Abstract: A barrel for a musical instrument is disclosed herein. The barrel includes a top section, a bottom section, an adjustment ring and a bore through the center. The barrel and bore length are configured to be adjusted with the adjustment ring. The barrel may include haptic features which provide feedback to a user regarding adjustments to the length of the bore and barrel. A trilobe socket and trilobe plug may be included and are configured to connect to prevent the barrel from slipping when manipulated and provide structural support. A tapered bore and bore choke provide additional structural stability and acoustic flexibility to the barrel.

Abstract: A musical instrument accessory includes a base plate, two supports, a track, and multiple weights. The two supports connect the base plate to the neck of the musical instrument and the track is located on the base plate. The user may customize the musical instrument by putting one or more weights on appropriate positions on the track. This action modifies the weight distribution of the accessory, creates more vibrations, and modifies affect the tone color and response of the musical instrument in the meantime. With experimentation, everyone can create his or her own unique tone color and response by simply shifting one or more weights to different positions on the track.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for tuning musical instruments. In one embodiment, a tuning application determines frequencies of a series of notes played on a brass instrument, either with open tuning or with a valve pressed. As a musician holds a last note in the series and a tuning or valve slide is moved, the tuning application determines, based on a change in frequency of the last note and the measured frequencies of the other notes in the series, the change in frequency of the other notes. The tuning application then determines a compromise tuning that minimizes the total difference between the current frequencies of the notes and known note frequencies in a frequency table or previously tuned note frequencies if any of the notes were previously tuned. Upon achieving the compromise tuning, the musician or an actuator is instructed to stop moving the tuning or valve slide.

Abstract: A saxophone neck system uses interchangeable component parts to modify and optimize sound and resistance. The saxophone neck system may allow a saxophone player the ability to change components to achieve variations in sound and to use the components with various manufacturers' instruments and mouthpieces. With the use of various internal shapes and dimensions placed in a specific combination, the player can create a desired sound. Additionally, the saxophone neck system may eliminate neck cork compression discrepancies from different manufacturers by offering different diameters of the body of the initiator portion of the saxophone neck system to fit any saxophone mouthpiece.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of tuning a wind instrument which stabilizes the mating sections of a jointed instrument when the mating sections are pulled out or pushed in during tuning. At least one O-ring is inserted between the mating sections which seals the interface between the sections to create an air tight seal and firm support between sections. The O-rings may have differing thickness, and any number of O-rings may be used. During tuning, the O-rings may be compressed in order to seal the interface between segments when the segments are pulled out or pushed in with respect to each other.

Abstract: A woodwind instrument such as a clarinet includes a main tube including an upper tube and a lower tube and a correcting tone hole used solely for interval correction is formed in the lower tube. An airflow adjuster is installed in the correcting tone hole. The airflow adjuster is formed in an M shape by bending a film member at three positions. The airflow adjuster can properly arrange a turbulent airflow in the correction tone hole during performance and can reduce undesired sound generated from the correcting tone hole.

Abstract: A clamp includes a flexible, interior conical component in contact with a barrel and a rigid, exterior conical component in contact with the interior component. The interior component has a longitudinal cut over its entire length and has, at the part that contacts the barrel, two central recesses. The exterior component acts on the interior component, and has the same conicity as the interior component. The exterior component prevents unwanted opening of the interior component by exerting a pressure on the interior component. Both components have a central recess, which form, as a whole, a mouthpiece resonating box that provides greater sound volume and different timbres, depending on the size of the recess and on the material from which it is produced. The flexibility of the interior component prevents breaking of the barrel even though three interior rings thereof are placed in different planes.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for its use are provided that relate to an octave/register key for musical wind instruments that combines (i) a vent formed by alignment of an opening of a core and a sidewall aperture of a sleeve, wherein the core is slidably and coaxially mounted within the sleeve, or a vent formed by alignment of sidewall apertures on an inner chamber slidably mounted within an outer chamber, and (ii) the mechanism to open and close such a vent. The device, upon actuation, vents the wind instrument air column to remove the fundamental pitch frequency, and can be mounted anywhere on the body of a musical wind instrument or onto any existing tone hole key of the instrument.

