Musical scale indicator
2010-03-26 00:00:00
flat surface of said base.

7. The music scale indicator of claim 6, wherein each fingering pattern of said fingering patterns on said base is a fingering pattern for each pre-selected music scale of said pre-selected music scales arranged in sequence of playing selected scale notes from the chromatic scale on said finger board of said pre-selected musical instrument.

8. The music scale indicator of claim 7, wherein said pre-selected musical instrument is selected from the group consisting of string instruments, brass and woodwind instruments and percussion instruments.

9. The music scale indicator of claim 8, wherein said pre-selected musical instrument is selected from the group consisting of guitar, alto-saxophone and piano.

10. A method for finding fingering locations on a musical instrument for playing a selected music scale in a selected tonic and simultaneously for at least two other music scales in a particular respective tonic, comprising the steps of:

placing fingering patterns for playing at least three pre-selected music scales in selected tonics on a pre-selected musical instrument onto a base, said fingering patterns comprising fingering indicia for indicating fingering patterns for playing each pre-selected music scale of said pre-selected music scales, said fingering patterns further comprising lead note indicia for indicating a lead note location of each fingering pattern of said fingering patterns for each said pre-selected music scale of said pre-selected music scales;

placing a simulated finger board indicia onto a transparent overlay, said simulated finger board indicia indicating fingering positions for said pre-selected musical instrument, a chromatic scale tone letter being provided for each said fingering position, the chromatic scale tone letters being arranged in chromatic scale sequence; and

aligning said overlay relative to said base so as to align a selected chromatic tone letter that defines said selected tonic on said overlay with a selected lead note indicia that indicates the selected music scale on said base, selection of said selected tonic for the selected music scale also simultaneously selecting a particular tonic respectively for each other music scale of said pre-selected music scales, a tonic being selected wherever a chromatic scale tone letter of said chromatic tone letters on said second surface of said overlay aligns with a lead note indicia on said first surface of said base, the fingering locations on said pre-selected musical instrument being indicated for the selected music scale in the selected tonic and for each other music scale in its respective particular tonic wherever a tone letter indicia overlays a fingering pattern indicia.

11. The method for finding tones playable on a musical instrument of claim 10, wherein the first said step of placing further provides for each fingering pattern of said fingering patterns on said base having a fingering pattern for each pre-selected music scale of said pre-selected music scales arranged in sequence of playing selected scale notes from the chromatic scale on said finger board of said pre-selected music instrument.

12. The method for finding tones playable on a musical instrument of claim 11, wherein the first said step of placing provides fingering patterns for Major, Minor, Locrian, Mixolydian, Lydian, Phrygian, and Dorian music scales; and said step of aligning results in a respective tonic being selected for each said pre-selected music scale, said step of aligning further providing a fingering pattern for each said pre-selected music scale in its said respective tonic.

13. The method for finding tones playable on a musical instrument of claim 12, wherein the first step of placing provides fingering indicia and the second step of placing provides simulated fingering board indicia for a pre-selected musical instrument selected from the group consisting of string instruments, brass and woodwind instruments and percussion instruments.

14. The method for finding tones playable on a musical instrument of clai...

Musical apparatus using multiple light beams to control musical tone signals
2010-03-25 00:00:00
may comprise a musical tone signal generator which generates a musical tone signal, at least one light source which radiates light beams into a space adjacent to the musical apparatus, at least one light detector which detects at least two light beams reflected from an object in the space and generates a detection value for each of said at least two light beams, a computing element which receives the detection values and generates a synthesized value; and a controller which controls parameters of musical tones based on the synthesized value. For example, the synthesized value may be the sum of the detection values, the difference between the detection values, the ratio between the detection values, or some other relationship between the detection values.Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic sound generating system which responds to the motion of an object in a space exterior to the electronic musical system in order to control a sound function, the system comprising:

at least one radiation source that emits radiation into a space outside the electronic sound generating system where the emitted radiation hits an object in the space;

at least one detector that detects radiation reflected along at least two paths from the object in the space outside the electronic sound generating system to detect motions of the object;

a controller for generating a control signal for controlling the sound function dependent on the motions of the object; and

a tone generator for generating a sound that is at least partially dependent upon the sound function.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the radiation source that emits radiation comprises a light source that emits at least one light beam and wherein the detector that detects radiation comprises a light detector that detects light reflected along at least two paths from the object.

