Ekstrom Peter
Multi-stage musical instrument amplifier having distortion modes2009-11-09 00:00:00AbstractA first amplifier stage receives electrical signals generated by a musical instrument and provides an output signal. A second amplifier stage is driven by the output signal from the first amplifier stage as switch selectively connects an attenuator to the first amplifier stage to attenuate the output signal thereof and selectively connects a gain modifying circuit to the first stage. In a first mode, the attenuator is connected to the first amplifier stage and the gain modifying circuit is disconnected from the first amplifier stage. As a result, an output signal from the first amplifier stage has a level which drives the second amplifier stage to provide a substantially linear output signal therefrom. In a second mode, the attenuator is disconnected from the first amplifier stage and the gain modifying circuit is connected to the first amplifier stage. As a result, an output signal from the first amplifier stage has a level which will overdrive the second amplifier stage to provide a non-linear saturated signal therefrom having a first desired amount of increased harmonic saturation.ClaimsWhat is claimed is:
1. In a preamplifier for audio frequency electrical signals generated by a musical instrument such as a guitar:
a first amplifier stage for receiving electrical signals generated by the musical instrument and providing an output signal;
a second amplifier stage adapted to be driven by the output signal from the first amplifier stage;
means for attenuating the output signal of the first amplifier stage;
gain modifying means for the first amplifier stage; and
switch means for selectively connecting the attenuating means to the first amplifier stage and for selectively connecting the gain modifying means to the first amplifier stage to provide in a first mode an output signal from the first amplifier stage having a level which drives the second amplifier stage to provide a substantially linear output signal therefrom and to provide in a second mode an output signal from the first amplifier stage having a level which will overdrive the second amplifier stage to provide a nonlinear saturated signal therefrom having a first desired amount of increased harmonic content.
2. In the preamplifier of claim 1, said switch means comprising a first switch for selectively connecting the attenuating means to the first amplifier stage and a second switch for selectively connecting the gain modifying means to the first amplifier stage, and which further includes means for controlling said first and second switches whereby in the first mode the attenuating means is connected to the first amplifier stage and the gain modifying means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage and in the second mode the attenuating means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage and the gain modifying means is connected to the first amplifier stage.
3. In the preamplifier of claim 1, said first amplifier stage comprising an electron discharge device having a control grid, an anode, a cathode and a cathode resistor and wherein said gain modifying means comprises means for selectively shunt-connecting a capacitor across at least a portion of the cathode resistor.
4. In the preamplifier of claim 3, said attenuating means comprising a resistance adapted to be selectively connected across the output circuit of the first amplifier stage.
5. In the preamplifier of claim 1, further comprising means for modifying, for each mode of operation, the output level of the second amplifying stage.
6. In the preamplifier of claim 5, the modifying means comprising a first mode volume control and a second mode volume control; said switch means comprising a first switch for selectively connecting the attenuating means to the first amplifier stage, and a second switch for selectively connecting the gain modifying means to the first amplifier stage; which further includes a third switch for selectively activating the first mode volume control, and a fourth switch for selectively activating the second mode volume control, and which further includes means for controlling said first, second third and fourth switches whereby in the first mode the attenuating means is connected to the first amplifier stage, the gain modifying means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the first mode volume control is activated and the second mode volume control is deactivated and in the second mode the attenuating means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the gain modifying means is connected to the first amPlifier stage, the first mode volume control is deactivated and the second mode volume control is activated.
7. In the preamplifier of claim 1, further comprising means for controlling, for each mode of operation, the frequency response of the output signal of the second amplifying stage.
8. In the preamplifier of claim 7, further comprising a first mode tone control and a second mode tone control; said switch means comprising a first switch for selectively connecting the attenuating means to the first amplifier stage, and a second switch for selectively connecting the gain modifying means to the first amplifier stage; which further includes a third switch for selectively activating the first mode tone control and a fourth switch for selectively activating the second mode tone control, and which further includes means for controlling said first, second, third and fourth switches whereby in the first mode the attenuating means is connected to the first amplifier stage, the gain modifying means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the first mode tone control is activated and the second mode tone control is deactivated and in the second mode the attenuating means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the gain modifying means is connected to the first amplifier stage, the first mode tone control is deactivated and the second mode tone control is deactivated.
