THE TOUCH SCREEN GUITAR: TECH TAKES OVER STRINGS

Ok…I saw a rock band (don’t ask the name) on TV, playing at the MTV European Music Awards 2012 in Frankfurt and I was shocked when one of the band guitarist was playing (swiping) his hands on what looked like a screen on his electric guitar; which was just beside the strings of the guitar. At first I did not understand what he was doing and it took me time to process this awesome innovation I was (obviously) seeing for the first time.

 It was a TOUCH SCREEN GUITAR, he was simulating on the touch screen what he should have been strumming on the strings of the guitar, and a lot of thoughts began to stream through my head…is this a good idea?...who invented this and why?...will this encourage and preserve the talents of great guitarists (both living and dead)?...so I did a little research to clarify and feed my anxiety that was already going over the bars.
  

Luckily I found a patent registration of the invention on the Google patent page. The patent was granted to Ulrich Behringer and Brian S. Crouch and was officially issued Jan 10, 2012 though the invention was submitted for filing two years earlier. The grant covers everything that has to with a guitar with a touch screen technology  and reserves the right of its use as a game production, in electronics or the direct manufacture of the invention.

Already, there has been some patent infringement debate as Ion Audio aka Numark has shown a prototype of sort (known as the Guitar Apprentice) at the CES exhibition earlier this year.

 While I believe the touch screen guitar is a good invention, am also of the opinion that it might limit the hardwork and talent of learning the real “stringed” instrument..but it might also be a good way to enjoy leisure time on games and apps (on electronic gadgets) such as iPads and PCs for the lovers of the instrument.