Monthly Archives: March 2010
Complete transposable notation and keyboard music system for typists
AbstractA typewriter keyboard instrument wherein the keyboard is arranged as a standard typewriter with only letters, numbers, and symbols of the standard keyboard wherein the key with the letter N is assigned to play the note middle C, and wherein each succeeding key to the right plays a note which is a half-step higher than the note played by the preceeding key, and two expanded keyboards; the first expanded keyboard having five additional keys on each end of each row, wherein each additional key plays a note one half-step lower or higher than the adjacent key; and the second expanded keyboard having five additional keys on the right hand end of each row of keys and seven additional keys on the left end of each additional row wherein each additional key plays a note which is one half-step higher or lower than the adjacent keys, and wherein the music for the standard and the expanded keyboards is written with a key designation in the clef and wherein the dark notes have a light letter corresponding to the key to be pressed and the light notes have a dark or black letter in the center thereof to designate the key to be pressed, and wherein an ordinary typist with only a basic knowledge of music can sit down to the instrument, readily read the music, automatically correlate the music to the keyboard, play the instrument and, at will, transpose to any new key to play the music in, simply by moving the placement of his/her home row fingers location to the left or right of the original home row on the expanded keyboards.ClaimsI claim:
Musical instrument bridge
AbstractA musical instrument bridge (50) is supporting a set of strings (22) above a front face (14) of a musical instrument (12). The bridge has a plate (60), a mounting block (80), and a plurality of fingers (100). The plate is attachable to a rear face of the instrument. The plurality of fingers are cantilevered from the plate and extend outwardly therefrom. Each finger has a resonant frequency or rigidity that is related to a predetermined pitch of the string supported by the finger. Each finger is designed to vibrate in a plane that is parallel to the front face of the instrument but to reduce vibration in a plane perpendicular to the front face of the instrument.Claims
Method for operating a musical instrument
AbstractThe present invention provides a method for operating a musical instrument, especially a keyboard instrument such as a piano. In one embodiment, a keyboard instrument is provided which is operable for producing a musical sound. The keyboard instrument is used in combination with a musical staff on which a musical composition has been recorded. The staff has a structure that corresponds with the arrangement of keys on a keyboard such that notes recorded in spaces on the staff correspond to white keys of the keyboard instrument and notes recorded on lines correspond to black keys of the keyboard instrument. The keyboard instrument is operated by depressing the appropriate corresponding white key for a note recorded on a space of the staff and depressing the appropriate black key for a note recorded on a line of a staff.Claims
Method and apparatus for automatic variable articulation and timbre assignment for an electronic musical instrument
AbstractA signal processor acts upon a stream of incoming musical performance data including note-on signals and outputs a stream of musical performance data including note-on and note-off signals. The incoming performance data is dispatched to a multiplicity of output channels depending on the time interval between successive incoming note-on data. Notes played in very rapid succession are identified as chords and are performed with identical musical parameters such as duration and instrumental timbre. Notes played in slow succession are identified as polyphonic and are performed with the same instrumental timbre. Notes played at an intermediate speed are identified as melodic and are performed with the same instrumental timbre and a variable staccato or legato effect. A variable legato effect is achieved by controlling the overlap of successive pairs of notes, adjusting the release of the first note with respect to the onset of the second note as a function of the time interval between their onsets, and limiting the number of notes that can sound simultaneously. A variable staccato effect is achieved by controlling the duration of each note as a function of the time interval between the note and its predecessor, and limiting the number of notes that can sound simultaneously.Claims
Method and Apparatus for Playing in Synchronism with a CD an Automated Musical Instrument
Abstract textThe invention disclosed is a system for playing a music sequence such as a MIDI file in synchronization with a prerecorded CD. The synchronization is accomplished by using the digital media sample rate as a common time base for progression of the playing of the digital media and the music sequence.Claims1. An apparatus for playing an automated musical instrument in synchronism with an audio track of a CD, the apparatus including: a source for a music sequence including time stamped articulation events; a CD drive in communication with a controller, the CD drive capable of playing an audio track on a CD; the controller in communication with the source for a music sequence and in communication with the automated musical instrument, the controller providing the articulation events to the automated musical instrument, the controller further including a digital to analog converter to convert the audio track to an analog signal for play, the digital to analog converter providing the controller with a progress status of the time since the beginning of the play of the analog signal, the controller using the progress status of time as a time base for providing the time stamped articulation events to the automated musical instrument.
Music Processing System Including Device for Converting Guitar Sounds to Midi Commands
Abstract textA device is disclosed for converting guitar sounds to MIDI commands. The device has 7 microcontrollers. Each guitar string’s oscillations are filtered and amplified with input filters and input amplifiers. The conditioned string signal is directed to an input of an associated microcontroller and converted to a MIDI command. Each string has an input filter and amplifier, and a microcontroller that converts the string oscillations into a MIDI command. MIDI commands from all six microcontrollers are received and processed by a main microcontroller that transmits the commands to the MIDI interface of a musical instrument with additional modification, if needed.Claims1. A device for converting guitar sounds to MIDI commands comprising:a low capacity microcontroller associated with each guitar string, the low capacity microcontroller being configured to convert filtered and amplified signals oscillations from a guitar string to a corresponding MIDI command; anda main microcontroller operatively connected to the low capacity microcontroller, the main microcontroller being configured to receive and collect MIDI commands generated by the low capacity microcontrollers, modify the MIDI commands, and transmit the modified MIDI command to the MIDI interface of a musical instrument.
Electronic device to detect and generate music from biological microvariations in a living organism
AbstractA method and apparatus are provided for using microvariations of a biological living organism to generate a sequence of environmental changes perceptible through one of the human senses. The method includes the steps of transforming microvariations within a living organism into an analog electrical signal and generating the sequence of environmental changes perceptible through the human senses based on said analog signal. The sequence of changes can include the generation of music based on the signal, or the control of lighting, aromas, or air movement in the environment of the organism. One example application is the generation of music from electrical microvariations detected in a house plant.Claims
Magnetic pickup for stringed musical instrument
AbstractA magnetic pickup for a stringed instrument has one or two coils juxtaposed with the strings each coil having an inner polepiece disposed centrally therein. A single polarity is induced in each inner polepiece by two bar magnets, one at each side of the polepiece externally of the coil. An outer polepiece is magnetically coupled to an outside edge of each of the bar magnets and extends toward the strings. Each polepiece has a preselected shape, with an upper edge which is either continuous, or discontinuous with a plurality of pole legs, one common to each string of the musical instrument. The distance between the pickup and strings is adjustable to select a desired response. When pole legs are used, they are selectable in height by shearing off the distal end of each leg to obtain a selected pickup sensitivity for each string.ClaimsI claim as my invention: