Electric Guitar Analysis and Modeling

A joint industrial R&D agreement between Yamaha Corp. and CAML & CIRMMT at McGill University

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A guitar resting on an admittance measuring equipment system
Admittance measurement system; Photo credit: Takuto Yudasaka

Summary

This project was focused on measurements, analyses and modeling of the electric guitar to improve the sound quality of Yamaha’s future instrument designs. By making use of equipment available through CIRMMT, we were able to identify the causes of issues like “beating” and “dead spots” that guitarists often dislike.

Objectives

The goal was to conduct measurements and analyses of current Yamaha electric guitars and then use those results in building a model of the electric guitar that could be useful for the design of future instruments.

Timeline

October 2023 - September 2025

Status: complete

Approach

The research consisted of making measurements, some conducted at Yamaha’s facilities and some made in the Computational Acoustic Modeling Laboratory (CAML) and CIRMMT for subsequent analyses. As well, a model of the guitar string coupled to the body response measurements was used for comparison, both to measurements and to finite element model results.

Outcomes & Impact

  • The results of this work are expected to be used to improve the design of future Yamaha electric guitars.
    A blue and white guitar having the string vibration measurements taken
    String vibration measurement using wire breaking method; Photo credit: Takuto Yudasaka, Yamaha Corp.
  • This research will benefit Yamaha, in improving future guitar designs, and electric guitar players (improved instrument response or sound). It also benefitted the students in the CAML lab, as they were able to gain an industrial perspective on their research, and they have also subsequently been selected for prestigious Yamaha internships.

People Involved

  • Lead researchers: Gary Scavone*, Takuto Yudasaka
  • Collaborators: Mark Rau*, indirect support from other CAML students.

*CIRMMT Regular or student members

Partners

  • CIRMMT
  • CAML
  • Yamaha Corporation
  • McGill University

Granting Agencies / Funding Sponsors

  • Yamaha Corporation

Resources

Publications

  • Yudasaka, T., Scavone, G., Rau, M. and Ishizaka, K. (2025) "Measurement and analysis of electric guitar neck admittance for digital waveguide models." (PDF) Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, International Symposium on Musical and Room Acoustics, New Orleans, LA, USA, 24-27 May 2025, https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0002142.
  • Yudasaka, T., Scavone, G. and Ishizaka, K. "Influences of electric guitar pickup magnetic force on string vibrations." 186th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Ottawa, Canada, 13-17 May 2024, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 155, p. A196. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0027283

News

Keywords

Industry, Electric guitar modelling, Vibration measurement, Admittance measurement, Instrument design, String-body interaction analysis

Opportunities for Engagement

CIRMMT hosted the workshop "Challenges and rewards of building academic-industrial collaborations" in September 2025 that involved various industrial and academic collaborators.

Learn More

Computational Acoustic Modeling Laboratory (CAML)

Yamaha Corporation