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 sound function is an electronic audio control signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the electronic audio control signal comprises a MIDI signal.

7. An electronic audio control system which responds to the motion of an object in a space exterior to the electronic musical system in order to control a sound function, the system comprising:

at least one radiation source that emits radiation into a space outside the electronic musical system where the emitted radiation hits an object moving in the space;

at least one detector that detects radiation reflected from the object in the space outside die electronic audio control system and produces at least two detection values therefrom, the detection values being dependent upon the motion of the object; and

a controller for generating a control signal for controlling the sound function dependent on the motions of the object.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the radiation source that emits radiation comprises a light source that emits at least one light beam and wherein the detector that detects radiation comprises a light detector that detects light reflected along at least one path from the object.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the sound function is an audio signal.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the sound function is a tone signal.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the sound function is an electronic audio control signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic audio control signal comprises a MIDI signal.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 plurality of light beams, including infrared light beams.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An electronic musical apparatus which detects reflected light to control the musical tone signal is known. Such a device was disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Publication Number SHO 58-195296.

Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Publication Number SHO 58-195296 discloses attaching a light quantity detection apparatus in order to detect and sense the amount of ambient light outside an electronic musical apparatus. It reacts to the amount of light that has been sensed by the light quantity detection apparatus and controls parameters that are related to the musical tone (hereinafter, simply referred to as "parameters") such as the musical interval, timbre and volume.

However, in the device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Publication Number SHO 58-195296, the amount of light is detected by a single light quantity detection apparatus, and there is no disclosure in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application Publication Number SHO 58-195296 of the detection of a plurality of light quantities.

In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,687 discloses that a space is irradiated with light such as infrared light, mutually different sound pitches are assigned in advance to the multiple number of light beams reflected from the specified objects in the space, said multiple number of reflected light beams are detected and musical tone signals are produced that possess pitches which conform to the reflected light beams that have been detected.

However, in the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,687, if a plurality of reflected light beams are detected, the device controls the musical tone signal based only on one of the reflected light beams, the one tha...

Thumbrest ring adapter for musical instrument
2010-03-24 00:00:00
assembly to support the musical instrument.Claims

The invention claimed is:

1. A ring adapter assembly for a musical instrument having a thumbrest which includes a horizontal projection extending outward from the instrument toward a musician and under which a thumb of the musician is conventionally placed, said assembly comprising:

a body;

attachment apparatus for connecting the body to the thumbrest without interfering with placement and position of the musician's thumb under the horizontal projection; and

an eye fixed to the body at a position above the horizontal projection of the thumbrest.

2. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the position of the horizontal projection is fixed in relation to the musical instrument, and wherein the body further includes:

a base having a bottom surface seated upon a top surface of the horizontal projection.

3. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the body further comprises:

a resilient, compressible surface bonded to the bottom surface of the base and adapted to be seated on the horizontal projection.

4. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a vertical post is fixed to a top surface of the horizontal projection of the thumbrest and a receptacle is fixed to the musical instrument to receive the vertical post and adjustably fix the position of the horizontal projection in relation to the musical instrument, and wherein:

the body further comprises an elongated horizontal surface defining a vertical opening at one end to receive the vertical post of the thumbrest and allow the horizontal surface to move along the vertical post; and

the attachment apparatus includes movement limiting means to fix the location of the horizontal surface relative to the vertical post.

5. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the horizontal surface further defines a threaded horizontal opening; and

the movement limiting means comprises a set screw extending through the threaded horizontal opening to contact the vertical post.

6. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the body further comprises a vertical surface attached to an end of the horizontal surface opposite the vertical opening; and

the eye is fixed to the vertical surface.

7. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein the vertical surface and the eye extend below the horizontal surface.

8. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein the vertical surface and the eye extend above the horizontal surface.

9. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein:

the horizontal surface is fixed to the vertical post at a location above the receptacle; and

the vertical surface and the eye extend below the horizontal surface.

10. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein:

the horizontal surface is fixed to the vertical post at a location below the receptacle; and

the vertical surface and the eye extend above the horizontal surface.

11. A ring adapter assembly as defined in claim 1, in combination with:

an attachment component for connecting the ring adapter assembly to a support device for the musical instrument, said attachment component comprising:

an elongated body adapted to be connected to the support device; and

a connector pivotably connected to the elongated body, said connector pivotable between an open position and a closed position to engage the eye and connect the elongated body to the eye without interfering with the conventional placement and position of the musician's thumb on the thumbrest.

12. A ring adapter assembly and attachment component combination as defined in claim 15, wherein the connector includes:

a hook; and

an actuating handle connected to the hook to pivot the hook to the closed position through the eye and and to pivot the hook to the open position and withdraw the hook from the eye.

13. A ring adapter assembly and attachment component combination as defined in claim 12, wherein the elongated body further includes:

a longitudinal slot formed at one end of the elongated body to receive the eye; and

a transverse slot f...

Low profile keyboard device and system for recording and scoring music
2010-03-23 00:00:00
be applied to a conventional keyboard instrument. The device of thisinvention which attaches to the keyboard, however, covers more than half of the keyboard and thus interferes with a musician's efforts at the keyboard. U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,221, entitled, "PLAYER PIANO RECORDING SYSTEM," to Starnes et al, teaches amore modern recording system in which player piano tapes are prepared. This system requires the elaborate and delicate installation of photosensors to the underside of the piano keys. While the invention does not interfere with the musician's use ofthe keyboard, such installation of the apparatus to the keyboard is expensive and requires the services of a skilled piano tuner or electronics technician. This invention is furthermore limited in its application because the purpose of the invention isto create player piano tapes and not a musical score for immediate viewing by the musician. Another example of a musical recording system is given in U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,719, entitled "TAPE ACTIVATED PIANO AND ORGAN PLAYER," to Maillet, which againrequires the elaborate installation of sensitive electronics to the underside of a keyboard, with the accompanying disadvantages of being costly and requiring skilled persons to render the invention useful. U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,267, entitled"ELECTRONIC PLAYER PIANO WITH RECORD AND PLAYBACK FEATURE," to Vincent, teaches an electronic data storage system including a magnetic type recorder/replayer for recording spontaneous musical presentations for replay through a similar instrument. Tocapture the musical data, the invention also requires extensive and expensive modifications to the underside of each key in the instrument. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,456, entitled "MUSIC ENCODING AND DECODING APPARATUS," to Groeschel, for yetanother example of how electronic switching to monitor keyboard action requires bulky circuitry and modification of the keyboard from within the instrument.

The sequencer is a viable alternative method of recording music which has been developed in the prior art, although early in its development, the sequencer was a massive network of electronics, often covering walls in a recording studio. Musicians are able to record and immediately play back music with the use of sequencers. A sequencer, in its simplest form, consists of a series of adjustable voltage memories stepped by a clock pulse. The typical analog sequencer uses potentiometersand variable resistors, each including a manually operable dial for establishing a certain DC voltage In order to load the sequencer, the musician manually sets each potentiometer. Thereafter, the bank of potentiometers is scanned sequentially and theDC voltages are read to a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) which then produces the melody or the rhythm. The sequencer thus enables the musician to repeatedly listen to the melody and make changes by varying the potentiometer dials. Sequencers areused to create the familiar insistent machine-beat that has been used in electronic organs. See Keyboard Synthesizer Library, Vol. 3, Synthesizers and Computers, p. 37 (1985). While the sequencer produces the accompaniment, a musician can play the leadline of the same or another keyboard, or even another instrument.

