Mechanical Circle Guitar Interfacing With CV And Gate

We're surprised we'd not heard of this before, but this unique guitar design by Anthony Dickens features a rotating wheel (up to 250bpm) with 128 holes for plectrum inserts, allowing for unusual ways in which to pluck each guitar string. Additionally there are activators to allow each string's signal to pass on to the amp via a hexaphonic pickup.

Its like a cross between an Autoharp and a Hurdy Gurdy - sort of.

In this video, I am using a Knit Rider sequencer in my Eurorack to send a separate gate signal to the hex VCF to modulate the Low E, A, D and G strings. This rhythmically allows the audio signal from each string to pass through the filter. I've added a little reverb on the D and G strings (plus a little echo delay on the G) punched up the Low E by putting it through a bass emulator in Ableton and EQed on all 4 strings separately, then built a track around it.

The Circle Guitar has not gone unnoticed - Radiohead are keen to get their hands on the first model - although we're not clear if they've been able to keep to their expected Dec 2020 completion date due to Covid.

You can find out more at:  https://www.circleinstruments.co.uk/

• Bristronica 25: A Guitar To Cut Through Any Mix! 27-Sep-25
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• Bristronica 24: Circle Guitar - Rotating System 13-Oct-24