Wavetable-modification instrument and method for generating musical sound
2010-03-12
AbstractA musical instrument employing probabilistic wavetable-modification method of producing musical sound. A randomly initialized wavetable which is periodically accessed to provide an output signal which determines the musical sound. The output signal from the wavetable is probabilistically modified and stored back into the wavetable as modified data. The modified data, after a delay, is accessed from the wavetable and thereby becomes a new output signal. This process is periodically repeated whereby each new output signal is stored (after possibly being modified) back into the wavetable to produce rich and natural musical sound.ClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. A musical instrument for producing musical sound comprising,

input means for specifying a musical sound to be generated,

wavetable-modification generator means for generating by wavetable modification an output signal representing the musical sound to be produced, including a wavetable unit for cyclically storing data values for a delay period N, including initialvalue means for storing input data values into said wavetable unit with said input data values having amplitudes determined at least in part randomly, including a modifier unit for combining two or more delayed data values from said wavetable unit toform a modified data value, and including selection means for selecting the modified data value as a stored value stored back into the wavetable unit for subsequent delay by the period N where the stored value forms the output signal, means for selectingthe stored value as the output signal at a rate independent of the pitch of the musical sound to be produced,

an output unit responsive to said output signal to produce the musical sund.

2. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein said selection means includes means for selecting said modified data value or a delayed data value stochastically based upon a predetermined probability, d.

3. The instrument of claim 2 wherein said modifier unit includes an arithmetic unit for summing said two or more delayed data values from said wavetable unit and for dividing the summed data value by a number greater than unity to form saidmodified data value.

4. The instrument of claim 3 wherein said number greater than unity is 2 whereby said two or more delayed data values from said wavetable unit are averaged.

5. The instrument of claim 2 wherein said value has an amplitude yn at a sample time n greater than or equal to 0 where yn is given as follows, ##EQU7## where yn-N is the data value output from the wavetable after delay of N andwhere yn-(N 1) is the data value output from the wavetable after a delay of N 1 and where xn is an input data value at sample time n having a signal amplitude loaded for an initial number of samples M into the wavetable and where rn is arandom number between 0 and 1 generated at sample time n.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein said output signal, at sample time n, is the data value having the amplitude yn.

7. The instrument of claim 5 wherein said wavetable unit is a random access memory, wherein the data value, yn, is stored in said memory at a Write Pointer address and wherein the data value yn-N is stored in said memory at a ReadPointer address, and wherein said Write Pointer address and said Read Pointer address are offset by a number of addresses equal to the number, N.

8. The instrument of claim 7 wherein the data value yn-(N 1) is stored in said memory at a Read Pointer 1 address which is offset from said Read Pointer address by 1.

9. The instrument of claim 5 wherein the values of xn initially stored in said wavetable represent "white noise".

10. The instrument of claim 9 wherein said values of xn are given as follows:

where un is determined as 1 or -1 as a function of the output of a random number generator and where A is some amplitude.

11. The instrument of claim 5 including control means for producing the values of yn for the output signal at a sampling frequency, fs, and wherein the fundamental frequency of the sound produced for a pitch number N is approximatelyequal to fs /(N d/2).

12. The instrument of claim 7 including means for storing said Write Pointer address, means for storing the pitch number, N, as an address offset, means for calculating said Read Pointer address by summing said Write Pointer address and N, andmeans for sequentially changing said Write Pointer address to a new address for each value of yn stored.

13. The instrument of claim 12 wherein means for sequentially changing said Write Pointer address includes means for decrementing said Write Pointer address.

14. The instrument of claim 7 including means for storing said Write Pointer address, means for storing said Read Pointer address offset by an integer proportioned to N from said Write Pointer address, and means for sequentially changing saidWrite Pointer address and said Read Pointer address whereby the offset between said Write Pointer address and Read Pointer address remains the same.

15. The instrument of claim 2 wherein said generator means includes means for generating modified data values at a sampling frequency.

16. The instrument of claim 2 wherein said data values are digital and wherein said output unit includes a digital-to-analog converter, a low-pass filter, an amplifier and a speaker for producing the musical sound in response to said outputsignal.

17. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said wavetable modification generator generates musical sound for a plurality of voices, wherein said input unit includes means for specifying one or more of said voices, wherein said wavetable modificationgenerator includes means for producing output signals representing the sound for each of said voices by probabilistic wavetable modification, and wherein said output unit in response to said output signals concurrently produces said musical sounds forall of said voices.

18. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said wavetable unit cyclically stores data values for a plurality of voices, each having a delay period specified by an independent pitch number, N, wherein said modifier unit modifies two or more delayeddata values for each voice from said wavetable unit to form a modified data value, for each voice, and wherein said generator includes means for storing either the modified data value or a delayed data value for each voice back into the wavetable unit asa stored data value for subsequent delay by the corresponding N where the stored data value for each voice forms the output signal.

19. The instrument of claim 18 including means for storing and updating a Write Pointer each cycle to specify the location in the wavetable at which the stored data value for each voice is to be stored, and including means for storing a delayperiod N for each voice, and means for determining a Read Pointer for each voice to designate the location of the delayed data values for each voice in the wavetable memory.

20. The instrument of claim 19 wherein said Write Pointer is common for all of said voices and wherein said generator includes means for adding the pitch number N for each voice to the Write Pointer to provide the Read Pointer for each voice.

21. The instrument of claim 20 wherein the wavetable is a random access memory, wherein the stored data value for each voice is stored in said memory at a Write Pointer address unique to that corresponding voice and wherein the delayed datavalues are stored in memory locations determined by a Read Pointer address for each voice and wherein said Write Pointer and Read Pointer addresses for each voice are offset by a number equal to the pitch number, N for each voice.

22. The instrument of claim 21 wherein the Write Pointer address includes a low-order field for uniquely identifying each different voice and includes a high-order field for identifying the location within a portion of the memory associated withthe voice identified in the corresponding low-order field.

23. The instrument of claim 22 wherein said generator includes means for decrementing said Write Pointer each time a data value is stored at the location specified by said Write Pointer.

24. The instrument of claim 23 wherein the sampling frequency, fs, is the same for each voice.

25. The instrument of claim 24 including means for providing said data values at a logic cycle frequency which is the number of voices times fs.

26. The instrument of claim 25 wherein the output unit includes a digital-to-analog converter for receiving each new data value for each voice and includes a low pass filter for filtering the analog value from said converter and wherein saidconverter receives a new data value at said logic cycle frequency whereby the output from said low pass filter is a signal representing the musical sound for all of the voices.

27. The instrument of claim 18 including means for storing a Write Pointer and means for storing a Read Pointer for each voice, said Write Pointer having an address offset from said Read Pointer for each voice by the pitch number N for eachvoice, respectively, and including means for updating both said Write Pointer and said Read Pointer concurrently for each voice whereby the offset N between the Read Pointer and the Write Pointer for each voice is maintained.

28. A musical instrument for producing musical sound comprising,

input means for specifying a musical sound to be generated,

wavetable-modification generator means for generating by wavetable modification an output signal representing the musical sound to be produced, including a wavetable unit for cyclically storing data values for a delay period defined by a pitchnumber N, including a modifier unit for combining two or more delayed data values from said wavetable unit to form a modified data value, and including selection means for selecting the modified data value or a delayed data value stochastically basedupon a predetermined probability as a stored value stored back into the wavetable unit for subsequent delay by the period N where the stored value forms the output signal,

an output unit responsive to said output signal to produce the musical sound.

29. The instrument of claim 28 wherein said predetermined probability equals unity whereby the stored value is always the modified data value, and has an amplitude yn at a sample time n where yn is given as follows,

where yn-N is the data value output from the wavetable after delay of N and where yn-(N 1) is the data value output from the wavetable after a delay of N 1 and where xn is an input data value at sample time n having a signalamplitude initially loaded into the wavetable.

30. The instrument of claim 29 including means for storing the modified data value, yn, in said memory at a Write Pointer address, including means for storing the data value yn-N in said memory at a Read Pointer address, includingmeans for storing the data value yn-(N 1) in said memory at a Read Pointer 1 address which is offset from said Read Pointer address by 1 and wherein said Write Pointer address and said Read Pointer address are offset by a number of addresses equalto the pitch number N.

31. The instrument of claim 30 wherein said values of xn represent white noise and are given as follows:

where un is determined as 1 or -1 as a function of the output of a random number generator and where A is some amplitude.

32. The instrument of claim 29 including control means for producing the values of yn for the output signal at a sampling frequency, fs, whereby the fundamental frequency of the sound produced for the pitch number N is approximatelyequal to fs /(N 1/2).

33. The instrument of claim 30 including means for storing said Write Pointer address, means for storing the pitch number N as an address offset, means for calculating said Read Pointer address by summing said Write Pointer address and N, andmeans for sequentially changing said Write Pointer address to a new address for each value of yn stored.

34. The instrument of claim 30 including means for storing said Write Pointer address, means for storing said Read Pointer address offset by an integer proportional to N from said Write Pointer address, and means for sequentially changing saidWrite Pointer address and said Read Pointer address whereby the offset between said Write Pointer address and Read Pointer address remains substantially the same.

