Abstract: Provided is a switching device for an electronic musical instrument, comprising: a plurality of first electrodes that are adjacently arranged; a second electrode arranged between a pair of the plurality of first electrodes, and insulated from the plurality of first electrodes by a plurality of spaces; a rotatable actuator; and a conductive member configured to electrically connect the first electrodes and the second electrode according to rotation of the actuator. The plurality of spaces extend longitudinally in a first direction. The first direction is a direction between a rotational shaft direction of the actuator and a direction orthogonal to the rotational shaft direction.

Abstract: A sound control device includes a selector, a sound signal generator, a switcher, and a controller. The selector is configured to select, based on a user operation, one piece of setting information among a plurality of pieces of setting information including at least one timbre group and one effect setting group. The sound signal generator is configured to generate a sound signal based on performance information and the selected setting information. The switcher configured to switch between a hold-enabled state and a hold-disabled state based on a user operation. The controller configured to control the sound signal generator to generate the sound signal such that in the hold-enabled state, even if the selection of the setting information is switched by the selector, at least the effect setting is maintained.

Abstract: A sound effect adjusting device includes: an effect pedal; a pedal board including a first housing, a three-way toggle switch, a microswitch, and a mounting member; the first housing including an input interface, an output interface, a send interface and a return interface formed thereon; the three-way toggle switch having a first contact blade electrically connected with the input interface, a second contact blade electrically connected with the send interface, a third contact blade electrically connected with the microswitch; the mounting member having a first pins assembly electrically coupled to the effect pedal; while the effect pedal assembled with the pedal board, the microswitch is off, and operates the three-way toggle switch so that the effect pedal is connected between the input interface and the output interface in series, or, the effect pedal connected between the send interface and the return interface in series.

Abstract: A keyboard unit includes: a key; a displacement member driven directly or indirectly with the key by a pressing operation to be moved; object detection sections including: detection sections, states of which become state change detection state when detecting changes instates of the key and the displacement member; and a generator, in a case that states of all the object detection sections become the state change detection state in the forward stroke of a key pressing operation, obtaining detection results of at least two sets of the detection sections, each set including two object detection sections, selecting at least one of the obtained detection results of the at least two sets of the detection sections, and generating sound generation indication information based on the selected at least one of the detection results.

Abstract: A generalized interface for interconnecting a wide range of electronic musical instruments and signal processing systems includes an outgoing multi-channel audio interface and an outgoing control interface. The outgoing multi-channel audio interface receives instrument audio signals generated by an external musical instrument, while the outgoing control interface receives MIDI control signals generated by the same external musical instrument. The outgoing multi-channel audio interface and the outgoing control interface respectively communicate audio signals and MIDI control signals to the external signal processing system. Variations include the addition of multi-channel audio paths to the instrument using drive transducer signals to excite instrument vibrating elements; the use of control paths to the instrument to control on-instrument lighting, signal processing, drive transducers, controller interpretation, etc.

Abstract: A user is fingering a piece of music on an electronic piano in ensemble with the playback of a piece of music recorded in a compact disc; while the user is playing the piece of music, the electronic piano generates MIDI music data codes representative of the fingering, and the MIDI data bits and the audio data codes, which are transmitted from the compact disc player, are multiplexed into a digital composite music data signal; the digital composite music data signal is transmitted through a single digital audio cable to a tone generator module or stored in a memory, and the tone generator module demultiplexes or extracts the MIDI music data codes from the digital composite music data signal; thus, the multiplexing and demultiplexing make the data transmission and recording simple.

Abstract: A keyboard scan circuit for a device receiving plural inputs simultaneously is provided. The scan circuit includes a plurality of keyboard input/output ports, each of which can be selected from a group consisting of an input mode, an output mode, and a floating mode for receiving one of a plural inputs, a plurality of rectangular matrices including a plurality of detectable input terminals and a plurality of synchronously detectable input terminals and formed by means of cross-linking the keyboard input/output ports, and a plurality of current-isolating elements electrically connected between the keyboard input/output ports and the rectangular matrices for mutually isolating signals of the rectangular matrices.

