Why You Should Use Piezo Scanners To Amplify Acoustic Guitars

Posted on: 28 July 2017

Musical notes from an acoustic guitar need to be amplified to hear them at a distance. There are three ways this can be accomplished. You can attach to an amp using a magnetic pickup, a Piezo, or a microphone. Piezo scanners are not always the preferred choice for electric guitars and electronic keyboards because they can produce a high level of feedback.

Acoustic guitar players strive to produce a clear, crisp sound. Using a piezo scanner will increase the amplification more than a mic or an amp, producing a truer, higher quality of sound. Here is why a Piezo scanner or pickup is the preferred way to amplify the sound of an acoustic guitar.

  • Microphone Distortion

Sound vibration reverberates causing a noise. This reverberated noise is broadcast through an amplification system, so an audience can hear the sounds. Microphones are prone to distorting true sound. Microphones require a transfer of the vibrations through a microphone chip. Acoustic guitar players who wire direct to an amp lose the ability to display much of their instrumental uniqueness.

If the guitarist moves, the pickup of the microphone will be changed. This alters the vibration angle of the sounds. There are also background noises and vocals that distort the notes coming from the guitar. For these reasons, using a microphone pickup to amplify an acoustic guitar will not produce the true sound of a piezo scanner.

  • Amplifiers Lack Uniqueness

Amplifiers use magnetic pickups, even on acoustic guitars. The sound is transferred with less chance of feedback through a wireless feed, or cord connection between the guitar and the amp. Acoustic guitar players can attach a similar setup that employs a magnet pole attached to copper wires.

The vibration of the strings causes electric current to be passed through the wires to the amp. All that is required is that the magnetic pickup be close enough to the strings to sense the vibration. This is why different finger movements or picking techniques are lost on an amplified guitar using a standard amp.

  • Piezo Scanner for a Unique Sound

One big reason acoustic guitar players prefer a piezo scanner to amplify their volume is because a piezo scanner will sense individual string vibrations. They also will only produce a sound when a vibration occurs. Acoustic guitar players can employ a number of fingering tricks and picking techniques. These skills produce a sound that only an acoustic instrument is capable, especially an acoustic cigar box guitar.

If they use a mic or a normal magnetic amplifier, these skills are lost. The audience only hears what is transferred across the electrical wires. When they employ a piezo scanner, the piezo senses every single change in vibration. Stops are accentuated. Fret and string bends produce a sound completely different from what would be broadcast through a mic or straight amplifier connection.

A magnetic pickup will produce the same sound no matter what kind of guitar is played. Microphones have a tendency to distort sound and are prone to picking up unwanted, outside sounds. However, acoustic guitar players value the unique crispness of their instrument. Therefore, the only way to transfer the truest sound and produce accurate quality is through a piezo scanner. 

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