Abstract: In a first embodiment, a columnated light beam is transmitted to a lens aperture of continuously variable size. The lens aperture is coupled to the tremolo arm of a solid body electric guitar. Light from the lens aperture is focussed upon a photosensitive surface of a photo-transistor. The photo-transistor provides a tremolo voltage that is an analog of the position of the tremolo arm. In a second embodiment, a potentiometer has its shaft coupled to the tremolo arm. The wiper arm of the potentiometer provides the tremolo voltage.

Abstract: An electronic music system which imitates acoustic instruments addresses the problem wherein the audio spectrum of a a recorded note is entirely shifted in pitch by transposition. The consequence of this is that unnatural formant shifts occur, resulting in the phenomenon known in the industry as "munchkinization." The present invention eliminates munchkinization, thus allowing a substantially wider transposition range for a single recording. Also, the present invention allows even shorter recordings to be used for still further memory improvements. An analysis stage separates and stores the formant and excitation components of sounds from an instrument. On playback, either the formant component or the excitation component may be manipulated.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument which is capable of attaining the tonal coloration and "feeling" of an acoustic instrument and wherein the pitch, timbre, and loudness of each sound which is produced can be controlled by the performer in real time in an accurate and repeatable manner as the instrument is being played. The instrument is comprised of a plurality of string-like members which simulate the strings of an acoustic instrument and wherein sounds of varying pitch are produced by depressing the strings against a fingerboard at different positions along their lengths. An audio oscillator means is associated with each string-like member for producing a frequency-controllable audio output signal, and means responsive to a control signal for varying the overtone content and amplitude of the audio output signal is provided. In order to generate the control signal, means accessible to the performer and capable of being moved to different control positions in an accurate and repeatable manner is utilized.

Abstract: A two hand operated instrument, for controlling electronic music synthesizers, video games and computers, capable of producing two independent control voltages, in addition to the signals produced by keyboards held in each hand, such additional control voltages actuated by rotating and telescoping the concentric tubes with respect to each other. In musical applications, the finger operated voltage signals may be used to select notes and the twist and telescope signals to control musical parameters, such as volume, pitch, timbre, pulse, width, spatial location, etc.

Abstract: A dish for supporting a light blocking object such as a coffee cup, a tea cup or the like, having a melody sounding function is disclosed, in which the dish below its object supporting surface is provided with a melody sounding means proximate to the object supporting surface for producing and playing a given melody for a predetermined time by means of a switching mechanism including a photosensor. The melody is automatically produced on removing the object from the dish and exposing the photosensor of a melody sounding means to the light passing through the dish of light permeable material.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for esthetic programmatic coordination of musical and spoken sounds in response to the movement and presence of one or more persons on a stairway or in a pedestrian walkway.

Abstract: An illumination level/musical tone converter is described which is suitable for incorporation into a miniature electronic device such as an electronic wristwatch, whereby the pitch of musical notes emitted by an acoustic output device can be varied as desired by the user varying the amount of illumination reaching a light sensor, e.g. by partially shading the sensor using a finger. Melodies can be composed in this way, and means can be provided for memorizing such melodies, which can be subsequently reproduced, e.g. to provide an audible alarm indication.

Abstract: An electronically controlled swell shutter operator for pipe organs includes an electric motor driving a speed reducer whose output is connected to move the shutters of a pipe organ swell chamber, in order to control the volume of sound heard by the listeners. A swell pedal controlled by the organ player operates a first potentiometer and establishes a first voltage of a given polarity, the magnitude of which represents the exact position that the shutters should be in. The output of the speed reducer operates a second potentiometer which establishes a second voltage of a polarity opposite to that of the swell pedal potentiometer, the magnitude of this second voltage being dependent on the position of the swell shutters. A system of integrated circuit comparators compares the above-mentioned first and second voltages to produce an error signal.

Abstract: A disc having holes in the periphery thereof is moved by successive increments so that the holes are successively brought into alignment with a photocell. The diameters of successive ones of the holes correspond to the pitch of successive tones in a musical selection. A tone generator is employed to develop a tone signal which varies in pitch in accordance with the diameter of the holes in the disc.

Abstract: A waveform generator used for electronic musical instruments comprising a resistance device having a plurality of power source electrodes and a plurality of potential detecting electrodes. Electric current is supplied to the power source electrodes and potentials are periodically detected through scanning from the potential detecting electrodes by the use of a scanning circuit mechanism.

Abstract: The hand-held instrument is preferably supported by a strap from the neck for one or two handed playing of a keyboard with switch and potentiometer controls of a remote synthesizer which may be basically of conventional design and include a plurality of output voice means. A lightweight keyboard assembly is mounted within an elongated premolded housing having a control panel comprised of control switches and light indicators. The instrument is preferably for playing by the right hand, and for the purpose of holding and controlling the stability of the instrument, the housing is formed with a left hand gripping hole or slot permitting the instrument to be firmly gripped. Adjacent the hole there are provided additional control knobs and push button switches which are easily operated by the left hand without any repositioning of the hand. An umbilical cord interconnects the hand supported keyboard musical instrument and the synthesizer apparatus.

Abstract: A variable filter circuit, especially for synthesizing and shaping tone signals, in which a variable light source is provided which influences light sensitive resistor elements in the filter circuit. The variable circuit, by the use of selector switches, can provide different musical features, such as muted voices, percussion, brass, woodwind and the like, all of which will enhance, for example, existing organ voicing while it is, furthermore, possible to obtain the effect of playing a solo instrument together with organ voicing.

Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, such as an electronic organ, the speech characteristics of reed organ pipes are simulated by applying pulses produced by key-actuated tone generators, which pulses are preferably narrow as compared to their repetition frequency, to a low-pass filter, the pass characteristic of which has a relatively sharp knee and a very rapid rate of rolloff, thereby to sharply attenuate the harmonics contained in the pulse which have frequencies above the cutoff frequency. The resultant tone passed by the filter is surprisingly reed-like in character, and by changing the cutoff frequency, reed-like voices of differing properties, imitative for example, of an organ Oboe tone, an orchestral Oboe tone, a Clarinet, a Kinura or a Trompette are obtained.

Abstract: A music synthesizer produces pitch-proportional voltages in a novel resistor network, uses these voltage via keyboard control to generate in a voltage-controlled oscillator a high frequency signal, being a multiple of all the harmonic frequencies desired, separates the individual harmonics, converts them to sine waves with voltage-controlled tunable tracking filters, blends the waves in desired proportions, introduces transients of attack, decay, sustain, and release of key into each note, and introduces appropriate vibrato. An alternate apparatus accepts an external signal and converts it to voltages proportional to frequency, whereby accompaniment on pitch, in "close harmony" or more distantly related, is provided.

Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, an expression control circuit constituted by a first variable resistor is connected in the path of the tone signal. A second variable resistor is connected in series with or in parallel to the first. A third variable resistor is connected in shunt between the output side of the expression control circuit and the ground. The second and the third variable resistors can adjust the variation range of the tone signal at the output of the first variable resistance.

Abstract: An electrical organ in which each of the keys of the organ is mechanically coupled to one single pole single throw electrical switch, and a plurality of said switches are each connected to a plurality of photoelectric tone sources through pulse shaping keying circuits, the keying circuits connected to each key switch being connected in a cascade circuit with the direct current potential source and the photocell of one of the tone sources, the other tone sources having photocells connected to the junctions of keying circuits in said cascade circuit. The tone circuits actuated by a given key of the organ may be at the same frequency or may comprise a chiff tone component or a noise-puff component, or may include a special decay circuit which activates a photocell modulated at a different pitch from the main-tone component.