9. In a preamplifier for audio frequency electrical signals generated by a musical instrument such as a guitar:
a first amplifier stage for receiving electrical signals generated by the musical instrument and providing an outPut signal;
a second amplifier stage adapted to be driven by the output signal from the first amplifier stage;
a third amplifier stage adapted to be driven by the output signal from the second amplifier stage;
means for attenuating the output signal of the first amplifier stage;
first gain modifying means for the first amplifier stage;
means for altering the level of output signal of the second amplifier stage;
second gain modifying means for the second amplifier stage; and switch means for selectively connecting the attenuating means to the first amplifier stage, for selectively connecting the level altering means to the second amplifier stage, for selectively connecting the first gain modifying means to the first amplifier stage, and for selectively connecting the second gain modifying means to the second amplifier stage to provide in a first mode an output signal from the second amplifier stage having a level which drives the third amplifier stage to provide a substantially linear output signal therefrom and to provide in a second mode an output signal from the second amplifier stage having a level which will overdrive the third amplifier stage to provide a nonlinear saturated signal therefrom with a first desired amount of increased harmonic content.
10. In the preamplifier of claim 9, said switch means comprising a first switch for selectively connecting the attenuating means to the first amplifier stage, a second switch for selectively connecting the first gain modifying means to the first amplifier stage, a third switch for selectively connecting the level altering means to the second amplifier stage, a fourth switch for selectively connecting the second gain modifying means to the second amplifier stage, and which further includes means for controlling said first, second, third and fourth switches whereby in the first mode the attenuating means is connected to the first amplifier stage, the first gain modifying means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the level altering means is connected to the second amplifier stage and the second gain modifying means is disconnected from the second amplifier stage, and in the second mode the attenuating means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the first gain modifying means is connected to the first amplifier stage, the level altering means is connected to the second amplifier stage and the second gain modifying means is connected to the second amplifier stage.
11. In the preamplifier of claim 10, said switch means providing a third mode of operation in which an output signal from the second amplifier stage has a level which will overdrive the third amplifier stage to provide a nonlinear saturated output signal therefrom with a desired amount of increased harmonic content greater than the first desired amount of increased harmonic content.
12. In the preamplifier of claim 11, said controlling means controlling said first, second, third and fourth switches whereby in the third mode of operation the attenuating means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the first gain modifying means is connected to the first amplifier stage, the level altering means is disconnected from the second amplifier stage and the second gain modifying means is connected to the second amplifier stage.
13. In the preamplifier of claim 9, said first amplifier stage comprising a first electron discharge device having a control grid, an anode, a cathode and a first cathode resistor and said second amplifier stage comprises a second electron discharge device having a control grid, an anode, an anode resistor, a cathode and a second cathode resistor and wherein the first gain modifying means comprises means for selectively shunt-connecting a capacitor across at least a portion of the first cathode resistor and said second gain modifying means comprises means for selectively shunt-connecting a capacitor across at least a portion of the second cathode resistor.
14. In the preamplifier of claim 13, wherein said level altering means further comprises means connected across the output circuit of the second amplifier stage for selectively changing the resistive loading on said second amplifier stage thereby changing the gain and the harmonic characteristics thereof.
15. In the preamplifier of claim 14, the means connected across the output circuit of the second amplifier stage comprising a resistor having a resistance which is less than that of said anode resistor.
16. In the preamplifier of claim 9, further comprising third gain modifying means for the third amplifier stage and wherein said switch means further comprises means for selectively connecting the third gain modifying means to the third amplifier stage.
17. In the preamplifier of claim 16, said switch means comprising a first switch for selectively connecting the attenuating means to the first amplifier stage, a second switch for selectively connecting the first gain modifying means to the first amplifier stage, a third switch for selectively connecting the level altering means to the second amplifier stage, a fourth switch for selectively connecting the second gain modifying means to the second amplifier stage, a fifth switch for selectively connecting the third gain modifying means to the third amplifier stage and which further includes means for controlling said first, second, third, fourth and fifth switches whereby in the first mode the attenuating means is connected to the first amplifier stage, the first gain modifying means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the level altering means is connected to the second amplifier stage, the second gain modifying means is disconnected from the second amplifier stage, and the third gain modifying means is disconnected from the third amplifier stage and in the second mode the attenuating means is disconnected from the first amplifier stage, the first gain modifying means is connected to the first amplifier stage, the level altering means is connected to the second amplifier stage, the second gain modifying means is connected to the second amplifier stage and the third gain modifying means is disconnected from the third amplifier stage.
18. In the preamplifier of claim 17, said switch means providing a third mode of operation in which an output signal from the second amplifier stage has a level which will overdrive the third amplifier stage to provide a nonlinear saturated output signal therefrom with a desired amount of increased harmonic content greater than the first desired amount of increased harmonic content.
19. In the preamplifier of claim 18, said controlling means controlling said first, second, third, fourth and fifth switches whereby in th...
