JPS648351B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing changes in tone and tone and related effects in musical instruments and the like, and in particular to a method and apparatus for producing changes in tone and tone and related effects in musical instruments and the like, and in particular to The sound produced by lowering is changed by longitudinal backward and forward movement in the plane of the key (fingering), thereby producing a sustained change in tone (pitch) (a "bent" sound,
It is intended to be a keyboard instrument that allows for tuning intervals, glissando, sliding pitches, etc.) and other various variations.

The keyboard instrument of the present invention is capable of producing vibrato by horizontally vibrating a block of keys, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,853,630 and U.S. Pat. It also includes the instrument where the effect is generated. Additionally, U.S. Patent No. 2871745
monomelody instruments in which the glissando effect is generated between the intervals of the tone, as described in US Pat. No. 3,652,774; A musical instrument is provided in which tone control is provided, in which an additional second force can be applied to the key to control the note after the initial note has been generated. In other words, the stronger this force, the greater the change in tone. Another technique, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,447, is a musical instrument in which tone control (i.e., volume control, vibrato effect) is performed by pressing the key downward by vibrating the key laterally. It is obtained by The tension in the strings that produces the sound is also determined by U.S. Patent No.
3763735, by means of a foot pedal. However, such conventional approaches do not allow for simple and easy individual control of the sound produced by each key, or the degree of flexibility available from such configurations.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for providing a musical instrument keyboard, controlled tone, tone changes, etc., which does not have the above-mentioned limitations and which facilitates the control of individual keys. is one purpose of this invention.

Another object of the invention is to produce cadences, tonal changes and other related effects, such as "bent" tones, pacing intervals, It is an object of the present invention to provide a new stringed or similar instrument having a keyboard that allows sliding pitches, glissando, etc. Such backward and forward movements are clearly advantageous compared to the conventional horizontal lateral movements mentioned above, as such movements are easily adapted to the simple work of the bones and muscles of the human hand and are key This is because the keys are within the movement plane of the finger pressing down, and each key can be moved independently and freely. The advantage of longitudinally moving the key mechanism backwards and forwards, which is directly related to tone changes, is that each independent key mechanism slides the tone intonation higher or lower depending on the backward or forward movement of the key. It is possible. The ability to change the tone higher or lower is an advantage over conventional ones, such as the double-touch key mechanism described above, since it allows movement in only one direction from the initial tone generation position. .

In summary, the present invention includes a method for effecting a tonal change in the sound produced by pressing downwardly on a key mechanism in musical instruments and the like, each of which causes a longitudinally extending key mechanism to mounted for independent longitudinal movement rearwardly and forwardly in a plane; said rearward and forward movements being limited within predetermined limits; and said rearward and forward key mechanism of said downwardly depressed key mechanism in response to movement, corresponding changes in tone and tone, and related effects, generated separately and differently for each independent key mechanism according to the extent of its backward and forward movement; Consists of generating.

Other and further objects are described below and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a frame 1 of a key mechanism for a stringed instrument supports a plurality of flat longitudinally extending keys 2, which can be pressed down by hand to
As is well known, when the string 19 is struck, sound is generated. That is, when the key 2 is pressed down, the lever 201 is moved upward, and the string 19 moves upward as well, colliding with the bridge 28 and vibrating. Then, sound is generated by making this vibration itself audible or by converting the vibration into an electrical signal using a transducer 31 or the like. Said key 2
The playing surface is preferably provided with transverse ridges 3, or surface undulations, or other roughening or friction devices, such as textile coatings or the like, so that the key can be played in the longitudinal direction substantially without slipping in its plane. It allows for backward and forward movement while allowing the player's fingers to move laterally across the surface of the key without difficulty. The keys 2 are arranged in two groups, the first group 2 in Figure 2B.
The playing surface of a extends further outward from the outer end of the instrument,
Where the keys of the other group 2b pass below the playing surface, internal recesses are formed or narrowed. The protruding internal keys of the other group 2b are moved further laterally relative to the keys of the first group 2a and in a plane parallel to the playing surfaces of both groups and without the keys of the two groups touching. It is possible to move the entire keyboard without creating gaps that would hinder the player when playing.

In particular in Figures 1 and 2A, each key 2 is guided forward by a pin 4, which is in sliding contact inside a slot 5, the longitudinal axis of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the key. A bearing 6 is mounted on the top of the key 2 in its central pivot area and on its underside is provided with a cylindrical bearing surface 7, which receives the upper end of a vertical pin 8 received in the longitudinal notch 9 of the key 2. An opening is formed. The slot 9 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the key 2 allows the pin 8 to rotate to some extent about the axis of the cylinder 7, and the pin 8 prevents the key 2 from axial rotation and lateral movement. The pin 8 is fixed at its lower end to a bearing surface 10, which rests on a rail 11 extending transversely to and below the key 2. A plate 12 is provided between the lower side of the key 2 and the rail 11, and has a slot formed in the longitudinal direction to accommodate the lower part of the pin 8,
Spring 13 connects plate 12 and bearing surface 1
It is placed between 0 and 0. A disc 14 fixed to the bearing surface 10 and a cutout 15 on the underside of the plate 12
maintains alignment of spring 13. rail 11
Lateral movement of the bearing surface 10 along is prevented by the adjacent bearing surface 10 of the adjacent key mechanism (not shown) and by blocks at both ends of the rail 11.

