Mechanical Fingers Patents (Class 84/117)
  • Patent number: 5396398
    Abstract: An audio mixer console and a power amplifier are mounted in a self contained carrying case that provides both protection for the console and amplifier during transportation and storage and a support during use. A power amplifier is fixedly connected between lower portions of first and second spaced sides at the upper end of which is pivoted a front section of the mixer console. In stored position the mixer console extends downwardly between the sides to a position adjacent the amplifier, and a detachable cover is secured to the sides to extend over both the mixer console and amplifier. Parts of the mixer console and amplifier form at least portions of a forward cover of the completed carrying case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Randolph C. Gill
  • Patent number: 4653375
    Abstract: An electronic instrument comprises a main electronic keyboard instrument body and a remote playing unit. The main electronic keyboard instrument body includes a keyboard, a sound generating circuit, and a processing circuit for discriminating a chord responsive to a manipulation of the keyboard and for determining a scale in accordance with the chord. The processing circuit causes the sound generating circuit to generate sound in accordance with the determined scale with a designated timing. The remote playing unit is electrically coupled to the main electronic keyboard instrument body, and comprises a plurality of elongated bar switches arranged side by side with an interval between two mutually adjacent bar switches. The timing with which the sound is generated by the main electronic keyboard instrument body is designated by manipulating and closing the bar switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toyoharu Honda, Masaru Futami
  • Patent number: 4635519
    Abstract: A key signal is supplied through an I/O port to a chord discriminating section of one electronic musical instrument, which generates corresponding accompaniment tone data. The accompaniment tone data is transferred through the I/O port to a tone signal generator of a different electronic musical instrument without auto-play accompaniment function, whereby accompaniment tone is generated from the different electronic musical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1987
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiichi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 4599930
    Abstract: First and second voltages of different levels are supplied to first and second key switches, which are consecutively turned on with the depression of a performance key on a keyboard. The output terminals of the first and second key switches are commonly connected to a common connection node, which is in turn commonly connected to input terminals of first and second buffers having different input threshold levels. A tone signal with a touch response is obtained through a response data generating circuit according to the outputs of the buffer circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4594931
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument for reading out and performing musical tone data previously stored in a memory is disclosed. In the musical instrument, pitch data of a musical piece or pieces are previously stored in the memory. Desired pitch data stored are read out by operating a corresponding key arranged on a keyboard. A tone generator forms a musical tone signal on the basis of the pitch data for sounding the musical tone. When the keyboard is functionally divided into two groups, the musical tone for melody and/or accompaniment of the musical piece may be read out through the operation of the functionally divided keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1986
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 4586417
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, a reverberation tone most suitable for a selected tone color is applied to a musical tone with the selected tone color. In a modification, the electronic musical instrument is provided with a plurality of keyboards and to musical tones to be produced corresponding to the keyboards reverberation tones are applied independently. In another modification, one of the reverberation tones has a reverberation characteristic different from the other reverberation tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1986
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsumi Kato, Tsuyoshi Futamase
  • Patent number: 4522100
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument for reading out and performing musical tone data previously stored in a memory is disclosed. In the musical instrument, pitch data of a musical piece or pieces are previously stored in the memory. Desired pitch data stored are read out by operating a corresponding key arranged on a keyboard. A tone generator forms a musical tone signal on the basis of the pitch data for sounding the musical tone. When the keyboard is functionally divided into two groups, the musical tone for melody and/or accompaniment of the musical piece may be read out through the operation of the functionally divided keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1985
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 4498364
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument in which a pair of frequency numbers consisting of a note frequency number corresponding to the pitch of each note and an auxiliary frequency number slightly different from the note frequency number are provided for each note. Only when it is detected that keys of the same note are simultaneously depressed on at least two keyboards, musical waveform signals of slightly different pitches are produced. When keys of different notes are depressed on the individual keyboards, musical sounds of standard pitches can be produced, and only when keys of the same note are concurrently depressed on the individual keyboards, the slightly different frequency numbers are selected, by which variations in the volume of the composite musical sound can be made unnoticeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Sadaaki Ezawa
  • Patent number: 4476766
