Abstract
This paper introduces the Magpick, an augmented pick for
electric guitar that uses electromagnetic induction to sense
the motion of the pick with respect to the permanent magnets in the guitar pickup. The Magpick provides the guitarist with nuanced control of the sound that coexists with
traditional plucking-hand technique. The paper presents
three ways that the signal from the pick can modulate the
guitar sound, followed by a case study of its use in which
11 guitarists tested the Magpick for five days and composed
a piece with it. Reflecting on their comments and experiences, we outline the innovative features of this technology
from the point of view of performance practice. In particular, compared to other augmentations, the high temporal resolution, low latency, and large dynamic range of the
Magpick support a highly nuanced control over the sound.
Our discussion highlights the utility of having the locus of
augmentation coincide with the locus of interaction.
Licence information
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits any use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
Attribution 3.0 United States