Guitar Technology

Its been said that anyone can play guitar, but if youve tried it, you know its not easy. Now, a piece of technology can bridges the gap between geek and musician. Take a guitar, add a laptop, and you get the idea behind the Fretlight, a way to blend your inner geek and your inner rock star. CEO Rusty Shaffer started Fretlight because he wanted a better way to learn to play guitar. "Why doesnt somebody take the stuff on the books and put the dots on the guitar, so while Im learning I can have fun," Shaffer says. So Fretlight takes software that blends songs and chords, along with a guitar that lights up along the fret board. "Theres a circuit board with LED lights, they have chips and components. It plugs into the USB port of a PC or MAC, and software drives the lights," Shaffer explains. If youve ever tried to play the guitar, you know it takes a ton of practice, which can be tough. "The old days when you took a book and guitar under an oak tree and practiced for hours and hours and hours are gone," Shaffer says. So technology comes to the rescue, giving you a chance to mix software with hard rock. The Fretlight package starts at about $400, and goes up to $800 depending on what kind of guitar you buy, acoustic or electric. You can get started on the companys website at http://www.fretlight.com/. Photo Credit: Courtesy: USMC