and also_tags

Method and apparatus for generating musical tone waveforms by user input of sample waveform frequency
2010-03-24 00:00:00
filter to switch on or off;

a generating step of carrying out, at predetermined time intervals longer than a sampling cycle, a musical tone waveform calculation in response to the received performance information, for generating a plurality of musical tone waveform samples, and storing the generated plurality of musical tone waveform samples in a memory, wherein said musical tone waveform calculation includes a digital filtering step of filtering said generated plurality of musical tone waveform samples to control a tone color of said musical tone waveform samples, only when said instruction information for instructing the digital filter to switch on is received by said second receiving step; and

a reproducing step of outputting said plurality of musical tone waveform samples, sample by sample, every sampling cycle.

31. A machine-readable storage medium storing instructions to cause a machine to perform a method of generating musical tones which is executed on a computer and comprises:

a first receiving step of receiving performance information;

a second receiving step of receiving instruction information for instructing a low frequency oscillator to switch on or off;

a generating step of carrying out, at predetermined time intervals longer than a sampling cycle, a musical tone waveform calculation in response to the received performance information, for generating a plurality of musical tone waveform samples, and storing the generated plurality of musical tone waveform samples in a memory, wherein said musical tone waveform calculation includes a low frequency oscillator step of imparting vibrato to said generated plurality of musical tone waveform samples, only when said instruction information for instructing the low frequency oscillator to switch on is received by said second receiving step; and

a reproducing step of outputting said plurality of musical tone waveform samples, sample by sample, every sampling cycle.

32. A machine-readable storage medium storing instructions to cause a machine to perform a method of generating musical tones which is executed on a computer and comprises:

a first receiving step of receiving performance information;

a second receiving step of receiving selection information;

a generating step of carrying out, at predetermined time intervals longer than a sampling cycle, a musical tone waveform calculation in response to the received performance information, for generating a plurality of musical tone waveform samples for each of a plurality of channels, mixing the generated plurality of musical tone waveform samples for each of the plurality of channels, and storing the mixed plurality of musical tone waveform samples in a memory, wherein said musical tone waveform calculation includes

a characteristic control processing step of controlling a characteristic of the mixed plurality of musical tone waveform samples in a manner selected by said selection information; and

a reproducing step of outputting said plurality of musical tone waveform samples generated by said generating step, sample by sample, every sampling cycle.Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a musical tone-generating method which generates musical tone waveforms by executing a musical tone-generating program by means of a programmable processing unit such as a CPU or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and also relates to a musical tone-generating apparatus which generates musical tone waveforms by executing a musical tone-generating program.

2. Prior Art

In a conventional tone generator or a conventional musical tone-generating program which generates musical tone waveforms, through computation, the sampling frequency, the maximum number of musical tones that can be generated at the same time, and the contents of processing of each musical tone are set beforehand, irrespective of the types of musical tones to be generated and conditions under which other processings such as background processing are executed.

In the conventional tone generator and the musical tone-generating program, however, the following inconveniences have been encountered:

(1) Musical tone-generating operations employed are fixed, and therefore in some cases, processings which are not necessary are executed, and in other cases, essential processings are not executed.

For example, in a tone generator or a musical tone-generating program which can generate musical tones simultaneously through a plurality of tone-generating channels, musical tones are generated through each tone-generating channel independently of those generated through the other channels, and the number of waveform samples to be generated per unit time is constant for all the tone-generating channels. Therefore, although musical tones generated through each channel have different characteristics from those generated through the other channels and have different qualities required according to the kinds of the musical tones, the same number of waveform samples are generated for all the tone-generating channels. As a result, the conventional tone generator or the musical tone-generating program performs wasteful operations for generating musical tones.

For example, to generate musical tones with frequency components over a broad frequency band, i.e. with a high quality, the operation for generating musical tone waveforms has to be carried out at a high sampling frequency (i.e. with a large number of samples), while to generate musical tones with frequency components only in a low frequency band, it suffices to perform the operation for generating musical tone waveforms at a low sampling frequency (i.e. with a small number of samples). Further, some music pieces require a large number of musical tones to be generated but with a low quality when they are performed, and other music pieces require only a small number of musical tones to be generated but with a high quality. Further, a tone-generating channel which generates musical tones for an outstanding part o...

