Since the earliest times, humans have sought the ability to produce rhythms and tones using devices external to the human body. As technology developed, so too did the desire for this sound production to become automated. Initially peaking around the Industrial Revolution, traditional automated musical production devices went into a steep decline with the arrival of the phonograph. However, factors such as the ubiquitous acceptance of the microcontroller led to a resurgent interest in this field. This paper investigates the design considerations and development of the stringed chordophone and specifically the guitar. The challenge is to produce a mechatronic device capable of speedy and reliable note selection, string actuation, string damping and expressiveness. In the same manner that there is not one best way to play a guitar and no best guitar design, so too is there no ''best'' chordophone design. Rather, the competing factors of speed, precision, reliability, portability, expressiveness and timbral variation can be given different weightings and result in different designs. Therefore, rather than presenting a single chordophone development, this paper provides a multitude of design options providing an interested reader with the background and suggestions to create their own bespoke design. This paper concludes with the presentation of the authors' final design as an integration of the presented ideas and design techniques. We demonstrate that this chordophone introduces expressivity at a level not achieved before, is modular yet portable, is mechanically quiet and can play at a speed beyond that of even the best human player. INDEX TERMS Automated music production, mechatronic chordophone, mechatronic music.

Mechatronic instruments can create complex sounds that computers and digital instruments have yet to offer. As a specific example, we explore mechatronic chordophones, which use strings as a sound generator and offer a wide array of parametric affordances. The purpose of this work is to review recent approaches for chordophone design and construction, and present current, state-of-the-art devices. We explore multiple mechatronic frames and their components, and we analyze the challenges of building and interacting with these machines. Finally, we review software and hardware approaches that have been implemented to enhance these instruments and to bridge technical and creative restrictions.

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<p><b>Mechatronic chordophones are stringed instruments that integrate mechanical components and electronics to make music. These instruments offer precise control over multiple sound parameters and expressive techniques for enhanced musical expression.</b></p> <p>There have been multiple successful mechatronic chordophone designs,from robotic slide guitars to bass guitar robots. Among these designs are plucked string and pitch shifting mechatronic chordophones, which make music by exciting the string with a picking mechanism and selecting musical notes with a pitch shifter mechanism. This configuration enables these systems to enhance their musical performance through pitch-based expressive techniques and micro tonal pitches. </p> <p>However, even if these instruments can achieve speeds and precision beyond the capabilities of a human performer, their expressive capabilities are limited. It is difficult for mechatronic chordophones to perform dynamic variations and expressive techniques,and the presence of extraneous noise usually interferes with their musical performance. Furthermore, it is still challenging for users to control such instruments.</p> <p>We have built two mechatronic chordophones. The first is Protochord, a mechatronic monochord prototype. We used this system as a platform for iterative design to develop new expressive mechatronic chordophone subsystems. The second is Azure Talos,a multi-string mechatronic chordophone designed to outperform other existing systems and to afford a wide array of parameters for musical expression. </p> <p>Our research has led to the development of novel mechatronic chordophone subsystems such as: a revolving picking mechanism with superior dynamic variation capabilities compared to that of other existing designs; a fast and precise robot arm pitch shifting mechanism that affords pitch-based expressive techniques; and an optical pickup that rejects extraneous noise. We have demonstrated the technical capabilities of these designs through quantitative evaluation processes, in many cases providing the first set of quantitative tests in the literature of these types of sub-assemblies and systems. A key aim is to provide standards and benchmarks in evaluation criteria which may be used in the development of new mechatronic chordophones.</p> <p>Finally, we developed strategies to assess Azure Talos' musical capabilities through standard guitar techniques, repertoire examples,and creative musical explorations.</p>

<p><b>Mechatronic chordophones are stringed instruments that integrate mechanical components and electronics to make music. These instruments offer precise control over multiple sound parameters and expressive techniques for enhanced musical expression.</b></p> <p>There have been multiple successful mechatronic chordophone designs,from robotic slide guitars to bass guitar robots. Among these designs are plucked string and pitch shifting mechatronic chordophones, which make music by exciting the string with a picking mechanism and selecting musical notes with a pitch shifter mechanism. This configuration enables these systems to enhance their musical performance through pitch-based expressive techniques and micro tonal pitches. </p> <p>However, even if these instruments can achieve speeds and precision beyond the capabilities of a human performer, their expressive capabilities are limited. It is difficult for mechatronic chordophones to perform dynamic variations and expressive techniques,and the presence of extraneous noise usually interferes with their musical performance. Furthermore, it is still challenging for users to control such instruments.</p> <p>We have built two mechatronic chordophones. The first is Protochord, a mechatronic monochord prototype. We used this system as a platform for iterative design to develop new expressive mechatronic chordophone subsystems. The second is Azure Talos,a multi-string mechatronic chordophone designed to outperform other existing systems and to afford a wide array of parameters for musical expression. </p> <p>Our research has led to the development of novel mechatronic chordophone subsystems such as: a revolving picking mechanism with superior dynamic variation capabilities compared to that of other existing designs; a fast and precise robot arm pitch shifting mechanism that affords pitch-based expressive techniques; and an optical pickup that rejects extraneous noise. We have demonstrated the technical capabilities of these designs through quantitative evaluation processes, in many cases providing the first set of quantitative tests in the literature of these types of sub-assemblies and systems. A key aim is to provide standards and benchmarks in evaluation criteria which may be used in the development of new mechatronic chordophones.</p> <p>Finally, we developed strategies to assess Azure Talos' musical capabilities through standard guitar techniques, repertoire examples,and creative musical explorations.</p>