Abstract: An electronic musical instrument includes: a chord-playing input device; a sounding part that emits chord sounds; and a display part that displays an image. The chord-playing input device includes: a chord designating button group assigned with chords; a chord changing button group assigned with change methods for changing an assignment state for the chord designating button group; a sounding information generating part that generates sounding information for making the sounding part emit the sound of the chord corresponding to operation for the chord designating button group and chord changing button group; and a display information generating part that generates display information for making the display part display a plurality of chord images and change method images in the same arrangement order as those of the chord designating button group and chord changing button group.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument includes: a chord-playing input device; a sounding part that emits chord sounds; and a display part that displays an image. The chord-playing input device includes: a chord designating button group assigned with chords; a chord changing button group assigned with change methods for changing an assignment state for the chord designating button group; a sounding information generating part that generates sounding information for making the sounding part emit the sound of the chord corresponding to operation for the chord designating button group and chord changing button group; and a display information generating part that generates display information for making the display part display a plurality of chord images and change method images in the same arrangement order as those of the chord designating button group and chord changing button group.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a power module incorporating chips that generate heat and having chip arrangement in which a first chip having the largest amount of heat generation and second chips having the second largest amount of heat generation are not adjacent to each other and the first chip is adjacent to any two of third chips having the smallest amount of heat generation, a heat sink, to a base surface of which the power module is closely attached, and flat first and second anisotropic high heat conductors having a thermal conductivity higher than a main body disposed on the surface of the heat sink. The first and second anisotropic high heat conductors are separated into two and disposed under the first chip and under the second chips.

Abstract: A motor drive device in embodiments includes: a motor drive unit that generates a current for driving a motor on a basis of a position command and a position detection value of the motor; a motor-coil ambient-temperature estimation unit that calculates a motor-coil ambient-temperature estimation value by correcting an output value of a temperature sensor provided in a peripheral portion of a motor coil of the motor by using a filter including both a phase-lead characteristic and a low-pass characteristic; a motor-coil increased-temperature estimation unit that calculates a motor-coil increased-temperature estimation value on a basis of the current; and a motor-coil protection unit that limits the current on a basis of the motor-coil ambient-temperature estimation value and the motor-coil increased-temperature estimation value.

Abstract: A cooling device includes a power module incorporating chips that generate heat and having chip arrangement in which a first chip having the largest amount of heat generation and second chips having the second largest amount of heat generation are not adjacent to each other and the first chip is adjacent to any two of third chips having the smallest amount of heat generation, a heat sink, to a base surface of which the power module is closely attached, and flat first and second anisotropic high heat conductors having a thermal conductivity higher than a main body disposed on the surface of the heat sink. The first and second anisotropic high heat conductors are separated into two and disposed under the first chip and under the second chips.

Abstract: A motor drive device in embodiments includes: a motor drive unit that generates a current for driving a motor on a basis of a position command and a position detection value of the motor; a motor-coil ambient-temperature estimation unit that calculates a motor-coil ambient-temperature estimation value by correcting an output value of a temperature sensor provided in a peripheral portion of a motor coil of the motor by using a filter including both a phase-lead characteristic and a low-pass characteristic; a motor-coil increased-temperature estimation unit 6 that calculates a motor-coil increased-temperature estimation value on a basis of the current; and a motor-coil protection unit 9 that limits the current on a basis of the motor-coil ambient-temperature estimation value and the motor-coil increased-temperature estimation value.

Abstract: A karaoke amplifier is constructed for amplifying an audio signal to sound a karaoke performance while processing the audio signal according to a value of a control parameter to acoustically control the karaoke performance. An analog operating member is manually operable to set an initial analog value of the control parameter. An analog/digital converter converts the initial analog value into a corresponding initial digital value. A receiver receives correction data from an external data source. A memory memorizes the received correction data. A calculator arithmetically treats the initial digital value according to the correction data retrieved from the memory to calculate a corrected value of the control parameter. A signal processor processes the audio signal according to the corrected value of the control parameter and amplifies the processed audio signal to sound the karaoke performance which is acoustically modified according to the corrected value of the control parameter.

