Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Electric Guitar Innovation Lab actively encourages further research and development of its guitar preservation project: Fretology. Partnering with Quinnipiac Radiologic Sciences program and School of Law, the goal of Fretology is to physically and acoustically document, analyze, and thus preserve the significant and historical instruments. Via the use of CT-Scanning protocols, as well as actively collecting audio samples and video recordings, the recreation, knowledge, and cultural importances of these select documented instruments can be shared globally amongst musicians, instrument builders, students, and any parties supporting Fretology’s efforts. “Fretology is a musical instrument analysis and preservation effort developed and maintained by the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab (EGIL) of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).” The goal of Fretology is to physically and acoustically analyze well-built and historic guitars, in order to create an accurate and detailed database detailing how each specialty guitar was constructed. The analysis is performed by using CT-scans to produce digital models. These models are then complemented with audio, video, and scans, etc. With a goal of providing easy access to the documented information, Fretology facilitates recreation, adaptation, and the dissemination of knowledge among instrument-makers, students, musicians, and others persons interested in these instruments. The core values of Fretology promote an open access, centralized, and easy to maneuver database of information for users, where one could discover and explore comprehensively about these stringed instruments. Such goals are to: Create a detailed profile describing how each guitar was made Preserve the history and cultural tradition of important instruments Identify a sonic profile of the tonal qualities of each guitar Archive sounds and video of these instruments Equip the instrument-making community with builder resources (models, plans, design docs, etc.) through an open-access digital portal Facilitate education and adaptation based on these revered designs The WPI student research team, assigned to research Fretology this term, determined individual interviews with their target audience members: guitar luthiers. These luthiers would produce optimal goals of how the team’s future platform(s) would best aid the preservation of instruments. When analyzing the direct needs of the luthiers themselves, there were found to be two distinct categories: audio and visual, as well as both objective and subjective data. The objective measurements, those which are represented in the 3D models and scans; describe the construction and physical properties of said instrument. The subjective measurements represented through the audio and video recordings are more challenging to measure, and must be able to be recreated accurately across instruments. In order to allow the team’s target audience to readily access the collected instrument data, the IQP team designed and constructed a mock website and app, which acted as a database of sorts, based on their interview consensus. There was heavy consideration of the luthier’s needs and interests when these platforms were published. The research team presented their data in a written format and published their conclusions both on the Fretology webpage and their mock website and app. The research the team conducted over the term would then be readily accessible for future distribution, and utilization by potential Fretology research teams.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Adams, Zachary
• Gillett, Ryan
• King, Alexander
• Mahoney, Ryan
• Mitton, Shay
• Ferrecchia, Andrew
• Peck, Michael
• Pelrah, Jacob

Subject

• Innovation
• Industry
• Community
• Sustainability
• Learning
• Culture

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 70451
• E-project-062822-164006

Advisor

• Manzo, V J

Year

• 2022

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 10 - Reducing Inequality
• 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

Date created

• 2022-06-28

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Source

• E-project-062822-164006

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2022-12-20