Abstract: A percussion instrument includes a drum shell, a batter head maintained under tension by a rim secured to the top of the drum shell, a flexible member supported at the bottom end of the drum shell, a contact microphone retained on a central section of the flexible member, an acoustic transmission structure in contact with the batter head, and a drive foot coupled to a lower end of the acoustic transmission structure. The contact microphone can be coupled to the flexible support member with a first double-sided adhesive tape member. A foam cushion disposed between the drive foot and the contact microphone can be coupled to the drive foot on a top side with a second double-sided adhesive tape member and on the opposite bottom side with a third double-sided adhesive member to reduce unwanted microphonics or feedback, and allow rapid reversion of the signal from the contact microphone.

Abstract: An electric pickup for stringed musical instruments for installation on a bridge that includes height-adjusting wheels for adjusting string height. The pickup includes three piezo-electric sensing elements symmetrically arranged around the adjuster stud, and the entire downward force generated by the strings and coupled to the instrument face through the bridge is borne by the piezo-electric elements.

Abstract: A percussion instrument that is formed of a housing, a compressible foam material connected to the housing, an electronic pick-up embedded within said compressible foam material and a compression plate. The housing includes a front opening and a cavity and a rear portion of the compressible foam material extends through the front opening of the housing and into the cavity of the housing. The electronic pick-up is spaced from the outer surface of the compressible foam material. The compression plate is positioned on the front face of the compressible foam material and is spaced from an outer edge of the front face.

Abstract: An apparatus is to assist an unskilled player in playing a musical instrument by detecting the quantity of the player's manipulation against the instrument, modifying the detected manipulation quantity with reference to a recommended manipulation to a degree according to a given assistance coefficient, and actuating the instrument with the modified manipulation quantity. For a brass instrument, the apparatus comprises an embouchure sensor and a breath pressure sensor to detect the embouchure and the breath pressure of the player as he/she plays the brass instrument. The detected embouchure and breath pressure are then modified with reference to a recommended embouchure and breath pressure weighted by a given assistance coefficient. The apparatus actuates the brass instrument based on the modified embouchure and breath pressure.

Abstract: A hybrid wind musical instrument is a combination between an alto saxophone and an electronic system so that a player can perform a music tune selectively through acoustic tones and electronic tones; although various parts and accessories are assembled into the alto saxophone, a bell brace makes it possible to sustain a control unit of the electronic system without damage of alto saxophone and undesirable influence on acoustic characteristics of the tubular instrument body.

Abstract: An animal call includes a mouthpiece, a barrel, and a reed. The mouthpiece defines an air channel therein and has a reed bed proximate the air channel. The barrel is coupled to the mouthpiece and has an internal chamber that is fluidically coupled to the air channel of the mouthpiece. A surface comprising the air channel varies in order to maintain a substantially constant cross-sectional area magnitude along a length of the channel. The reed is disposed adjacent the air channel and proximate the reed bed.

Abstract: A game apparatus includes an operating switch and a microphone. A player operates a player object through intuition by the operating switch or inputting a sound. The number of zero crossings contained in waveform of a sound input through the microphone is detected, and also individual interval times between the zero crossings are detected. Then, it is determined whether or not the distribution of the interval times, i.e. the frequency distribution matches the distribution of interval times (frequency distribution) related to a breath sound stored in advance. If there is a match between the two, the input sound is recognized as a breath sound, and a game process based on the breath (wind) is carried out. For example, a game screen depicting the breath or wind is displayed on an LCD.

Abstract: An electronic tone generation system including a plurality of separate, portable, handheld transmitters, or batons, that are provided as “instruments” to one or more players. Each baton can be activated to send a signal, preferably a wireless signal, to a single receiver which produces an output signal fed to a tone generator, preferably a MIDI tone generator, which produces audible sounds via an amplifier and speakers. For example, the batons can correspond to different musical notes as played by a selected musical instrument and the batons can be played in concert to produce a musical or other audible presentation. Alternatively, selected batons can be designated to play in one voice, while others batons are set to play other voices.

Abstract: A digital signal processing device (e.g., DSP), employed by electronic musical instruments and the like, is designed to perform a variety of digital signal processings. The digital signal processing device contains an arithmetic unit which is configured by at least an adder and a multiplier. There are provided first and second microprograms, each of which consists of microinstructions and each of which is designed to perform a specific kind of digital signal processing. The first and second microprograms are alternatively selected in accordance with a preset sequence of processing; and consequently, data supplied to the arithmetic unit are changed in response to the microprogram selected. Thus, the arithmetic unit performs arithmetical operations, using the data selectively supplied thereto, in accordance with the microprogram selected. By changing the sequence of processing, it is possible to easily change a manner of digital computing performed by the digital signal processing device.

Abstract: A digital signal processing device (e.g., DSP), employed by electronic musical instruments and the like, is designed to perform a variety of digital signal processings. The digital signal processing device contains an arithmetic unit which is configured by at least an adder and a multiplier. There are provided first and second microprograms, each of which consists of microinstructions and each of which is designed to perform a specific kind of digital signal processing. The first and second microprograms are alternatively selected in accordance with a preset sequence of processing; and consequently, data supplied to the arithmetic unit are changed in response to the microprogram selected. Thus, the arithmetic unit performs arithmetical operations, using the data selectively supplied thereto, in accordance with the microprogram selected. By changing the sequence of processing, it is possible to easily change a manner of digital computing performed by the digital signal processing device.