Graphic/tactile musical keyboard and nomographic music notation
2010-03-23 00:00:00
player. The upper row keys produce the notes C鈾?/D鈾? D鈾?/E鈾? F, G, A and B. Adjacent upper row keys are separated by a varying gap with narrower keys in the upper octaves. Selected upper row keys are graphically differentiated, and the same or selected other upper row keys are tactilely differentiated, from the remaining upper row keys. The middle row keys produce the notes C, D, E, F鈾?/G鈾? G鈾?/A鈾?and A.sup. 鈾?/B鈾? A longitudinal centerline of each middle row key is parallel to and laterally offset from the longitudinal centerline of an adjoining upper row key.

The middle row keys have a uniform width approximately equal to the width of any selected one of the upper row keys plus the width of the gap separating the upper row key from an adjacent upper row key. Selected middle row keys are graphically differentiated, and the same or selected other middle row keys are tactilely differentiated from the remaining middle row keys. The longitudinal centerline of each lower row key is aligned with the longitudinal centerline of a corresponding upper row key which produces the same note as the lower row key. The lower row keys have a uniform width equal to the uniform width of the middle row keys. The front ends of all said lower row keys are coplanar. The nomographic music notation system comprises conventional musical notation key signatures, with the addition of nomographic marking of lines and spaces to be played on one row of the keyboard, while leaving lines and spaces to be played on another row of the keyboard unmarked.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a typical embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the three-row whole tone graphic/tactile keyboard of the present invention, showing two octaval groupings below middle C and one octaval grouping octave above middle C, and showing the extended keys corresponding to the conventional black keys, and the narrowed upper row keys of an upper octaval grouping.

FIG. 2 shows an enharmonic note index, aligned with the keys of the keyboard of FIG. 1, written using some of the nomographic notation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows C major, G major and B鈾?major scales written in the treble clef using the nomographic notation of FIG. 2 and also the nomographic symbols included in the key signature in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a preferred, second embodiment of a three-row whole tone graphic/tactile keyboard according to the present invention, showing the major scale index keys darkened, extended and raised upper row F and G keys and middle row C keys, and the darkened and raised lower row F and G keys.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The nomographic music notation system.

The musical instruction system of the present invention includes a graphic system of musical notation including a nomograph which provides the player with a visual indication on the written music of the keyboard location of each note to be played. Although presently applied to a three-row whole tone keyboard, the nomographic system of notation can be readily adapted to other keyboard configurations.

As seen in FIG. 1, a three-row whole tone graphic/tactile keyboard 10 according to the present invention is symmetrical, in that pairs of adjacent keys in each row are always separated by one whole tone, and the intervening half steps are always played on an adjoining row of keys. There are three-rows of keys: an upper row 12 farthest from the player, a middle row 14 at an intermediate distance from the player, and a lower row 16 closest to the player. The upper row 12 contains keys playing the notes C鈾?/D鈾? D鈾?/E鈾? F, G, A and B. The middle row 14 contains keys playing the notes C, D, E, F鈾?/G鈾? G鈾?/A鈾?and A鈾?/B鈾? The lower row 16 contains keys aligned with and playing the same notes as the keys of the upper row 12. The keys are grouped into octaval groupings 18, 18', 18" which include six adjacent middle row keys: C, D, E, F鈾?/G鈾? G鈾?/A鈾?and Aé...

Method and apparatus for teaching musical notation to young children
2010-03-12 00:00:00
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a. Overview

The present invention provides a developmentally appropriate music readiness program which facilitates the instruction of musical notation to young children, by creating a system which employs the second-order symbolization which is a natural part of the child's development. In short, the system of second-order symbolization uses symbols or notations that themselves refer to other symbols, in this case the notes of the musical scale and other music symbols.

In particular, the system of symbolization which is employed by the present invention involves the following steps or stages:

(1) A separate and distinct color is associated with each note of the scale.

(2) Each note is then associated with one of the selected series of objects which is within the realm of the child's experience, on the basis of

(a) the natural color of the object, and

(b) the first letter of the noun name.

The series is preferably selected on the basis of a shared sensory stimulus by which the objects are ordinarily perceived and characterized by the child; i.e., taste, smell, touch, and so forth.

(3) Each inanimate object representing a note of the musical scale is then associated with a cartoon character by

(a) color,

(b) the first letter of the name, and

(c) shape.

Using facial characteristics, name structure and other features, each cartoon character is endowed with distinctive personality traits which distinguish it from the others in the series.

(4) Each cartoon character is provided in a form which the child and/or teacher can manipulate manually so as to encourage educational instruction, storytelling, puppet plays, individual play, and so forth, so that the symbolization is fully realized.