35. The instrument of claim 28 wherein said wavetable modification generator generates musical sound for a plurality of voices, wherein said input unit includes means for specifying one or more of said voices, wherein said wavetable modificationgenerator includes means for producing output signals representing the sound for each of said voices by probabilistic wavetable modification, and wherein said output unit in response to said output signals concurrently produces said musical sounds forall of said voices.

36. A wavetable-modification generator for use with a musical instrument having an input unit for specifying a musical sound to be generated and having an output unit responsive to an output signal to produce musical sound, said generatorcomprising,

a digital wavetable unit having a random access memory for cyclically storing data values for a delay period N,

initial value means for storing input data values into said wavetable unit with said input data values having amplitudes dete...

Programmed music on demand from the internet
2010-03-11
AbstractA system and method for delivering programmed music and targeted advertising messages to Internet based subscribers includes a software controlled microprocessor based repository in which the dossiers of a plurality of the subscribers are stored and updated, musical content and related advertising are classified and matched. A subscriber has an appropriate microprocessor based device capable of selecting information and receiving information from the Internet. The subscriber receives the programmed music and matched advertisements from the repository over the Internet.Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of transmitting programmed information to a plurality of users, comprising:

(a) creating a first database containing a large number of discrete data units each of which has a related profile;

(b) creating a second database containing a variety of discrete advertising messages each of which has a related profile;

(c) receiving requests for the data units from the plurality of users, and enabling each user to select a desired one of said data units;

(d) appending to the requested data units at least one of said advertising messages based upon a matching of profile criteria to create a composite response packet in the form of a sequential data flow, containing an advertising message and a data unit; and

(e) transmitting the composite response packet to the requesting user.

2. The method of claim 1, including transmitting the response packets to the users over the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, including transmitting the response packets to the users over a cable system.

4. The method of claim 1, including transmitting the response packets to the users over a satellite based communication system.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the data units are musical works.

6. The method of claim 5, including appending the advertising message to the musical work in the form of a voice over a leading portion of the musical work.

7. The method of claim 6, including classifying the users into predetermined subscriber classes.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the criteria includes the type of music selected by the users.

9. The method of claim 5, including appending the advertising message to the musical work in the form of a voice over a trailing portion of the musical work.

10. The method of claim 5, in which the advertising message is in the form of an audio message.

11. The method of claim 5, further including creating a credit account for at least two of the advertisers and storing in each credit account an "available allocation" for that advertiser, designating an available prepaid advertising credit amount.

12. The method of claim 5, including appending to the composite response packet generic audio messages.

13. The method of claim 12, in which the generic audio message is a message which identifies the artist and/or copyright holders of the musical work.

14. The method of claim 5, including receiving from users information responsive to audio messages in the form of orders for products and/or services which are offered by the advertising messages.

15. The method of claim 5, including providing a software facility for the handling of sales of product to users.

16. The method of claim 5, including providing on the Internet a web page by which users' communications with the first data base is enabled.

17. The method of claim 1, including storing the data units in one of analog and digital formats.

18. A method of transmitting programmed information to a plurality of subscribers, comprising:

(a) creating a first database containing a large number of discrete data units each of which has a related profile, the data units being musical works;

(b) creating a second database containing a variety of discrete advertising messages each of which has a related profile;

(c) receiving requests for the data units from the plurality of subscribers, and enabling each subscriber to select a desired one of said data units;

(d) appending to the requested data units at least one of said advertising messages based upon a matching of profile criteria to create a composite response packet in the form of a sequential data flow, containing an advertising message and a data unit; and

(e) transmitting the composite response packet to the requesting subscriber;

appending the advertising message to the musical work in the form of a voice over a leading portion of the musical work;

classifying the subscribers into predetermined subscriber classes; and

associating each piece of advertising message with at least two subscriber classes on a prioritized basis.

19. A method of transmitting programmed information to a plurality of subscribers, comprising:

(a) creating a first database containing a large number of discrete data units each of which has a related profile;

(b) creating a second database containing a variety of discrete advertising messages each of which has a related profile;

(c) receiving requests for the data units from the plurality of subscribers, and enabling each subscriber to select a desired one of said data units, the data units being musical works;

(d) appending to the requested data units at least one of said advertising messages based upon a matching of profile criteria to create a composite response packet in the form of a sequential data flow, containing an advertising message and a data unit;

(e) transmitting the composite response packet to the requesting subscriber; and

combining the musical work with the advertising message in a manner so that the musical work cannot be separated from the advertising messages by subscribers.

20. A method of transmitting programmed information to a plurality of subscribers, comprising:

(a) creating a first database containing a large number of discrete data units each of which has a related profile;

(b) creating a second database containing a variety of discrete advertising messages each of which has a related profile;

(c) receiving requests for the data units from the plurality of subscribers, and enabling each subscriber to select a desired one of said data units;

(d) appending to the requested data units at least one of said advertising messages based upon a matching of profile criteria to create a composite response packet in the form of a sequential data flow, containing an advertising message and a data unit, the data units being musical works;

(e) transmitting the composite response packet to the requesting subscriber; and

packaging selected ones of the response packets so that each successive playing of the musical work results in the subscriber hearing a different advertising message.Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving programmed music to and from the Internet to subscribers of the programmed music, where the programmed music received by the subscribers includes targeted advertising according to predetermined criteria.

Public and network television and radio stations have for decades distributed proprietary copyrighted subject matter to the viewing and listening public without any charge due to the sponsorship and financing of these programs by various advertisers and/or governmental bodies. With television and radio broadcast, it is difficult if not impossible to deliver specific advertisement messages to finely selected audiences since audience targeting is possible only on the basis of broad geographical areas, e.g. the city of New York. It is impossible to target individuals, or individuals who share a common trait, e.g. a certain age range, educational background, etc.

In contrast, the Internet communicates (at least along a portion of its path) over personal communication lines, i.e. the telephone. This enables sending of tailored messages between the ultimate recipient of specific information and the source of the information, e.g. a website, an Internet Service Provider, etc. Traditionally, proprietary, e.g. copyrighted, information could be downloaded from the Internet. In most cases, charge accounts are established with an Internet Service Provider and the recipient of the proprietary data content pays for those services and/or information.

It is desirable to provide an Internet based system for the dissemination of valuable proprietary information free of charge, just as it is provided through network television and radio stations without any costs to the ultimate user/subscriber and with advertiser sponsorship thereof targeted to the subscriber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide programmed music via the Internet to numerous subscribers without any charge to the subscribers.

It is a further object of the invention to provide programmed music to the general public in a manner which facilitates the bundling of such programmed music with advertisement copy tailored to the individual, to thereby underwrite the cost of supplying to members of the public valuable music and other data containing information.

It is a further object of the invention to provide advertisers a method of targeting music consumers meeting a profile designated by the advertiser which assures that the targeted music consumer receives a massage tailored for such consumer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a system of the above type which is easy to use and implement.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are realized in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention which includes a software-controlled and microprocessor-based repository in which the dossiers of a plurality of subscribers are stored and updated. Subscribers...

Method for encoding music printing information in a MIDI message
2010-03-10
AbstractA system and method of communicating music printing information using a minor enhancement to the conventional MIDI standard. This method degrades the communication of traditional MIDI command information or parameters by a small amount, but allows the inclusion of information important to music printing. MIDI compatible equipment that does not recognize the enhanced encoding can still utilize MIDI information that includes the enhanced encoding with minimal degradation of the performance information. In particular, the system method is useful for encoding enharmonic pitch encoding in the low order bits of MIDI note-on velocity information. The general method can be utilized to encode a wide variety of printing information in one or more selected MIDI control commands.Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of encoding parametric musical printing information in a MIDI message where a digital message representing a MIDI parameter of a selected note is encoded with a binary code by substituting selected bits of said digital message with said binary code, said method comprising:

selecting at least one musical parameter related to music printing, said parameter capable of being described by a finite, integral number of states;

defining said binary code for each said state of said at least one musical parameter; and,

selecting said MIDI parameter from one of a note-on velocity parameter, a note-off velocity parameter, a polyphonic key pressure parameter, a channel pressure parameter or a control change parameter, said MIDI parameter not otherwise used for communicating information about said at least one musical parameter, said selected bits of said digital message being selected from one of a representation of least significant bits or a representation of undefined bits of said selected MIDI parameter for said note.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one musical parameter related to music printing is an enharmonic spelling of said note.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said selected MIDI parameter is said note-on velocity parameter.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said selected MIDI parameter is said note-off velocity parameter.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said binary code is defined as a two bit code encoded in bits representing two least significant bits of said digital message representing said note-on velocity parameter for said note.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said binary code is defined as a two bit code encoded in bits representing two bits of said digital message representing said note-off velocity parameter for said note.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one musical parameter related to music printing is selected from the group consisting of slur information, stem direction information, enharmonic spelling, dynamic marking, crescendo and decrescendo, musical text directions, transposition by octave, and direction markings.Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and system of encoding one or more types of parametric information in conventional MIDI information. In particular, this invention relates to a method and system of encoding and using enharmonic pitch spelling information with a MIDI system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Common Musical Notation (CMN)

The modern system for notating the music of Western Civilization, referred to here as Common Musical Notation (CMN), has a long and distinguished history. The origins of the modern system can be traced as far back as the 10th Century AD with notation of early church chant. These simple melodies were made up entirely of the notes of what we today call the diatonic scale. This is the origin of the "white" keys on the modern keyboard. Early chant was not composed in what we today call the major-minor system of keys but rather in an older system call modes. All modes used the same diatonic scale tones, but each mode started at a different degree (note) of the diatonic scale. Thus, for example, the Dorian Mode started on what we today call the diatonic pitch of D and consisted of the notes, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. This mode sounds a lot like the modern key of D minor, but includes a "raised" sixth degree (the note B instead of the B-鈾?that would be called for in modern D minor.

