Abstract: A stringed instrument, such as a guitar is provided. The stringed instrument includes a unique control arm assembly, which permits a user to manually adjust the position of associated pick-ups.

Abstract: Projections onto the transverse axis are derived from a staff start position xs to a staff end position xe with respect to four staff sections surrounded by staff positions L(5) of L0 to L4 set per sign. If a width of a section x1-x2 where a value of the projection exceeds a given threshold value thr1 exceeds another given threshold value thr2, a rectangle surrounded by x1, x2, L0 and L4 is set to be a label for extracting a feature of the corresponding sign. The foregoing four staff sections which do not overlap with a staff image are set to be extracting sections in the label for obtaining peripheral features in the transverse direction. The peripheral features are derived up to the third order from the left and right ends in each extracting section. Further, each extracting section is divided into a plurality of mesh sections which are set so as to partly overlap with each other in the height direction.

Abstract: A battery terminal clamp for attachment to batteries having either top or side mounted battery terminal posts includes a housing, a dual-clamp connector disposed within the housing, and a clamp selector operatively coupled to the dual-clamp connector. The dual-clamp connector includes first and second clamps positioned at opposite ends of the housing, and a current exchange terminal in between. The first clamp is configured for engaging a first type of battery terminal post, and the second clamp is configured for engaging a second type of battery terminal post. The clamp selector can be selectively set to either a first or second position. The first position exposes only the first clamp, while the second position exposes only the second clamp.

Abstract: There are provided a tone generator system using computer software and a storage medium storing the computer software. A musical tone synthesis module generates a musical tone signal by generating an excitation signal in response to an request for generating the excitation signal and at least delaying and looping the generated excitation signal. A first monitoring module monitors whether or not the request for generating the excitation signal is issued. A second monitoring module monitors whether or not the musical tone signal is generated by the musical tone synthesis module. An interruption module interrupts execution of the musical tone synthesis module when the first monitoring module detects that the request for generating the excitation signal is not issued, and at the same time the second monitoring module detects that the musical tone signal is not generated.

Abstract: A sustainer is provided for prolonging the vibrations of strings of a stringed musical instrument. The instrument has at least one magnetic pickup means responsive to the vibrations of the strings. The pickup produces an output signal in response to the vibrations of the instrument strings. At least one control potentiometer provides the capability to control at least one parameter of the output signal. The sustainer comprises a string driver transducer capable of inducing vibrations in the strings, a sustainer amplifier having an input which accepts the pickup output signal, and an amplifier circuit which amplifies the pickup output signal to form a drive signal. The sustainer amplifier also has an output, from which the drive signal transfers sufficient energy to the string driver transducer to sustain the vibrations of the strings. A power supply provides electrical energy to the sustainer amplifier.

Abstract: A performance data analyzer wherein a plurality of pitch name lines each comprised of essential pitch names characterizing each of plural tonalities are memorized and wherein one of the memorized pitch name lines at least a portion of which is included in an input performance data is extracted and a harmonic tone is extracted from the input performance data so that a tonality of the input performance data is detected on a basis of the extracted pitch name line and the extracted harmonic tone.

Abstract: A music performing apparatus comprises a manipulative music performing device which performs music according to the player's musical performance on the apparatus and an automatic accompaniment performing device which performs musical accompaniment according to automatic accompaniment signals provided in the apparatus. The properties and the manners of a musical performance and an automatic accompaniment are determined by the parameters set by the various controls such as switches and knobs in the control panel provided on the apparatus. A state of combination of such parameters is defined as a registration for a musical performance. Different registrations are stored in a data storage device representing different combinations of the parameters, and a desired one of the registrations is selectively called by the user to set the performance properties and manners.

Abstract: Drum stick weights are described that include weighted material that may be releasably attached to drum sticks. The weighted material may optionally be placed in separate means used to secure the weighted material to the drum sticks. The drum stick weights are compact and easy to manufacture. The drum stick weights can be used to increase drummers' drum playing skills and flexibility.

Abstract: In a fingering information analyzer, tone pitch information indicative of each tone pitch of a series of musical notes supplied from a flexible disc or a performance information memory is analyzed to produce fingering information indicative of a performance finger for each of the musical notes. The fingering information is mixed with the tone pitch information and memorized in a fingering memory. When the fingering information is reproduced, a performance finger for each of the musical notes is determined in accordance with a changing direction or variation width of the tone pitch information continual in time series and a changing condition of white and black keys based on the tone pitch information. The tone pitch information and fingering information memorized in the fingering memory is read out in accordance with progression of a musical tune and adapted for performance of the keys on a keyboard and for indication of the performance finger.

Abstract: A musical instrument has a plurality of strings connected with string posts having central axes disposed in a single plane which extends perpendicular to opposite sides of a head portion of the musical instrument. A string tuning device is connected with each of the strings. The string tuning device is operable to tension the string of a musical instrument to obtain a predetermined initial tension or pitch. A plurality of detuning actuators are provided in association with the tuning devices. The detuning actuators are manually operable to change the tension in a string of the musical instrument from the initial tension by a predetermined amount. Each of the tuning devices includes a worm which is disposed in meshing engagement with a pinion connected with a string post. The detuning actuator is connected with one end of the worm by a coupling which allows the worm to be rotated relative to the detuning actuator during the obtaining of the predetermined tension in the string.

