Paul Vo Previews The Future Of Acoustic Synthesis

Designer Paul Vo shared this preview of his EMpick – the latest incarnation of his ideas about Acoustic Synthesis.

Vo previously created the Moog Guitar, the VO-96 guitar and the Vo Wond. Each gives the player control over the harmonics produced by vibrating strings – a physical variation on additive synthesis.

Vo’s preview video, above, demonstrates the use of very high speed digital signal processing code to allow the selective drive and suppression of individual harmonics, the basis for Acoustic Synthesis. Vo envisions this technology being used with all types of stringed instruments, including guitars and pianos.

Here’s a video from a few years ago, in which Vo explains Acoustic Synthesis and how he implemented it on the Vo-96 guitar:

You can follow Vo’s work via the blog on his site.

5 thoughts on “Paul Vo Previews The Future Of Acoustic Synthesis

  1. I like the tag at the end about reasonable licensing, and not keeping the tech to themselves. Ultimately, this has some potential to create an interesting alternative to the line 6 guitars.

  2. I want a stick with just one string and this harmonic control on it now, with sliders for each possible harmonic overtone and fundamental. Just that would be a perfect minimalistic instrument for a lot of meditative fun! 🙂

    1. I suppose along with an eBow, a person could press harmonic nodes/antinodes of an open string, and suppress various harmonics. This seems to take this to a different level. Also, an eBow is kind tricky to use.

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