    Abstract: Predetermined performance keys in a group for a low octave section are used as read-out keys for reading out accompaniment memorized in a first memory, and the other keys in the keyboard are used as read-out keys for reading out melody memorized in a second memory. The read-out accompaniment and melody contents are reproduced with a first tone color designated by a first tone color designation switch given to the accompaniment and a second tone color designated by a second tone color designation switch given to the melody.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 4472992
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument wherein a function for automatically detecting the musical performance mode is provided by the condition of a hand keyboard, a foot keyboard, and a chord type specifying circuit for one finger use, etc. so as to simplify the operation of causing a chord to be stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1984
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Okuma, Takeshi Ogura, Kimimaro Tamura
  • Patent number: 4458572
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument having two keyboards is disclosed in which chords detected on the accompaniment keyboard are used to vary the selected tone color of the tones played on the solo keyboard. The solo tones are synthesized by means of a Fourier transform using a set of harmonic coefficients. Selected harmonic coefficients are scaled in magnitude in response to the chord type detected from the notes played on the accompaniment keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Instrument Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ralph Deutsch
  • Patent number: 4450745
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument there are provided a channel processor which assigns tone production of a depressed key to one of musical tone producing channels which are smaller in number than total keys. The keys and channels are divided into groups respectively so that keys of one group are assigned to channels of a specific group. The relationship that which key group corresponds to which channel group is changed by an assignment mode changing circuit. Also a switch is provided for selecting a performance mode which switches the operation of the assignment mode changing circuit. Consequently, in one a performance mode all tone production channels are used solely by an upper or lower keyboard or key range while under another performance mode only some of the tone production channels are utilized for a particular keyboard or key range and the remaining tone production channels are utilized by the other keyboard or key range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Nakada, Takeshi Adachi
  • Patent number: 4450742
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument comprises a keyboard for performing a melody, a chord performing means, tonality designating means for designating a tonality of a music to be performed, melody mode judging means for judging the melody mode of the music based on an accompaniment chord, ensemble note data forming means for forming ensemble note data in accordance with the judged melody note and depressed melody keys of the keyboard; and musical tone forming means for forming musical tones corresponding to the ensemble note data and musical tones corresponding to the melody keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 4442746
    Abstract: A tone generator system for an electronic organ, which incorporates N programmable generators (where N is less than 12, and typically 7) which forms a system having the ability to sound notes of N different nomenclature tones at one time. A microprocessor controls the assignment of particular notes to each of the programmable generators, in accordance with the played keys of the keyboard(s) (and the tab switches, in the event that a partial footage is selected). Each of the programmable generators is connected to a chain of dividers and gates which are also under the control of the microprocessor. The information ascertained by the microprocessor from the keyboard(s) (and the tab switches) is used to control the selection of gates which control the passage of tone signals from appropriate dividers in the chains of dividers to an audio output system. More than one note of a particular nomenclature can be simultaneouly gated from the divider chain of a particular programmable generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Baldwin Piano & Organ Company
    Inventors: Carlton J. Simmons, Jr., Dale M. Uetrecht
  • Patent number: 4429604
    Abstract: An electronic keyboard musical instrument comprising a multiplexed keyboard and a programmable microcomputer interfaced between the keyboard and a system of capture tone generators. The loading circuitry for the microcomputer, which is interposed between it and the keyboard multiplexer output, monitors the serial data stream and transmits only key change information to the microcomputer. The microcomputer controls the assignment and deassignment of tone generators for the accompaniment, solo and pedal manuals based on the key change information transmitted to it. Fill note information is taken from the captured accompaniment keyers and compared with the series of binary words for the current scan of the manuals in order to produce a keydown pulse when there is identity of pitch between the captured accompaniment tone generators and the scanning of the solo manual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Eck, Gary R. Fritz
  • Patent number: 4429606
    Abstract: A duet interval data memory includes tables each of which corresponds to a particular chord type and prestores a plurality of duet interval data. One of the tables is selected in accordance with the type of a chord being played in a lower keyboard. A note interval between a root note of this chord and a melody note being played in an upper keyboard constitutes a relative note. The duet interval data is read from the selected table in response to this relative note. A calculator alters the melody note by a note interval corresponding to the read out duet interval data thereby producing data representative of a duet note. The tone of this duet note is sounded with the tone of the melody note whereby an automatic ensemble performance is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 4429605
