An electromagnetic field pickup (10) for a musical instrument including an electromagnetic signal generator (12), an electromagnetic field transducer (18), a mixer (28), the electromagnetic signal generator (12), the electromagnetic field transducer (18) and the mixer (28) are respectively connected in series, the electromagnetic signal generator (12) is also connected directly to the mixer (28), so constructed and arranged that when power is supplied to the electromagnetic field pickup (10) an audio electrical signal of substantially same pitch, intonation and sustain as a vibrating element (22) of the instrument is generated.