[Rob Instigator]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...bsonguitar1204

New Gibson guitar uses robotics technology to tune itself


YURI KAGEYAMA
Associated Press
December 4, 2007 at 12:19 AM EST

TOKYO — Musicians of the world are getting a new kind of artistic freedom with technology that eliminates the challenging chore of tuning.
Robotics technology developed by German company Tronical GmbH in partnership with Gibson Guitar Corp. enables Gibson's newest Les Paul model to tune itself in about two seconds.
For users who purchase the add-on technology, the guitar recognizes pitch. Then, its processor directs motors on its six tuning pegs to tighten or loosen the strings accordingly. Tronical has offered its “Powertune System” online and through retailers in Germany since March, according to the company's website.
The Gibson Les Paul guitar model with Blue Silverburst finish goes on sale globally this Friday.

 

Enlarge Image Mike Peters of British rock group The Alarm' demonstrates the new Gibson robot Les Paul guitar in London on Monday. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)




Nashville, Tenn., guitar maker Gibson and Tronical said Powertune is the world's first self-tuning technology, and Gibson says it is particularly useful for beginners, who tend to find tuning a headache.
Musician Ichiro Tanaka, who tuned and played a sample guitar at Gibson's Tokyo office Monday, said the technology is handy for professionals too. If they use special tuning for just part of a concert, as he often does, it means they don't have to lug around an extra guitar with the second tuning ready.
“It's more than just convenience,” said Tanaka, of Japan. “It's a feature I really appreciate.”
The Les Paul Silverburst model is to cost about $2,780 (U.S.) in Japan and $2,499 in the U.S., with self-tuning offered for $900 extra.

[king_buzzo]

i know, its disgusting. i fucking hate this company for this very reason. theyre always putting out some modern state of the art million $$$$ guitars.

fuck this shit.

[Rob Instigator]

sonic youth could tour with just 5 guitars, each capable of tuning itself in seconds to one of their myriad odd tunings. I think this kicks ass, and will only get cheaper.

[girlgun]

i think if you can play guitar, you can tune your own. this is a novelty item (priced prohibitively high for that matter).

[pbradley]

This and other things in this month's issue of The Science Journal of Evil.

[whorefrost]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

sonic youth could tour with just 5 guitars, each capable of tuning itself in seconds to one of their myriad odd tunings. I think this kicks ass, and will only get cheaper.

I think some of their tunings require different string gauges..

[Rob Instigator]

Originally Posted by whorefrost

I think some of their tunings require different string gauges..

hence the statement I made about taking 5 guitars instead of 30.

I think this shit rules all. Tuning is a boring chore. if the guitar can tune itself to yr presets then all the better!!!! I think this shit fucking rules.

[Rob Instigator]

and as far as price goes, it is $800 for just the tuner hardware which can be installed on any guitar. I have seen some of my guitar gearhead friends pay far more on amps, guitars, gear etc.

I think this is genius! Now the real new wave of punk rockers can begihn, whio do not even need to know how to tune to rock out!

[whorefrost]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

hence the statement I made about taking 5 guitars instead of 30.

I think this shit rules all. Tuning is a boring chore. if the guitar can tune itself to yr presets then all the better!!!! I think this shit fucking rules.

What, so this gizmo restrings guitars in seconds as well, huh?

[pbradley]

The idea of automatically changing the tuning mid song gives me a slight chubby.

[Rob Instigator]

Originally Posted by whorefrost

What, so this gizmo restrings guitars in seconds as well, huh?

of course not, but just strap that new string in there and the servo motors will tune it right as rain and quick as fuck! Keep on rocking!

[girlgun]

but just because a guitar may be tuned the same, it's gonna sound different depending upon the guitar.

[Rob Instigator]

Originally Posted by pbradley

The idea of automatically changing the tuning mid song gives me a slight chubby.

that would be great. in a 2 second rest in the middle of a song you could hit the next rpeset and change tuning!

[Rob Instigator]

Originally Posted by girlgun

but just because a guitar may be tuned the same, it's gonna sound different depending upon the guitar.

what are you, some sort of negative nelly?

[girlgun]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

what are you, some sort of negative nelly?

you don't know the half of it!

[Rob Instigator]

 

[pbradley]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

that would be great. in a 2 second rest in the middle of a song you could hit the next rpeset and change tuning!

Or strum that shit as it bends bizarrely all over the place like some kind of disconnected tremolo

If that doesn't fuck up the mechanics, of course.

[girlgun]

ha.
lot of fucking good that cookie does for me then!

[soapbars]

i think its awful,

strings and tunings need to settle in, changing tunings all the time on a guitar causes said guitar to go out of tune, and doesnt allow the strings to 'sit' correctly and can dramatically reduce string life.

its also very overpriced. its not hard to tune a guitar, you can buy tuners if youre having difficulty, this is an extreamly overpriced toy for lazy people,

so what next you can buy a guitar that plays itself for you?

that'll really rock,

[val-holla-ing]

this is stupid. if you can't tune or don't have time to tune, you probably shouldn't be playing music in the first place.

and it's funny how it mentions artists getting a new "artistic freedom" because i can only imagine this thing getting in the way of constructing new sounds and textures with a guitar.