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument which obtains waveshape amplitude values at sampling points by calculation for producing a desired waveshape, there are provided first means for calculating a waveshape varying with time and second means for calculating a waveshape undergoing no variations with time. Normally the waveshape calculation by the first means is repeated but, in the case of a new key depression or a change in the state of a tone select switch, the waveshape calculation by the second means is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kiyomi Takauji
  • Patent number: 4424732
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument includes an upper, lower and pedal key boards and a solo keyboard, key switches and associated circuits for producing key codes of the depressed keys, and musical tone signal generators which generate musical tone signals in accordnace with the key codes. A priority selection circuit is provided for selecting a single key code from among a plurality of concurrent key codes with respect to plural keyboards in accordance with a predetermined order of priority, and a musical signal is generated by a predetermined generating system for producing a musical tone signal generator in accordance with the selected key code. Thus, a special intermanual coupler effect is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1984
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Imamura, Yasuji Uchiyama, Akira Nakada
  • Patent number: 4421001
    Abstract: A central processor for an electronic organ in the form of a single, forty pin integrated circuit chip employing multiplexed technology and trinary and tri-level inputs to obtain maximum usage from each pin. The solo manual keys, chord keys, rhythm pattern switches and other control functions are multiplexed externally of the chip, fed into the chip as a time division multiplexed four bit byte over four pins, and demultiplexed internally of the chip. The solo manual information is multiplexed internally of the chip to form a single serial data stream, is combined with solo fill note data generated within the chip and then brought out over a single pin for external demultiplexing. The twelve tones of a musical octave are brought into the chip over twelve pins together with various static control signals, are decoded by tri-level decoders internally of the chip, and then utilized to generate the tones of the chords, also internally of the chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1983
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian N. Wilcox, John W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4421002
    Abstract: In a musical instrument having a solo and accompaniment keyboard apparatus is provided whereby an accompaniment tone color is generated which adaptively complements selected solo tones. The first zero crossing spacing of the autocorrelation function of the solo tones is computed and then used to generate the complementary accompaniment tones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1983
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Instrument Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ralph Deutsch
  • Patent number: 4404883
    Abstract: A harmony signal generating system for an electronic organ comprises a plurality of integrated circuit chips which each receive upper and lower manual keying signals for two consecutive organ notes. A first read only memory (ROM) generates octave identify signals to designate the octave of an active upper manual note. A second ROM generates octave select signals which are combined with the octave identify signals in a third ROM to generate the harmony signals which comprise the lower manual chording signals played through the upper manual within a twelve note range above an active upper manual note and an upper manual note which is one octave above the active upper manual note. The octave identify signals are provided in parallel among the chips from the chip having the lowest active upper manual letter note. Upper manual active signals generated in response to the upper manual keying signals are connected in series among the chips to select the appropriate chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1983
    Assignee: The Marmon Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Angelo A. Bione
  • Patent number: 4403536
    Abstract: An electronic keyboard musical instrument comprising a multiplexed keyboard and a programmable microcomputer interfaced between the keyboard and a system of capture tone generators. The loading circuitry for the microcomputer, which is interposed between it and the keyboard multiplexer output, monitors the serial data stream and transmits only key change information to the microcomputer. If a keydown signal appears in a time slot where that time slot was previously empty, a multiple bit binary word identifying that time slot and indicating that it is a keydown condition is transmitted to the microcomputer. Similarly, if a keydown pulse disappears from a time slot when a pulse was previously present, a similar code is transmitted to the microcomputer indicating that the key is no longer depressed. The microcomputer controls the assignment and deassignment of tone generators for the accompaniment, solo and pedal manuals based on the key change information transmitted to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1983
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Weil, Jr., Gary A. Eck, Gary R. Fritz
  • Patent number: 4402245
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, there are provided a main musical tone generator for producing a main musical tone and a submusical tone generator for producing a submusical tone different from the main musical tone. The main musical tone generator has a plurality of tone production channels smaller than a total number of keys, the assignment of key information data corresponding to a depressed key to the tone production channel is changed according to a performance mode. The tone production channels and the key information data corresponding to depressed keys are divided into at least two groups respectively in the case of performance mode. One group of the tone production channels is assigned to one group of the tone production channels to produce the main musical tone for an automatic accompaniment, whereas another group of the key information data is assigned to the remaining group to produce the main musical tone for melody.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Oya, Takashi Ubayama, Hideo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 4398442