Abstract: A system for delivering music is provided, which reduces further the data amount of music to be delivered. A music delivery subsystem, which generates a delivering data from an original music data including a voice data and a performance data, comprises a compression coder and a multiplexer. The coder compression-codes the voice data of the original music data, thereby generating a compression-coded voice data. The multiplexer multiplexes the compression-coded voice data and the performance data, thereby generating a delivering data. At least one music reproduction subsystem, which reproduces an original music corresponding to the original music data from the delivering data transmitted through a computer or communications network, comprises a demultiplexer, a performance data configurer, a voice data decoder, and a mixer. The demultiplexer demultiplexes the delivering data to the compression-coded voice data and the performance data.

Abstract: An sound encoder accepts a sound signal and then produces a plurality of codes which represent the sound signal on a frame-by-frame basis. The sound encoder determines the order in which the plurality of codes is to be multiplexed into a multiplexed code based on one of the plurality of codes on a frame-by-frame basis, multiplexes the plurality of codes one by one into a multiplexed code in the determined order, and acquires an error correction code for the multiplexed code. The sound encoder then outputs the multiplexed code including the acquired error correction code added to the end thereof as a sound code.

Abstract: A MIDI controller musical instrument (80) with buttons (34) on two sensorboards (54,56) for controlling musical notes. The buttons (34) are arranged such that the most harmonious note combinations are played by fingering the most proximate button (34) combinations, and such that any given chord or scale can be played with a characteristic fingering pattern regardless of the range or key signature it is played in. The buttons (34) are placed such that the fingers and thumb of a hand can span the entire note range of the instrument (80). The buttons (34) that control the notes for any one key signature of the major scale are located within their own delimited area which does not contain buttons (34) controlling notes which are not part of that key signature. Notes are assigned to the buttons in such a way that the notes can be tuned to a wide variety of intonations without any consequent necessity to change the fingering patterns of the major scale or its modes.

Abstract: A system for delivering music is provided, which reduces further the data amount of music to be delivered. A music delivery subsystem, which generates a delivering data from an original music data including a voice data and a performance data, comprises a compression coder and a multiplexer. The coder compression-codes the voice data of the original music data, thereby generating a compression-coded voice data. The multiplexer multiplexes the compression-coded voice data and the performance data, thereby generating a delivering data. At least one music reproduction subsystem, which reproduces an original music corresponding to the original music data from the delivering data transmitted through a computer or communications network, comprises a demultiplexer, a performance data configurer, a voice data decoder, and a mixer. The demultiplexer demultiplexes the delivering data to the compression-coded voice data and the performance data.

Abstract: A digital cordless telecommunications unit that serves for communications when paired with a similar unit and connected with a network is disclosed. The unit receives and transmits analog voice signals and also transmits digital baseband signals and receives digital formatted baseband signals. The unit includes a baseband chip, as well as an audio functions block and a system control functions block. The audio functions block comprises an audio front end for receiving and transmitting the analog voice signals and an adaptive differential pulse code modulator codec, connected to the audio front end. The codec converts the analog voice signals to the digital baseband signals and converts the digital formatted baseband signals to the analog voice signals for transmission.

Abstract: There is disclosed a musical sound signal generation apparatus for creating vacant channels by monaural sounding, in which a left/right balance is maintained and the total sound volume can be increased. When there is a key-on, and there is no vacant channel, a pair of channels for stereo sounding are selected, one channel of the pair of channels is released at a high rate, the panning coefficient of the other channel is changed, and a monaural sound is outputted from left and right output systems. Similarly, another pair of channels are selected, one channel of the pair of channels is released at the high rate, the panning coefficient of the other channel is changed, and the monaural sound is outputted from the left and right output systems. The L and R channels of the new key-on are assigned to two vacant channels.