Abstract: A wind instrument is constituted of a mouthpiece and a pipe structure including tapered/straight pipes. The pipe structure is constituted of a blow member and a branch pipe. The branch pipe is branched into a main pipe and an auxiliary pipe, which are straight pipes having openings and connected together in a branch shape. The blow member is connected to a branch point of the branch pipe. The branch pipe simulates resonance characteristic of a tapered pipe having a predetermined length, a predetermined distance between the upper base and the vertex, and a predetermined sectional area of the upper base commensurate with the sectional area of the main pipe.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for its use are provided that relate to an octave/register key for musical wind instruments that combines (i) a vent formed by alignment of an opening of a core and a sidewall aperture of a sleeve, wherein the core is slidably and coaxially mounted within the sleeve, or a vent formed by alignment of sidewall apertures on an inner chamber slidably mounted within an outer chamber, and (ii) the mechanism to open and close such a vent. The device, upon actuation, vents the wind instrument air column to remove the fundamental pitch frequency, and can be mounted anywhere on the body of a musical wind instrument or onto any existing tone hole key of the instrument.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for producing audio and/or visual effects according to a correlation between reference data and estimated note data derived from an input acoustic audio waveform. Some embodiments calculate a pitch score as a function of a pitch estimate derived from the input waveform, a reference pitch, and a real-time-adjustable pitch gating window. Other embodiments calculate the pitch score as a function of pitch and timing estimates derived from the input waveform, reference pitch and note timing data, an adjustable rhythm gating window, and an adjustable pitch gating window. The audio and/or visual effects are produced according to the pitch score, and may be used to generate outputs (e.g., in real time) for affecting a live performance, an audio mix, a video gaming environment, an educational feedback environment, etc.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tuneable clarinet barrel joint (1) for arrangement between the mouthpiece and the upper joint of a (Eb, D, C, A or Bb) clarinet, with a longitudinal axis (L) and a bore (100) which runs in the longitudinal axis (L), whereby the clarinet barrel joint (1) is comprised of an upper part (2) and a lower part (3), which are arranged for connection in the longitudinal axis (L), and provided with a set collar (4) for the connection of the upper part (2) and the lower part (3), by means of which the distance between the upper part (2) and the lower part (3) is adjustable, characterized in that the set collar (4) is connected to both the upper part (2) and the lower part (3) by means of screw threads (6, 7), whereby the said screw threads (6, 7) are pitched with opposing directions of rotation.

Abstract: A speaker structure contains a removable food container as a resonant box. The speaker structure contains a baffling device. The baffling device contains a baffle and means for retaining an open top of the food container that is attached to the baffle. When the food container is incorporated with the baffling device, the food container works as a conventional resonant box. Furthermore, a user can freely remove the food container from the baffling device and the removed food container may serve its original food-containing function.

Abstract: An adjustable tuning tube for a clarinet is composed of an outer tube and an inner tube. The outer tube has a first upper chamber, a lower chamber, and a middle portion between the first upper chamber and the lower chamber. A button is pivotally mounted in an arcuate slot defined at an outer periphery of the middle portion and has a finger formed at a first end thereof and extending in the outer tube, and multiple first teeth formed on the finger. The inner tube is received in the outer tube, and has multiple second teeth formed at an outer periphery thereof and matching the first teeth of the button.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment of a flute comprises first and second chambers in which sound is resonated and a tonehole disposed at and shared by the first and second chambers. The tonehole is coverable by a single finger of an operator's hand and is configured to facilitate airflow communication from the first chamber through the tonehole and airflow communication from the second chamber through the tonehole. An exemplary embodiment of an ocarina comprises an instrument body having a first chamber having a first airway through which air is received and a second chamber having a second airway through which air is received, a top cover disposed on the instrument body, an upper tonehole disposed through the top cover to facilitate airflow through the first chamber and airflow through the second chamber, and a bottom cover disposed on the instrument body.