    Abstract: In a musical instrument having a solo and accompaniment keyboard apparatus is provided whereby an accompaniment tone color is selected which adaptively complements selected solo tones. The first zero crossing spacing of the autocorrelation function for the solo tone is used to implement a tone selection logic. An effective zero crossing is computed for combinations of available accompaniment tones. An accompaniment tone combination is selected whose effective zero crossing has a maximum value that does not exceed a complemented value of the zero crossing for the selected solo tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Instrument Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ralph Deutsch
  • Patent number: 4391176
    Abstract: A plurality of sets of such characteristics as the color, volume and effect of a musical tone are preset for different musical composition fashions. Desired preset characteristics are selected independently in the melody performance portion and the accompaniment performance portion by operating a corresponding melody musical composition fashion selection switch and a corresponding accompaniment musical fashion selection switch thus establishing a musical tone having a desired musical composition fashion for each portion. According to a modified embodiment, when either one of the melody and accompaniment musical composition fashion selection switches is operated, both the musical composition fashions of the melody performance portion and the accompaniment portion are established in predetermined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1983
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyuki Niinomi, Kunihiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4389914
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for use in musical instruments. In particular, the invention is useful for identifying a chord played on a keyboard of a musical instrument, such as the accompaniment manual of an electronic organ, and for identifying the root and the type of chord being played. Pursuant to the invention, a microprocessor used in conjunction with the instrument selectively causes the associated circuitry of the pedal and/or accompaniment keyboard of the musical instrument to play automatically in an appropriate octave either the identified root or a sequence of notes which is compatible with the identified root and chord. A pedal override feature is also provided which overrides the chord identification invention when the musician plays one or more pedal notes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: Baldwin Piano & Organ Company
    Inventors: Dale M. Uetrecht, Carlton J. Simmons, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4387618
    Abstract: A harmony generator for an electronic organ, wherein the identity of played keys of the keyboard(s) is read into a storage device and then operated upon by a data processing device such as a microcomputer, so as to supplement the played note data with additional data designating "fill-in" notes which are to be sounded in addition to those actually played. The data contained in the storage device, as supplemented, is then used to control the transmission of tone generator signals to the audio output system of the organ. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the criteria used to select fill-in notes cause notes corresponding to the nomenclatures of played notes of the accompaniment keyboard to be sounded as though played in the octave below the lowest note played on the solo keyboard. Other fill-in criteria are also contemplated. The fill-in notes are generated by combining played accompaniment data with masks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: Baldwin Piano & Organ Co.
    Inventor: Carlton J. Simmons, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4384504
    Abstract: The phase of digitally synthesized audio frequency signals of the same frequency is synchronized prior to conversion of the signals into analog form. The phase synchronization is accomplished, in a musical instrument of the keyboard type, by comparison of the digitally coded signals which are commensurate with all of the simultaneously generated input commands and, when frequency coincidence is detected, employing the phase value of the first of plural commanded signal at the same frequency as the starring phase value for subsequently generated signals at the common frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1983
    Assignee: Matth. Hohner AG
    Inventor: Christian J. Deforeit
  • Patent number: 4368658
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument having a first and second array of keyboard switches apparatus is provided for providing fill-in notes sounded by tone generators assigned to the first keyboard. The fill-in notes are selected by selecting one of a library of stored chord types which is closest to the notes played on the second keyboard combined with the highest frequency note played on the first keyboard. The closest decision is made by processing the keyed switch data with two sets of matched filters. The chord type decision is made to correspond to a matched filter combination which produces a maximum output response. A root note is also chosen for the selected chord type. The selected chord type and chosen root note are used to provide the fill-in notes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1983
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Instrument Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ralph Deutsch, Leslie J. Deutsch
  • Patent number: 4366739
