Tone Synthesis Or Timbre Control Patents (Class 84/735)
  • Patent number: 5131044
    Abstract: The present invention employs gain compensation such that when the amplifier is in the clean mode, the gain is at a selected level and when the amplifier is in the lead mode gain is decreased. In one embodiment a selectable brightness control is employed to raise the high frequency response in the clean mode. In another embodiment, a selectable gain boost control is employed to increase the gain in the lead mode. At least one frequency selectable means is provided in a post distortion stage output circuit for varying the frequency response of the output in the lead mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: Peavey Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: James W. Brown, Sr., Jack C. Sondermeyer
  • Patent number: 5121669
    Abstract: An electronic stringed instrument employs a plurality of sensors or monitors for instrument performance. Preferred sensors or monitors include a detector for detecting that a string of the instrument is vibrated, an apparatus for evaluating a string-vibration strength or a string touch, an apparatus for discriminating a fret operation position on a fingerboard or a fundamental frequency of a vibration of the vibrated string, a tremolo arm sensor, and a string-bending sensor. These performance input parameters are assigned to various control functions for musical tones generated by a sound source and/or various control functions for effects added to these musical tones by an effector. The function assignment is preferably programmable. In an operation, a music control apparatus controls the sound source and/or effector in response to a performance monitor so that musical tones for the strings can be distinguished from each other or effects for the musical tones can be distinguished from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Iba, Yoshiyuki Murata, Hajime Manabe
  • Patent number: 5069107
    Abstract: A breath detection signal from a breath sensor section is converted to a digital breath detection signal, and when the value of the detection signal exceeds a preset value, a tone is generated. After the tone generation, a tone parameter of the tone being generated is controlled according to the value of said digital breath detection signal. When a predetermined period of time is elapsed from an instant when the digital breath detection signal exceeds a preset signal, initial breath data is generated in correspondence to the breath detection signal or preset value at that instant. The tone parameter of the tone at the time of the tone generation is controlled according to initial breath data. After the generation of the tone, the tone parameter of the tone being sounded is controlled according to after-breath data corresponding to the breath detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeo Sakashita
  • Patent number: 5056404
    Abstract: In a stringed instrument which generates sound reproduction output signals by way of a transducer which are amplified for sound reproduction, a fundamentally correct note frequency signal is generated and electromagnetically broadcast by cycles of electromagnetic energy directly from a metallic string to be tuned to the transducer of the instrument, and blends with a correlated note as it issues from the same said vibrating metal string to be tuned, and through discernment by the ear of the user of the resulting blended signal the string is adjusted as necessary to match the two notes and therefore the string is quickly and easily brought into tune with the fundamentally correct note frequency, and when repeated upon each string of said instrument the task of tuning is done.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Inventor: John R. Wyss
  • Patent number: 5014589
    Abstract: A pitch is extracted from an input waveform signal, and a musical tone having a corresponding tone pitch is generated. In this case, a signal intensity at the leading edge of the input waveform signal is detected to determine a tone volume of the musical tone. A change degree of the signal intensity at the leading edge of the input waveform signal is detected to determine a timbre of the musical tone. As a result, the tone volume and the timbre of the output musical tone can be independently controlled in accordance with a music performance manner, and an improvement of a performance effect is expected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Obata
  • Patent number: 5010801
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument according to the present invention is applicable to musical instruments such as electronic wind instruments, electronic rubbed string instruments and electronic stringed instruments. Parameters of a musical tone to be generated are individually and independently altered and controlled in accordance with control data corresponding to a variation tendency of performance-input data which is detected by a performance input detection section and alters with time. And in accordance with a variation tendency per a predetermined period of time of breath operation intensity and/or lip operation intensity, parameters of the musical tone having a designated pitch are individually and independently altered and controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeo Sakashita
  • Patent number: 5001960
    Abstract: An input waveform signal representing, for example, a string oscillation is input to a pitch extraction circuit. The pitch extraction circuit extracts a pitch frequency from the input waveform signal, and this pitch frequency is input to a RAM connected to a CPU. On the other hand, LFO data from an LFO is input to a RAM. The CPU detects the amount of variation of the pitch frequency based on the pitch frequency and coverts the amount of variation of the pitch frequency in accordance with a predetermined conversion function. Thereafter the converted value is added to the LFO data to form musical sound control data for imparting a tremolo effect or a vibrato effect. The musical sound production circuit thereby imparts the above effect to the musical sound to be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Katou
  • Patent number: 4993307
    Abstract: A present electronic musical instrument is applied to an electronic wind instrument and an electronic keyboard instrument. At least one piece of pitch difference data representing an arbitrary pitch difference with respect to a first pitch that is to be designated by a pitch designation section is stored in a memory section. Before or during a musical performance, the pitch difference data is selected, and an original tone having the first pitch and a coupler tone having a pitch different from the first pitch are simultaneously generated with a pitch difference corresponding to the selected pitch difference data. The timbres of the original tone and the coupler tone may be set different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeo Sakashita
  • Patent number: 4980519
    Abstract: An electronic drum has two or more batons, each baton having a transmitter which transmits a distinct radio frequency signal at a position in space. The electronic drum determines the current X, Y, and Z coordinates of each baton transmitter. To determine the position of each baton transmitter, the drum includes a tablet which has a flat support member at a predefined position, with at least two pairs of electrodes coupled to the flat support member. A first pair of the electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and one of the first pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the X axis. A second pair of electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and one of the second pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the Y axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Jr. Univ.
    Inventor: Max V. Mathews
  • Patent number: 4915008
    Abstract: A breath detection signal from a breath sensor section is converted to a digital breath detection signal, and when the value of the detection signal exceeds a preset value, a tone is generated. After the tone generation, a tone parameter of the tone being generated is controlled according to the value of said digital breath detection signal. When a predetermined period of time is elapsed from an instant when the digital breath detection signal exceeds a preset signal, initial breath data is generated in correspondence to the breath detection signal or preset value at that instant. The tone parameter of the tone at the time of the tone generation is controlled according to initial breath data. After the generation of the tone, the tone parameter of the tone being sounded is controlled according to after-breath data corresponding to the breath detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeo Sakashita
  • Patent number: 4867028
    Abstract: A portable drum synthesizer is described having a pressure sensitive transducer adapted to be struck by the hand or fingers. The transducer output is switched to the trigger input of one or more voice generating circuits by means of finger operated switches. Certain of the finger operated switches additionally control the pitch or other parameters of the one or more voice generating circuits. The one or more voice generating circuits are optionally contained within the portable synthesizer which can take the general form of a guitar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Dynacord Electronic-Und Geratebau GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Peter S. Jones