The history of guitar synths is a story that goes back decades. When manufacturers started integrating synthesiser concepts with the guitar, it vastly extended the capabilities of the instrument and opened up a new universe of sounds. So, let’s dive right into what guitar synths are, how they work, and the history of their technological evolution.
WHAT IS A GUITAR SYNTH?
A guitar synth is effectively a synthesiser module that receives input information from a guitar (or guitar-like controller) instead of a keyboard. There are a few ways this can be done. One is by having a dedicated guitar or guitar-like controller, or by using a hexaphonic (or divided) pickup. Via this special pickup, the synth module receives a signal from each individual string. It also sends pitch and articulation information that helps keep the natural character of the guitar intact.
These primitive systems had so many electronics that they usually had to be placed into a specially designed guitar or controller, like the Roland GR-700, though