    Abstract: A system for use in electronic organs and electronically actuated organs wherein a pattern of notes sounding as if played on the accompaniment or solo manual are played from the pedalboard. The pedalboard is encoded such that depression of a pedal will generate an encoded binary word corresponding to a chord having as its root the note corresponding to the depressed pedal. Individual notes of the chord are played in a rhythmic sequence at a rate determined by the rhythm generator of the organ and in a pattern which can be selected by the organist. As the pattern is being automatically played, the organist is free to manually play a melody on the solo manual and accompaniment chords on the accompaniment manual. The pattern is changed from a major key to a minor key having the same root note by actuating a knee paddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1983
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. DeLong, John W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4366738
    Abstract: An electronic organ, particularly of the institutional type employing classical voicing, having Swell and Great manuals as well as a full pedalboard wherein the manuals and pedalboard are multiplexed simultaneously to produce a plurality of synchronized serial data streams. Intermanual coupling is accomplished by connecting the data stream from one manual to the footage generation circuit of another manual, and tab footages are generated for each manual by utilizing tapped shift registers introducing controlled amounts of delay of the keyboard data before demultiplexing thereof. There is a bank of demultiplexer-keyers for each voice, such as flutes, principals, complex and percussion, which receive the serial data streams from one or more of the footage generators. The demultiplexer-keyers are supplied with tones and function to demultiplex the serial data streams and provide tones selected in accordance with the keydown pulses in the serial data streams to the voicing circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1983
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen L. Howell
  • Patent number: 4365532
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument there are provided a channel processor which assigns tone production of a depressed key to one of musical tone producing channels which are smaller in number than total keys. The keys and channels are divided into groups respectively so that keys of one group are assigned to channels of a specific group. The relationship that which key group corresponds to which channel group is changed by an assignment mode changing circuit. Also a switch is provided for selecting a performance mode which switches the operation of the assignment mode changing circuit. Consequently, in one a performance mode all tone production channels are used solely by an upper or lower keyboard or key range while under another performance mode only some of the tone production channels are utilized for a particular keyboard or key range and the remaining tone production channels are utilized by the other keyboard or key range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Nakada, Takeshi Adachi
  • Patent number: 4361065
    Abstract: A central processor for an electronic organ in the form of a single, forty pin integrated circuit chip employing multiplexed technology and trinary and tri-level inputs to obtain maximum usage from each pin. The solo manual keys, chord keys, rhythm pattern switches and other control functions are multiplexed externally of the chip, fed into the chip as a time division multiplexed four bit byte over four pins, and demultiplexed internally of the chip. The solo manual information is multiplexed internally of the chip to form a single serial data stream, is combined with solo fill note data generated within the chip and then brought out over a single pin for external demultiplexing. The twelve tones of a musical octave are brought into the chip over twelve pins together with various static control signals, are decoded by tri-level decoders internally of the chip, and then utilized to generate the tones of the chords, also internally of the chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1982
    Assignee: Kimball International Inc.
    Inventors: Brian N. Wilcox, John W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 4358981
    Abstract: An electronic organ, particularly of the institutional type employing classical voicing, having Swell and Great manuals as well as a full pedalboard wherein the manuals and pedalboard are multiplexed simultaneously to produce a plurality of synchronized serial data streams. Intermanual coupling is accomplished by connecting the data stream from one manual to the footage generation circuit of another manual, and footages are generated for each manual by utilizing tapped shift registers introducing controlled amounts of delay of the keyboard data before demultiplexing thereof. There is a bank of demultiplexer-keyers for each voice, such as flutes, principals, complex and percussion, which receive the serial data streams from one or more of the footage generators. The demultiplexer-keyers are supplied with tones and function to demultiplex the serial data streams and provide tones to the voicing circuitry selected in accordance with the keydown pulses in the serial data streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1982
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen L. Howell
  • Patent number: 4351214
    Abstract: This electronic musical instrument comprises means for selecting one of a plurality of performance modes and musical tone production means having tone production channels less than the number of keys. Tones are produced through said channels based on the time division multiplex key data which are set according to the depressed status of all key in the different manner according to the selected performance mode of the mode selecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1982
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Suzuki, Makoto Kaneko
  • Patent number: 4350069
    Abstract: An electronic organ, particularly of the institutional type employing classical voicing, having Swell and Great manuals as well as a full pedalboard wherein the manuals and pedalboard are multiplexed simultaneously to produce a plurality of synchronized serial data streams. Intermanual coupling is accomplished by connecting the data stream from one manual to the footage generation cirlcuit of another manual, and footages are generated for each manual by utilizing tapped shift registers introducing controlled amounts of delay of the keyboard data before demultiplexing thereof. There is a bank of demultiplexer-keyers for each voice, such as flutes, principals, complex and percussion, which receive the serial data streams from one or more of the footage generators. The demultiplexer-keyers are supplied with tones and function to demultiplex the serial data streams and provide to the voicing circuitry tones selected in accordance with the keydown pulses in the serial data streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1982