With the advent of solid state electronics, smaller and more efficient electronics have been combined in the prior art to produce a digital sequencer. Typical digital sequencers utilize a Read/Write memory storing a plurality of words, each wordbeing coded to represent a note played on the keyboard. Once the memory has been coded, the sequencer can be used to play the keyboard instrument by reading back the data words in the memory in time sequence. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,871, entitled,"APPARATUS FOR STORING SEQUENCES OF MUSICAL TONES," to Oberheim; U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,399, entitled, "AUTOMATIC SEQUENCE GENERATOR FOR A POLYPHONIC TONE SYNTHESIZER," to Deutsch; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,101, entitled "DIGITAL SOLID STATE RECORDING OFTHE SIGNALS CHARACTERIZING THE PLAYING OF A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT," to Ellen. While providing an improved and efficient means of recording music, sequencers do not provide a written means of preserving music on musical score sheets. More importantly,however, sequencers require an electronic musical instrument and have not been adapted to conventional acoustic keyboard instruments, such as the piano.

The electronic music revolution has led to the invention of the synthesizer, an electronic musical instrument. Sequencers, as described above, have been incorporated into the synthesizer, so that while the musician plays music on a synthesizerkeyboard, sequencers within the synthesizer plays back various accompaniments that the musician loaded previously into the sequencer. The use of sequencers allows the musician to compose and record various tracks of music. The electronic instrumentsgenerate musical data consisting of a series of binary digits, called bits. A number of digits representing a complete musical expression, such as which note has been played and the particular style, is called a data word. The words are then stored ina memory unit which can store only a finite number of these binary data words. The length of the recorded music, therefore, is limited by the amount of memory in the solid state chips used in digital sequencers. Microprocessor technology provides themeans for storing lengthy sequences by transferring the digitized musical data stored in memory to peripheral devices such as computer diskettes. Examples of electronic musical instruments which incorporate microp...

Device for cleaning wind musical instruments
2010-03-18 00:00:00
No. 3,739,420, to Kafkis, issued on June 19, 1973, for Device Swabbing The Base of A Musical Instrument, there is disclosed a device for removing moisture from the inner wall of a tube of a wind musical instrument. The device includes a flexible cord. At the free end of the cord is a triangularly shaped body of foamed plastic material. On the foamed plastic body is a contour conforming chamois cloth.

The U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,517, to Guinness, issued on Oct. 6, 1964, for Musical Pipes, discloses a musical pipe made of telescoping tubes. The U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,865, to Posson, issued on May 12, 1953, for Tube Cleaning Tool, discloses a ramrod. At the free end of the ramroad is a cleaning swab.

The U.S. Pat. No. 1,427,582, to Cumpston, issued on Aug. 29, 1922, for Gun Cleaning Device, discloses a ramrod. At the free end of the ramrod is a tip with a slit. A cleaning rag is disposed on the slit of the tip and wrapped around the tip. A sleeve is slipped over the tip. The unwrapped portion of the rag passes through a slit in the sleeve and the free end of the rag hangs loosely from the slit in the sleeve. The British Patent to Foster, No. 26,650, issued Nov. 17, 1910, for An Improved Cleaning Device For The Barrels of Firearms and For Other Tubes, discloses a cylindrical rod slotted diametrically at the free end thereof. A flannel cloth is inserted into the slot. The cloth is wrapped around the rod and presents a cylindrical surface. The German Patent to Glatz, No. 25415, issued on Aug. 25, 1906, discloses a rod with a tip at one end.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device for cleaning an inner wall of a tube of a wind musical instrument, which includes an elongated member having an axially directed slit disposed along substantially the length of the elongated member and across the cross-sectional area of the elongated member. Disposed in the slit is a cleaning cloth that extends substantially along the entire length of the slit. By separating the elongated member along the length thereof, the cleaning cloth can be removed from or inserted between sections of the elongated member. By placing the separated sections of the elongated member into contiguous relation, the cloth is removably secured in the slit between the sections of the elongated member. A cap is disposed on at least one end of the elongated member to retain the cloth securely between the sections of the elongated member. The cloth, while retained securely between the sections of the elongated member, proj...