Abstract: In an echo effector for imparting an echo effect to an audio signal based on values of a plurality of parameters, a memory is provided for memorizing an interrelationship among the plurality of the parameters which are mutually related to each other. A dial is actuated for independently setting one or more of the parameters to desired values. A microcomputer dependently sets the remaining parameters to appropriate values according to the desired values and the memorized interrelationship. Further, in a sound field effector operative according to a selected program for creating an effect simulative of a sound field in matching with a room situation under which the effector is installed, a program memory stores a plurality of programs which can be selected in terms of types of sound fields and types of room situations. A first switch is operated for designating a desired type of a sound field. A second switch is operated for designating a desired type of a room situation.

Abstract: A karaoke apparatus mixes a live singing sound with a harmony chorus sound and an orchestral accompaniment sound. A first input terminal is connectable to a microphone to receive therefrom a first vocal signal representative of a first live singing sound. A second input terminal is connectable to another microphone to receive therefrom a second vocal signal representative of a second live singing sound which is different than the first live singing sound. A chorus generator is provided for processing the first vocal signal to generate a harmony signal representative of the harmony chorus sound which originates from the first live singing sound. A mixer is provided for mixing the generated harmony signal with the second vocal signal, which is not processed by the chorus generator, to provide a mix signal.

Abstract: In a karaoke apparatus, a pickup device picks up a live singing voice of a music piece to convert the same into a vocal signal. A music source device provides a music signal representative of a karaoke accompaniment of the music piece to accompany the live singing voice, and also provides effect control information which is predetermined in matching with a mood and a tempo of the music piece and which is effective to create and control a vocal effect. A vocal effecter device processes the vocal signal according to the provided effect control information to apply the vocal effect to the live singing voice and to control the applied vocal effect. A mixer device mixes the provided music signal and the processed vocal signal with each other to concurrently reproduce the karaoke accompaniment and the live singing voice which is modified by the applied vocal effect so as to enrich karaoke performance of the music piece.

Abstract: A chorus apparatus creates an artificial chorus sound in parallel to a live vocal sound. A pickup collects a live vocal sound and converts the collected live vocal sound into a corresponding vocal sound signal. A generator device generates a chorus sound signal representative of an artificial chorus sound in synchronization with the vocal sound signal. A plurality of output devices are installed separately from each other to define different sound sources. One of the output devices receives the vocal sound signal and acoustically reproduces therefrom the live vocal sound. Another of the output devices receives the chorus sound signal and acoustically reproduces therefrom the artificial chorus sound so that the live vocal sound and the artificial chorus sound can be mixed as if sounded from different sound sources.

Abstract: A karaoke apparatus is provided with a pickup device that collects a singing voice sound to convert the same into a corresponding vocal signal. Further, a music generator device generates a music signal representative of a karaoke accompaniment sound which is selected to accompany the singing voice sound. A harmony generator device generates a harmony signal representative of a harmony chorus sound which is made consonant with the singing voice sound. A first processor device processes the vocal signal to impart an effect to the collected singing voice sound. A second processor device processes the harmony signal separately from the vocal signal to impart another effect to the harmony chorus sound independently from the singing voice sound. A sound device amplifies the processed vocal signal, the processed harmony signal and the generated music signal so as to sound the singing voice sound, the harmony chorus sound and the karaoke accompaniment sound concurrently with each other.

Abstract: A sound reproduction control apparatus processes an audio signal in reproduction of a musical sound to control a tone of the musical sound while imparting an effect to the musical sound. A preceding tone controller has a variable frequency response for amplifying the audio signal by the variable frequency response so as to variably control the tone of the musical sound. A signal processor is connected to the preceding tone controller for processing the audio signal to impart a desired effect to the musical sound. A succeeding tone controller is connected to the processor means and has an adjustable frequency response adjusted separately from the variable frequency response of the preceding tone controller for amplifying the audio signal by the adjusted frequency response so as to adjustively control the tone of the musical sound.