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen L. Howell
  • Patent number: 4336735
    Abstract: A three-keyboard electronic musical instrument of the type generating binary-coded primary key data representative of notes played on the keyboards, and secondary key data representative of unplayed notes that are correlated with the played notes in some musically favorable way. Prior to introduction into a multi-channel tone generator circuit, part of the primary key data and all of the secondary key data are directed into a key data memory having storage channels corresponding in number to the sounding channels in the tone generator circuit available for such data. A discrimination data memory has a plurality of storage locations, corresponding to the storage channels of the key data memory, for storing binary-coded data representing the discrimination between the primary and the secondary key data stored on the corresponding storage channels of the key data memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1982
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehisa Amano, Seiya Hamada, Sigeki Isii, Toshio Takeda
  • Patent number: 4333376
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1982
    Assignee: Norlin Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas R. Moore, Richard S. Swain
  • Patent number: 4331057
    Abstract: An automatic chord control system is readily incorporated in an electronic organ by means of large scale integrated circuit chips. The automatic chord control causes a chord or group of notes within an octave played on the lower manual keyboard to play through the upper manual voice in the octave below the lowest melody note being played on the upper manual keyboard. The proposed automatic chord control system has two operating modes. In the first mode, the notes transferred to the upper manual are generated in direct correspondence to the keys activated on the lower manual. In the second mode, the notes transferred to the upper manual are generated by a set of preset chords activated by single lower manual keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Assignee: The Wurlitzer Company
    Inventors: Robert W. Wheelwright, Peter E. Solender
  • Patent number: 4331058
    Abstract: A keyboard operated electronic musical instrument having a number of keyboards in which the loudness balance of the accompaniment keyboards are adaptively maintained at a preselected loudness ratio with respect to the solo keyboard. The loudness balance is automatically maintained as the tone switches are altered and as the number of actuated notes varies on the keyboards. The balance ratio is accomplished by adaptively scaling the harmonic coefficients used in a discrete Fourier transform to generate the tones for the accompaniment keyboards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1982
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Instrument Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ralph Deutsch
  • Patent number: 4328732
    Abstract: A polyphonic, keyboard-type electronic musical instrument capable of automatic production, in response to key depressions on upper and lower keyboards, of "fill notes" which bear the same note names as the depressed lower keys but which, preferably, fall within an octave below the lowest pressed upper key at every moment. The instrument is of the type wherein each depressed key is coded into key data in accordance with a binary "key code" composed of a note code and an octave code. The note code identifies the note name of each key, whereas the octave code identifies the octave to which the key belongs. Upon depression of a key on each of the upper and lower keyboards, the note-coded data derived from the key date representative of the depressed lower key are combined with the octave-coded data derived from the key data representative of the depressed upper key if the note name of the depressed lower key is below that of the depressed upper key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1982
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Takeda, Takehisa Amano, Sigeki Isii, Seiya Hamada
  • Patent number: 4311076
    Abstract: An electronic organ includes a plurality of buffers for receiving solo keyswitch status information, accompaniment keyswitch status without octave information, and depressed keyswitch status from an arpeggio keyboard. A scan circuit and a microprocessor gate the buffers into an input memory which retains an image of the solo, accompaniment, and arpeggio keyboards. A control program, stored in ROM, is responsive to the input memory, shared registers, and harmony switches actuable in several modes, to produce one or plural harmony notes in either open or closed harmony, and to assign different note names to the actuated keyswitches on the arpeggio keyboard. The resulting harmony and arpeggio notes are stored in an output memory and are transferred to a transistor matrix which activates solo keyers to produce harmony and arpeggio notes with solo voicing. A rhythmic harmony modulator is actuable to modulate the harmony notes in a rhythmic pattern of individual and delayed beats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1982
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Rucktenwald, William E. Braun, Jr., Louis S. Lazare, Sharming Lin, Byron Melcher
  • Patent number: 4304161
    Abstract: Device for the manual playing of electronic musical instruments. Each manual has three groups of keys respectively arranged along three tilting bars, for operation by three fingers on one hand of the player. When a key is pressed at one end, it tilts the bar on which it is mounted in one direction, and one tone is produced. If the same key is pressed at the opposite end, it tilts the bar in the opposite direction, and a different tone is produced. Special control keys or action converters include a roll positioned so that it may be operated by the thumb of the same hand which is playing the keys. Rotation of the roll by the thumb produces one control signal affecting the sound issuing from the instrument, and axial motion of the roll by the thumb produces a different control signal. Other refinements and improvements are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1981
