Abstract: The combination of a piano and an actuating device for a pedal on the piano. The actuating device has a frame, an arm on the frame movable in a controlled path, and an actuator assembly. The actuator assembly has a component moved from a first position into a second position to thereby cause the pedal to move from the starting position into the actuated position. The actuator assembly is configured so that movement of the arm in a first direction in the controlled path causes the one component to move from the first position into the second position. The arm is movable by a leg of a user situated in a playing position with respect to the piano.

Abstract: An electronic instrument comprising an elongated member, comprising a plurality of detectors aligned in the elongated member, each detector for detecting a finger-sized object in the vicinity thereof and for providing a corresponding signal; a processing unit operatively connected to the plurality of detectors, the processing unit for receiving the signals from the plurality of detectors and for generating a signal indicative of a sound to generate and a sound generating unit operatively connected to the processing unit and wherein the processing unit is located inside the elongated member.

Abstract: A portable electronic drumhead includes a sensor responsive to drumstick impacts in producing electrical signal pulses input to headphones to thereby simulate sounds of an acoustic drumhead. The sensor includes a Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) lamination coated with an electrically conductive polymer ink, a spacer lamination, and a flexible electrode lamination having on an inner surface thereof a pair of interdigitated electrodes, the electrode lamination elastically contacting the FSR lamination in response to drumstick impacts on the outer surface of the electrode lamination or FSR lamination to thus momentarily reduce electrical resistance between the electrodes. Resilient batter pads overlying the laminations muffle sounds produced by drumstick impacts. Optionally, the sensor may have an annular ring shape which may be placed concentrically on the head of an acoustic drum, the sensor having an upwardly protruding resilient bumper strikable to produce electronically synthesized rim shot sounds.

Abstract: An electronic drum has an induction board and a securing frame. The induction board has a drumhead, a connection device and a detecting assembly. The connection device is adapted to be electrically connected with an outer acoustic device. The detecting assembly is mounted under the drumhead and is electrically connected with the connection device to detect beats on the drumhead and to send acoustic signal to the connection device. The annular securing frame is mounted around the induction board and has an annular bracket, an outer securing rib and a bottom securing rib. The annular bracket has an outer periphery and a bottom. The outer securing rib protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the annular bracket. The bottom securing rib protrudes from the bottom of the annular bracket.

Abstract: A signal transmitting device of the present invention includes a plurality of drums and a sound module. Each drum has a pickup and a wireless signal transceiver, and the sound module includes several wireless signal receivers, each of which corresponds to one of the drums. While the drum is beaten upon, the pickup sends a signal to the wireless signal transceiver, and the signal is then transmitted to the corresponding wireless signal receiver wirelessly. Thereby, the complex wiring process can be significantly simplified or even totally resolved.

Abstract: An operating device for use with a musical instrument may allow for a supporting member configured to be supported by a user to be operatively connected to a percussion instrument with a case, which may contain an electronic circuit for processing a signal produced by striking a striking surface of the percussion instrument. The case may be arranged between the electronic percussion instrument and the supporting member. The case and the electronic percussion instrument may be configured to be moveable relative to the user.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for simulating the sound of an acoustic percussion instrument. A first stored waveform signal representative of the impulse response of an acoustic percussion instrument is convolved with a waveform produced by a sensor circuit attached to a physical playing surface. Undesirable response characteristics of the playing surface and sensor circuit may be filtered out by deconvolving sensor output, or the stored waveform representing the acoustic instrument, with the impulse response of the combination of the playing surface and the sensor circuit.