The system for notating pitch in chants and other early music was quite simple. A set of lines was drawn (sometimes four, sometimes five, sometimes more than five), and the degrees of the scale were represented as positions on the lines or on the spaces in between them. This is the origin of our modem five-line staff system. In the case of the Dorian mode referred to above, the notation of the scale would look as shown in FIG. 1.

The important thing to notice is that each degree (note) of the scale has a position that is one level higher than the previous degree, but that the actual size of musical interval between two consecutive degrees is not the same in all cases. For example, the size of musical interval between D and E is what we today call a whole step. In terms of sound frequency, the pitch E is on the order of 12.24 percent higher than the pitch D (the actual size will depend on the system of tuning used). The size of the musical interval between E and F is what we today call a half step. In terms of sound frequency, the pitch F is on the order of 5.94 percent higher than the pitch E. To restate the point in another way, the levels on the musical staff do not all represent the same size musical interval.

The modern system of major-minor keys, which is the basis of practically all music written and/or performed today (both classical and popular), grew out of the earlier modal system. What allowed the major-minor system to develop was the ability to alter selectively the basic pitches of the modes either by raising them with what we today call a sharp (#), or lowering them with what we today call a flat (鈾?. The amount by which a pitch is raised or lowered by a sharp or a flat is a half-step, about 5.94 percent of the base (starting) frequency. The Dorian scale in the previous example can be made into a D-minor scale by flatting the B. In CMN the flat is put in front of the note making the scale shown in FIG. 2.

For the purpose of this discussion, it is important to note that raising the A in the example above with a sharp will produce a pitch (musical frequency) which is almost identical to the pitch (musical frequency) arrived at by lowering the next consecutive note B with a flat. In the even-tempered system of tuning, these frequencies are identical, but in a non-tempered system these frequencies are only close, not identical.

Tuning Systems and Modern Keyboard Instruments.

It is beyond the scope of this application to present a full explanation of the problem of tuning. Such a discussion would involve the theory of musical intervals and their relationship to musical harmonics. Suffice it to say that over the course of the development of Western music (principally the 14th through the end of the 17th centuries), several systems of tuning were devised and used. With the advent of the modern major-minor system of scales and keys toward the very end of the 17th century, the need developed for a tuning system in which the size of any particular musical interval would be the same (in terms of the ratio of sound frequencies) for all musical scales and keys. The system which does this is called the Even-Tempered System of tuning. In this system, all half-steps are the same size, and there are twelve of them in an octave. Since an octave is the interval between two pitches whose ratio is 2 to 1, the size of the half-step interval in the Even-Tempered System is the twelfth root of two, or approximately 1.059463 to 1.

With the acceptance of the Even-Tempered System, it became possible to standardize, once and for all, the configuration of the keyboard (piano, clavichord, harpsichord, organ). This configuration, with accidentals (i.e., modifications to the principal degrees, e.g. C#, D#, F#, G#, and A#) being represented by shorter, thinner keys (the "black" keys) placed between wider, l...

Control system for a musical instrument
2010-03-09
AbstractA control system for a musical instrument, e.g., an electric guitar, which is programmable so that a tremolo characteristic can be applied to the audio signal produced by the musical instrument. The tremolo characteristic can be comprised of a combination of three preset amplitude components and three preset frequency components. The control system can also be used to dynamically vary the volume characteristic of the audio signal produced by the musical instrument. Specifically, the control system includes a tactile member which produces a signal proportionate to the pressure exerted on the tactile member by the musician. This signal can be used to increase the volume characteristic of the musical instrument while the musician is playing the musical instrument.Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A control system to be used to change one or more characteristics of an audio signal produced by a musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of user inputs including a tactile member which produces a first signal which is proportionate to the pressure exerted on said tactile member by a musician while said musician is playing said instrument;

a controller which receives said first signal, said controller having a program mode, wherein preset component values for audio characteristics can be programmed by said musician, and an operation mode wherein audio characteristics for an audio signal produced by said musical instrument can be modified by said musician manipulating said plurality of user inputs; and

an audio signal modifier, responsive to signals from said controller which modifies said audio signal produced by said musical instrument in response to signals received from said controller.

2. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a transducer and wherein said tactile member comprises an air filled tube mounted on a surface of said musical instrument wherein depression of said air filled tube towards said surface of said musical instrument results in a proportionate change in pressure within said air filled tube and wherein said transducer produces said first signal in response to detecting said proportionate change in pressure.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein said tactile member is positioned on the musical instrument in a location where said musician does not have to remove his or her hands to manipulate said tactile member.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein said air filled tube has a square base with a rounded upper hemisphere, wherein said square base is mounted on said surface of said musical instrument.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein said musical instrument comprises an electric guitar and said tactile member is mounted on said neck of said electric guitar.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein said controller, when in said program mode, can be programmed by said musician to set an initial starting volume for a volume audio characteristic of said audio signal produced by said musical instrument.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein said controller, when in said operation mode, produces an audio signal having a volume audio characteristic which is at least said initial starting volume and wherein said controller increases said volume audio characteristic from said initial starting volume in proportion to said first signal generated by said musician exerting pressure on said tactile member.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein said controller, when in said operation mode, sustains the volume audio characteristic of said audio signal produced by said musical instrument at a first level, which is proportionate to the greatest amount of pressure exerted on said tactile member by said musician, until said musician exerts a greater amount of pressure on said tactile member.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein said controller, when in said program mode, can be programmed by said musician to set a plurality of initial starting frequencies and a plurality of initial starting amplitudes of a tremolo audio characteristic of said audio signal produced by said musical instrument.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein said controller, when in said operation mode, produces an audio signal having a tremolo audio characteristic having one of said plurality of initial starting frequencies and having one of said plurality of initial starting amplitudes.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein said controller, when in said operation mode, increases the frequency of said tremolo audio characteristic in response to said musician exerting pressure on said tactile member.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein said controller is configured, in said operation mode, so that said musician can switch between said plurality of starting frequencies and said plurality of starting amplitudes of said tremolo audio characteristic by manipulating said plurality of user inputs.Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a system for controlling the output-of a musical instrument and, in particular, concerns a system which includes a pressure sensitive control device which is mounted on a musical instrument to allow the player of the instrument to alter various characteristics of the audio output signal of the musical instrument.

2. Description of the Related Art

Electric guitars are extremely popular musical instruments as they can produce a wide range of different sounds when they are used in conjunction with an amplifier. The musician can produce sound signals having a wide range of volume with an electric guitar and the musician can also produce a sound signal from the electric guitar that has a particular sound quality. For example, using the amplifier, the musician can produce a sound signal having a characteristic which varies in volume over time. This characteristic is generally referred to as tremolo. Other types of sound signals that can be produced using an electric guitar include reverberation, vibrato and the like.

The sound signals produced by the guitar are generally adjusted by the musician either changing the settings of dials on the guitar, or by changing settings of dials on an amplifier. Foot pedals are also often used to change the characteristics of the audio signals produced by an electric guitar. It can be appreciated, however, that these devices for changing the characteristics of the sound signals have several disadvantages for the musician.

Specifically, if the musician has to remove his hands from the strings of the guitar to adjust a dial, he cannot continue playing the instrument during that interval. This causes disruptions in the melody that the musician is playing. This problem is somewhat solved by foot pedals which are linked to the amplifier and effectuate changes in characteristics of the audio signal. However, the foot pedals are generally fixedly positioned in one place which requires that the musician also remain in the same place. In many musical performances, the musicians prefer to move around the stage, and their ability to do so is hampered when they have to remain in the proximity of the foot pedals to effectuate changes in the characteristics of the audio signals that they are producing.

One possible solution to this problem has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,018 to Krebs. The Krebs patent discloses an electric guitar wherein compressive rubber resistance elements are built into the neck of the guitar at specific locations. These elements can be used by the musician to change various characteristics of the sound signals, e.g., the volume, by depressing the elements while playing the guitar. However, the guitar in the Krebs patent still suffers from several difficulties.

First, Krebs discloses a guitar wherein the compressive rubber elements are embedded in the neck of the guitar. This requires that the guitar be specially made to facilitate these rubber elements or that the neck of existing guitars be drilled and hollowed to facilitate the rubber elements. Further, the rubber elements are generally small in size and made of a solid piece of rubber. While a solid piece of rubber can be depressed by an individual, the tactile feel of a solid piece of rubber is generally very poor.

In particular, a musician who is depressing one of the elements to change a characteristic of the audio signal in the Krebs guitar will generally not be able to predict ahead of time the exact change of a characteristic of the audio signal. The musician will generally have to wait until the audio signal is produced, and then exert more or less pressure on the element to adjust the signal to have the desired characteristic. Hence, the desired audio signal may not be produced at the desired time or the characteristic may initially be not what the musician intended.

