The Digital Feel

By Taran and Keely

My good friend Taran and I wanted to make something new out of a Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar. Using code, tech, and brute force, we ripped open our guitar and incorporated LED’s into the base section of the guitar. Here’s the process we used to do so.

Here's the code for this project:

Blink Turns on an LED on for one second, then off for one second, repeatedly.
This example code is in the public domain. */ // Pin 13 has an LED connected on most Arduino boards. // give it a name: int led1 = 13; int led2 = 12; int led3 = 11; int led4 = 10; int led5 = 9; // the setup routine runs once when you press reset: void setup() { // initialize the digital pin as an output. pinMode(led1, OUTPUT); pinMode(led2, OUTPUT); pinMode(led3, OUTPUT); pinMode(led4, OUTPUT); pinMode(led5, OUTPUT); }

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever: void loop() { digitalWrite(led1, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level) delay(10); // wait for a second digitalWrite(led2, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level) delay(10); // wait for a second digitalWrite(led3, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level) delay(10); // wait for a second digitalWrite(led4, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level) delay(10); // wait for a second digitalWrite(led5, HIGH); // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level) delay(10); // wait for a second

1. Purchase the World Tour version of a Guitar Hero Guitar. This guitar model allows you to remove the frets from the body of the guitar, which improves the assembly alter into the process of putting the guitar back together.

2. Using your bread board and RedBoard, assemble the LED’s corresponding to the buttons on the guitar, matching the cords from the inside of the guitar to the lights. (using matching wires helps keep all the colors in order and helps with troubleshooting which light isn’t working properly). Here’s a basic outline of the set up for the Breadboard. Once the buttons activate the lights, it’s time to incorporate it into the guitar body.

3. Using those long cords (picture below) wrap it down into the body of the guitar. You’ll want the extra space when you move it around in your guitar body so it will fit where you want it to.

4. Next solder two wires together in order to make the connecting wires longer so they can stretch through the neck of the guitar down into the body of the guitar where the breadboard and RedBoard will be stored.

5. Opening the body of the guitar is tricky. This World Tour Model has the screws hidden from the front plate. Just rip it off with a screwdriver and the screws will be visible. Take it apart and remove some of the insides in order to place your BreadBoard where you want.

6. Putting the buttons back together now that they are connected to the BreadBoard, making sure the connector buttons are aligned with the buttons is important or they won’t activate the LED.

7. Assemble the breadboard into the nook of the guitar close to an exit hole so the LED’s can show through when the buttons are pressed.

8. Stabilize the RedBoard on the other side of the body of the guitar. We used some masking tape, it doesn’t conduct enough electrical impulses to let anything be interrupted.

9. Then close the guitar as carefully as you can, sliding the wires through the neck of the bottom part of the guitar.

10. Before screwing in the front plate, make sure all the LED’s are working and that the wiring did not get messed up while assembling it back together. Screw the front plate back to the guitar and cover it with the front cover and play your guitar!

WATCH THE DIGITAL FEEL IN ACTION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoF48sJUM4k