Abstract: A separate automatic player is independent of a piano, and stands in front of the piano for an automatic playing; the separate automatic player includes a key driver unit, a pedal driver unit and a framework on which the key driver unit and pedal driver unit is carried; the key driver unit has an array of key actuators so as to selectively depress and releases the black and white keys, and a pair of side elevators and a rotary unit is provided between the framework and the array of key actuators; the side elevators bring the plunger heads of the key actuators into contact with the upper surfaces of the black and white keys, and the rotary unit makes the plungers vertical to the upper surfaces so that the key actuators exert force on the black and white keys at the magnitude exactly equivalent to pieces of music data.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a percussion detecting apparatus, which is excellent in percussion feeling, and the percussion sounds of which are very small, in electronic percussion instrumental system. The percussion detecting apparatus is provided with a head prepared from a net-like raw material composed of a first net and a second net, the net-like raw material being obtained by such a manner that both the nets having been woven in accordance with plane weaving manner wherein the longitudinal and transverse fibers cross at right angles are laminated in such a way that the weave pattern directions thereof intersect obliquely with each other; and a head sensor which is in contact with the center position of the under side in the head and detects percussion with respect to the head as electric signal.

Abstract: An improved structure of a magnet coupled type white glass ball transmission, more particularly an improved music white glass ball structure, being a breakthrough in the prior art that can generate only a single transmission and has a turning axle going into the white glass ball, which may lead to water leakage and requires use of an anti-leakage ferrule. By utilizing magnet coupled type white glass ball transmission, a rotor inside the glass ball can cause a propeller to rotate without making a through hole, so that swirls can be generated in the glass ball to drive floating particles or tinsels therein, thus creating a very beautiful scene. The power generated by the magnetic field drives a speed reduction gear set which transmit it to a turning disk at a reduced speed so that an ornament on the turning disk can turn round and round. Hence, a double transmission structure without making a through hole in the glass ball can be achieved.

Abstract: A portable musical instrument capable of triggering a percussion synthesizer by striking of fingers on a plurality of transducers. The ergonomic shape of the instrument is similar to a guitar, with a set of transducers on the body for one hand and another set of transducers on a rotated head for the other hand. The arrangement of transducers is placed so that minimal finger travel is necessary to play a variety of sounds rapidly and comfortably. Transducers are plugged into to a configurable central circuit board assembly in the body, which are in turn is connected by cable to a percussion synthesizer interface box. The interface box is connected to a percussion synthesizer by standard 1/4" phone plug cables. Certain transducers and switches control additional parameters of a percussion synthesizer including hi-hat position and patch selection.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator unit is provided over a keyboard of a piano, and each of the electromagnetic actuators of the electromagnetic actuator unit has a solenoid coil wound on a bobbin and a plunger for pushing down one of the keys, wherein the gravity exerted on the plunger is smaller than a recovery force of the key or a return spring coupled to the plunger is provided outside of the bobbin for smoothly moving the plunger without influences of the magnetic field produced by the solenoid coil.

Abstract: For easy adjustment of a key driver assembly, there is disclosed an automatic music player system having at least a recording mode and a reproducing mode and comprising (a) a piano having a keyboard provided with a plurality of keys, a sound generator mechanism operative to mechanically generate sounds when the keys are actuated, and an effector mechanism operative to affect the sound generated by the sound generator mechanism upon actuation, (b) a control unit located at the outside of the piano and operative to store a musical information produced by a keying-in on the keyboard and an operation of the effector mechanism in the recording mode and to produce drive signals based on the musical information stored therein in the reproducing mode, (c) a key driver assembly provided with a plurality of actuators corresponding to the keys, respectively, and responsive to the drive signal for selectively actuating the keys, (d) an effector driver assembly responsive to the drive signal and operative to actuate the e

Abstract: In a solenoid actuator for use in an automatic performance keyboard instrument of the type comprising a key bed and a plurality of keys mounted on the key bed through seesaw mechanisms, electromagnetic actuators respectively corresponding to the keys and having a common yoke are disposed between the key bed and the keys. Each of the electromagnetic actuators independently actuates the corresponding key. The yoke and the electromagnetic actuators are assembled into a compact unit, thereby being readily incorporated between the key bed and the keys.