Automatic performance apparatus of an electronic musical instrument
2010-03-15 00:00:00
of which provides key switches thereunder to detect the OPEN or CLOSED state thereof. The keyboard 1 is divided into three key-areas, KB1 to KB3, in which the output signal of each key in the key-area KB1 is supplied to a manual performance musical tone generating circuit 2 and a chord data generating circuit 3. The output signal of each key in the key-area KB2 is supplied to manual performance musical tone generating circuit 2, and the output signal of each key in the key-area KB3 is supplied to manual performance musical tone generating circuit 2 and note length data generating circuit 4 respectively.

The manual performance musical tone generating circuit generates a musical tone signal corresponding to the depressed key on keyboard 1 and outputs this musical ton signal to an amplifier 5. The chord data generating circuit detects the depressed key in key-area KB1 to generate its chord data in accordance with the detected key data, in which chord data indicates a chord of an accompaniment tone.

In the present embodiment, many types of chords such as C major or A minor are designated by the key operation of key-area KB1. For example, depressing keys C, E, and G of key-area KB1 designates C major. The chord data generating circuit 3 receives a signal based on the key which is depressed in key-area KB1. According to this received signal, the chord data generating circuit 3 generates chord data which includes basic tone data CCD indicated by the basic tone of the chord (C, D, E, or the like) and type data TPD indicated by type of the chord (major minor, or the like). In accordance with the generated chord data, an automatic accompaniment tone is generated as described later. The note length data generating circuit 4 generates note length data FTD corresponding to the depressed key in key-area KB3. Herein, the note length data of the accompaniment chord is indicated by the key operation of key-area KB3. The note length data generating circuit 4 then outputs note length data FTD to the next circuit in accordance with the detected key data of key-area KB3.

A tone color switch 6 is used for setting the tone color of the accompaniment tone; an effect switch 7 for setting an effect of the accompaniment tone; a melody-ON switch 8 for storing a starting signal of a melody tone in the automatic performance; a melody-OFF switch 9 for storing a stopping signal of the melody tone in the automatic performance; a multi-stage tone volume switch 10 is used for controlling the volume of the accompaniment tone; and an end switch 11 is used to indicate the completion of the accompaniment tone.

Numeral 12 designates a record switch which is CLOSED when writing data to chord sequence memory CM. A play switch 13 CLOSES when reading data stored in chord sequence memory CM to automatically perform the accompaniment tone. A start-stop switch 14 manually turns the melody tone on and off during the automatic performance.

A code converter circuit 16 generates the registered data corresponding to one of the operated switches 6 to 11. The registered data includes registered type data RGS and registered content data RGD, in which registered type data RGS indicates a type (tone color switch, effect switch, etc.) of the operated switch, while registered content data RGD indicates a switch number, a tone volu...

Wavetable-modification instrument and method for generating musical sound
2010-03-12 00:00:00
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 Wri...

Programmed music on demand from the internet
2010-03-11 00:00:00
a software controlled microprocessor based repository in which the dossiers of all advertisers are stored and updated. The information contained in the dossiers contains the amount of advertising purchased, the amount used and the amount remaining to be used ("available allocation"), a specification of the desired consumer profile, a specification of the category of product or service to be advertised, a specification of any territorial or local time requirements or preferences, and a key to the location of the audio advertising content.

