There’s nothing rock-and-roll about being tethered to a laptop while trying to perform. Realizing this, students Shane Nolan and Ryan Jaquin (both MBA & B.S Electrical Engineering) paired up with UB graduate Alex Schwartz to found Bitcrusher, LLC. Bitcrusher has innovated the classic electric guitar, which hasn’t received much of a real update since the 1960’s, by developing a new electronics platform that changes how this instrument works. While the typical electrical component to an electric guitar must be inserted into the guitar, Bitcrusher created a thinner, more compact, and lower-profile circuit board that can be attached easily to the outside of the guitar. This circuit board increases functionality by putting the effects of outer components such as floor pedals, which can be cumbersome and annoying to attach to the guitar, onto the guitar itself. This puts the access to effects on the instrument and streamlines the experience of playing electric guitar by fitting everything into one slim, technologically advanced, and easy to use device. The team hopes that their embracive approach towards technology will help to modernize the music industry, especially for this particular instrument which has seen a downspin in popularity as newer generations embrace technological advancements in music.