A further difficultly with the Krebs device is that some desired changes in characteristics of audio signals still require the musician to remove his hands from the guitar to effectuate the desired change. For example, if the musician wishes to change the tremolo, e.g., change the frequency of the recurring audio signal having a constant volume, the musician has to remove his hand from the guitar and change a pre-set setting of a dial on the amplifier.

Generally, tremolo settings are pre-set prior to the musician beginning a performance. The musician determines ahead of time the desired frequency of repetition of the audio signal and the desired volume and then, during the performance, engages the tremolo to produce the desired characteristic. If the musician determines during the performance that the settings for a desired effect should be changed, the musician must then stop playing the guitar and change the settings to the new desired settings. It can be appreciated that this significantly limits the flexibility of the musician to change the characteristics of the audio signal while the instrument is being played.

Hence, from the foregoing it is apparent that there is a need in the prior art for a device which allows a musician to change the characteristics of a sound signal produced by a musical instrument without removing his hands from the instrument. To this end, there is a need for an apparatus which allows the musician to know, prior to the production of the resulting sound signal, the changes in a particular characteristic that are going to occur. Further, there is also a need for a system which allows the musician to program multiple different settings for multiple different changes in characteristics ahead of time and then, while playing the instrument, change between the different changes in characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aforementioned needs are satisfied by the present invention which is comprised of a control system having a tactile member which can be positioned on an instrument in a position where the musician can access the tactile member while playing the instrument. The tactile member produces a signal which is proportionate to the pressure exerted by the musician and this signal is then sent to a controller. The controller then interprets the signal and adjusts a characteristic of the sound signal produced by the musical instrument accordingly.

Preferably, the controller has one or more inputs which allows the musician to select between separate functions wherein separate sound characteristics can be affected by manipulation of the tactile member. In the preferred embodiment, in a volume function the controller adjusts the volume characteristic of the audio signals produced by the musical instrument. In second and third functions, i.e., the tremolo functions, the controller will adjust a tremolo characteristic that is applied to the audio signal produced by the musical instrument.

In the volume function, the controller is preferably programmed so that the musician can choose between two separate volume modes: the pressure mode and the sustained mode. In the pressure mode, the volume of the audio signal produced by the musical instrument is dependent upon the amount of pressure the musician is exerting on the tactile member. In the sustained mode, the controller selects a volume value, depending upon amount of pressure exerted on the tactile member, and sustain the volume at this volume value for any future audio signal produced by the instrument until the musician selects a higher sustained volume or clears the controller. In the preferred embodiment, the musician clears the controller by depressing the tactile member a pre-selected amount to thereby send a clear signal to the controller.

In the tremolo functions, the musician can first preset up to three separate speeds or frequencies of the tremolo. The musician initially places the controller into a tremolo frequency program mode and then selects one of the presets. The musician can then program a preset tremolo frequency by playing the instrument and depressing on the tactile member which will result in the frequency of the tremolo varying proportionately to the amount of pressure exerted on the tactile member. Once the musician has attained a desired frequency, the musician then depresses one of the inputs on the controller to record the frequency in one of the presets.

When the musician is subsequently playing the instrument, the musician can activate the tremolo and have the frequency of the tremolo set at one of the presets. The musician can change between presets by simply depressing the inputs on the controller. Further, the musician can also increase the speed or frequency of the tremolo from one of the presets by depressing the tactile member which causes the tremolo to increase proportionately to the signal from the tactile member.

Further in the tremolo functions, the musician can also program three pre-set volumes for the tremolo characteristic so that when the instrument is subsequently played and the tremolo characteristic is sought, one of the preset volume levels can be selected to dictate the amplitude of the tremolo characteristic. To program the tremolo amplitude, the musician enters the program mode and then plays the instrument. The musician adjusts the volume by depressing the tactile member until a desired volume is reached. The musician then records this desired volume as one of the amplitude presets in the controller. Subsequently, when the musician is playing the instrument, the musician can select the amplitude of the tremolo from one of three pre-set amplitudes.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the control system of the preferred embodiment enables the musician to program preset volume levels, tremolo frequency levels and tremolo amplitude levels by simply playing the instrument and exerting pressure on the tactile member. Subsequently, the musician can select between the preset levels while playing the instrument. The musician can also use the tactile member while playing the instrument to dynamically adjust the volume of the audio signal and the frequency of a tremolo effect applied to the audio signal by exerting pressure on the tactile member. Hence, the control system affords the musician greater flexibility in adjusting the characteristics of the audio signal produced by the musical instrument.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims take in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a musical instrument used in conjunction with a first embodiment of a control system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the musical instrument shown in FIG. 1, used in conjunction with a second embodiment of a control system of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are partially cut-away perspective views of a tactile member which forms a portion of the control system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a control box, and the external controls associated therewith, comprising a portion of the control system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an electrical schematic which illustrates a control circuit which forms a portion of the control system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the control circuit shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the control circuit as it performs an operation function shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the control circuit as it performs a volume operation function shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the control circuit as it performs a tremolo operation function shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the control circuit as it performs a program function shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the control circuit as it performs a program volume function illustrated in FIG. 10; and

FIGS. 12 and 12A is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the control circuit as it performs a program tremolo function shown in FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a musician 100 holding a musical instrument 102, which in this case is an electric guitar. The musical instrument 102 is equipped with a music control system 104 of the preferred embodiment.

The music control system 104 includes one or more flexible tactile members 106 that are positioned on the musical instrument 102. The flexible tactile members 106 are preferably positioned on the musical instrument 102 in places where the musician 100 can exert pressure on the flexible tactile members 106 without the musician 100 removing his hands from playing positions on the musical instrument 102. In this embodiment, the tactile member 106 is positioned adjacent the neck of the guitar where the musician 100 can press down in the tactile member 106 with either his thumb or finger. Alternatively, the tactile member 106 could have been positioned adjacent the musician's strumming hand (shown in phantom) thereby allowing the musician 100 to use his strumming hand to exert pressure on the tactile member 106.

In the preferred embodiment, the tactile member 106 is a sealed air hose that the musician 100 can depress to thereby change the pressure within the air hose. The tactile member 106 is connected to a central control box 108 that has a sensor which determines the extent to which the musician has depressed the tactile member 106.

FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention wherein the tactile members 106 all are connected to a central manifold 110. The central manifold 110 is preferably connected to the central control box 108 via a connecting member 112. In the preferred embodiment, the connecting member 112 is ...

Musical apparatus detecting maximum values and/or peak values of reflected light beams to control musical functions
2010-03-08
AbstractA musical apparatus which outputs music under the control of various musical control instructions where the desired musical control instructions are reliably determined by the movement of an object in an operation space, and where the musical control instructions are varied by changing the state of motion of the object in space.The musical apparatus performs musical control instructions whose contents are based on the state of motion of an object in motion within a specified operation space. The musical apparatus may have at least one light source which shines light into said operation space, at least one light sensor which receives light which has been reflected by an object in the space so that it has at least two light paths which reach from the light source to the light sensor via the object, so that a detection values is output according to the quantity of light received via a respective one of the light paths, and a musical controller which outputs music and controls a musical function when the correlation between the current values of the detection values of the various paths satisfies a specified relationship.Claims

We claim:

1. An electronic musical system which responds to the motion of an object within a specified space to control a sound function, wherein the electronic musical system comprises:

at least one radiation source that emits radiation into the specified space;

at least one sensor that receives radiation reflected along at least two different paths from an object in the specified space and provides at least one detection value corresponding to a characteristic of radiation received from the two paths; and

a controller for generating a control signal for operating the sound function based on the detection value.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radiation source that emits radiation comprises a light source that emits at least one light beam and wherein the at least one sensor that receives radiation from each of the at least two different paths comprises at least two light detectors for detecting light in at least two light paths.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sound function is an audio signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sound function is a tone signal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a central processing unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a digital signal processor.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sound source comprising a storage device for storing multiple tone waveform data, the multiple tone waveform data being readable for producing the sound function.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the radiation comprises magnitude of radiation.

9. A method of controlling music based on the motion of an object within a specified spate, the method comprising:

receiving radiation reflected from an object within the specified space along at least two light paths;

generating information based on a characteristic of radiation received from each of the at least two light paths;

receiving performance data from a performance signal source;

generating an audio signal based on the performance data; and

controlling a characteristic of the audio signal based on the generated information.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein receiving radiation reflected from an object comprises receiving light reflected from an object.

11. The method recited in claimed 9, wherein receiving performance data from a performance signal source comprises receiving performance data from a digital music signal source.

12. The method recited in claim 9, wherein receiving performance data from a performance signal source comprises receiving performance data from a Musical Instrument Digital Interface ("MIDI") signal.

13. The method recited in claim 9, wherein generating information based on a characteristic of radiation received from each of the at least two paths comprises:

generating at least two detection values, each of which is based on a characteristic of radiation received from each of the at least two paths;

detecting a maximum value of each of the at least two detection values; and

controlling a characteristic of the audio signal based on a correlation between the maximum values of the at least two detection values.

14. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the audio signal is a tone signal.

