LightWave Systems Releases Open Architecture and MIDI Features for its Optical Pickup

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LightWave Systems' Research and Development Lab is announcing the release of an innovative enhancement to the LightWave Optical Pickup System. Designated as "Open Architecture", this feature allows the instrument manufacturer, custom builder, and end user the ultimate in flexibility in implementing tone shaping, onboard signal processing, and MIDI Interface in an unlimited diversity of configurations.

Using a bridge-mounted optical pickup system that emits beams of infrared light to convert string motion into an electronic signal, the pickup system's design captures a solid fundamental and far more overtones than were previously possible with traditional pickups. The pickup's analog technology delivers deep, undistorted response beyond the lowest playable bass notes. Each string is equipped with its own pickup, piezo and independent gain. Without the crosstalk common with other pickup systems, each note is voiced with unprecedented depth and clarity.

The LightWave audio PC Board has been converted to a surface mount design, allowing for a lower profile, and for the addition of two sockets to accommodate a variety of menu selected or custom designed optional daughter boards. The common mother board includes separate channels for up to six strings, and will be used for all bass, electroacoustic, and electric guitar applications.

One daughter board will be dedicated to EQ/tone shaping and signal processing tasks. This board will be harnessed to the appropriate knobs and switches on the instrument. LightWave will offer a menu of EQ boards, and these boards can be modified to some degree for specific instruments. Separate bass, midrange, and treble boost/ cut, sweepable midrange, and magnetic pickup emulation are some of the first available options. Builders and manufacturers may also choose to specify a custom board.The MIDI Option. Also, in response to an unexpected level of consumer and manufacturer interest, the development of a LightWave MIDI interface has been accelerated. The quality of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface ) for stringed musical instruments has been inherently limited by the nature of existing magnetic and piezo pickups in providing a reliable front end signal. The optical pickup delivers superior string to string isolation, thereby reducing the false triggering common with conventional pickups.

Additionally, the fundamental of each note, which is always the pitch that the converter is trying to capture, is reproduced by the LightWave System with equal gain as the overtones ( unlike magnetic pickups, which have rising response with frequency, and piezos, which vary significantly in more unpredictable ways ). The LightWave optical system significantly improves the converter's ability to determine the correct pitch, resulting in significantly fewer tracking errors.

The MIDI option, like the open architecture EQ scheme, is an add-on daughter board. LightWave is currently working with manufacturers of MIDI products, and should prove to be a key ingredient in making this technology available to stringed instrument players in a reliable and affordable high performance package.