Abstract: An electronic musical instrument capable of controlling tone pitch, tone color, volume etc. of a musical tone by a sliding operation to conduct such on effect as portamento. The instrument according to the invention can produce a control signal proportional to a sliding distance on a portamento playing actuator regardless of an initially touched position on the actuator. For producing such control signal, an output voltage from a portamento playing actuator corresponding to a finger touch position is applied to a positive input of a calculator whereas a voltage obtained by sampling and holding an output voltage corresponding to the initial touch position is applied to a negative input of the calculator. Difference between the two voltages is outputted as a control voltage from the calculator and this control voltage is utilized for controlling VCO, VCF or VCA thereby to control the tone pitch, tone color, volume etc. of a musical tone.

Abstract: This invention relates to a touch response sensor for an electronic musical instrument which may control the volume, pitch, tone-color or the like of the musical tones produced by the instrument upon depression of the key responsive to the key depressing pressure. In order to detect the key depressing pressure, the touch response sensor has an electrically conductive resilient member having two legs downwardly extending therefrom for producing resistance variations between contact pieces provided on a base plate under the resilient member in response to the key depressing pressure. The contact pieces are, for example, connected via lines to a voltage-controlled variable-frequency oscillator circuit, voltage-controlled variable filter circuit, voltage-controlled variable gain amplifier circuit or the like so as to vary the volume and the like of the tones in accordance with the key depressing pressure.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with the production of pitch variations, tone alterations and other related effects on keyboard musical instruments and the like effected through mechanisms activated by individual longitudinal finger movement along the longitudinal axis of the keys.

Abstract: An electrical control device comprises a base member, and an elongate support member mounted to be movable transversely of its length with respect to the base member. A tension spring biases the elongate member against movement in one direction transversely of its length and towards a null position. An elongate resistive member is supported by and extends along the length of the support member, and when the ends of the resistive member are connected to opposite respective poles of a voltage source a sensing electrode can be applied to the resistive member to tap off a voltage which is selectively variable by varying the position along the support member at which the sensing electrode is applied to the resistive member. The resistive member is so arranged with respect to the support member that application of the sensing electrode to the resistive member tends to bring about movement of the elongate member with respect to the base member in opposition to the bias established by the tension spring.

Abstract: A touch sensitive device is associated with at least one key of an electronic musical instrument such as an electronic organ, includes a layer of a pressure responsive, variable conductance material, and exhibits a switching action when subjected to pressure beyond a threshold pressure, any increase in pressure thereafter providing an increase in conductance up to a saturation pressure. The device may be used either as a combined switch and amplitude control or may be used in associated with one or more capacitors to provide either a high pass or low pass touch-control audio filter. In a totally polyphonic instrument a tone generator and touch-control filter are respectively associated with and responsive to each key depression, the output signal from each activated filter being coupled preferably to audio mixer circuitry.

Abstract: A shoe provided with a plurality of keys on the underside thereof which when depressed will produce various musical tones by means of an electronic circuit provided inside the shoe.

Abstract: A keyboard of an electronic musical instrument incorporates a plurality of variable capacitors, one for each key, with one conductor of each capacitor being connected for movement with an individual key of the keyboard toward and away from the other conductor, so as to vary the capacitance of the capacitor in accordance with the force with which the key is depressed.

Abstract: The stop control for an organ console comprises a panel including groups of touch sensitive switches disposed in pairs with an adjacent indicating lamp, wherein the switches of a pair respectively actuate and deactuate a given stop while the lamp indicates whether the stop is actuated. The switches of a pair are connected to set and reset terminals of a latching circuit which provides an output for energizing the indicating lamp and for controlling appropriate stop circuitry in the organ. The touch sensitive switches are disposed in groups according to the organ manual or function to which the corresponding stops pertain. A general cancel switch returns the various latching circuits to a reset condition. A transposer control circuit includes a plurality of switches and adjacent indicating lamps wherein the depression of a particular switch operates a latching circuit and resets other latching circuits associated with the transposer.

Abstract: A keyswitch for a keyboard is disclosed that has a support assembly which holds a saturable magnetic core and drive and sense line wires for the core. A plunger and magnet assembly that is depressible relative to the housing of the switch allows a permanent magnet to be moved away from the core when the plunger is depressed so the core can come out of magnetic saturation, thereby allowing signals from the drive line to be coupled to the sense line. The support assembly is formed of a two-piece construction that utilizes two identical molded plastic parts whereby the core and drive and sense line wires can be easily inserted into and removed from the support assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to a musical instrument operated by keys which in turn actuate change-over switches for selecting a predetermined one of a series of sound generators. The switches are provided by a composite structure constituted of aligned panels which carry the switch contact, the movable arms of which are operated by the keys.

Abstract: A control apparatus for determining the pitch of the sound produced by an electronic music synthesizer incorporates a conductive ribbon having a manually adjustable contact with a second conductive element, the second element comprising an elongate helically wound resistance element supported by being cemented in a groove in a base member.