15. The method recited in claim 9, wherein generating information based on a characteristic of the radiation received from each of the at least two paths comprises generating information based on a quantity of radiation received from each of the at least two paths.

16. The method recited in claim 13, wherein generating at least two detection values, each of which is based on a characteristic of radiation received from each of the at least two paths comprises generating at least two detection values, each of which is based on a quantity of light received from each of the at least two light paths.

17. A method of controlling and outputting music based on the motion of an object within a specified space, the method comprising:

receiving radiation reflected from an object within the specified space,

controlling a characteristic of the received radiation by moving the object within the specified space;

generating a detection value based on the characteristic of the received radiation;

receiving performance data from a performance signal source;

generating an audio signal based on the performance data,

outputting the audio signal; and

controlling the audio signal based on the detection value.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising emitting radiation into the specified space.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein emitting radiation comprises emitting light and wherein receiving radiation comprises receiving reflected light.

20. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein receiving radiation comprises receiving light reflected from the object within the specified space.

21. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein receiving radiation comprises receiving light reflected along at least two paths from the object and wherein generating a detection value comprises generating a value dependent upon a characteristic of light received along the at least two paths.

22. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the audio signal is a tone signal.

23. The method recited in claim 17, wherein generating a detection value based on a characteristic of the received radiation comprises generating a detection value based on the quantity of the received radiation.

24. The method recited in claim 18, wherein receiving performance data from a performance signal source comprises receiving performance data from a digital music signal source.

25. The method recited in claim 18, wherein receiving performance data from a performance signal source comprises receiving performance data from a Musical Instrument Digital Interface ("MIDI") signal.

26. The method recited in claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a peak value of the detection value; and

controlling a characteristic of the audio signal when the peak value is detected.

27. An electronic musical apparatus which responds to the motion of an object within a specified space to control the music output by said electronic musical apparatus, wherein said electronic musical apparatus comprises:

at least one radiation sensor which receives radiation reflected from an object within said specified space and providing a detection value corresponding to a characteristic of radiation received by said light sensor,

a threshold detector for detecting a condition in which the detection value passes a predefined threshold;

a signal generator which generates music; and

a musical controller which, upon the detection value passing the threshold, controls the music generated by said signal generator.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, further comprising a radiation source for emitting radiation into the specified space.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the radiation source comprises a light source and the radiation sensor comprises a light sensor.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the radiation sensor comprises a lift sensor.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the characteristic of the radiation comprises the quantity of radiation.

32. A method of controlling and outputting music based on the motion of an object within a specified space, said method comprising:

receiving radiation from an object within the specified space;

generating at least one detection value based on a characteristic of radiation received from the object;

detecting a condition in which the detection value exceeds a predefined threshold; and

outputting music and modifying the outputted music upon the detection value exceeding the predefined threshold.

33. A method as recited in claim 32, further comprising emitting radiation into the specified space.

34. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the radiation comprises a light.

35. A method as recited in claim 32, wherein the radiation comprises a light.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein the characteristic of the radiation comprises the quantity of radiation.Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is electronic musical apparatuses such as electronic musical instruments, music-related sound generation devices, music-related sound modification devices, and their controllers, including, for example, synthesizers, keyboards, drum machines, effects processors, effects pedals, sequencers and sound modules. More specifically, the electronic musical apparatus embodying the invention is controlled by detecting the location and/or movement of an object (e.g., a hand) within a space by using a light beam, including an infrared light beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Non-contact musical control devices have been known in the past which issue control instructions by optically detecting the movement of a hand or the like within a specified space. These devices provided a pair consisting of one light source (infrared emitting diode or the like) which shines a light into the space and one light receiving element (infrared sensor or the like) which receives the light of the light source which has been reflected by the hand when said hand proceeds into said space, and if reflected light was received by the light receiver, the device performed a switch-like control which turned the instruction for a specified operation ON when said received light quantity exceeded a certain threshold value, and turned it OFF when it was below the threshold value.

The intensity distribution of the light beam irradiated from the light source in the conventional non-contact musical control devices described above is as shown, for example, in FIG. 26. In this case, the light quantity received by the light receiver will differ, even if the hand is held at the same height from the light receiver, when the hand is held directly above the light source as compared to when it is held to the side. Consequently, in a case where ON/OFF operation instructions are performed according to whether or not the quantity of received light exceeds a specified threshold...

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLAYING IN SYNCHRONISM WITH A DIGITAL AUDIO FILE AN AUTOMATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
2010-03-04
Abstract text
The invention disclosed is a system for playing a music sequence such as a MIDI file in synchronization with a prerecorded digital audio data file, such as an MP3 file. The synchronization is accomplished by using the digital media sample rate as a common time base for progression of the playing of the digital media and the music sequence.Claims
1. An apparatus for playing an automated musical instrument in synchronism with a digital audio file, the apparatus including: a source for a music sequence including time stamped articulation events; a source for a digital audio file; the controller in communication with the source for a music sequence a source of a digital audio file and in communication with the automated musical instrument, the controller providing the articulation events to the automated musical instrument, the controller further including a digital to analog converter to convert the digital audio file to an analog signal for play, the digital to analog converter providing the controller with a progress status of the time since the beginning of the play of the analog signal, the controller using the progress status of time as a time base for providing the time stamped articulation events to the automated musical instrument.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the music sequence is a MIDI file.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where the source of a music sequence is digital media.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, where the digital media is selected from the group of compact flash cards, or SD cards.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, where the digital audio file is an MP3 file.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, where the source of a music sequence and the source for a digital audio file are the same media.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, where in the media is selected from the group including: optical disc, digital audio tape, SD cards, hard drives, and compact flash cards.

8. A controller for playing an automated musical instrument in synchronism with a digital audio file, including, a media reader; a DAC subsystem; a microprocessor; memory storing a music sequence; the media reader in communication with the microprocessor and the DAC subsystem, the media reader providing the DAC subsystem with digital audio data, and providing the microprocessor with information regarding identity of the audio track; the DAC subsystem including a digital to analog converter to convert the digital audio data into an analog signal for transmission to a transducer; the DAC subsystem in communication with the microprocessor and providing the microprocessor with information regarding the time progress of processing the digital audio data; the microprocessor in communication with the memory storing a music sequence, the microprocessor sending the music sequence to the automated musical instrument based on the time progress of processing the digital audio data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the music sequence is a MIDI file including time stamped articulation events.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the microprocessor sends the events in music sequence to the automated musical instrument at a discreet time prior to the time called for by the time stamp for the event.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the discreet time is between 100 msec and 500 msec.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor sends the events in music sequence to the automated musical instrument at a discreet time prior to the time called for by the time stamp for the event.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the discreet time is between 100 msec and 500 msec.

14. A method of playing in synchronism digital audio data and an automated musical instrument, the method including the steps of: providing a music sequence having time stamped articulation events, providing digital audio data; converting the digital audio data into an analog signal and sending the analog signal to a transducer to convert the signal into an audible signal; monitoring the progression of the conversion of the digital audio data to establish a time base; referencing the time base and sending the articulation events to the automated musical instrument in accordance with the time stamps as the time base progresses.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the articulation events are advanced a discreet period of time.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the discreet period of time is between 100 msec to 500 msec.

17. The method of claim 14, where the digital audio data is on a CD, the digital audio data having a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the digital audio data includes a first indicia identifying the digital audio data, and the music sequence includes a second indicia identifying the music sequence, the method including the further step of comparing the first indicia to second indicia and determining if the indicia match.

19. The method of claim 18, including the step of selecting the music sequence from a plurality of music sequences, reading the first indicia of the selected music sequence, and selecting for conversion into an analog signal, the digital audio data having matching second indicia.

20. The method of claim 14, where the music sequence is authored to accompany the digital music data.Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to and is a CIP of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 11/469,813 entitled A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLAYING IN SYNCHRONISM WITH A CD AN AUTOMATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT and filed on Sep. 1, 2006 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 60/713,936 entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM THAT ISSUES TIME-STAMPED MUSICAL ARTICULATION EVENTS TO A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT filed on Sep. 2, 2005. This application also claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 11/469,797 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLAYING IN SYNCHRONISM WITH A DVD AN AUTOMATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT filed on Sep. 1, 2006 which also claims priority to U.S. Provisional 60/713,936. All of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to the area of automated musical instruments, particularly pianos, the invention also relates to the method of creating or authoring music sequences files for use with the automated musical instrument.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Automated musical instruments, such as pianos, are well known in the art. Such instruments are typically acoustic instruments that use mechanical actuators to operate the instrument. The actuators receive commands of articulation events or music sequences to control or play the instrument. The music sequences are delivered to the instrument by a controller. There have been a number of attempts to have an automated instrument play in synchronization or accompaniment with a prerecorded CD or hard drive. Such attempts are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,138,925, 5,300,725, 5,148,419 and 5,313,011. In order allow for synchronous play, those previous attempts rely upon timing information presented on a sub-channel of the CD to provide a common time frame for both the music sequences and the CD audio to reference. While such an arrangement is sufficient, it suffers from the limited resolution offered by the timing information of the CD sub-channel. The timing information of the CD sub-channel has a period or resolution of 13 milliseconds, which is not accurate enough for some piano sequences. The present invention described herein uses the timing inherent in the CD audio data as the time reference. By the use of this technique, the timing can have a period or resolution of 22.7 microseconds based upon the sample rate of 44.1 kHz of the digital audio data of the CD. One will recognize that this technique can be applied to any digital audio data, not just data on a CD. For instance, the technique may be applied to MP3, WAV or other popular digital media files.