    Inventor: Rainer Franzmann
  • Patent number: 4301703
    Abstract: A high note data generator for use in electronic musical instruments such as electronic organs, pianos, and the like, wherein the time division multiplexed serial data stream is received, and a single data pulse is generated in the time slot of the first occurring pulse in the data stream. In organs wherein the manual is scanned from high to low, this will be the highest note played, which is convenient from the standpoint of converting polyphonic data to monophonic data for certain organ voicing or for use in solo manual fill note generation. Alternatively, the system can be utilized for converting a pulse spanning more than one time slot into a pulse occupying only a single time slot, which is coincident with the leading edge of the first-mentioned pulse. The system comprises a first latch having its clocking input connected to the serial data stream and one of its outputs connected to an input of an AND gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1981
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen L. Howell
  • Patent number: 4300433
    Abstract: A harmony generating circuit generates high harmony signals in response to coincident lower manual accompaniment signals and upper manual melody signals. Gating circuitry responsive to coincident inputs from accompaniment chords played on the lower manual and melody notes played on the upper manual generate harmony notes on the upper manual which correspond to the accompaniment notes played on the lower manual but are above the melody notes and approximately within one octave of the melody notes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1981
    Assignee: Marmon Company
    Inventors: Wilford R. Schreier, Horace E. Taylor
  • Patent number: 4296665
    Abstract: A fill note generator for use in electronic musical instruments such as electronic organs which include a keyboard having a solo portion customarily played by the right hand and an accompaniment portion customarily played by the left hand, and wherein the respective solo and accompaniment portions may be on separate manuals or on a single manual. A multiplexer scans the keys of the solo portion of the keyboard and generates a time division multiplexed solo data stream having keydown signals in discrete time slots for each actuated key of the solo portion of the keyboard. The keys of the accompaniment portion of the keyboard are interconnected so as to form twelve sets corresponding to the twelve pitches of the chromatic scale wherein the keys in each set are connected to a common output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1981
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen L. Howell
  • Patent number: 4294155
    Abstract: An electronic musical keyboard instrument that is controlled by a digital processor. Key and stops/effects statuses are sampled, during successive time intervals, and read into random access memory associated with the digital processor. After manipulation and/or supplementation of the status information to effect implementation of various features, key-representative signals are read out to tone generation and voicing circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1981
    Assignee: CBS Inc.
    Inventor: James Turner
  • Patent number: 4291603
    Abstract: An electronic organ has a tone generating system for producing tones corresponding to notes of a musical scale. The tones and combinations thereof are selectable to provide different characteristics or "voices" which duplicate the various voices which are selectable on a pipe organ. The character of each such voice is determined by a single generator. The character of the output tone on a per manual basis is alterable by substituting or combining the outputs of different generators. The signal produced in this manner is sampled at a rate which translates it to an audio frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1981
    Inventor: Bernard R. Katz
  • Patent number: 4290333
    Abstract: An expression means has been developed which can accentuate only a selected musical sound, e.g., melody, out of melody, accompaniment chord and bass sound generated in an electronic musical instrument and does not accentuate other sounds. The expression means of the present invention produces a first electric potential that will vary in response to an operation of an expression pedal and a second potential that will vary in response to a slow operation of the expression pedal though irresponsive to a quick operation of it. For gain control of amplifiers that deal with musical sounds required to be accentuated, said first potential is prepared, and for gain control of other amplifiers that deal with musical sounds free from accentuation, said second potential is prepared. Furthermore, the expression means of this invention employs changeover switches to realize arbitrary choice of the sounds to be accentuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masao Sakashita
  • Patent number: RE30736
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, the keys of a keyboard are divided into a plurality of groups by octaves, and a wave generator is provided with a memory for storing constants corresponding to musical tone frequencies to be generated according to the notes includes in a desired group out of the plurality of group, an accumulator for repeatedly adding the constants read out of the memory, and a bit position shifting circuit for shifting the bit position of the data produced by the accumulator according to the octave range of a note to be produced, thereby to obtain the data varying repeatedly according to the frequency of a note to be produced, and to reduce the storing capacity of the memory when compared to the number of keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1981
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Hiyoshi, Akira Nakada, Tsutomu Suzuki, Eiichiro Aoki, Takatoshi Okumura