Abstract: In an optical sensor for displacement speed/displacement of a movable element in a musical instrument, light emitted from a light-emitting element is guided to a sensor head through a transmission optical fiber and is further guided to a light-receiving element through a reception optical fiber. The sensor head is located at a position corresponding to a shutter movable in accordance with the movable element in the musical instrument. The shutter controls photocoupling and nonphotocoupling between the transmission and reception optical fibers. The sensor is of transmission or reflection type.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument of the stringed type wherein bending of a string results in a change in a parameter of the sound produced. At the bridge of the instrument, each string is connected with a leaf spring which is moved towards the nut end of the instrument when the string is bent. Each leaf spring is connected with a Hall effect device, and the spacing between it and a permanent magnet is changed when the spring moves, thus causing a variation in the output of the Hall effect device, which variation alters a parameter of the audio output produced by a tone generator means.

Abstract: An electrical sound output signal from an acoustical-electrical or piezo electric transducer instrument is made available at selectively switched high and low signal levels by level control apparatus utilizing bistable switching of first and second attenuated electrical sound output signals. A flip-flop circuit toggles between first and second states in response to an input signal pulse generated by actuation of a footswitch. Oppositely-phased output signals produced by the flip-flop are applied to first and second switching FETs controlled thereby so as to be alternately conducting. The FETs are connected between respective first and second attenuators providing high and low level-controlled sound output signals and common output terminals. Accordingly, upon selective actuation of the footswitch, either high or low level controlled sound output signals can be made available at the output terminals.

Abstract: An improved system for increasing the loudness of any single note selected by playing more than a single key. A command circuit responsive to manual control, including stop tabs, enables a tone signal to be produced in response to the playing of one key or in response to the simultaneous playing of a plurality of keys on a keyboard. Means are provided for changing the relative amplitude of a tone signal produced in response to the simultaneous playing of a plurality of keys with respect to the amplitude of a tone signal produced in response to the playing of a single key.

Abstract: A manual volume control device for an electric guitar having a pinion gear attached to the shaft of the volume control. A rack is slidably mounted relative to the surface of the guitar for meshingly engaging the pinion gear. A handle member is coupled at one end thereof to the rack with the other end of the handle member extending to the strumming area of the guitar and configured for grasping by the hand of the guitarist for linearly actuating the volume or tone control to produce a violin type tone during playing of a musical piece.

Abstract: A harmony authorization detector (HAD) synthesizer electronically generates single audible musical notes in harmony with single original aural notes of a melody as the melody is played on an instrument by a single player. Thus the HAD functions as, in effect, a second instrument electronically operational in harmony with a manually played lead instrument. The HAD synthesizer is particularly useful with guitars although not so limited. When a lead electronic guitar is used in a solo situation playing one original note at a time, the HAD synthesizer will, for each string on each position of the guitar and with the aid of a group of tone decoders, electronically detect the single fundamental note played by the guitarist and will authorize the emission of a preset, predetermined electronically generated synthesized single harmony note e.g. a third, fifth, seventh, etc. based on the fundamental of the single note played by the lead guitarist.

Abstract: Electrical circuitry for varying the relative distinctiveness between the lead and rhythm audio signals produced by an electrical guitar, or the like, according to the strength with which the musician picks the guitar strings. The rhythm signal is compressed in response to how hard the player strums or picks the guitar, while the lead signal is expanded as a direct function of rhythm signal compression. An electrical signal is generated from the rhythm signal for controlling the extent of compression and expansion of the audio signals.

Abstract: The present invention is an electronic musical instrument the type in which information of the actuation of keys is detected by scanning the keys of a keyboard. The electronic musical instrument includes keys selectively actuable for producing sounds which correspond to respective musical scale notes, circuitry for sequentially scanning these keys for detection of the information of the actuation of these keys, and a memory circuit corresponding to each of the keys so that the information of the actuation of the keys is stored in the memory circuits.

Abstract: A tone generator system for an electronic organ which is capable of being fabricated into an LSI structure and receives a saw-tooth wave or staircase wave as an input thereto comprises a frequency divider for the saw-tooth wave or staircase wave including a ladder resistor network and a complementary MOS FET devices, an analog switch having a wide dynamic range and a high linearity in input-output transfer characteristic constructed by MOS FET devices to serve as an indirect keying means, a sustain means including a novel structure of a variable impedance element which is constructed to control a channel current in a MOS FET device by varying a potential distribution in a source region, and an impedance converter constructed by complementary MOS FET devices and free from a D.C. level shift. With the above arrangement a tone generator system of high quality for an electronic organ is provided.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument providing continuous cybernetic tone finding controlled by functions of the human mouth. The instrument includes a mouthpiece into which air is to be blown from the mouth of a player having a measuring apparatus at least partially mounted therein. The measuring apparatus includes an arrangement for producing a pitch determining signal representing a measure of the mouth cavity of the player and a volume determining signal representing the velocity or pressure of the air blown into the mouthpiece. Tone generating apparatus is provided for generating a tone signal whose frequency varies with the level of a control signal applied thereto with a control signal being applied to the tone generating apparatus in accordance with the pitch determining signal and having a level representing a measure of the mouth cavity of the player.

Abstract: A volume controller for an electric musical instrument of portable type, in which an audio-signal transmission circuit is provided in the signal path of the electric musical instrument. The audio-signal transmission circuit includes a variable circuit element. A pendulum is provided in a casing of the electric musical instrument so as to be swung about a supporting shaft. The value of the variable circuit element is controlled in accordance with the swing of the pendulum to vary the sound volume of the electric musical instrument. A level may be provided on the casing to indicate the controlled condition of the pendulum. A stopper may be provided to tempororily stop the swing of the pendulum.

Abstract: An instrument for producing musical sounds which includes a keyboard, means connected with the keyboard for producing a plurality of musical sounds and means shifting said keyboard in one or more of a plurality of linear and rotational directions to vary such parameters as pitch, loudness, and tone.

Abstract: A piano having a sound-enhancing system incorporating transducers, amplifiers and loud speakers, all incorporated into or upon the piano.

Abstract: A musical instrument includes a multiplicity of circular endless magnetizable tapes with a plurality of different tracks, a multiplicity of pick-up heads for each of the tracks and a multiplicity of variable-gain amplifiers connected to the tracks, respectively. Keys having respective contact means for energizing each of the amplifiers, cause a multiplicity of magnetic elements to generate respective voltages in coils, each voltage being proportional to the force with which an individual key has been depressed. This voltage sets the gain of a respective amplifier, so that the loudness of a recorded tone heard is proportional to the actuating force of a key.

Abstract: This invention relates to a circuit for use in an electronic musical instrument such as an organ, the instrument having two separate sources of bass signals and transducing elements for converting the bass signals into a sound output. The circuit is operative to prevent signals from one of the sources from being applied to the transducing elements when signals from the other source are present. For a preferred embodiment, a predetermined signal, such as a keying signal, is generated when signals from the other source are present and this predetermined signal is utilized to shunt signals from the other source to ground or to otherwise inhibit the application of these signals to the transducing elements.