Proximity Sensitive Control Circuit for Electrical Musical Instrument

A control circuit for guitars and other musical instruments with electromechanical pickups that uses electrically conductive pads fixed to discrete areas on the outer surface of the instrument. These pads are proximity-sensitive, allowing the performer to control sound parameters such as volume by simply touching or bringing a hand into close proximity with the pads, eliminating the need for traditional knobs and switches. The system includes oscillator and detection circuits for each pad, address encoding, a latching analog switch, and a voltage divider to provide eight discrete volume levels. Assigned to Kaman Music Corporation (Ovation parent company).