instrument sound more like a synthesizer, but they are not really the stringed instrument.

However, the earliest string synthesizers were based on real and actual string instruments. Top music instrument production brands like Roland, App, Axon, Ibanez, Casio and Yamaha manufactured the string synthesizer. Roland however remains the pioneer in this context.

The properties or the components of a string synthesizer are as followed. However, these components may be integrated or modularized in different ways.

A stringed instrument. The instrument can be electric as well as acoustic, for example, an acoustic guitar.

A divide pick up is also known as the hexaphonic pickup. This provides six distinct outputs, one for each string.

A converter, which determines the pitch coming from each of the strings, transmits this information to a synthesizer.

A synthesizer, which generates the intended note.

In some string synthesizers the hexaphonic pickup may be a separate component, which can be mounted on almost any string instrument. The hexaphonic pick up is sometimes built into the instrument as the part of the original guitar. The earlier string synthesizers required the musicians to use a proprietary string instrument, which was designed with an incorporated hexaphonic pickup. Much later manufacturers developed the line of pickups, which allowed the pickups to be mounted onto any guitar.

Today, several guitar manufacturers offer their guitar models with integrated hexaphonic pickup and preamp system, which is compatible with any guitar synth hardware.

Usually a cable connects the hexaphonic pickup to the converter. This allows the player or the guitarist some more freedom of movement, along with being creative with the converter.

The timbres of the guitar and synthesizers can be blended together at any ratio, enabling the musician to play guitar alone, guitar and synthesizer, or synthesizer alone. As a guitarist if you are using a hexaphonic pick up as separate component you can use any guitar and be creative.