The Misa Kitara Digital Guitar, An Open Platform For Synthesis

Misa Kitara digital guitar at 2011 NAMM Show

At the 2011 NAMM Show, Misa Digital Instruments debuted the Kitara and Kitara Limited Edition digital guitar instruments.

The Misa Digital Instruments Kitara  and Kitara Limited Edition are unique 100% digital guitars. The Kitara includes a multifunction touch-screen, MIDI controls and an on-board polyphonic synthesizer with effects. Instead of using strings, guitarists control sound through their fingertips, using the touch-screen and fret board to play, enhance and alter sounds in real-time.

Here’s an official demo video of the Misa Kitara digital guitar in action:

We discussed the Kitara in depth with Misa Digital and found it to be an interesting work in progress.

The pros:

  • It’s an aesthetically impressive instrument
  • It’s built on Linux and is open source, so you can contribute to the development of the instrument or use it in a way that the developers don’t intend.
  • The built-in synth is capable of some great sounds and you can program your own.
  • It’s an intelligent MIDI controller that lets you use the onboard synth alongside other MIDI sound modules.
  • It does things no traditional guitar can do.

The cons:

  • It’s not as expressive as a traditional guitar. Traditional guitars offer more options for controlling and shaping sound in real-time.
  • It currently has just 10 on-board patches.
  • It’s much more expensive than control keyboards with similar control capabilities.

The Kitara’s openness could be one of its most interesting features. This could lead to some interesting unplanned uses for the digital guitar

Check it out and let us know what you think of the Misa Kitara digital guitar.

Kitara and Kitara Limited Edition are available for pre-order. Kitara is priced as $849, and the Kitara Limited Edition will sell for $2,899.

18 thoughts on “The Misa Kitara Digital Guitar, An Open Platform For Synthesis

  1. its garbage and bullshit, and that's a fact. period. incontestably incontrovertibly undeniable!

    put that in your pipe and smoke it, LOSERS! hahahahahaha wow im fucking hilarious AND the font of absolute truth!

    and it feels so good…. jesus christ, its bliss!

  2. what an expensive piece of plastic shit

    "it does things no traditional guitar can do" like what… sound like an uninspired characterless synthesizer? … or maybe you can play tetris on it.. can't do that on any guitar

    what is the point of playing a guitar that lacks all the nuance and opportunity for expression that an actual guitar offers?

    an overpriced toy…

  3. It seems black virus infesting the large “youtube comment area” has spurred a similar growth of deformed teenage angst here on the Synthopia blog. Let us hope that these infections find more constructive ways to contribute to the world.

  4. I think it looks like a lot of fun and could see someone creatively utilizing it.
    I wouldn't pay more than a couple of hundred for it new and it needs different colors.

  5. I wouldn't need the guitar-sounds, but using this as a controller for synth-sounds would be great! It would look so rad live!

  6. These guys will be out of business in 9 months or less, over $3k for the aluminum version? Are you joking? RIP Kitara you will not be missed

  7. kindly said … the gentlemen that commented above me .. in very rude and unprofessional manner … with this price, were simply right

  8. hater!! party of one your table is now ready. I ordered one cant wait till it gets here., sorry you can’t afford one. keeping saving those nickels… suckaaa

  9. Am I the only one who likes, and enjoys this?
    Enough of all you guys, who think its crap. Okay?
    It’s a fun, electronic guitar, which frankly, sounds better than a normal guitar.
    You guys can’t complain, especially when you’re probably sitting down playing video games.
    One of the greatest synth’s out there. Sure.. The price may be a bit high; but that’s what you pay for something incredible.

    Come now kids, it’s your bed time. Wouldn’t want you getting angry in the morning.

  10. I find this as an important turning point in the history of music because of this new instrument new genres will be opened and although it still has a lot of downsides in a few years time you will see

  11. The going rate before it was discontinued was around $800, which is competitive w/a lot of mid-range guitars and decent synth keyboards. So, I don’t know what the ranting about price is all about. The range of sound and nuance on the Kitara is pretty damned good, so those flames fail too. Add to it the ability to connect to and use many other MIDI engines (look at some of the stuff people have done on YouTube, for example), and this thing has a lot of capabilities. Shame they’ve been discontinued.

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