Abstract: One embodiment of an ocarina has an inner liner that includes a plurality of apertures and an outer shell disposed substantially completely around the inner liner. In one exemplary embodiment of such an ocarina, the plurality of apertures in the inner liner facilitates the airflow communication through the inner liner to produce a tone when the ocarina is played, whereas the outer shell provides a protective or ornamental envelope for the inner liner and includes a plurality of openings that register with the apertures in the inner liner. In another exemplary embodiment, an ocarina has a body having a plurality of apertures disposed therein. The body is formed by an inner liner defined by at least one sound chamber and a first cooperating cover and an outer shell disposed substantially completely around the inner liner.

Abstract: A contrabassoon has a body, a tuning slide, a bocal pipe and a novel register system. The body, tuning slide and bocal pipe form a tube having a continuous bore. The register system comprises 5 vent holes formed in the tube. Key mechanisms for selectively opening and closing the vent holes are described. The contrabassoon further comprises linkage to selectively operate a low E vent pad, and an alternative C-sharp tone hole, with accompanying key mechanism.

Abstract: This invention is of a mechanism which controls the timbre and the volume of flute sound. More concrete explanation of the device is as follows. This device enables the players to control the various color and the volume of the sound and perform with unique tone regardless to what material each flute is made up of. A blocking piece is positioned behind the cork of the head joint which forms a flute along with the body and the foot joint, and a connecting piece is installed on the control cap in a spiral assembly. The oscillation wave caused by the air pressure inserted through the mouthpiece of the head joint goes through the cork and is transferred to the blocking piece and the connecting piece with different weights reflecting some part of the wave and absolving the other at the same time. Thus this wave will change into different oscillating waves which makes the variety of tone color and volume possible, the most characteristic point this mechanism serves for.

Abstract: A saxophone has a main body, a neck, a treble connection set, a connection rod, and a link set. The main body has a high G hole and a high F sharp hole. A high G button and a high G cover are connected by the connection rod. The neck has a treble hole. A treble cover is disposed on the neck. A helical tube is connected to the treble cover to surround the neck. A treble button is disposed on a lower end of the treble connection set. The treble button has a groove. A high F sharp button and a high F sharp cover are connected by the link set.

Abstract: A mouth-pipe of a saxophone is disclosed. A mouth-pipe is covered on a top of a saxophone wind tube. A high pitch hole is installed on the upper end of the mouth-pipe which is pivotally installed with an octave key. A key cover is installed at the inner surface of the upper end of the octave key, and the key cover presses against the high pitch hole of the mouth-pipe. A ring is formed at the lower end of the octave key. A push rod connected to a high pitch key is installed above the saxophone wind tube. If the high pitch key does not press the high pitch hole, a high pitch is emitted; while if the high pitch key is released, a low pitch is emitted; Two long ear seats facing with one another are installed at the pivotal position of the octave key, and a convex point is formed at a lower end of each long ear seat. Two opposite long pivotal seats are placed at the pivotal positions of the mouth-pipe.

Abstract: An animal call device includes a sound generator part and a sound amplifier part preferably directly connected to the sound generator part for producing an amplified and reverberating or echo-like animal call signal. The sound generator part includes a mouthpiece and a vibrating reed for producing staccato so-called grunt-like acoustic vibrations, particularly for attracting deer and similar mammals. A sound emitter member of the sound generator part is connected directly to a housing for the sound amplifier part which supports, in one embodiment, two spaced apart flexible diaphragms interconnected by a tension coil spring to produce complex echo-like amplified sounds. An alternate embodiment includes a single flexible diaphragm connected to a tension coil spring and supported in a frusto-conical housing for amplifying and modifying the staccato grunt signals produced by the sound generator part.