(5) Optionally, each manually operable character may be provided with a device for emitting a tone, sentence or song, in a tone which corresponds to that of the note which the character represents, thereby reinforcing the association with that note and also improving the child's auditory discrimination.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a highly effective system for teaching musical notation to very young children, in a manner which is developmentally appropriate at this stage of their life, using concrete, real world experiences with which the children can understand, rather than the highly abstract concepts which have traditionally been employed in music instruction. In a larger sense, however, the present invention provides a tool which parents and teachers can use to fill an existing gap in the socialization of children, by motivating and stimulating their interest in music from infancy through pre-school and elementary school. The system of the present invention is particularly well adapted to use in conjunction with a "learning center" approach to education, in which there is an activity area having various educational tools which the children can use for self-instruction on a periodic basis.

Furthermore, the present invention lends itself strongly to instruction in "patterning". As is known to those skilled in the relevant art, such instruction is designed to teach children the concept of "patterns", typically using colored beads, unifix cubes, and other objects or structures arranged in repeating color sequences. By relating the patterns to the colored notes and characters which it provides, the present invention permits the teacher to employ musical beats, notes, tones, songs, octaves, and other musical features as both tools and objects of pattern instruction. Still further, the colors, characters, and "dispositions" which are used in the present invention provide vehicles which permit the musical instruction to be related to other curricula, such as social studies, mathematics, reading, physical education, and so on. For example, the characters and system of the present invention can be used by a class to create songs relating to a culture or region which is being studied, based on the timing of an existing song or creating their own (or perhaps using a single chant arrangement with young children), or the related subject may be made a part of the character's dialog or other verbal or visual presentation, as will be described in greater detail below.

b. Exemplary Embodiments

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate a system in accordance with the present invention in which the basis for the primary symbolization is provided by a series of fruit and other relatively compact edible objects which are both familiar to and readily distinguishable by...

Complete transposable notation and keyboard music system for typists
2010-03-10 00:00:00
letters so that the typist could play the music. The invention of ORMAN, however, assumed that "the typist will know the tune sufficiently to hold some notes longer thanothers." (ORMAN at page 3 lines 70-73). WELSCH, a West German Pat. No. 2005955, dated August, 1971, also taught a musical instrument and method of writing the music in letters so that the typist could play the music. The invention of WELSCH, howeverwas at best only slightly better than the ORMAN invention, since it either assumed the typist was familiar with the tune or was limited to tunes made up of only quarter-notes and half-notes by the placement of a horizontal line directly beneath theletter for indicating a quarter-note, and the placement of a horizontal line directly above the letter to indicate a half-note. (WELSCH in FIG. 2).

THOMPSON, U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,800, issued June 28, 1977, taught a two dimensional keyboard whose keys were arranged in perpendicular rows. THOMPSON designed his keyboard so that all standard music literature could be played on his keyboard. While THOMPSON designed his keyboard instrument primarily for one skilled at playing the THOMPSON keyboard and also skilled in reading music and in correlating the music to the keyboard; the only similarity between the THOMPSON keyboard and the presentinvention is that, on both instruments, a musical score can be played in any key, yet the fingering motions remain the same if the musical score were to be played in a different key. A typist would stil have to learn the THOMPSON keyboard, musicnotation, and correlation between the two to become proficient at making music on his keyboard. Additionally, the THOMPSON keyboard, even if geometrically and identifiably converted to a typewriter keyboard layout would become a confusing system ofnotes. At the same time the THOMPSON keyboard would have approximately half the range of notes as the present invention.

SUMMARY

This invention comprises a method of writing music so that a typist can immediately read the music, and on a typewriter keyboard instrument play the music. Together, the method of writing music and the new typewriter instrument comprise amusical instrument system which immediately enables a typist with only a limited knowledge of conventional music notation to pick up a sheet of music and play the score, even if the score was totally foreign to the typist. It will be noticed that anordinary typewriter and most computer and word processor keyboards are not arranged in a perfectly vertical matrix, as is THOMPSON's. Instead because of the normal digital dexterity, from the bottom row to the next higher row on a standard typewriterkeyboard, the keys in the next higher row are displaced one-half key to the left. But from the next to the bottom row of keys, commonly called the home row, to the row above the home row, the keys in the higher row are displaced only about a quarter ofa key to the left. And finally the keys in the top row, commonly called the number row, are displaced a half key to the left of the corresponding key in the row just below the number row. This key arrangement is important because of the normalfingering dexterity, and more importantly, because this is precisely the keyboard that typists in general know automatically. The music wh...

