The MI Guitar incorporates complex software with musical intelligence to simplify the playing process with an easy-to-use button-based fretboard. Our challenge was to take this new guitar-playing interface and create a design that echoes the experience and feeling of playing a traditional guitar, while still communicating the digital soul of the device. We maintained the classic shape of a guitar, but gave it a fresh look that emphasizes the details unique to the MI Guitar.

The strings on the instrument don’t need to be tuned, so the MI Guitar doesn’t have a traditional bridge or tuning pegs. We highlighted this by making the bridge almost invisible, creating the illusion that the strings disappear into the guitar body. The neck of the guitar continues into the bridge, creating a single connection point for strumming and changing chords. The aluminum knobs give the MI Guitar a premium look similar to a piece of modern technology rather than a classic musical instrument.