Fretology
an open-access acoustic guitar research, preservation, and education effort
Fretology is an acoustic guitar research, preservation, and education project through which exceptionally-built, historically significant guitars are analyzed physically and acoustically in order to create a detailed profile that describes how each guitar was made. The project was developed and is maintained by the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab (EGIL) of WPI, and involves a partnership with the Quinnipiac Radiologic Sciences program and a team of cross-disciplinary collaborators and advisors. Though Fretology is still in its infancy, we are committed to making this data open and accessible to the larger communities of luthiers, musicians, educators, and researchers, and we welcome collaboration and partnership as we continue this effort.
In this photo: a rare out of production 1942 Gibson LG-3 that we processed (left) helped luthier Jacob Veenstra in the Netherlands to adapt elements of the design into a new instrument in 2023 (right)
Shown above: our processed model of a 1925 Gibson L3 top
About Fretology
The Fretology partnerships have created the first research and education program to leverage the public fascination with the guitar to engage diverse learners in STEM. The roots of the acoustic guitar extend into North Africa, Italy, and Spain, but since the beginning of the 20th century, it has found its highest expression in the United States. This heritage of creativity was based on apprenticeships, intuition, and experimentation. But until Fretology, there has been no systematic study of the diverse approaches to guitar-making.
These instruments are part of our history and culture and they're slowly disappearing—what can we learn from them? Our evolving analysis protocols include CT-Scanning methods to produce digital 3D models, which are then supplemented with audio and video records and additional resources in order to facilitate recreation, adaptation, and the dissemination of knowledge among instrument-makers, students, musicians, and lay persons interested in these instruments.
In 2022, the Fretology team completed interviews with several groups of highly-regarded professional luthiers in order to get a sense of the needs of the community and what they consider to be the most important information that can be learned by analyzing these instruments. These interviews informed our development of the research protocols we follow for obtaining and preparing CT scan data beginning with the use of radiological equipment to scan each guitar and culminating with the curation and presentation of accurate, interactive 3D models. Additionally, we have developed audio analysis protocols whereby the sonic attributes of instruments are captured by tapping the top of the instrument and recording the sound.
Our Goals
While there are many guitar-making schools and organizations that have access to schematics of certain renowned instruments, there is no centralized, open-access repository of information in existence whereby someone can explore in-depth data about these instruments. The overarching goals of the Fretology project 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
Our Methodology
We’ve developed a research methodology that addresses several guiding questions:
—What methods of analysis can be used to produce representations of musical instruments physically and sonically?
—Which individuals and groups would best utilize this information?
—What delivery mechanisms are the most relevant and accessible to these individuals and groups?
The Fretology scope of exploration is divided into two distinct measurement categories: objective measurements represented through 3D models, spectral analysis, and reports that describe the construction and physical materials of instruments, and subjective measurements represented through video and audio recordings of expert performers. This information is curated, maintained, expanded, and, ultimately, presented to the public open-access through our website without restrictions or pay-barriers.
Who We Are
Fretology planning began in 2020; the founding core project team includes a music technologist, a musical instrument researcher, a luthier, and an electrical engineer. V.J. Manzo (PI) is Associate Professor of Music Technology and Cognition at WPI. He is the Director of the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab at WPI and is directly involved in the training of students and in the analysis of data. John Thomas is Professor of Law at Quinnipiac University, and Tania Grgurichs is Clinical Associate Professor of Diagnostic Imaging at Quinnipiac University. John and Tania help identify and gain access to instruments and coordinate CT scans of musical instruments. Ryan McKenna is a Research Associate with the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab at WPI. He is a hardware systems engineer and serves as the Project Manager. Ken Parker is a master luthier and founder of Ken Parker Archtops. He helps gain access to instruments and performers, and directs aspects of the projects that relate to luthiers.
The expanded project team includes Imogen Barnes, a WPI mechanical engineering student and lab researcher, who leads the post-scan preparation of each model, Jake Pelrah, an Research Associate of the Interactive Music Systems Lab at WPI, who leads the AR/VR development, and additional WPI faculty, staff, and students including the faculty and staff associated with the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab at WPI, which includes music and music technology faculty, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, a metallurgist, a chemical engineer, and a fierce group of undergraduate and graduate students who assist with all aspects of this project.
Support Fretology
You can support the Fretology project by making a donation. Our partners and sponsors include:
