Abstract: An automated player for stringed instruments having a plucking mechanism and a fretting mechanism. The plucking mechanism includes a string contacting portion rotationally mounted relative to a corresponding instrument string with a rotational axis substantially perpendicular to the string, a first drive member for creating relative motion between the string and the string contacting portion. The fretting mechanism includes a carriage in depressive contact with the instrument string and a second drive member selectively positioning the carriage creating relative movement between the carriage and the string. The plucking mechanism and the fretting mechanism are attached to a frame which is attached to the instrument. The player includes an electronic control circuit that controls operation of the plucking and fretting mechanisms.

Abstract: An electronic tremolo producing apparatus for stringed electronic musical instrument is provided. The tremolo apparatus includes an electronic base unit mounted on the instrument with an attached tremolo arm. The base unit and the tremolo arm are designed to be mounted at the location similar to mechanical tremolos and are operated in the same manner; however the pitch of the instrument is changed electronically. The tremolo arm moves similar to regular mechanical tremolos from the first position the second position to decrease the pitch of the instrument that is achieved electronically without decreasing the tension of the plurality of strings; the arm moves from the first position to the third position to electronically increase the pith of the instrument without increasing the tension of the plurality of strings. The base unit and the tremolo arm can be removed from the instrument and used with another one.

Abstract: A stringed instrument comprises, in combination, a body with a neck extending forwardly therefrom The neck has a tuning portion mounted opposite the body which is adapted to receive one end of a plurality of strings. The tuning portion adjusts the tension on each of the plurality of strings. The other end of the plurality of stings is attached to the body. A plurality of pickup elements is positioned on the body proximate to the neck. The plurality of pickup elements is underneath the plurality of strings. The plurality of pickup elements are also in electrical communication with a position sensitive switch which determines which of the plurality of pickup elements is actuated in response to movement of the body. A plurality of tremolo mechanisms corresponding to the plurality of strings is attached to the end of the plurality of strings attached to the body. Also, interchangeable fret boards are mountable on the neck.

Abstract: An electric guitar which is equipped with a piezo pickup wherein the lengths of the strings are not changed by the rotation of the main saddle body in connection with fine tuning and during tremolo performance. The electric guitar has a piezo pickup and has a main saddle body that is held so as to be rotatably adjustable in a back and forth direction about an axle. The main saddle body is held pivotally by a saddle holding member on a base plate on the guitar body. The base plate is installed so as to freely swing with respect to the surface of the guitar body to provide a tremolo effect. The top surface of the piezo pickup constantly contacts the string that is held by the main saddle body, at least during fine tuning, by rotatable adjustment of the main saddle body and in the possible swinging range of the base plate during a tremolo performance, thereby avoiding an out of tune situation during the tremolo performance.

Abstract: An audio tremolo producing system uses a rotating horn as a tremolo producing device for mid and high frequency audio signals, and an electronic tremolo producing device capable of both phase and amplitude modulation for low frequency signals.

Abstract: In a first embodiment, a columnated light beam is transmitted to a lens aperture of continuously variable size. The lens aperture is coupled to the tremolo arm of a solid body electric guitar. Light from the lens aperture is focussed upon a photosensitive surface of a photo-transistor. The photo-transistor provides a tremolo voltage that is an analog of the position of the tremolo arm. In a second embodiment, a potentiometer has its shaft coupled to the tremolo arm. The wiper arm of the potentiometer provides the tremolo voltage.

Abstract: Apparatus for altering the output of an electronic string musical instrum responsive to bending of the string comprises a compressible electrically conductive member which has an electrical resistance which varies with the degree of compression applied and may be a conductive elastomer or a piezoresistive material. First and second holders are in contact with the conductive member and a current source is secured to the first holder and the string electrode secured to the second. Bending of the string causes the application of compression to the conductive member. The change in current flow is converted into an output which is a frequency variation which corresponds to the degree of bending of the string.

Abstract: An instrument is structured as a guitar and control-box incorporating electronic circuitry to control an external electronic synthesizer and electronic sampling instruments via a conventional M.I.D.I. system. The instrument is played in the fashion of a guitar with digital signals generated in response to switches activated when a musician plays the instrument in a similar manner to playing a conventional guitar. Boards which are capable of movement with respect to the guitar body or arm together with displacement transducers and high efficiency touch-sensitive switches are used for note selection and to create pitch-bend, note-velocity and tremolo signals. The note and fret touch switches are mounted on fret boards which replace the strings of a conventional guitar. The fret boards also produce pitch bend signals.A plurality of pluckboards initiate note-pluck and enable ergonomic multi-timbre playing.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument having a function of selecting a musical tone parameter just before, or after during a musical performance is provided. The instrument has a first manually operable element such as a tremolo arm deflectably mounted on the main body of the instrument and positioned adjacent to stretched strings, and a second manually operable element (e.g., push button) attached to the first operational element. In one embodiment, the first element serves as a controller for varying a first musical parameter (e.g., pitch modulation) while the second element functions as another controller for varying a second, different musical parameter (e.g., tone color). In another embodiment, the second element serves as a variable function assignor for the first element. Depending on the function assigning of the first element, the second element provides a variable parameter controller (e.g., tremolo, vibrato).

Abstract: An input waveform signal representing, for example, a string oscillation is input to a pitch extraction circuit. The pitch extraction circuit extracts a pitch frequency from the input waveform signal, and this pitch frequency is input to a RAM connected to a CPU. On the other hand, LFO data from an LFO is input to a RAM. The CPU detects the amount of variation of the pitch frequency based on the pitch frequency and coverts the amount of variation of the pitch frequency in accordance with a predetermined conversion function. Thereafter the converted value is added to the LFO data to form musical sound control data for imparting a tremolo effect or a vibrato effect. The musical sound production circuit thereby imparts the above effect to the musical sound to be produced.