Abstract: In an apparatus for amplifying a sound while suppressing a howling noise, a microphone collects a sound and converts the collected sound into a corresponding input signal. An amplifier amplifies the input signal to generate the sound through a loudspeaker. A plurality of equalizers are interposed between the microphone and the amplifier, each equalizer having a variable attenuation frequency for attenuatively filtering the input signal around the attenuation frequency. Detection is conducted for detecting a plurality of noise spectrum peaks of the howling noise contained in the collected sound. Then, an adjustment is conducted adjusting respective variable attenuation frequencies of the plurality of the equalizers correspondingly to the plurality of the detected noise spectrum peaks to thereby remove the howling noise from the generated sound.

Abstract: A harmony chorus apparatus collects an original of a vocal sound performed after a main melody pattern of a song, and adds a chorus sound derived after a chorus melody pattern of the same song to the vocal sound. A memory stores a main melody data representative of the main melody pattern and a chorus melody data representative of the chorus melody pattern which is designed in harmony with the main melody pattern. A pitch difference calculator sequentially retrieves the main melody data and the chorus memory data from the memory in synchronization with progression of the song, and calculates a pitch difference between the main melody pattern and the chorus memory pattern according to the retrieved main melody data and chorus melody data. A chorus generator shifts a pitch of the collected vocal sound by the calculated pitch difference to generate the chorus sound in the form of a variation of the vocal sound.

Abstract: A howling prevention apparatus prevents a howling noise which is generated in a sound amplification system using a microphone and a loudspeaker. The howling prevention apparatus utilizes a plural number of first to n-th equalizers, which have a variable frequency response and which modulate an output of the microphone. A detector detects a frequency point at which a loop gain of the system reaches a peak while supplying a standard noise signal to the loudspeaker to produce a test sound and measuring the sound collected by the microphone through the series of the equalizers. A frequency response of the first equalizer is adjusted to suppress a noise peak at and around a frequency point detected by the detector. Then, a frequency response of the second equalizer is also adjusted to suppress a noise peak at and around another frequency point detected by the detector. Lastly, a frequency response of the n-th equalizer is adjusted by subsequently repeating the above setting procedure.

Abstract: A harmony adaptor is optionally usable as an attachment to a karaoke apparatus which has a pickup device for collecting a live singing sound and converting the same into a vocal signal, and a mixing device for mixing the vocal signal with a music signal representative of a karaoke music sound and for acoustically reproducing the live singing sound accompanied by the karaoke music sound according to the mixed ones of the vocal signal and the music signal. The harmony adaptor is detachably connectable to the pick-up device for receiving therefrom the vocal signal. The harmony adaptor generates a harmony signal which originates and separates from the received vocal signal and which represents a harmony chorus sound made consonant with the live singing sound.

Abstract: An FM audio signal receiver having a characteristic control function includes a receiving circuit for receiving an FM broadcast wave, a received state analyzing circuit for analyzing a state of the FM broadcast signal received by the receiving circuit, an analog-to-digital converter for analog-to-digital converting the FM broadcast signal received by the receiving circuit, a digital signal processor for performing processing for improving characteristics of the digital-to-analog converted signal, a parameter table memory for storing parameters for the digital signal processor and a control circuit for reading out a proper parameter for realizing improvement of a characteristic of the digital-to-analog converted signal from the parameter table memory in response to result of analysis by the received state analyzing circuit and controlling the digital signal processor with the read out parameter.

Abstract: A display device includes a single meter which can be selectively employed as a signal meter indicating a strength level of a received radio wave and an output level meter indicating an output level of an amplifier. The display device is so designed that the meter is automatically caused to operate as the signal meter when a person touches the tuning knob of a tuner section, otherwise the meter operates as the output level meter. A switch may be provided to restrict the meter function to that of the signal meter regardless of a person's touching of the tuning knob.