Abstract: When a plurality of different effects are added to a plurality of musical notes at the same time, the plurality of musical notes are divided into a plurality of groups for musical notes, and the groups of musical note waveforms are delivered on a time divisional basis to an effect adding circuit, which adds the respective effects to the groups of musical note waveforms, accumulates at each waveform sampling period the musical note waveforms to which the respective effects have been added, and outputs a resulting musical note waveform. The sum of operation times required for adding the respective effects to the plurality of groups of musical note waveforms can exceed a sampling period depending on types of effect to be assigned. To avoid this situation, it is determined in advance whether the sum of the operation times required for adding the effects exceeds the sampling period. If so, addition of an effect to a musical note waveform where a depth of the effect is minimum is stopped.

Abstract: A music system is constructed by a transmitter for transmitting performance information and a receiver for receiving the performance information so as to reproduce music performance. In the transmitter, a first packet encoder packetizes the performance information so as to sequentially form a primary packet of the performance information. A second packet encoder packetizes state information so as to form a secondary packet of the state information in correspondence with the primary packet. The state information indicates a proper operation state of a channel defined by the protocol of Musical Instrument Digital Interface. A packet multiplexer transmits the primary packet together with the secondary packet by multiplexing so as to ensure proper reproduction of the music performance by means of a channel provided in the receiver. In the receiver, a packet demultiplexer separates the primary packet and the secondary packet from each other.

Abstract: A waveform generator LSI generates waveform data in units of time slots corresponding to tone generation channels in accordance with tone control data assigned to the individual channels, and accumulates waveform data for the individual channels to form at least one polyphonic tone data. The tone control data are updated by time division control in units of time slots of the channels. By suspending update of control data in the time slot of an unused channel in accordance with data indicating the used/unused status of each channel, switching of CMOS elements composing the waveform generator LSI is suppressed so that the LSI operates at low power. In a system using a waveform memory outside the waveform generator LSI, the read address to be supplied to the waveform memory in the time slot of an unused channel is fixed at a previous value, thus also attaining power savings of the external memory.

Abstract: Disclosed is a programmable sound generator for generating digital outputs of tone and noise signals used for producing computer sound effects. The programmable sound generator includes at least two channels generating digital output serving as either tone signal or noise signal. A mixer is used to process the outputs of the channels in a digital, time-sharing manner. A volume controller coupled to the mixer is used to control the volume of the sound in a digital pulse width modulation (PWM) manner. Also, the volume controller allows its output to become floating when the programmable sound generator is not in use so as to allow another sound generating means to share the same sound transducing means. In the programmable sound generator, the tone generation and the noise generation share the same hardware, which allows low-cost production of the programmable sound generator.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument is designed in a generally guitar-shaped configuration with a fingerboard containing rows of keys replacing each string, one key for each string/fret position. Pressing on a key causes a signal to be provided to a central processing unit which continually scans the fingerboard at a high rate and converts the signals to a plurality of outputs to a synthesizer. Unlike a guitar, a plurality of keys, including a plurality along a single row, may be operated simultaneously to produce a plurality of notes simultaneously. A number of pressure switches and other switches located on the body enable a player to modify the output with vibrato, pitchbend, stereo pan, percussion effects, etc. Additional pressure responsive circuits provide inputs to the central processing unit varying with pressure on the keys. A second embodiment includes a fingerboard with many more rows or columns of keys and more keys per column.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus according to the present invention is used as a sound source, an effecting machine and/or a communication equipment, which simultaneously generates or processes a plurality of musical tones and sounds on the basis of a plurality of input data such as performance data, musical tone data and/or communication data. This signal processing apparatus stores a program prepared for controlling operation to generate or process musical tones and sounds only for one channel. The program is read out in accordance with a lower bit of a readout counter. A upper bit of the readout counter is used to designate a channel to which the generated or processed musical tones and sounds are assigned in accordance with the read out program. As a result, only a small area is required for storing the program and a simple construction may be employed in the apparatus.

Abstract: A musical tone data compensation apparatus which detects chord components in a performance data stored in accordance with operation of a keyboard and modifies touch data of each tone composing a chord. New touch data are generated by compression or expansion of each difference in touch data with referring to a representative touch data in a block of chord tones, so that emphasis or smoothness is given to a sequence of chords.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument capable of generating musical sounds of a plurality of tone colors simply by designating a plurality of tone colors simultaneously in the tone color switches. The tone color switches may be provided in a front panel adjacent a keyboard.