Abstract: MIDI performance information is received via an operating system (OS) and an application-level software tone generator is driven on the basis of the received MIDI performance information, so as to allow the software tone generator to have an increased range of simple applications on the OS level. To this end, a fake driver is installed in the OS, and performance information output from application software is received by the fake driver via the operating system and then sent to the application-level software tone generator. As another example, the software tone generator is installed as a driver in the operating system so that information output from application software can be received by the software tone generator via the operating system.

Abstract: When a plurality of different effects are added to a plurality of musical notes at the same time, the plurality of musical notes are divided into a plurality of groups for musical notes, and the groups of musical note waveforms are delivered on a time divisional basis to an effect adding circuit, which adds the respective effects to the groups of musical note waveforms, accumulates at each waveform sampling period the musical note waveforms to which the respective effects have been added, and outputs a resulting musical note waveform. The sum of operation times required for adding the respective effects to the plurality of groups of musical note waveforms can exceed a sampling period depending on types of effect to be assigned. To avoid this situation, it is determined in advance whether the sum of the operation times required for adding the effects exceeds the sampling period. If so, addition of an effect to a musical note waveform where a depth of the effect is minimum is stopped.

Abstract: A musical performance assisting system includes a key designating section for designating a key of music, a chord designating section for designating a chord in the music, a chord file storing pointers in a manner so as to correspond to keys of music, and a chord tone file storing the pointers in a manner so as to correspond to chord groups, each of the chord groups including chord tone data of chords belonging thereto. The system further includes a chord tone selecting section for selecting one of the pointers from the chord file based on the key designated by the key designating section and further selecting, from the chord tone file, chord tone data of one of the chords which belongs to one of the chord groups designated by the selected pointer and which is designated by the chord designating section. The system further includes a musical tone generating section for producing a musical tone corresponding to the chord tone data selected by the chord tone selecting section.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention provide relatively inexpensive methods and apparatus for modifying existing pianos to provide interchangeable keyboards of different sizes without sacrificing or impairing the quality of the original piano. The keys of a standard piano are removed and the pins in the front rail of the key frame are replaced with pins which are more closely positioned. The original keys are then replaced with new keys of narrower dimensions which are more closely positioned in the area of the front rail.

Abstract: A musical instrument of the violin family which has a piezo-electric pickup installed under the foot of the bridge which is supported by the bass bar. The forces generated in the bridge by the vibrating strings are transmitted through the pickup to the top of the instrument. The pickup is comprised of a sandwich including a small piezo-electric sensor covered by conductive foils on the outside which serve as the ground of the pickup and an electrostatic shield.

Abstract: A capo device for a stringed musical instrument having a series of strings extending along a fretboard with spaced frets, in which each string passes through a bore in an element which is slidable on the string, each element being dimensioned so that when held against the fretboard the element stops the string on which it is mounted at the adjacent fret. The elements and the fretboard have interacting magnetic means capable of holding each element against the fretboard at one of a number of selected positions during the playing of the instrument, while allowing the element to be moved to a stored position when not in use. The stored position is usually between a string nut or zero fret, and a string guide which contacts the strings between the nut or zero fret and tuning pegs for the strings, the elements being movable over the nut or zero fret into the stored position.

Abstract: The present invention enables non-musicians to effectively compose music using a computer, and provides them with the means to manipulate musical content in an intuitive fashion without the need for formal musical training. The invention combines a representation of musical knowledge with a representation of musical data in such a way that permits transposition of the data to be constrained to conform to a set of harmonic rules. The user can select pitches to be moved higher or lower, and a system insures that it sounds good (where good is defined to mean "satisfies the conditions of the harmonic rule base").

Abstract: A synthesizer system includes a CPU and host memory operating a software routine. The software routine stores a first part of each waveform signal in a sample pool of host memory and provides remaining portions of selected musical sounds from the hard drive to a stream cell array without an audio perceivable delay. The synthesizer system utilizes a caching system which allows low cost, high storage devices to be utilized in an audio synthesizer system. MIDI control signals are provided to an audio processor for selecting appropriate digital waveform signals.

Abstract: A musical sound generating system which generates musical sounds having desired tone regardless of the variation of volume setting. In the musical sound generating system, the standard tone control touch curve TCstd, the maximum tone control touch curve Tcmax, and the minimum tone control touch curve TCmin when the amplification factor V is standard (a standard amplification factor Vstd), maximum, and minimum respectively are stored. If the amplification factor is higher than the standard amplification factor Vstd, an interpolation between the standard tone control touch curve TCstd and the maximum tone control touch curve TCmax is performed, and the tone control touch curve TC according to the amplification factor V is obtained. Based on the tone control touch curve, the cut-off frequency F corresponding to the velocity value Tv is determined, and then the tone of the musical sound is controlled by the low pass filter with the cut-off frequency F.

Abstract: A nut (30) and/or saddle (20) supports the strings (14) of a stringed musical instrument (10) allowing essentially fully unrestricted movement of the strings, both forward and .[.background.]. .Iadd.backward .Iaddend.within the nut or saddle in order to maintain the proper pitch tuning of each string. Each string is retained at a fixed position at the nut or saddle, but allowed to move freely from these fixed positions when the strings are in motion such as when being tuned. A pair of freely-.[.rotatably.]. .Iadd.rotatable .Iaddend.ball bearings (34a and 34b) are positioned in a countersunk pocket aperture 33 in the nut housing (32) and/or saddle housing (60) and in the case of the former, are positioned immediately juxtaposed to a pressure pad (41) for dampening each string from vibration between the nut assembly and the instrument tuner mechanism. A retainer (42) retains each pair of balls (34a and 34b) in the pocket aperture (33).