Abstract: An electronic musical instrument includes a pitch determining voltage signal generating circuit adapted to produce one of 12 pitch determining voltage signals having different magnitudes corresponding to 12 notes in one octave in response to any of keys belonging to different octave ranges in a keyboard and having the same note name. A pitch determining voltage signal common to the different octave ranges is converted by a voltage converting circuit and taken out as a voltage signal having a magnitude corresponding to the note of a key being depressed on the keyboard. The voltage converting circuit includes a voltage dividing network having a plurality of output points and gate circuits connected to the output points, respectively. Each gate circuit is enabled in response to the depression of a key belonging to a corresponding octave range.

Abstract: A sample hold arrangement for a key signal in an electronic musical instrument in which a keyboard circuit generates a voltage corresponding to a depressed key. The keyboard circuit is connected at its output terminal to an input terminal of a comparator. An output terminal of the comparator is connected to a memory capacitor and a buffer circuit through two gates connected in a series with one another. An output terminal of the buffer circuit is connected, in turn, to a second input terminal of the comparator, and one of the two gates is connected with its control electrode to a detection circuit. A circuit closing signal is generated by the detection circuit when the potentials of the two input terminals of the comparator become substantially equal. The other one of the two gates is connected with its control electrode to an output terminal of a keying signal generator which generates a keying signal of the keyboard circuit.

Abstract: A circuit in an electronic keyboard musical instrument for preferentially selecting the highest and lowest tones from among the tones in chords produced by keys on the keyboard which have been struck. The circuit has a set of series connected resistors having equal values, the number of resistors in the set corresponding to the number of tones from which the highest and lowest tones are to be selected. An end resistor is connected between each end of the set of resistors and a reference voltage level. A plurality of transistors corresponding to the number of resistors each has the emitter thereof connected to the set of resistors between the corresponding resistor and the resistor corresponding to the next adjacent transistor, and has the collector thereof adapted to receive a corresponding tone signal. A keyswitch is connected to the base of each transistor and to a bias source.

Abstract: A monophonic system includes means for voicing only tones derived in response to depression of a key associated with the highest pitched note when several keys are struck at approximately the same time, regardless of the order in which the keys are struck. If several keys are released at approximately the same time, only the tones derived in response to the highest remaining activated key are voiced, regardless of the release sequence. In response to the system being played legatissimo, voiced tones gradually shift in frequency, i.e., portamento is achieved. In response to the system being played staccatissimo, voiced tones shift in frequency in discrete steps.

Abstract: The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to an electronic musical instrument of the keyboard type wherein the audio frequency signal information is derived from a multi-frequency generator formed by an electronic oscillator and a plurality of divider circuits, and wherein programmable divider circuits are associated with the various keys of the keyboard to generate associated tone signal information. The programmable divider circuits are formed on a large scale integrated circuit chip and enable alteration of the numerical divisor so that different tone signals can be obtained from the same electronic circuitry thereby enabling the same type of LSI chip to be used for many different circuit configurations. The LSI chip also provides a scanning circuit that scans an X-Y matrix switching arrangement to determine which one of a plurality of key switches is closed.

Abstract: A monophonic electronic music synthesizer in which keying signals are collected on common note busses and common octave busses. Tone signals from a top octave tone generator are gated by separate note gates controlled by keying signals on common note busses to select the note tone signal regardless of octave. A chain of frequency dividers fed by the note tone signal produce octavely related tone signals which are gated by separate octave gates controlled by keying signals on common octave busses. A preferred embodiment especially useful in an integrated organ-synthesizer system employs a low octave lockout circuit to select an active highest octave of actuated keyswitches and a preference gating arrangement for tone signals to produce high note select gating of monophonic tone signals. A D.C. keyed volts per octave circuit is also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention discloses control circuitry for an electronic musical instrument including a keyboard, a voltage divider circuit coupled to the keyboard to provide a pitch determining voltage signal corresponding to a depressed key, a storage capacitor for storing the pitch determining voltage signal, voltage-controlled tone signal generating means responsive to the pitch determining voltage signal and adapted to produce a tone signal corresponding to the depressed key, and control voltage waveform generating means responsive to a trigger signal and adapted to produce a control voltage waveform which is coupled to the voltage-controlled tone signal generating means so as to control the tone signal to be generated thereby.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument comprising first and second musical tone signal synthesizing circuit arrangements including voltage waveform generators adapted to control first and second tone signals to be generated by the first and second musical tone signal synthesizing circuit arrangements. First and second memory groups including a plurality of waveform parameter controlling information memories are provided for control of the voltage waveform generators in the first and second musical tone signal synthesizing circuit arrangements. A memory selector includes the same number of preset switches as that of the memories in each of the first and second memory groups.

Abstract: A keyboard input such as the lower manual of an organ includes a plurality of keys covering one or more octaves. A plurality of note sources are provided which can produce the essential notes required for open harmony presentation of the various chords of a guitar and are grouped to represent one set of notes for each guitar string. Preferential switching relays provide re-structuring of conventional close harmony chords into open harmony, and have windings connected in circuit by switches coupled to keys and connect the essential notes for a chord in each group to an output line. The output lines are connected to a sequence timer which transmits the outputs to an audio circuit to produce a synthesized strumming sound output and in open harmony in the same manner as the guitar instrument.

Abstract: This invention relates to a voltage controlled type electronic musical instrument comprising a keyboard section for generating a pitch determining voltage signal and a trigger signal upon key operation, a voltage controlled tone signal generating circuit including a voltage controlled oscillator, voltage controlled filter and voltage controlled amplifier for generating a tone signal in response to the pitch determining voltage signal and control wave generating circuits responsive to the trigger signal for generating control waves coupled to the voltage controlled oscillator, voltage controlled filter and voltage controlled amplifier. The pitch determining voltage signal is coupled to the voltage controlled amplifier so as to control the gain thereof, thereby decreasing the volume of musical sounds at higher frequency from that of musical sounds at lower frequency.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a keyboard circuit for generating pitch determining voltage signals whose voltage values exponentially vary with respect to notes. Key switches are connected between a DC voltage source and a voltage dividing resistance network, thus making it possible to use key switches having a simpler contact construction. Nevertheless, the keyboard circuit of the invention can act as a lower or higher tone preference circuit.