Abstract: A pickup assembly is used with a string instrument having a plurality of strings and an elongated fingerboard against which the strings can be stopped, a bow having a filament adapted to be drawn across the strings, and a frequency synthesizer. The assembly is composed of a pickup on the fingerboard for detecting which strings are stopped, where therealong, and for generating an output corresponding thereto, a pickup connected to the bow for detecting action thereof for generating an output corresponding thereto, and a pickup connected to the strings for detecting which string is being contacted by the bow and for generating an output corresponding thereof. These resultant, mainly analog signals are then fed to a processor that is connected to all of the pickup for receiving the outputs thereof, digitizing these outputs, and feeding the digitized outputs to the synthesizer.