[0004] While listening to the automated instrument playing alone is entertaining for the user, some users desire to have the instrument play along with a commercial recording of a musical selection, thus allowing the user to experience the recorded selection accompanied by a live automated instrument.

[0005] In some early products for playing an automated piano in synchronism with a CD, the CD media contained music sequences that were pre-synchronized to a digital accompaniment music track encoded as linear PCM. For instance, the audio music track would be encoded as PCM on the left channel of the CD, and the music sequence, encoded as MIDI, would be encoded on the right channel. In the invention described herein, the system utilizes off the shelf commercially recorded CD, or other digital audio data such as MP3 files, and music sequences specifically authored to play in synchronism with the musical selections on the media. The music sequences are generally MIDI files stored on removable media such as SD cards and the like. One skilled in the art will recognize that there are many ways to deliver the music sequences, such as MIDI files, to the consumer and ultimately to the controller of the automated musical instrument, and SD cards are but one example. Likewise, the MP3 or other digital audio data can be stored in any number of media, including optical discs, hard drives, SD cards, Compact Flash cards or any other media suitable for storing digital data.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The system described herein includes a controller for delivering the music sequences to the automated mus...

High density sound enhancing components for stringed musical instruments
2010-03-03
AbstractThe present invention provides a system for producing vibratical unification of components of a musical instrument comprised of a soundboard, a plurality of strings, a bridge system, a neck, and a body. The system acoustically interconnects the major sound components of the musical instrument in a time-correct sound transfer loop. An acoustically high sound conductivity material selected from the group comprising minerals, ceramics, metals, and combinations thereof, is employed as an interconnect member to produce a balanced, compressed, and naturally equalized sound, with extreme clarity and sustain, and with minimal distortion. The low end sound that is produced by the unified components are coherent, tight, and well defined. The acoustically high sound conductivity material has a specific gravity on the order of at least 2, and preferably at least the specific gravity on the order of the specific gravity of granite. Advantageously, the specific gravity is at least four, and can be six or higher.ClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. A stringed musical instrument comprising a body section, a head secured to said body by a neck region, said head having means for securing the distal ends of a pluralityof strings to said musical instrument, a bridge to support the proximal ends of said strings above said body section, anchoring means for securing said proximal ends of said strings to said musical instrument, a soundboard secured to said body section,said soundboard being a layer of granite having a thickness in the range from about an eighth to about eleven sixteenths of an inch, a bridge member and a bridge-contacting block, said bridge member being secured to said bridge-contacting block, saidbridge contacting-block being a high acoustic transfer material having a specific gravity of at least two, and being in acoustic contact with said soundboard.

2. A stringed musical instrument comprising in combination; a body section; said body section being a solid piece of wood having at least one recess and at least one block of a high vibratic transfer, high density material having a density atleast equal to the density of granite, said at least one block being within said at least one recess, and said block being in acoustic contact with said soundboard; a head secured to said body by a neck region, said head having means for securing saiddistal ends of a plurality of strings to said musical instrument; a bridge supporting the proximal ends of said strings an anchoring means, said proximal ends of said strings being secured by said anchoring means to said musical instrument; asoundboard secured to said body section; said soundboard being a layer of a high density solid mineral; and an electric pickup in acoustical contact with, and supported by, said at least one block.

3. The stringed musical instrument of claim 2, further comprising at least a second electric pickup and at least a second block, said solid wood having a second recess, said at least a second block being a high acoustic transfer material havinga specific gravity of at least two, and being within said second recess, and being in acoustic contact with said soundboard and said second electric pickup.

4. The stringed musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said body section is a solid piece of wood having at least one recess, a first block, said at least one high acoustic transfer material having a specific gravity of at least two, and beingwithin said at least one recess, and said first block being in acoustic contact with said soundboard.

5. The stringed musical instrument of claim 2, further comprising a transfer rod, said transfer rod being a high acoustic transfer material having a specific gravity of at least 2, and being in acoustic contact with said soundboard and said atleast one block.

6. The stringed musical instrument of claim 5, further comprising a second high vibratic transfer block, said second transfer block being a high acoustic transfer material having a specific gravity of at least two, said second block being inacoustic contact with the base of said neck region and said transfer rod.

7. A stringed musical instrument comprising a body section, a head secured to said body by a neck region, said head having means for securing the distal ends of a plurality of strings to said musical instrument, a bridge to support the proximalends of said strings and anchoring means for securing said proximal ends of said strings to said musical instrument, and a soundboard secured to said body section, said body section being a hollow bodied member, at least a first high vibratic transferblock, said block being in acoustic contact with said soundboard and at least one member selected from the group comprising a bridge, an anchoring means, the base of said neck region, and at least one acoustic pickup, wherein said block has a specificgravity of at least two.

8. The stringed musical instrument of claim 7, further comprising an electric pickup supported by, and in acoustic contact with, said at least one block.

9. The stringed musical instrument of claim 7, further comprising at least a second high vibratic transfer block, said second block being a high acoustic transfer material having a specific gravity of at least two, and being in acoustic contactwith said soundboard.

10. The stringed musical instrument of claim 9, further comprising a bridge contacting high vibratic transfer block and bridge secured to said bridge contacting high vibratic transfer block, said bridge contacting being in acoustic contact withsaid soundboard, said soundboard being a layer of a mineral having a specific gravity of at least two, and having a thickness in the range from about 1/8 to 11/16 of an inch.

11. The stringed musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said musical instrument is selected from the group comprising an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, an acoustic bass, an electric bass, a cello, a viola, and a harp.

12. The stringed musical instrument of claim 11, further comprising an electric pickup supported by a first granite block, said first granite block being in acoustic contact with said soundboard, a bridge contacting granite block and a bridgesecured to said bridge contacting granite block, said bridge contacting granite block being in acoustic contact with said soundboard, said soundboard having a thickness in the range from about two to about four sixteenths of an inch, and a granitetransfer rod, said granite transfer rod being in acoustic contact with said soundboard, and said first granite block.

13. The stringed musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said block is selected from the group comprising granite, high acoustic transmitting ceramic and high acoustic transmitting metal.

14. The stringed musical instrument of claim 2, wherein said block is selected from the group comprising granite, high acoustic transmitting ceramic and high acoustic transmitting metal.

15. The stringed musical instrument of claim 7, wherein said block is selected from the group comprising granite, high acoustic transmitting ceramic and high acoustic transmitting metal.

16. The method of producing vibratical unification of components of a musical instrument comprised of a soundboard, a plurality of strings, a bridge system, a neck and a body, comprising the steps of; acoustically interconnecting each of saidcomponents in a time-correct sound transfer loop, said sound loop comprising a soundboard, a plurality of strings, a bridge system, a neck, a body, a high sound acoustically conductive material and a pick up acoustically coupled to a high soundacoustically conductive material having a specific gravity of at least two.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said acoustically high sound conductivity material is selected from the group comprising minerals, ceramics, metals, and combinations thereof, thereby producing a balanced, compressed, and naturally equalizedsound, with extreme clarity and sustain, and with minimal distortion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said acoustically high sound conductivity material has a specific gravity on the order of at least 2.6.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said acoustically high sound conductivity material has a specific gravity on the order of at least four.DescriptionGOVERNMENT INTEREST STATEMENT

NONE

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a stringed musical instrument having a soundboard and/or other enhancements made of a dense material, in particular, granite, and more particularly, to a music generating device including acoustic instruments andelectrically amplified musical instruments, with further particularity, the invention relates to a high density veneer and/or other stone enhancements for a string instrument such as a guitar, bass, banjo, viola, cello. Dobro鈩?and lapsteel guitar,and the like.

2. Related Art

It is well recognized that wood, in particular aged wood, makes an ideal material for such musical instruments such as a piano, violin, guitar, or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,871 to Cawthorn for a "Stone Guitar With A Tuned Neck", issued in1973. The patent discloses a heavy stone slab, typically 1 to 1.125 inches thick for use in guitars. According to the patent, the flat stone body is of a mineral or petrified matter such as granite, marble, onyx, rose quartz, petrified wood, or agate. It can have a hollowed out cavity for the electric pickups. It is a solid body guitar except for the cavity for the electrifying of the guitar. It is further disclosed that the cavity can be covered with a conventional pick guard.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,499 to Othon, discloses a method of enhancing and modifying the visual and aural characteristics of a stringed instrument wherein the flat surfaces of a stone and the body of a stringed instrument are adhesively securedtogether. The stone is worked while the stone is bonded to the instrument to reduce the thickness of the stone and produce a stone laminate. According to the disclosure of the patent, the stone employed may be extremely dense and hard, extremely soft(soapstone being an example), or anywhere in between in order to provide the desired effect. An extremely hard rock, for example, will give the musical instrument great sustain properties. A softer rock or stone, on the other hand, may be used toaffect the sound in other ways, such as "softening" the tone and resonance. The patent further discloses that when the stone laminate is positioned at the pick guard of an electric stringed instrument, the aural characteristics are affected due toshielding of the instrument's electronic components.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,514 for an Equilateral Tetrahedral Speaker discloses that the enclosure can be constructed of dense material such as a CORIAN鈩?material to minimize enclosure coloration. CORIAN鈩?is Dupont's registered trademark forits premium quality brand of solid surface product that is a solid, homogeneous, filled material containing methyl methacrylate.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,739 for High-Fidelity Stereo Sound System discloses that in an actual embodiment of a surface, marble gravel was glued across the surface of a parabolic surface like the parabolic surface of well-known microwave antennas.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,221 for the Construction of Sound Converter in Sound Guide Especially for Loudspeakers, for Example Speaker Boxes, discloses that the conventional technology for attaining this object consists in providing the sound guideand housing with sufficiently thick walls, adding braces and reinforcements, and/or selecting a material which has high internal clamping. Examples of this are speaker boxes made of concrete, marble, ceramic Plexiglas, and aluminum.