The present invention includes a software controlled microprocessor based repository in which all site content is stored and updated in either or both digital or analog form for either audio or audio/video delivery. Each item of content is catalogued defining the nature or category of the content, the identity of the source, the profile of the expected consumer or subscriber, the category of any product or service which is not to be annexed to the content, and any limitation on the availability of the content. Content is converted to a digital form for delivery over the Internet or other communication medium permitting individualized delivery. Content is encoded to prevent unauthorized duplication and to identify the subscriber to whom the content is to be delivered.

The present invention includes a software controlled microprocessor based repository in which all advertisements are stored and updated in either digital or analog form ready to be linked and transmitted. Advertisements are converted to a digital form for delivery as audio messages over the Internet or other communication medium permitting individualized delivery.

The present invention includes software controlled microprocessor based repository of digital audio content which contains generic audio messages and/or identity audio messages.

The subscriber selects the content which he or she desires to receive, and the content is placed in a queue. Based on the profile of the content, a determination is made by the system as to which advertising messages may be delivered. The system determines whether the permitted advertising message has available "allocation" and whether other required parameters have been met. From the remaining filter, the next available advertising message is selected.

The selected advertising message is then affixed to the next generic message in sequence or to the applicable identity audio message and is placed in a queue. The system automatically links the advertising message, the generic or identity message and the subscriber selected content into a single data stream along with other such streams pursuant to the subscriber's request. In constructing the stream, the system overlays the generic or identity message onto the content so that, when delivered, the audio generic or identity message and the audio content can both be heard by the subscriber simultaneously. The completed data stream, including all selections, is then delivered to the subscriber in a single stream of packets over the Internet or other communication medium, permitting individualized delivery.

There is no requirement for a one-to-one relationship between a musical piece and a class of subscribers. For example, a particular advertisement can be classif...

Method for encoding music printing information in a MIDI message
2010-03-10 00:00:00
bytes and can be terminated either by an end of exclusive or any other status byte, with the exception of Real-Time messages. An end of exclusive should always be sent at the end of a system exclusive message. System exclusive messages always include a manufacturer's identification code. If a receiver does not recognize the identification code it will ignore the following dam.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate upon reference to the foregoing, musical compositions may be encoded utilizing the MIDI standard and stored and/or transmitted utilizing substantially less than data than would otherwise be required. The MIDI standard permits the transmittal of a serial listing of program status messages and channel messages, such as "note on" and "note off" and as a consequence require substantially less digital data to encode than the straightforward digitization of an analog musical signal. Using the MIDI system provides additional advantages including the ability to transmit the MIDI signals to a variety of MIDI-compatible devices to allow simultaneous translation of a single signal for multiple purposes and also to allow mixing signals to a variety of devices on a single signalling connection.

Extensions to MIDI

The MIDI standard was originally designed for communication between electronic instruments. About the time it was being developed, however, it was also becoming clear to many people that not only could one musical instrument be used to control another, but musical instruments themselves could be controlled by computer. Put another way, a sequence of electronic (MIDI) commands that might be generated (in a performance) on a musical keyboard could also be generated by computer. The receiving instrument has no way to know what the origin of the commands is (computer vs. live performance). In a similar manner, the "sending" instrument knows nothing about the nature of the "receiving" instrument under the MIDI standard. It is therefore possible for the receiving instrument to be a computer, which is actually recording (receiving and storing) the MIDI signals from the sender. In this way, a musical performance (defined as a series of physical gestures on an electronic keyboard), can be recorded (received and stored) on a computer and later played back on (sent to) the same keyboard or some other sound generating device which "understands" MIDI commands.

With the advent of "MIDI" recordings and simulated recordings compiled by software, the need arose to find a way to pass this data from one computer to another. Also there were several descriptive aspects of the music not originally representable by t...

Control system for a musical instrument
2010-03-09 00:00:00
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 pr...

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