1.1 Historical Introduction: The Birth of the Hexaphonic Pickup

 

The hexaphonic pickup emerged from the idea of achieving independent control over each individual string, with the aim of routing the audio signal separately. Similar to an electronic keyboard, it represents a true six-voice polyphonic system, directly linked to each string. The objective was to trigger a dedicated synthesizer capable of receiving the electrical impulse generated by the instrument.

Unlike the keyboard, where pressing a key simply opens an electrical circuit [C. Roads, Musical Keyboards, p. 645], the guitar system must operate on each individual string and, in its own way, initiate the circuit activation. The first natural solution was to trigger the circuit through magnetic or piezoelectric transduction, detected at the bridge.

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Fig. C.Roads
 

This marked the first phase in the development of the hexaphonic pickup, designed to connect early synthesizers and sound modules, with the goal of creating a dedicated electroacoustic system using the guitar—whether classical, electric, or acoustic. Specialized instruments integrating this technology directly into their body were also developed; the most famous example is the SynthAxe, particularly in conjunction with the rise of MIDI technology during the first half of the 1980s [L. Ludovico].

Beginning in 1983, MIDI circuits started to be incorporated into digital musical instruments. This revolution was not only technological but also marked the beginning of large-scale adoption, as digital electronic research gradually expanded beyond major research centers.

The 1980s were also the decade in which personal computers began to emerge, significantly impacting the music industry and the development of home studios. MIDI, with its simple yet highly effective digital communication protocol, became the essential bridge connecting different devices and signal chains.

The transition from digital keyboards, such as the iconic Yamaha DX7, toward dedicated systems for the guitar was by then inevitable.