SUMMARY

According to a first broad aspect of the present invention, stone can be used as a resonating surface for an acoustical device, such as a musical instrument. With many such instruments, weight of the instrument is a critical factor. Forexample, musicians generally reject guitars that weigh over 8 or 9 pounds. Similar weight limitations apply to other string instruments, such as banjos, mandolins, violins, and the like. An instrument such as a piano generally does not have a weightlimitation from the standpoint of a performer but practical considerations limit the weight of pianos.

According to another broad aspect of the invention, it has now been found that although a material such as granite would not resonate in a manner comparable to wood, providing a stringed musical instrument with a thin acoustical veneer of stoneas a sound board, in conjunction with grounding and interconnecting, and having stone as the major sound-generating components of the instrument, dramatic acoustic benefits can be produced. The added stone enhancements are designed to connect andvibratically unify the soundboard, strings, bridge system, pickups, neck and body in a time-correct sound transfer loop.

According to a further broad aspect of the invention, it has now been found that the added stone enhancements collective mass and high-efficiency transmission rate focuses, retains and centralizes the instruments core vibrations producing abalanced, compressed, naturally equalized sound with remarkable clarity and sustain with minimal distortion. It should be understood, that when reference is made to a veneer, it is not intended to be inclusive of a mere thin, decorative layer, such astypically made from materials such as wood, metal, paper or plastics. The veneer must be of sufficient mass to function as an acoustic...

Electronic music system and stringed instrument input device therefor
2010-03-02
AbstractAn electronic music system includes a voltage controlled tone generator, or synthesizer, and an input device, in the form of a guitar or other fretted stringed instrument and associated electronic circuitry, for sequentially providing voltage signals, selected from a set of discretely different voltage levels each analogously related to a musical tone, for driving the tone generator. Each string-fret pair of the stringed instrument is assigned a given musical tone, preferably in accordance with normal tuning of the instrument, and means are provided for producing a corresponding voltage when a string-fret pair is closed by pressing the string against the fret. When two or more string-fret pairs are simultaneously closed, the output voltage corresponding to the highest frequency musical tone associated with the closed string-fret pairs is produced. In particular, different electrical voltages are applied to the instrument frets so as to apply such voltages to the strings when the strings are pressed into contact with the frets. A multiplexing system repetitively samples the string voltages, adds to each string voltage an offset voltage compensating for the musical intervals between the open strings, and processes the highest summed voltage for output to the tone generator.ClaimsWe claim:

1. An electronic music system comprising a voltage controlled tone generator, a stringed instrument having at least one string and a plurality of frets spaced from one another along thelength of said string with each string-fret pair representing an assigned musical tone, and means responsive to said string being pressed into contact with any one of said frets for producing and supplying to said voltage controlled tone generator, asthe driving input signal for said tone generator, a voltage signal having a voltage value analogously related to the frequency of the musical tone assigned to the contacting string-fret pair, said voltage controlled tone generator including means forproducing an intermediate signal having a frequency related to said input voltage signal, an amplifier having a voltage controlled gain for varying the amplitude of said intermediate signal, an envelope generator for providing a voltage waveformcontrolling the gain of said amplifier, and means for turning said envelope generator on to initiate the production of a new voltage waveform therefrom in response to said at least one string being brought into contact with any one of said frets.

2. An electronic music system comprising a voltage controlled tone generator, a stringed instrument having a plurality of spaced parallel strings located over a fret board having a plurality of frets extending transversely of said strings andspaced one from another along the length of said fret board with each string-fret pair representing an assigned musical tone, and means responsive of any one of said strings being pressed into contact with any one of said frets for producing andsupplying to said voltage controlled tone generator, as the driving input for said tone generator, a voltage signal having a voltage value analogously related to the frequency of the musical tone represented by the contacting string-fret pair.

3. A music system as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said voltage controlled tone generator including means for producing an intermediate signal having a frequency related to said input voltage signal, an amplifier having a voltagecontrolled gain for varying the amplitude of said intermediate signal, an envelope generator for producing a voltage waveform controlling the gain of said amplifier, and means for turning said envelope generator on to initiate the production of a newvoltage waveform therefrom in response to any one of said strings being brought into contact with any one of said frets.

4. A music system as defined in claim 3 further characterized by means for inhibiting the production of another voltage waveform from said envelope generator until after all of said strings are first out of contact with any of said frets.

5. An electronic music system comprising a voltage controlled tone generator, a stringed instrument having a plurality of spaced parallel strings and a plurality of frets spaced from one another along the length of said strings and eachextending transversely across all of said strings with each string-fret pair representing an assigned musical tone, and means responsive to any one or more of said strings being pressed into contact with any one or more of said frets for producing andsupplying to said voltage controlled tone generator, as the driving input signal for said tone generator, a voltage signal having a voltage value analogously related to the frequency of the highest musical tone represented by the contacting string-fretpair or pairs.

6. An electronic music system as defined in claim 5 further characterized by said means for producing a voltage signal including means for applying a discrete voltage to each of said frets and which discrete voltage is different from thatapplied to other of said frets, an offset voltage source providing a plurality of offset voltages each assigned to a respective one of said strings and each of which offset voltages is different from the other of said offset voltages, and meansresponsive to any one of said strings being pressed into contact with any one of said frets for adding the voltage appearing on said one fret to the offset voltage assigned to said one string to produce a resultant voltage signal analogously related tothe tone represented by the contacting string-fret pair.

7. An electronic music system comprising a voltage controlled tone generator, a stringed instrument having a plurality of spaced parallel electrically conductive strings and a plurality of electrically conductive frets spaced from one anotheralong the length of said strings and each extending transversely across all of said strings with each string-fret pair representing an assigned musical tone, and means responsive to any one of strings being pressed into contact with any one of said fretsfor producing and supplying to said voltage controlled tone generator, as the driving input signal for said tone generator, a voltage signal having a voltage value analogously related to the frequency of the contacting string-fret pair, said means forproducing a voltage signal including means for applying a discrete fret voltage to each of said frets and which discrete voltage is different from that applied to the other of said frets, an offset voltage source providing a plurality of offset voltageseach assigned to a respective one of said strings and each of which offset voltages is different from the other of said offset voltages, a multiplexer means for sequentially and cyclicly sampling the voltages appearing on said strings, means for addingeach sampled string voltage to its corresponding offset voltage to produce a resultant voltage, means for detecting and temporarily storing the peak resultant voltage obtained during each sampling cycle, and means utilizing said peak resultant voltage assaid voltage signal supplied to said voltage controlled tone generator.

8. An electronic music system as defined in claim 7 further characterized by the highest one of said offset voltages provided by said offset voltage source being lower than the lowest one of said discrete fret voltages, and said means utilizingsaid peak resultant voltage including means for testing said peak resultant voltage and for inhibiting the transmission of said peak resultant voltage to said voltage controlled tone generator in the event said peak resultant voltage is less than saidlowest one of said fret voltages.

9. An electronic music system as defined in claim 7 further characterized by said means utilizing said resultant peak voltage including means for comparing said new resultant peak voltage with the old resultant peak voltage obtained during thepreceding sampling cycle and for inhibiting the transmission of said new resultant peak voltage to said voltage controlled tone generator in the event said new resultant peak voltage is less than said old resultant peak voltage.

10. An electronic music system as defined in claim 7 further characterized by said means for applying a discrete fret voltage to each of said frets comprising a plurality of resistors connected in series with one another with each of saidresistors being electrically connected between a respective pair of said frets and means for providing a constant valued flow of current through said resistors.

11. An electronic music system as defined in claim 10 further characterized by said means for providing a constant valued flow of current being arranged so that said current flows in the direction from the highest tone valued one of said fretsto the lowest tone valued one of said frets whereby said highest tone valued fret has the highest discrete fret voltage applied to it.

12. A means for providing voltage signals for driving a voltage controlled tone generator in an electronic music producing system, said means comprising: a stringed musical instrument having a plurality of spaced parallel strings located over afret board having a plurality of frets extending transversely of said strings and spaced from one another along the length of said fret board with each string-fret pair representing an assigned musical tone, and means responsive to any one of saidstrings being pressed into contact with any one of said frets for producing a voltage signal having a voltage value analogously related to the frequency of the musical tone assigned to the contacting string-fret pair.

