Ribbon-Synth Guitar with Arduino Micro

A few weeks ago we spoke here of the 4-way B-Bender for Telecaster guitar, worked with pedals controlled by an Arduino. The same musician, D. Miller, has come up with a very original hybrid electronic instrument, comprising 3 percussion pads salvaged from an old DD-55 Yamaha, 3 potentiometer ribbons, a shield with a joystick and an Arduino Micro. With its tactile ribbons aligned like the strings of a guitar under the fingers of the left hand, the 3 percussion pads and the buttons under the fingers of the right hand, and the joystick on the palm of the right hand, this home-made MIDI controller is very intuitive. The musical result is captivating, especially in the hands of the talented musician who is also the designer and constructor of this instrument. And now I’ll give the floor to the artist !   Amazing, huh? In the video below, Dean Miller, the musician, gives some explanations, notably on the midi trick which he uses to get what he calls “polyphonic slidings” or...