Abstract: A keyboard arrangement in electronic musical instrument comprising playing keys movable to cover a predetermined distance in normal play and also being able to move farther in excess of said distance in accordance with the pressure applied to the keys, a movable arm arranged at position corresponding to each key at its depressed position, and a sensor means provided for said arm to detect the amount of the excessive distance covered by the movable arm and the speed thereof to generate a signal to be used for the control of expression such as tone volume, tone color and the like.The keyboard arrangement preferably further includes a deformable cushion means normally nondeformingly contacting, at its upper end, the bottom surface of the movable arm member during the normal movement of the positionally corresponding key but is deformed when the key makes a movement in excess of the normal distance to be covered by the key.

Abstract: The keyboard type instrument includes circuitry for controlling an envelope generator and a voltage controlled oscillator which in sequence operates a voltage controlled filter, and a voltage controlled amplifier both of which receive control signals from the envelope generator. The keys of the keyboard preferably have a common variable conductance touch sensor or transducer associated therewith which is responsive to key depression pressure in excess of a predetermined threshold pressure to control one or more audible characteristics of the played note. In one embodiment vibrato, pitchbend, brilliance and volume of the note are controllable. Associated with the keyboard is selection means including a plurality of audible characteristic selectors and variable means delimiting the range of the audible characteristics.

Abstract: A keyboard arrangement having an after-control signal detecting sensor means connected to electric circuitry to use the signal generated by this sensor means as an after-control signal for controlling various musical effects. This sensor means comprises a conductive flexible first electrode, a conductive second electrode, and a conductive elastic member, such as a conductive rubber, interposed between the first and second electrodes and adhered thereto, the conductive elastic member varying its resistance according to the degree by which it is compressed and deformed. With this arrangement, the resistance of the conductive elastic member will vary as it is compressed and/or deformed by playing keys in proportion to the positions of the depressed keys. This variation of resistance is employed so as to after-control the tone coloring, tone volume, vibrato, and other musical effects.

Abstract: A multiplicity of pressure-sensitive switching devices are mounted beneath a surface and a selected number are connected by circuit means through a programmer to at least one signal generating apparatus. When a pressure-sensitive switching device is closed, the signal generating apparatus is activated and a particular signal is produced. As a series of pressure-sensitive switching devices are closed as an individual moves across the surface, the signals produced will be coordinated with that movement.The programmer permits any pressure-sensitive switching device to be placed in circuit to generate any identified signal so that each pressure-sensitive switching device can be made to activate a particular signal. The programmer permits the signal generated when a particular pressure-sensitive switching device is closed to be changed.

Abstract: A keyboard electronic musical instrument includes a plurality of playing keys, each of which are capable of coupling a set of chord tone signals to an output utilization circuit. These chord tone signals comprise the root and fifth parts and also the major third and minor third parts of a chord. Each of the playing keys are capable of operation to two different depressed positions, one of which causes the major third chord component to be supplied along with the root and fifth parts to the utilization device. The other depressed position of the key causes the minor third chord component to be supplied along with the root and fifth parts to the utilization device. Provision also is made for permitting only the root note tone signal to be passed to the output circuit to permit normal playing of the keyboard.

Abstract: An absolute pitch selector apparatus provides a set of audio-frequency tone signals for a musical instrument. These are selected from a larger number of tone generator circuits by means of a rotary pitch selector switch. Stationary input and output contacts of the switch are printed on the same side of a stationary circuit board. The output contacts are shaped like the arcs of circles that are coaxial with the single circle of input contacts. A rotor carries a first set of spring contacts bearing on the stationary input contacts, a second set of spring contacts bearing on the stationary output contacts, and bridging conductors.

Abstract: A touch responsive sensor for an electronic keyboard musical instrument of a variable capacitor type, which comprises a pair of electrodes spaced apart from each other, and an intermediate electrode interposed between the pair of electrodes and separated from each of the pair of electrodes by a dielectric. The intermediate electrode is movable from near one of the pair of electrodes toward the other of the pair of electrodes in accordance with the movement of each playing key of the electronic musical instrument. Thus, in the course of a key depressing movement, first and second touch responsive controlling signals are derived from, respectively, between the one of the pair of electrodes and the intermediate electrode and between the other of the pair of electrodes and the intermediate electrode in accordance with the variation of capacitance produced therebetween.

Abstract: A chord button assembly for use in electronical organs is formed as a unitary assembly. A plastic hinge strip extending the length of the chord selector button area is provided and a plurality of keys or arms extend from the strip and have selector buttons formed at or near terminating ends of the arms in a staggered pattern to extend through openings formed in the chord selector plate. The arms are provided with return spring and electrical contact element receiving recesses which are strategically located to allow selection of multiple chord operation by actuation of a single chord button.

Abstract: A double touch key for use with musical instruments and the like wherein a key lever is selectively supported on a plurality of pivots and is automatically transferred from one pivot to another as a function of the amount of depression of the key so as to provide a double touch action. A spring may be utilized to control the action of the key in each of the different pivotal modes. A difference in the feel of the key is automatically effected by the transfer of the pivot point.