By applying a force having a component in the longitudinal direction of the key 2, the pin 8 is rotated backwards or forwards due to the resulting backward or forward sliding of the key.
Swings around the rear or front rail 11 and locks the key 2
is moved longitudinally under the control of front pin 4 in slot 5 and pivot pin 8 in slot 9. The key can thus be moved longitudinally backwards and forwards substantially in its plane from a central, null or rest position. The bearing surface 10 provides a controlled counterforce against such movement, and the predetermined limits for rearward and forward movement are determined by the pin 4 in the front slot 5. In order to change the predetermined travel limits, the pin 4 is provided with an adjustment device.

A rubber or similar pad 16 is secured to the upper rear portion of the key 2 (FIG. 1). When the key 2 is pressed down, the pad 16 contacts the tensioning lever 201, which is driven upward until it contacts the horizontal rail 18, which is covered with sound and shock damping material and which is It is fixed to frame 1. A sound-generating string 19 is intermediately looped around two pulley pieces 20 mounted near the top of a tensioning lever 201, between which the key 2 is moved longitudinally backwards or forwards by a finger. At this time, the tension lever 201 is clamped so that the tension of the string 19 is decreased and increased by moving the lower end of the tension lever 201 backward and forward. The rotational force on the tensioning lever 201 caused by the difference in the origin for the tensioning lever of the force vectors caused by the tension on the part of the string 19 in front and behind the lever is free in parallel to the longitudinal axis of said key 2. Tension lever 201 in a rotatable state
It is balanced by a tension spring 21 fixed to the lower end of. The tension spring 21 is fixed at its front end to an adjustment collar 22, which is connected to a tuning plank device 24 fixed at its end to the frame 1.
It is screwed into an adjustment bolt 23 attached to the. The string 19 is fixed at its front end to a tuning pin 25 and passes over a transverse nut bar 26 and below a bar 27 whose height is adjustable.

When the tensioning lever 201 is driven upwards by pressing down on the key 2, the string 19 comes into contact or collides with some part of the bridge 28, for example its leading edge, shortly before contacting the rail 18. The part of the string 19 between the rear hook pin 29 fixed to the frame 1 and the bridge 28 is then vibrated by the sudden impact against the bridge 28.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, this vibration is converted by the transducer 31 into an electrical signal and further into an electronic sound, thereby becoming a sound. Note that the transducer 31 does not come into contact with the string 19, but converts the vibration of the string 19 in its vicinity into an electrical signal.

Thus, when the key 2 is moved longitudinally backwards and forwards following a depression, the tension lever 201 changes the tension on the string 19 and changes its acoustic tone (pitch). In particular, the spring clip 32 shown in FIG.
The length of the string 19 can be varied depending on the requirements for a given tension change. When the key 2 is released, the tensioning lever 201 lowers the tension in the string 19, returning it to an equilibrium value and damping the vibrations by the damping strip 34 (FIG. 1).

Briefly regarding damping strip 34, it intersects and is connected to a number of strings 19. Further, the position is closer to the lever 201 than the area where the string 19 vibrates, that is, the position where the string 19 collides with the bridge 28. While the key 2 is pressed and the string 19 vibrates between the point of collision with the bridge 28 and the pin 29, the damping strip 34 does not perform any damping action. But key 2
When the lever 201 is released and the lever 201 moves downward, the damping strip 34 damps the vibrations of the string 19 by transmitting them to the other strings and by absorbing the vibrations itself. It's becoming like that. Note that even though the vibrations are transmitted to other strings 19, they are not converted into electronic sounds by the transducer 31. This is because, although the transducer 31 converts the vibrations of the strings in its vicinity, the strings are located apart from the transducer due to the lower position of the lever 201, and the strings are not transmitted. This is because the vibrations that occur are also weak.

FIG. 5 exemplarily shows some relationships between the distance that the key moves longitudinally and the return force that opposes such movement. In the graph (m),
A linear relationship between the return force F in the direction away from and towards the player is shown as a function of the longitudinal displacement D. Of course, by appropriate adjustment and configuration of the mechanism, other relationships can be introduced to produce the desired tonal "bending", sliding tone, glissando, and similar effects. As another example, graph (n) in FIG. The rate of increase in height changes gradually on both sides. In the graph (n ₁ ) of the modified nonlinear relationship in Figure 5, the rate of increase in the return force has three transitions, two on either side of the zero position, forming a gradual intermediate return force-displacement slope. has been done.

