Patent ID: 7667131

Claim:
A system for controlling and modifying vibratory motion of at least one string of a stringed musical instrument comprising: a) transducer means associated with at least one string for providing a sensing signal representative of vibratory motion of the string and for applying a force to said at least one string in accordance with an actuating signal; b) at least one motion controller associated with said transducer means and responsive to said sensing signal to form said actuating signal for selectively damping and/or exciting the vibratory motion of the string or selected harmonics thereof; and c) user control means to provide control over the behavior of said at least one motion controller wherein said transducer means comprises at least one unitary sensing/actuating transducer arranged to produce during a first portion of a time frame the sensing signal representative of string motion and to apply during a second portion of said time frame an actuating force to said at least one string in accordance with the actuating signal; and wherein said at least one motion controller is arranged to respond to said sensing signal during said first portion of said time frame and to provide said actuating signal during said second portion of said time frame for selectively controlling the vibratory motion of the string over a succession of said time frames.