Abstract: A remote-controlled device for depressing the keys of a keyboard instrument which comprises in the device: separate means for depressing each of the desired keys, each of said means being pivotally mounted on a fulcrum, means for selectively rotating the key-depressing means about its fulcrum so that at least a part of each of the corresponding key-depressing means depresses the desired keys of the instrument's keyboard, above which the device is positioned.This invention is concerned with a device to depress the keys of a keyboard, particularly the keys of a musical instrument. More particularly, the device may be used to depress and keep depressed the keys of the keyboard on a pipe organ, especially when the organ is being tuned.

Abstract: Electromagnetic devices for actuating piano keys are responsive to music in an encoded format, for example as might be contained on a magnetic tape or phonograph record, to selectively actuate the keys with controlled forces and for selected durations. A separate device is provided for each key, and the devices are operable to authentically reproduce musical renditions. In one embodiment, a single electromagnet is associated with each key rearwardly of the piano headboard, and an energizing signal applied thereto is controlled to determine the intensity and duration of note played. In another embodiment, a plurality of electromagnets are associated with each key rearwardly of the headboard, and are selectively energized to determine the intensity and duration of note played. It is also contemplated to mount various arrangements of electromagnets within a housing, and to place the housing across the front of the keyboard to actuate the keys.

Abstract: Pedal actuator and connection assemblies for electronic vorsetzer player piano units incorporating universal connection members between the electronic assemblies and foot pedals for converting a conventional piano to an electronic player piano are disclosed. The connection assemblies include a foot member, one for each foot pedal, which are adapted to transmit actuating forces transmitted from the player piano unit downwardly and on the rear portion of the pedal member pivoting the foot member in the second ball joint to cause an upward force on a lower pedal-engaging surface to thereby engage the lower side of the pedal therewith and thereby permit upward and downward movement of the foot without it slipping off the pedal. At the same time, since there is no positive securement of the connection assembly to the foot pedal, the vorsetzer may be easily and quickly positioned on the piano for converting a standard piano to an electronic player piano.

Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument of the type having keys, a system for controlling the volume of the sound produced by the instrument when the keys are depressed or struck. For each key, the system comprises a tone generator, a gate coupled between the tone generator and the speaker of the instrument; and control means for producing a control signal having an amplitude which is a function of the speed at which its associated key is moved while being depressed. The control signal is applied to the gate to pass the output of the tone generator to the speaker and to control the volume of the sound produced by the speaker.

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: This is disclosed a mounting assembly for mounting a large number of solenoids in a keyboard actuated musical instrument. An extruded mounting plate or rack has locking slots formed in a surface thereof and cooperating grooves formed in a protrusion or rib. Each solenoid has a frame assembly with oppositely extending flanges, one flange being received in a groove in the projection or rib and the other flange having an off-set screw engaged with a threaded element or fastener in the slots of the rack or bar.

Abstract: A new, performer played, real time, multitonal, multimbral musical instrument consists of speed and force sensitive keys in which time domain multiplexing is used to find and associate one and only one tone generator, not otherwise busy, with any key that is depressed. The sound generator disclosed can provide very realistic simulations of the flute, oboe, trumpet, French horn, trombone through the provision of various types of modulations in amplitude and frequency of the various partials, as is characteristic of each instrument simulated, and filtered noise. Glissandi are provided from one note to another and are controlled from the pair of keys involved by the relative pressure with which they are depressed. For the nonpercussive tonalities, the speed with which a key is depressed, which is determined by differentiating the force, may be used to cause the attack transient to behave in a manner very characteristic of the instrument being simulated.

Abstract: A musical instrument is disclosed which is constructed of a group of taut strings arranged to be strummed, each string being connected to operate an analog switch capable of producing a graduated signal that is directly proportional to the amplitude of vibration of its string, an extrinsic sound source in circuit with each analog switch, the sound source having a variable volume which is varied directly proportional to the strength of the signal from the analog switch, a number of switch means arranged in a keyboard, each of which may close the circuit to one or more preselected sound sources for which the switch means are closed and the strings are vibrating.