FIG. 6 exemplarily shows some relationships between the distance D that the key travels longitudinally and the corresponding change in acoustic tone or other controlled variable. graph
In (j), the tone P or similar controlled variable varies linearly with the longitudinal movement of the key and the graph
In (l), the tone changes non-linearly with the per unit variation of the longitudinal movement D of the key, with a minimum immediately adjacent to the rest position of the key. On the other hand, in the graph (l ₁ ) similar regions of minimum change occur symmetrically on both sides of the zero immediate rest position. Other variables will obviously be readily envisioned by those skilled in the art.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a string, such as string 19, is mounted between pins 25 and 29 and associated elements 26, 27, etc., and a tension lever 201 and tension variation mechanism are provided above key 2. , in the modified example of FIG. 3, the longitudinal sliding control device 4 to
5, 7 to 8, etc. are arranged below the key 2. Additionally, in both embodiments, the strings may be audibly amplified and monitored by a suitable soundboard. Additionally (or instead of this), a transducer 31 attached to an electrically insulated pad 30 may also be used.
The vibration of the string 19 in the vicinity may be converted into a corresponding electric signal and reproduced as an electronic sound.

A further modified device, particularly suitable for electronic sound generation, is shown in FIG. 4, in which the key 2 is provided with a longitudinal forward guide pin and slot structure 4-5 at the top, but pivots rearwardly at 35. (Pivot) Possible. The sound-generating vibration device and the like are not shown, and the figure only shows the part that senses the depression of the key that activates the sound-generating device and also senses the longitudinal movement for fluctuations.

A C-shaped flat spring 36 is inserted between the frame 1 and the key 2, providing an upward restoring force to the key and allowing the key to run freely longitudinally backwards and forwards, and Springs 37 and 38 are inserted between the pivot joint 35 and the frame 1 and between the lower plate extending from the underside of the key 2 and the lower arm of the spring 36, respectively.

When the key 2 is depressed, the spring 38 contacts a resilient key contact 39 and a pressure sensitive resistive block 40, such as of carbon, piezoelectric or similar material. When the key is pressed down and then moved longitudinally backwards and forwards, the springs 36, 37
and 38 absorb this movement, and force sensitive resistive elements 4 placed on each side of the grounded spring 37
1 and monitor the difference in the swing of the spring 37. When the key 2 is released, its upward movement is limited by a clip 42 which engages a frame projection 43 in front of the front end of the key. of course,
Other well-known forms of pressure sensitive elements may also be utilized.

Further modifications may be made by those skilled in the art and are considered to be within the scope of this invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional perspective view of a key mechanism for a stringed instrument according to the present invention, FIG. 2A is an enlarged partially sectional perspective view of a portion of FIG. 1 showing the key centering and positioning mechanism, and FIG. 2B is a rear and FIG. 2C is an exploded plan view of the string tensioning device; FIG. 3 is a first view of the modified key mechanism of the keyboard-string instrument of the present invention; FIG. A similar partially sectional perspective view, FIG. 4 is a partially sectional side elevational view of an embodiment applied to an electronic key mechanism, and FIGS. 5a to 5c.
6a to 6c are graphs showing the relationship between the key travel distance and tone fluctuation, and the relationship between the key travel distance and the force applied to the key, in the present invention. 2...key, 4,5...movement limiting device, 6,7,
8, 9...centering and positioning device, 2
01... Pitch change generator.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A method of changing the tone of the sound generated by colliding longitudinally extending flat performance key mechanisms that are pressed down on an instrument, the method comprising pressing the key mechanisms individually. lowering, each of said key mechanisms being individually free to move longitudinally rearward and forward substantially in the plane of said key, limiting said rearward and forward movement to within predetermined limits, and said downwardly depressed key; In response to said backward and forward movement of the mechanism, a corresponding tone and tone change and associated effects are produced, said tone change being responsive to said backward and forward movement of said key mechanism. A method that causes different occurrences for each mechanism. 2. A flat, longitudinally extending key which is adapted to be depressed by hand in order to produce a sound, coupled to each said key and capable of downward depression of said key, substantially within the plane of said key. a centering and positioning device for a key allowing independent longitudinal rearward and forward movement at a position, said device comprising a limiting device for limiting said rearward and forward movement within predetermined limits; and coupled to said positioning device; and in response to said backward and forward movement of said individual keys, produce controlled tone and tone changes and associated effects produced by depressing said respective keys. A musical instrument that has a device that independently changes the sound. 3. According to claim 2, wherein the musical instrument is a stringed instrument, the device for enabling the downward pressing generates a string sound, and the tone change generating device comprises a device for changing the tension of the string. Instruments listed. 4. The musical instrument is an electronic musical instrument, the device that enables the downward depression generates an electronic sound, the tone change generating device is a transducer device, and the transducer device is connected to the key mechanism. 3. A musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the musical instrument is coupled and adapted to respond to changes in its longitudinal position. 5. The musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the centering and positioning device is provided with an element that applies a return force to each key to return the key to a predetermined travel limit and an intermediate position therebetween. . 6. A musical instrument according to claim 5, wherein said element produces a non-linear restoring force. 7. A musical instrument according to claim 6, wherein the return force has a maximum rate of increase at a position adjacent to the position where the force is zero. 8. A musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the key is provided with a device for restricting its lateral movement. 9. The keys are divided into two groups, the playing surfaces of one group extend beyond the playing surfaces of the other group, and the playing surfaces of the other group protrude from the one group, and both groups 3. A musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein each key is independently movable longitudinally in its plane.