Musical instrument bridge
2010-03-09 00:00:00
fingers 180. The mounting block 160 also includes a plurality of slots 166 in which the fingers 180 are snugly fitted and an outwardly extending lip 168 that mates with a corresponding groove 188 on each finger 180. Again, the slots 166 maintain the separation of the fingers 180 so that the fingers are isolated from one another, thereby decreasing the amount of string intermodulation. The mounting block 160 includes hollowed portions 170 within the slots 166 in order to reduce the weight of the mounting block.

The fingers 180 include base portions 182, head portions 190 and waist portions 200 that extend between the base portions and the head portions. Each base portion includes a pair of threaded holes 184 (only one of which is visible in FIG. 5) that receive the upper threaded ends of the machine screws 145 in order to secure the corresponding finger 180 and mounting block 160 to the plate 140. The groove 188 described above mates with the outwardly extending lip 168 for additional protection against the finger rotating forward when the musical instrument is played.

The head portion 190 of the finger includes a saddle stop 192 having a horizontal hole 194 a screw 222 for securing a saddle 220 to the head portion, as is shown in FIG. 6. The head portion of the finger 180 further includes a pair of slots 196 (FIG. 5) that maintain the alignment of the saddle 220 on the head portion of the finger. The head portion includes a hole 198 through which a string is threaded. An area 199 of the head portion may be hollowed to reduce the weight of the finger, and to adjust the resonant frequency of the finger.

With reference to FIG. 6, a musical string 230 is secured by the head portion of the finger 180 at the proper height above the fretboard of the musical instrument (not shown). The saddle 220 is secured on top of the finger by an adjustment screw 222 that extends through the saddle stop 192.

The finger 180 includes a waist portion 200 that extends between the base portion and the head portion of the finger. The waist portion has a width dimension that extends parallel with the plane of the plate 140 and a height dimension that extends perpendicular to the plane of the plate 140. Preferably, the width dimension is smaller than the height dimension in order to allow the string 230 to vibrate the finger in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the plate 140 but to reduce vibration in a plane perpendicular to the plate 140. This lateral movement reduces distortion that occurs because of the tendency of the string 230 to vibrate in an elliptical path once it is played.

Each of the fingers 100, 180 has a resonant frequency that is related to the pitch of the strings 22, 230 when the musical instrument is played. The resonant frequency can be adjusted by varying the mass of the finger, the width of the waist portion, the effective length of the waist portion and the materials from which the finger, mounting block and plate are made. It has been determined that brass and stainless steel provide the most appropriate materials from which to make the plate, mounting block, and fingers. These materials have been shown to provide the requisite strength and mass required to give the fingers the appropriate resonant frequency. In the currently preferred embodiment of the musical instrument bridge, brass is used for the fingers and the plate because it is less expensive and easier to machine. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials, such as titanium, could be used. For the first two embodiments of the present invention described above, the resonant frequency is determined by the thickness of the finger waist portion. Different fingers have different thicknesses to accommodate strings of different pitches. The different waist thicknesses result in different masses, and also affect the rigidity or flexibility of the interconnection between the string-anchoring head portion and the base portion.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A-6E, a finger 235 includes a base portion 237, a head portion 241, and a waist portion 239 that extends between the base portion and the head portion. The base portion 237 is generally separated from the head portion 241 by a groove 238. The major difference between the finger 235 and the fingers previously described is the way in which the resonant frequency of the finger is modified. Instead of modifying the resonant frequency by varying the width of the waist portion as described above, the resonant frequency of the finger 235 is modified by adding a pair of opposing slots 243 in the waist portion 239, modifying the size of the area 240 removed from the head portion 241 and varying the length of the groove 238. All these changes have the effect of modifying the mass of the finger. In addition, changing the length of groove 238 has the effect of changing the rigidity of the connection of the string-anchoring head portion of the finger to the base portion.

As can be seen in FIG. 6B, the opposing slots 243 extend inward from both sides of the finger, thereby creating an "I beam" within the waist portion 239 with the web of the beam extending vertically. Since an I beam is strongest in the direction of its web, the opposing slots 243 promote lateral movement of the finger while inhibiting vertical movement, thereby contributing to string sustain and reduced distortion of the bass guitar string supported by the finger.

FIGS. 6C-6D are side views of three embodiments of the finger 235 ...