Abstract: A bassoon equipped with a key mechanism is constructed by a tube which consists of a tenor joint, a double joint, a long joint and a bell joint. Herein, three sound holes corresponding to sounds of E, B.music-flat. and F.music-sharp. are located in the double joint. Three keys corresponding to E, B.music-flat., F.music-sharp. are provided to open or close the three sound holes respectively and are all manipulated by the fingering using only a thumb of a right hand of a performer. Herein, an E key which is the center of the three keys is specialized in construction. That is, the E key which is located to cover the E sound hole is constructed by a pad cup and a key body whose size is reduced as compared with the conventional one. Two recesses are formed at both sides of the key body respectively. In addition, two rollers are held by the two recesses above the pad cup.

Abstract: A clarinet barrel consists of two parts (2 and 3) screwed into each other. The inner part (2) carries a ring (8) with an outer thread (9) screwed into a ring-shaped part (14) of the outer part (3) provided with an inner thread (15). The inner part (2) has a cylindrical section (4) in which is arranged a sealing ring (21) that seals section (11) of the outer part (3). The bore M has the same size and no steps in the area of the inner bore of the sections (7), in the area of the ring (8) and in the area of a shoulder (16) adjacent to the ring-shaped part (15). The effective length of the clarinet barrel 91) may be changed and the clarinet may be tuned by rotating the parts (2 and 3) against each other.

Abstract: A wind instrument that can be used to replicate the calls of birds and animals particularly including the common loon. An instrument having the type of mouthpiece used on a recorder and an elongate body having a bore has an baffle within the bore that closes only a portion of the bore. With the baffle at at least one location in the bore, significant changes can be made in the pitch of the sound being made to replicate calls without movement of the baffle along the bore. The baffle can be fixed and the instrument used to replicate the wail of the common loon, or can be movable so that all of the primary calls of the common loon can be replicated.

Abstract: An apparatus for varying the length of the barrel of a woodwind musical instrument by providing adjustability in the length thereof which includes two tubular members which are telescopingly movable with respect to one another and include a primary gear rack mounted on the second tubular member and a rotatably movable adjustment wheel mounted on the first tubular member with a gear fixedly secured to the adjustment wheel and in engagement with respect to the teeth of the primary gear rack such that movement of the adjustment wheel will cause movement of the primary gear rack and relative movement between the first and second tubular member for adjusting or tuning of the length between the first and second tubular members. Each tubular member defines a bore extending centrally therealong which is coincident on the same longitudinally extending bore axis. A locking device is included for selectively fixedly securing the first and second tubular members with respect to one another as desired.

Abstract: An adjustable tuning barrel is disclosed for use with a woodwind instrument that allows the instrument to be easily tuned during play. The tuning barrel includes a fixed element, an adjusting ring coaxial with the fixed element and held in rotatable contacting relationship therewith, and an extending element in rotatable and threaded relationship with the adjusting ring, and in rotatable and motionally resisting relationship with the fixed element. The adjusting ring is wide enough to be comfortably located and manipulated during play. The fixed and extending elements are adapted to facilitate thermal exchange with the ambient environment.

Abstract: In a woodwind instrument, the improvement comprising a speaker vent extending from inside to outside of the instrument, said speaker vent being characterized by an internal volume in the range of 200 mm.sup.3 to 285 mm.sup.3.

Abstract: A wind instrument is equipped with rotary valve units or keys for changing the length of vibrative air column, and a link mechanism transmits a lever action to the rotary valve unit or the key, wherein a joint incorporated in the link mechanism comprises a shaft member having an external thread and coupled with the manipulating lever, an adjustable screw member with an internal thread, a tubular member actuating the rotary valve unit or the key and retained by the adjustable screw meshed with the external thread, and an elastic member inserted between a bottom surface of the tublar member and a leading end of the external thread portion so that gaps on both sides of the tubular member are adjustable, thereby allowing the tubular member to smoothly rotate.

Abstract: An improved resonator tuning plug for the resonators of keyboard percussion instruments. An inexpensive plug suitable for the entire range of the keyboard instrument, offering quick tuning changes and secure locking of position. A thickness of material shaped to a slip fit within the resonator is slotted on one surface in such a manner that pressure applied to a tapered center hole expands the circumference and produces a pneumatic seal. The tuning plug is invertible so that tonal characteristics of the air column are further adjustable.

Abstract: The disclosed panpipe has adjustable plug means for closing and sealing the otherwise open tube bottoms at adjustable distances from the open tube tops, for tuning the panpipe tubes. The plug means includes a plunger seal fitted inside the tube, a manual adjustor rotatably mounted at the bottom of the tube, and threaded means connecting the plunger seal and manual adjustor together. Rotation of the manual adjustor finely shifts the axial position of the plunger seal in the tube. The plunger seal has a flexible sealing ring that can be loosened to slide freely within the tube, and that can be tightened to radially deform sealingly and mechanically against the tube inside. Means accessible via the open tube tops allow each threaded member to be manually rotated from the exterior of its tube, to tighten or loosen the associated sealing ring and set or release the plunger seal as adjusted axially relative to the tube.

Abstract: An improved clarinet tuning barrel (10). The tuning barrel is a thermally-conductive tubular member having a plurality of grooves (36) in the outer wall (24) over most of its length. The grooves preferably extend around the tubular member, are annular, parallel and most preferably closely and substantially equally spaced. The grooves are preferably quite deep. The tuning barrel is preferably a unitary piece of lightweight aluminum alloy.

Abstract: For each register of the instrument, the device comprises at least one auiary tube branched in the vicinity of the head of the instrument and a manual control mechanism making it possible to open or close the auxiliary tube at its first end in contact with the instrument or at its second end turned towards the outside.This device more particularly applies to flute mouthpiece instruments or reed instruments, such as clarinets, saxophones, oboes and bassoons.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hand held musical pipe instrument, such as a bagpipe, having a plurality of longitudinally spaced wall openings which are positioned and arranged to be selectively closed by finger action of the player. There is included a longitudinally slidable sleeve member positioned and arranged on the exterior of the pipe body for selective longitudinal positioning by one of the fingers of the player to at least partially cover or uncover one of the wall openings to thereby provide for a tone pitch change.

Abstract: Wind instrument of the type with mouthpiece, single reed, double reed, lip, etc. . . , comprising a device for laterally perturbing the column of air, adapted to modify the volume of a given section of the column of air, and constituted by a piston slidable inside a body disposed laterally with respect to the column of air and issuing therein, the end of the piston which faces the column of air being displaceable due to a threaded assembly inside the body and being able to project out of said body by encroaching on the said column of air.

Abstract: A clarinet barrel having fixed internal dimensions is provided with a plurality of throat members having a fixed outer dimension for insertion within the clarinet barrel. The inner dimensions of the individual throats are varied in order to provide varying tonal qualities to the clarinet. The throat member can be fabricated from materials other than wood to provide further tonal qualities.

Abstract: A power tube is attachable within the bell end of a flared bell musical instrument for improving the musical sound of the instrument and for making the instrument easier to play. The power tube includes a hollow tubular member having a central axis aligned with the central axis of the instrument and including first and second open ends. The first end of the member forms an air tight seal with the interior of the instrument at a point just prior to the point where the flare of the bell of the instrument commences its rapid, outward sweep. The power tube includes a pair of diametrically opposed vents positioned near the first end.

Abstract: A cylindrical head joint has an internal cross-section that tapers down from a cylindrical shape at the tenon to a non-cylindrical shape at the embouchure end by means of a wedge internally bonded to the cylinder. The relative tuning of the three octaves of the flute can be achieved by varying the position of the wedge either rotationally or longitudinally inside the cylinder. The laborious method of tapering the head by forced shrinking of a cylindrical tube is thus avoided and a superior tone quality is achieved because the air jet that enters the embouchure hole hits a non-cylindrical wall which has a favorable effect on transient sounds and harmonics.