Not constrained by tradition. The electric guitar has remained largely unchanged for over 70 years. While the world moved from analog to digital, from fixed circuits to programmable systems, the guitar stayed static — bound by notions of "vintage correctness" and legacy expectations.

The TMA Guitar breaks this paradigm. There are no vintage constraints here. No '57 reissue, no '59 spec, no '62 anything. Every component — from the optical hex pickup to the theory-aware sustainer, from the LED fretboard to the onboard Teensy — exists to serve harmonic exploration and compositional workflow, not tradition.

This is not a guitar with added electronics. This is a guitar designed from the ground up as a connected harmonic interface. The TMA Guitar is the physical manifestation of five years of theory engine development. It is the instrument that the TMA device was always meant to play — and the instrument that traditional guitars could never become.

LED pixels beneath the playing surface display live harmonic context directly under your fingers.

Real-Time Colour Mapping: Over 120 individually addressable WS2812 LEDs are embedded beneath a translucent playing surface. Each fret position illuminates based on its harmonic function relative to the current key and chord.

Colour Legend:

• • Purple: Root note of current key
• • Dark Blue: Positional key centre (hand anchor)
• • Light Blue: Diatonic scale notes
• • Yellow: Current chord tones
• • Red: Non-diatonic accidentals (tension notes)

Dynamic Updates: As harmony changes within the TMA device—whether through chord progression, key modulation, or real-time analysis—the fretboard updates continuously. Scales, chord relationships, and harmonic tension become visible during performance.

Learning Tool: For beginners, the illuminated fretboard teaches scale patterns and chord voicings without looking away from the instrument. For advanced players, it reveals voice leading and tension resolution in real time.

Hex pickup system, sustainer, optical sensing, and digital recall create a fully programmable instrument.

Optical Hex Pickup: Custom-designed per-string optical sensors detect string vibration with near-zero latency. Unlike magnetic pickups, optical sensing is immune to electromagnetic interference from the sustainer system and provides flat frequency response across the entire range.

Theory-Aware Sustainer: The sustainer pickup is not a simple on/off device. Driven directly by the onboard Teensy, it can reinforce fundamentals, octaves, fifths, or chord tones based on the current harmonic context. A foot pedal continuously morphs between sustain modes.

Digital Pickup Routing: Full digital recall of pickup configurations allows instant switching between presets. The optical hex pickup, optional magnetic humbucker, and sustainer driver can be routed and mixed digitally.

Expressive Control: Four onboard push buttons (with LED state indicators) and multiple analog pots (read via analog multiplexer) provide hands-on control without looking away from the fretboard.

Not just infinite sustain — intelligent, harmonic, and expressive.

What Makes It Different: Traditional sustainers are analog feedback loops. The TMA Sustainer is a digitally controlled harmonic generator. It knows what note you're playing, what key you're in, and what chord is active. It uses this information to reinforce specific harmonics, not just the fundamental.

Harmonic Modes:

• • Fundamental: Traditional sustain
• • Octave: Adds upper octave for shimmer
• • Fifth: Reinforces perfect fifth (power chord effect)
• • Chord-Tone: Only reinforces notes in current chord
• • Diatonic: Only reinforces notes in current key

Continuous Morphing: An expression pedal can smoothly blend between modes. Example: Rock the pedal forward to morph from fundamental sustain to octave sustain, creating harmonic density that swells under your control. No other sustainer offers this.

Tempo Sync: The sustainer can pulse, tremolo, or gate in time with the song's tempo. Quarter-note swells, eighth-note harmonic alternation, or rhythmic staccato — all locked to the TMA device's internal clock.

Total expressive control over every parameter, with per-preset mapping and tempo sync.

Hardware Configuration: The TMA Pedal Board connects to the TMA device via USB-C, receiving power and sending bidirectional data. It features: Volume pedal (analog pass-through), two expression pedals (linear pots), and eight foot switches with RGB LED indicators.

Fully Assignable: Every pedal and switch can be mapped to any guitar parameter. Sustain level, harmonic blend, theory influence, tempo sync depth, sustain mode, mute toggle — all assignable per preset. Your foot pedals do different things in different musical contexts.

Continuous Morphing: Expression pedals are not simple on/off switches. They allow smooth, continuous control over any parameter. Blend from fundamental to octave sustain. Sweep from open loop to theory-locked harmony. Find the sweet spot in real time.

Preset Storage: The TMA device stores pedal assignments per preset. Switch from 'Ambient Pad' (slow attack, chord-tone sustain) to 'Rhythmic Staccato' (tempo-sync'd gating) with a single foot switch. LED colours indicate which mode is active.

Minimal, lightweight, and ergonomically optimised for extended compositional sessions.

Performance Stick Philosophy: The TMA Guitar is closer in spirit to a performance stick than a traditional solid-body guitar. The emphasis is on function, integration, and freedom of movement rather than vintage aesthetics.

Ergonomic Features: The body contours to the player's torso. Optional outriggers provide knee support for seated playing, allowing multiple playing positions without fatigue. The neck profile is shallow and fast, designed for rapid position shifts.

Modular Electronics: All electronics are housed in accessible compartments with separate PCBs for digital processing and sustainer amplification. This modular approach simplifies repair, upgrade, and customisation.

Weight Distribution: The lightweight construction (target < 5 lbs / 2.3 kg) shifts mass toward the body end, reducing neck dive and improving balance whether seated or standing.

The guitar operates as both an expressive instrument and a real-time harmonic interface.

Bidirectional Communication: The guitar connects to the TMA device via a custom USB-C cable carrying 9V power, high-speed serial (for MIDI and control data), and analog audio. The TMA device sends theory context back to the guitar for LED and sustainer control.

No Legacy Constraints: Traditional guitars are bound by 70-year-old designs. The TMA Guitar is free from these constraints. No 'vintage correct' anything. No compromises for tradition. Every decision serves harmonic exploration and compositional workflow.

Composition Workflow: Compositions created within the TMA system can feed theory data back into the guitar for reinterpretation. The instrument becomes an active participant in recursive analysis and development workflows.

Visualisation Sync: The fretboard LEDs synchronise with external visualisation systems, allowing audiences to see harmonic structure during performance. The same data drives the TMA screen interface for composers.