Method for operating a musical instrument
2010-03-08 00:00:00
on the bottom line of the group of two. Other pitches represented by higher keys within the octave are then positioned in spaces and on lines, alternately, until the highest pitch within an octave, represented by the note named "B," is positioned above and immediately adjacent to the top line of the group of three. The wide space between the group of two and the group of three lines allows for the placement of two noteheads, representing the notes named "E" and "F," which on a standard keyboard have no intervening black key.

As noted, each space and line on the new staff of the present invention relates to a white or black key of a keyboard instrument. Therefore, to play music, a musician would depress a white key in response to a notehead visually depicted in a space between two lines of the staff and a black key in response to a notehead visually depicted on one of the lines of the staff.

The standard keyboard instrument is ordinarily operated by a person, such as a musician, who depresses keys according to the correspondence between the noteheads visually depicted on the staff and the keys of the keyboard. Alternatively, the standard keyboard instrument could be operated by an automatic translation of the noteheads visually depicted on the staff into an actuation of the corresponding keys of the standard keyboard. For example, a staff with noteheads could be read by an optical scanner into a microprocessor. The microprocessor could be programmed to compare the position of the noteheads relative to the lines and spaces of the staff, determine the corresponding keys on the keyboard to be depressed and create an output to have the appropriate keys depressed, such as by sending signals to actuate a step motor which depresses the appropriate keys.

As an alternative to using a keyboard instrument to produce the desired musical sound, any other musical instrument could be used. The operator, or musician, would operate the instrument in a manner to produce pitches of sound corresponding with the noteheads represented in spaces and/or lines of the staff. Also, the pitches of sound could be produced using the human voice. For example, a singer could vocalize the pitches of sound corresponding to the noteheads represented in spaces and/or on lines of the staff. A singer could identify the location of noteheads on the staff and responsively produce the corresponding pitches of sound, without the complexity of interpretation required of conventional music notation. As another alternative, an electrical signal could be generated for each of the pitches represented on the staff, with the electrical signals then being converted to sound in a speaker system.

The staff of the present invention contains a position for each pitch within an octave and also provides a logical analog to the standard keyboard. Furthermore, the depiction of the new staff according to the present invention substantially facilitates the visual recording and reading of music using the new staff. At a glance, it is immediately apparent that the new staff is not the conventional staff, and confusion between the new and conventional staffs is avoided. Therefore, it is more likely that musicians accustomed to using the conventional staff will use the new staff, because confusion is minimized.

In another embodiment of the present invention, noteheads are placed on the new staff of the present invention to symbolize recorded music. Conventional noteheads can be used, as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, however, noteheads of a different design than those of conventional noteheads are used, thereby further differentiating the new staff from the old staff, and further minimizing the possibility of confusing the new staff of the present invention with the conventional staff.

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment wherein noteheads different than those conventionally used are placed on the new staff to record musical pitches. FIG. 2 shows an elongated notehead having rounded ends that are positioned to depict each of the twelve pitches within an octave group. Preferably, a plurality of different shaped noteheads are used to assist the musician to quickly identify the pitches to be played. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the noteheads used to record pitches in a space are visually distinctive and individualized relative to those noteheads used to depict pitches recorded on a line. Therefore, a musician will immediately recognize whether the pitch is one corresponding to a white key or to a black key of a standard keyboard instrument. As used herein, placement of a notehead on a line means that the notehead is placed on the line such that the line approximately bisects the notehead, with approximately equal portions lying above and below the line. As used herein, placement of a notehead in a space means that the horizontal centerline of the notehead is placed at approximately the center of the space.

In FIG. 2, the noteheads have basically the same geometric shape, but the noteheads are placed at an angle across the line to depict pitches recorded on lines, which pitches correspond to the pitches of black keys on a standard keyboard instrument. FIG. 3 shows another embodiment using rectangular shaped noteheads to depict...

Stringed musical instrument
2010-02-05 00:00:00
way as to permit some degree of relative angular movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described in detail in the following passages of the specification which refer to the accompanying drawings. The drawings, however, are merely illustrative of how the invention might be put into effect, so that the specific form and arrangement of the various features as shown is not to be understood as limiting on the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a semi diagrammatic top plan view of a violin with parts omitted for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II--II of FIG. 1, and showing one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the connection between the sound post and the bridge as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing in diagrammatic form a variation of the connection between the bridge and the post.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V--V of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the bottom section only of the sound box, and also showing another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines VII--VII of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing still another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and showing still another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII--XII of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 and showing yet another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a view taken along line XIV--XIV of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 12 and showing another method of constructing the sound box of the instrument.

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an instrument made in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS