An apparatus for emulating a variety of string instruments with a variety of configurations in order to measure the resulting, actual tension of a string on that instrument. The tension may be measured in real-time.

A musical keyboard interface capable of controlling either a string instrument or synthesizer controller includes a small, consistent keyboard interface that moves with each hand along one or both edges of a stationary ruler. The ruler segments measure the static location of each note in chromatic order. The keys are oriented in length perpendicular to the length of the ruler and each key is as wide as each ruler segment. As the keyboard moves along the ruler and its keys realign with new ruler segments, the keys become able to articulate the notes indicated by their position. The transformation is gradual, smoothly sliding notes and chords in varying magnitudes and directions simultaneously.

A foldable stringed instrument, for example in the form of a travel guitar that folds mid-neck to assume a reduced profile is described. The mid-neck folding is accomplished in a symmetrical manner about a three-part hinge located in the neck to configure the travel guitar into a reduced profile. The bridge assembly can be translated longitudinally relative to the head of the guitar to allow sufficient detensioning of the guitar strings to enable an upper portion of the neck to be folded away from a lower portion of the neck and/or body to assume a reduced profile. To deploy the travel guitar for playing, the upper portion of the neck is unfolded into alignment with the lower portion of the neck and/or body, and the bridge assembly translated longitudinally relative to the head and locked in position to allow the guitar to be tuned for playing.

The present invention relates to an educational string instrument comprising: a body provided with a head portion and a bottom portion; a nut installed on the head portion; a saddle installed on the bottom portion; a plurality of fixing parts installed on an outer side of the nut of the body; a plurality of tuning devices installed on an outer side of the saddle of the body; a plurality of strings supported by the fixing parts and the tuning devices and installed to be spaced apart from the body by the nut and the saddle, and a single fret installed to be inwardly spaced apart from an inner side of the nut to form a fingerboard part and functioning for raising an original note of the string by a semitone.

The present invention relates to an educational string instrument comprising: a body provided with a head portion and a bottom portion; a nut installed on the head portion; a saddle installed on the bottom portion; a plurality of fixing parts installed on an outer side of the nut of the body; a plurality of tuning devices installed on an outer side of the saddle of the body; a plurality of strings supported by the fixing parts and the tuning devices and installed to be spaced apart from the body by the nut and the saddle, and a single fret installed to be inwardly spaced apart from an inner side of the nut to form a fingerboard part and functioning for raising an original note of the string by a semitone.

An adjustable compensated nut system for a stringed musical instrument allows for improved intonation of each string of the instrument regardless of string gauge, desired tension, material, or construction. The adjustable compensated nut includes a seat which accepts one or more individual and interchangeable saddles featuring different intonation portions which have different dimensions which allow for achieving the desired pitch or intonation of each individual string of the instrument. Optimally, the number of intonation portions is equal to the number of strings of the instrument, and each particular intonation portion is dimensioned to improve the intonation of a particular string according to string tension and properties. Advantageously, the saddles of the nut are interchangeable and so that it is possible to adjust the degree of compensation to correspond with string choice.

An adjustable compensated nut system for a stringed musical instrument allows for improved intonation of each string of the instrument regardless of string gauge, desired tension, material, or construction. The adjustable compensated nut includes a seat which accepts one or more individual and interchangeable saddles featuring different intonation portions which have different dimensions which allow for achieving the desired pitch or intonation of each individual string of the instrument. Optimally, the number of intonation portions is equal to the number of strings of the instrument, and each particular intonation portion is dimensioned to improve the intonation of a particular string according to string tension and properties. Advantageously, the saddles of the nut are interchangeable and so that it is possible to adjust the degree of compensation to correspond with string choice.

A multi-stringed musical instrument, such as a guitar, having a neck with a partially hollow interior containing a number of linear actuators, each connected to a fret which projects proud of the neck and is in contact with a taught string, wherein the linear actuators are controlled by means of a user-selected input signal via functional communication with a small control panel, tablet, smartphone, computer or laptop.

A self-locking tuner is used to tune the strings of a musical instrument. The self-locking tuner is disposed in a headstock of the stringed musical instrument. The self-locking tuner has an inner string post, outer string post disposed over the inner string post, locking pin extending above the inner string post and through the outer string post to the opening, and insert disposed around the outer string post. Alternatively, a cast housing is disposed around the outer string post with a stop to unlock a string. The string extends through an opening in the outer string post. The insert or cast housing has a stop to unlock the string. The outer string post has a rotational stop which contacts the stop to unlock the string. The insert is disposed in a headstock with the tab disposed in a slot formed in a surface of the headstock.

A musical keyboard interface capable of controlling either a string instrument or synthesizer controller includes a small, consistent keyboard interface that moves with each hand along one or both edges of a stationary ruler. The ruler segments measure the static location of each note in chromatic order. The keys are oriented in length perpendicular to the length of the ruler and each key is as wide as each ruler segment. As the keyboard moves along the ruler and its keys realign with new ruler segments, the keys become able to articulate the notes indicated by their position. The transformation is gradual, smoothly sliding notes and chords in varying magnitudes and directions simultaneously.