Abstract: A keyboard apparatus includes: a key; a hammer assembly; a first member having a step; a second member slidable relative to the first member and configured to be moved in a direction in which the second member moves over the step, when the key is pressed; and a third member configured to guide the second member such that the second member is not located at a distance greater than or equal to a predetermined distance from the first member. The third member has a shape at a region of the third member such that the third member does not contact the second member in a state in which the second member is in contact with the first member. When the second member moves over the step, the region is opposed to the second member in the direction in which the second member moves over the step.

Abstract: A sound generation mechanism, provided with a string for generating a vibration sound in response to striking by a hammer, is automatically played in accordance with performance data. The performance data include striking data (note-on event data) for designating timing at which the string should be struck by the hammer, velocity data indicative of an intensity of the striking, and muting data (soft pedal data) for controlling muting. A controller determines drive start timing of the hammer in accordance with the velocity data in such a manner that the string is struck by the hammer at the timing designated by the striking data and performs control such that the drive start timing is advanced in accordance with the muting data. Thus, the string is struck at the striking timing designated by the striking data, but also muting control is performed in accordance with the muting data.

Abstract: A keyboard apparatus includes a key supported for pivoting movement about a pivot point, a mass member for imparting a reaction force to performance operation of the key in interlocked relation to the key, a transmission member provided in abutment with both of the key and mass member to transmit a load from one of the key and mass member to the other, and an electromagnetic actuator for driving, via a fixed coil, the transmission member toward at least one of the key or mass member. Good key touch feeling can be achieved not only by a load applied from the mass member to the key but also through load control by the actuator. Thus, it is possible to faithfully reproduce a key touch feeling approximate to that in a natural keyboard instrument, such as an acoustic piano, with a simple construction and facilitated control.

Abstract: In a keyboard apparatus including a key supported for pivoting movement about a pivot point, a mass member that imparts a reaction force to performance operation of the key in interlocked relation to the key, and an electromagnetic actuator provided between the key and the mass member for imparting a driving force to the key and mass member, a transmission member is provided in detachable abutment with the key and mass member. The transmission member can be disengaged from the key or the mass member depending on operating conditions of the key and the mass member. Thus, it is possible to not only prevent unnecessary binding forces from acting in areas where the transmission member and the key and the mass member abut against each other, but also achieve smooth movement of the key and the mass member and prevent increase of inertial mass of the transmission member. The smooth movement of the key and mass member can achieve force sense control with good responsiveness.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling actuators in a mechanical reproducing piano or other instrument. In one implementation, a single finite state machine is provided to control all the actuators. The finite state machine may be or include a shift register or a toggle register, which increases the operating speed. When a note is to be played, the desired dynamic is mapped into a start vector and a stop vector. The actuator is turned on when the state of the finite state machine is equal to the start vector, and is turned off when the state of the finite state machine is equal to the stop vector. Furthermore, the period of the finite state machine is adjusted to be directly proportional to the supply voltage. This allows notes to be played at the desired dynamics even when the supply voltage fluctuates.

Abstract: Different kinds of control tables in which action of a pedal 4 is associated with reaction force exerted on the pedal 4 by an actuator 7 are stored in a memory of an electronic keyboard musical instrument 26. The different kinds of control tables are designed to include a half pedal range. A CPU 40 selects one of the different kinds of control tables in accordance with player's manipulation of setting operators 28 to obtain a reaction force exerted on the pedal 4 by the actuator 7 from the selected control table, the reaction force being associated with an action detected by an action detecting portion 6. The CPU 40 also controls the actuator 7 such that the actuator 7 exerts the obtained reaction force on the pedal 4.

Abstract: An automatic player piano includes keys driven for the angular motion through a hybrid feedback control loop; a controller, a key position sensor, a plunger velocity sensor and a solenoid-operated key actuator form parts of the hybrid feedback control loop for each key, and a current key position and a plunger velocity are reported to the controller; the controller determines a series of target position or a reference trajectory and a target velocity, and periodically compares a composite current position and a composite current velocity, which are determined on the basis of the current key position and current plunger velocity, with the target position and target velocity to see whether or not the key travels on the reference trajectory; if the answer is negative, the controller adjusts the driving signal to a proper duty ratio so as to force the key to travel on the reference trajectory.

Abstract: There is provided a keyboard apparatus which has a high durability, portability, and operability, and facilitates adaptation to a wide range of musical scenes and to multi-model production. Each adjacent pair of four main cases are pivotally connected to each other via connecting portions, whereby the main cases are allowed to assume a folded position which enables the keyboard apparatus to be carried with ease, and a flat unfolded position in which the keyboard can be played. Each main case has a keyboard unit arranged therein. Three main cases for lower tone ranges each have four white keys arranged therein, and a main case for a highest tone range has three white keys arranged therein, and a total of 25 keys are arranged on the keyboard apparatus. The main case for the highest tone range also has a group of operating elements arranged therein.

Abstract: An automatic performance device for a keyboard instrument such as piano, organ, cembalo and celesta includes operators such as keys and a pedal provided in a keyboard instrument for producing sounds, a target performance state designation unit for producing target performance information of the keyboard instrument, a real performance state detection circuit for detecting an operation state of the operators and producing a detection output, an actuator such as a solenoid for actuating the operators, and a control circuit for controlling the actuator. The control circuit detects in error between the detection output of the real performance state detection circuit and the target performance information, and generates an operator actuating signal by correcting the target performance information to eliminate the error and supplies the corrected operator actuating signal to the actuator.

Abstract: A musical instrument which comprises (i) a portable transmitter unit, (ii) a receiver unit, and (iii) a standard or modified piano, electronic organ, or other keyboard musical device. The transmitter unit has sixty keys, each of which corresponds to a key of the remote piano, organ, or other keyboard musical device, and also has eight auxiliary switches for controlling the receiver and auxiliary functions of the musical device to be remotely played. The transmitter includes electronic circuitry which scans the keys and auxiliary switches, and transmits an FM signal modulated by a serial digital pulse train identifying the transmitter keys which are depressed and the auxiliary switches which have been actuated. The receiver unit decodes the transmitted pulse train, eliminates erroneous data, and generates output signals to control the corresponding keys and auxiliary functions.