Abstract: A voice input to a microphone is converted by an A/D converter to a digital signal which is then delivered to a DSP, which extracts the notes of the input voice for determining same. The processing by the DSP includes bandpass filtering with a frequency corresponding to each note as the central frequency. A plurality of notes is processed on a time divisional basis to determine their respective notes. A new musical sound electronically corresponding to one or more notes extracted as the result of the note detection is then generated on a real time basis.

Abstract: A key matrix scanning apparatus is provided. The key matrix comprises a plurality of switches which are arranged at intersections of a plurality of input signal lines and a plurality of output signal lines. The scanning apparatus repeatedly and quickly discharges or charges the plurality of input signal lines at appropriate times within a one complete scanning cycle to establish a reference potential on these lines in preparation for readings of switch states. Therefore, the scanning apparatus can provide a high-speed scanning of switches with high reliability. A good number of switches can be coupled to be read by a single unit of key scanner without a substantial delay in the detection of the switch operation.

Abstract: A rhythm play control device for an electronic musical instrument stores the number of operations of a single operator, and includes a memory device and a central processing unit which responds thereto to perform a change of play mode of the instrument.

Abstract: An improved percussive action electronic keyboard for play as a musical instrument of the type having pivoted playing keys having camming surfaces distal from finger contact surfaces thereof, pivoted hammers having cam follower surfaces for following the playing key camming surfaces, hammer stop for stopping the swing of the hammer in response to depression of its associated key, includes an electronic sensor for generating an electrical signal for each key which is related in amplitude to the pressure with which the key is depressed during play of the keyboard, and a scanning keyboard state monitor connected to said sensor including a keyboard scanner for scanning each of the keys of the keyboard to determine if a key event has occurred, an amplitude comparator for determining when a key depression causes a said key depression signal amplitude to pass predetermined minimum and maximum amplitude threshold values, a scan counter for counting the number of scans occurring between the scans when the key depressi

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument with a channel assigning device which includes a characteristic information generating unit for generating characteristic information of musical tone envelopes, a sound radiation instructing unit for generating each musical tone selected by a musical tone selecting unit, a processing unit for processing the characteristic information generated by the characteristic information generating unit in response to an elapse of time and an assigned channel determining unit for comparing the results of the processing performed by the processing unit and determining a channel to which the musical tone information should be assigned in response to a sound radiation instruction from the sound radiation instructing unit.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument having a number of keys, having tone generators capable of simultaneous tone production, the tone generators being smaller in number than the number of keys. The instrument forms an operation for synthesizing a desired waveform, the operation for synthesizing a desired waveform being performed in a repeating cyclic order with an operation cycle and in which the waveform is transferred to the tone generators and read out therefrom at a rate in accordance with the note of a key being depressed to obtain a desired musical waveform. The device includes a number-of-depressed keys detecting device which counts the number of keys which are actuating the tone generator upon depression. A cycle altering device is provided for changing the operation cycle, as a whole, on the basis of the number of depressed keys, counted by the number-of-depressed keys detecting device. The construction allows for a waveform of a smooth temporal variation to be produced.

Abstract: For reading the frets of a stringed electronic musical instrument, a plurality of resistance wire strings are secured to a nut end and a bridge of the instrument, with the strings superposing in parallel relationship over a plurality of conducting frets mounted on a fingerboard on the instrument. The voltages produced by depressing the strings to the conducting frets, after being inverted and linearized, are quantized to levels representative of the particular frets to obviate the effects of contact resistance, and decision voltage levels are selected so as to account for such contact resistance. To enable the signals to be fed as conventional information through a MIDI channel to a synthesizer for generating frequencies corresponding to the signals, an analog to digital converter is used. The different components, as well as the digitized linearized signals, are selectively controlled and fed, respectively, to a microprocessor.