Device for and method of detecting and supplying chord and solo sounding instructions in an electronic musical instrument2009-11-07 00:00:00AbstractAccording to the invention, a new sounding operation changes a solo being played, and various ways of sounding musical tones are permitted by a selection of whether or not a chord being played is to be changed. In response to an instruction for sounding a musical tone, chord tone data is provided together with tone data indicating a single key number, to thereby determine whether or not the chord is to be detected, and whether or not chord tone data is be output. Accordingly, ways of sounding musical tones, such as changing a chord being played together with a solo being played, or not changing a chord being played but changing only the solo being played.ClaimsI claim:
1. A device for supplying sounding instructions in an electronic musical instrument comprising:
a plurality of sounding instruction means for generating on and off instructions for sounding a musical tone;
on determining means for determining on instructions of said plurality of sounding instruction means;
off determining means for determining an off instruction of said plurality of sounding instruction means;
first output means for detecting and outputting solo tone data corresponding to the instructions generated by said plurality of sounding instruction means, according to a result of an on determination by said on determining means;
output terminating means for terminating the output of said solo tone data by said first output means, according to a result of an off determination by said off determining means;
second output means for detecting and outputting chord tone data corresponding to the instructions generated by said plurality of sounding instruction means, independent of said solo tone data according to said result of the on determination by said on determining means;
switching means for switching said second output means, independent of said first output means between an operative and an inoperative state;
storing means for storing state data indicating the operative state or the inoperative state switched by said switching means; and
switching control means for controlling the switching of said second output means between the operative or inoperative state according to the state data stored in said storing means, independent of said first output means.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first output means includes means for outputting tone data indicating a single key number, and means for sounding a tone corresponding to said tone data indicating a single key number.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second output means includes means for detecting a chord and means for outputting tone data indicating a detected chord.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second output means includes means for storing auto chord play data, means for detecting a chord, and means for reading out auto chord play data corresponding to a detected chord.
5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said second output means further includes means for executing an auto play according to read-out auto chord play data.
6. The device according to claim 3, wherein said second output means further includes means for storing detected chord data.
7. The device according to any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, wherein said second output means holds previous chord tone data output when said switching means is switched to the inoperative state.
8. The device according to claims 1, wherein said the sounding instruction means is key of a keyboard instrument.
9. The device according to claims 1, wherein said the sounding instruction means is string of a string instrument.
10. The device according to claims 1, wherein said the sounding instruction means is wind of a wind instrument.
11. A method of supplying sounding instructions in an electronic musical instrument, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing on and off sounding instructions for a plurality of musical tones;
(b) determining an on instruction for said plurality of musical tones;
(c) determining an off instruction for said plurality of musical tones;
(d) detecting and outputting solo tone data corresponding to the on sounding instructions provided in said step (a), according to a result of the on determination made in said step (b);
(e) detecting and outputting chord tone data corresponding to the on sounding instruction provided in said step (a), independent of the solo tone data, according to the result of the on determination made in said step (b);
(f) terminating the output of said solo tone data in said step (d) according to a result of the off determination made in said step (c);
(g) switching the output of the chord tone data in said step (e) independent of the output of the solo tone data in said step (d), between an operative state and an inoperative state;
(h) storing state data indicating the operative state or the inoperative state switched in said step (g); and
(i) controlling the switching of the output of the chord tone data in said step (e) between the operative or inoperative state according to the state data stored in said step (h), independent of the output of the solo tone data in step (d).
12. The method of claim 11, step (d) including the substeps of:
(d) (1) outputting the solo tone data indicating a single key number; and
(d) (2) sounding a tone corresponding to the solo tone data indicating the single key number.
13. The method of claim 11, said step (e) including the substeps of:
(e) (1) detecting a chord; and
(e) (2) outputting the chord tone data indicating the chord detected in said step (e) (1).
14. The method of claim 11, said step (e) including the substeps of:
(e) (1) storing auto chord play data;
(e) (2) detecting a chord; and
(e) (3) reading out the auto chord play data corresponding to the chord detected in said step (e) (2).
15. The method of claim 14, said step (e) further including the substep of (e) (4) executing an auto play operation according to the readout auto chord play data.
16. The method of claim 13, said step (e) further including the substep of (e) (3) storing the chord tone data for the detected chord.
17. The method of claim 11, said step (e) including the substep of (e) (1) holding previous chord tone data when the output of the chord tone data is switched to the inoperative state.
18. The method of claim 14, said step (e) further including the substep of (e) (3) holding previous chord tone data when the output of the chord tone data is switched to the inoperative state.
19. The method of claim 14, said step (e) further including the substep of (e) (4) holding previous chord tone data when the output of the chord tone data is switched to the inoperative state.
20. The method of claim 11, wherein the on and off sounding instructions in said step (a) are provided by a key of a keyboard instrument, string of a string instrument, or wind of a wind instrument.DescriptionBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for and method of supplying sounding instructions in an electronic musical instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, various electronic musical instruments have been proposed which facilitate and simplify the playing of chords; an auto chord operation is one such way of easily playing a chord. In an auto chord operation, while using an au...