13. A means for providing voltage signals for driving a voltage controlled tone generator in an electronic music producing system said means comprising: a stringed instrument having a plurality of spaced parallel electrically conductive stringslocated over a fret board having a plurality of electrically conductive frets extending transversely of said strings and spaced from one another along the length of said fret board, with each string-fret pair representing an assigned musical tone, meansfor applying an electric voltage to each of said frets with each of said frets having a voltage different from that applied to the other of said frets, an offset voltage source providing a plurality of offset voltages each assigned to a respective one ofsaid strings with each of said offset voltages being different from the other of said offset voltages, and means responsive to any one of said strings being pressed into contact with any one of said frets for adding the voltage appearing on said one fretto the offset voltage assigned to said one string to produce an output signal, said fret voltage and said offset voltage being so selected that said output signal has a voltage value analogously related to the frequency of the musical tone represented bythe contacting string-fret pair.DescriptionBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to electronic music producing systems having a voltage controlled tone generator or synthesizer, for sequentially producing electrical audio frequency signals, for driving a loud speaker or other electro-acousticaltransducer, having fundamental frequencies controlled in accordance with the values of input voltage signals, and deals more particularly with a device for producing such input voltage signals which device is generally in the form of a guitar or otherfretted stringed instrument.

Electronic music systems having voltage controlled tone generators or synthesizers are well known in the art. The tone generator of such a system usually includes a large number of manually adjustable controls for varying various tonecharacteristics, such as timbre, attack, decay, vibrato, tremolo, etc. to obtain different sounds or effects. However, the basic sequence of the tones and their timing is usually controlled manually through a generally conventional keyboard played in agenerally conventional manner. Thus, persons performing on presently known synthesizer systems should be relatively skilled keyboard instrument players, and such systems are of limited usefulness to musicians skilled primarily in the playing ofnon-keyboard instruments.

The general object of this invention...

Transducer for stringer musical instrument
2010-03-01
AbstractA transducer for a stringed musical instrument includes a pair of coils mounted adjacent each string of the instrument. The coils have substantially the same number of turns of electrically conducting wire wound thereon, and the wires constituting the coils are of different gauges.ClaimsI claim:

1. In a transducer for a stringed musical instrument whose output is to be electrically amplified, in which said transducer includes a pair of coils mounted adjacent each string of saidinstrument, the improvement in which said coils have individual axes and substantially the same number of turns of electrically conducting wire wound thereon, and the wires constituting said coils are of different gauges.

2. A transducer as in claim 1, in which said coil wires range in diameter between about 0.00078 inch and 0.00400 inch.

3. A transducer as in claim 2, in which the wire diameter of one of said coils is about 0.00249 inch, and the wire diameter of the other of said coils is about 0.00198 inch.DescriptionBACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to transducers, or pickups, for stringed musical instruments whose output is to be electrically amplified. More particularly, the invention pertains to improved transducers providing reduction in undesirable frequencycomponents and improved tonal qualities.

So-called electric guitars or other electrical stringed instruments develop an output for amplification by converting the vibration of the strings to an electrical signal, whose frequency spectrum corresponds to that of the vibration of thestrings. Typically, such transducers, or pickups, consist of a permanent magnet element for developing a magnetic field that intercepts the strings and a coil positioned within that magnetic field. When the strings, which are of a ferromagneticmaterial, are plucked so as to vibrate within the magnetic field, variations in the field pattern caused by the string vibration are detected by the coils to develop an output current which follows the vibration pattern of the strings.

One of the problems encountered in connection with the electrical amplification of the output of stringed instruments is that transducers tend to pick up 60 cycle signals emanating from the power supply employed in the amplifying equipment. The60 cycle signal is converted to an audible hum in the amplifying equipment which is annoying and degrading to the quality of the musical output. To overcome this 60 cycle hum, transducers have been developed comprising a pair of pickup coils so woundand disposed adjacent one another that the 60 cycle currents induced in the coils cancel one another, effectively eliminating 60 cycle hum from the audio output. A representative prior art patent disclosing such hum cancellation is U.S. Pat. No.2,896,491 issued to S. E. Lover on July 28, 1959.

Prior hum elimination expedients, while effective in reducing 60 cycle hum, have disadvantages which limit their overall effectiveness. A conventional side-by-side arrangement of coils senses vibrations of each string at two relatively widelyspaced points along the string, causing cancellation of certain frequencies other than the 60 cycle hum frequency and consequent degradation of musical quality. With coils mounted one on top of the other, the musical signal is not so degr...

Generation of noise-like tones in an electronic musical instrument
2010-02-27
AbstractAn electronic tone synthesizer in which a master data list of digital values representing the amplitudes of points defining the waveform of a musical tone are transferred to a digital-to-analog converter at a rate proportional to the pitch of the tone being generated. Noise is superimposed on the musical tone by means of a random binary signal generator which controls a circuit for modifying selected ones of the digital values as they are transferred from the master data list to the converter. Modification of the selected values may be by a right shift operation, a 2's complement operation, or by selective delay.ClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. An electronic tone synthesizer for generating an audio signal having a predetermined waveform in which noise is superimposed on the audio signal, comprising: a group ofdigital words representing the relative amplitudes of equally spaced points defining the waveform of an audio signal, a digital-to-analog converter, means transferring the digital words sequentially from the generating means and applying the words inrepetitive sequence to the converter, the transferring means including means for modifying the digital value of any selected word as it is being transferred, a random signal generator for generating an output signal at random time intervals, and meansresponsive to the random output signal for momentarily activating said means for modifying a word being transferred, whereby the digital words are modified at random during transfer.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for modifying said digital values includes a right shift circuit for shifting the digital values of the randomly selected words numerically at least one place to the right.

3. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for modifying said digital values includes a 2's complement circuit for generating the 2's complement of the digital values of the randomly selected words.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for modifying said digital values includes means for delaying the time of transfer at which a selected word is transferred from the generating means.

5. Apparatus of claim 2 wherein the transferring means further includes a shift register, a right shift circuit for transferring each of the digital words in sequence from the generating means to the shift register, clock means for generatingclock signals at a rate proportional to the pitch frequency of the tone being generated, said transferring means being activated by said clock signals.

6. Apparatus of claim 3 wherein the transferring means includes a shift register, a 2's complement circuit for transferring each of the digital words from the generating means to the shift register, clock means for generating clock signals at arate proportional to the pitch frequency of the tone being generated, said transferring means being activated by said clock signals.

7. In an electronic tone synthesizer in which a master data list of digital values representing the amplitude of points defining the waveform of a musical tone are transferred to a digital-to-analog converter at a rate proportional to the pitchof the tone being generated, apparatus for superimposing noise on the tone comprising: an addressable memory for storing the master data list, a shift register receiving the output of the memory, clock means for generating clock pulses at said rateproportional to the pitch of the tone being generated, the clock means shifting said register, random address generating means for selectively transferring words from any one of a plurality of locations in the master data list memory to the shiftregister with each clock pulse, and means transferring the words in the shift register to said converter to convert said words to an analog voltage whose amplitude is controlled by the digital values of said words stored in the shift register.

8. A tone synthesizer comprising source means providing a group of words representing respectively the amplitudes of equally spaced points defining the waveform of a musical tone, digital-to-analog converter, means transferring said group ofwords in timed sequence from the source means and applying the words to the converter, and a random signal generator for generating timing pulses at random time intervals, said transferring means including means responsive to the timing pulses from saidrandom signal generator for modifying the values of those digital words transferred in time coincidence with the pulses from the random signal generator.DescriptionFIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to musical tone synthesizers, and more particularly, to a noise generator for a digital tone generator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The generation of musical tones electronically, either by analog or digital circuits, is well known. In attempting to duplicate the sounds of conventional musical instruments it may be desirable to superimpose sounds which can only becharacterized as "noise" onto the musical tones. Such added noise may be introduced to simulate the air noise, hiss, or breathiness characteristic of wind-operated instruments, such as the organ pipes of a conventional organ, or other types of windinstruments. In prior art digital type organs tones have been created imitative to noisy wind-blown organ pipes, by using a frequency modulation technique. This has been accomplished by adding or subtracting a fixed constant to the frequency numberused to address the tone data. Alternatively, the noise has been added to the reference voltage of the analog output signal from the digital-to-analog converter to produce an amplitude modulated noise. Noiselike tones have been created in digital tonegenerators by the type which calculate musical waveshapes by computation with an algorithm that uses sets of harmonic coefficients. However, the resulting tonal effect is not easily controlled. If the harmonic coefficients are varied in a randomfashion, noise having a very wide spectrum is produced and has the effect of substantially obliterating the basic musical tone being generated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In copending application Ser. No. 603,776, filed Aug. 11, 1975, entitled "Polyphonic Tone Synthesizer", now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,644 there is described a digital tone generator in which a master data list is calculated and stored ina main register. The master data list consists of a series of digital values representing the amplitudes of a corresponding series of points defining the waveform of one cycle (or fraction of a cycle) of a musical tone. The master data list istransferred from the main register to a Note shift register and from the Note register to a digital-to-analog converter at a rate determined by the pitch or fundamental frequency of the tone being generated. Because the ...

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