Acoustic-electronic music machine

• US 10,068,560 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Katherine Quittner
• Original Assignee: Katherine Quittner
• Inventors: Quittner, Katherine
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Marlon
• Application Number:
  US15/629,652
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 1/00 General design of stringed musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 3/00 Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 5/00 Supports for musical instruments cellopins or components therefor G10D3/01
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/32 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/031 File merging MIDI, i.e. merging or mixing a MIDI-like file or stream with a non-MIDI file or stream, e.g. audio or video
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/146 using a membrane, e.g. a drum; Pick-up means for vibrating surfaces, e.g. housing of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/185 in which the tones are picked up through the bridge structure
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/186 Means for processing the signal picked up from the strings filtering G10H1/12

Abstract

A mini-music machine includes: a platform; a plurality of arcos disposed around a perimeter of the platform, the plurality of arcos disposed in a substantially vertical orientation; a central mast disposed substantially at a center of the platform; and a serpentine figure disposed around the central mast, wherein each of the plurality of arcos is strung with a musical instrument string, and wherein each musical instrument string is tuned to produce a musical tone when caused to vibrate.

Claims

1. A mini-music machine, comprising:

a platform;

a plurality of arcos disposed around a perimeter of the platform, the plurality of arcos disposed in a substantially vertical orientation;

a central mast disposed substantially at a center of the platform; and

a serpentine figure disposed around the central mast,

wherein each of the plurality of arcos is strung with a musical instrument string, and

wherein each musical instrument string is tuned to produce a musical tone when caused to vibrate.

2. The mini-music machine of claim 1, wherein the platform comprises two removably attached sub-platforms.

3. The mini-music machine of claim 1, wherein the central mast is configured to support a plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers.

4. The mini-music machine of claim 3, wherein the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers is disposed vertically along the central mast, each of the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers disposed in spaces formed between coils of the serpentine figure.

5. The mini-music machine of claim 4, wherein portions of the coils of the serpentine figure are configured to form a plurality of shelves, and

each of the plurality of shelves is configured to support a Tibetan bowl.

6. The mini-music machine of claim 1, wherein each of the arcos is removably attached around the perimeter of the platform.

7. The mini-music machine of claim 1, wherein the musical tone produced by each arco is captured by an audio transducer in contact with a bridge which the musical instrument string is drawn against.

8. An apparatus for performing musical compositions, the apparatus comprising:

a computer;

a plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers disposed vertically on a central mast;

a wireless interface configured to provide communication between the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers and the computer configured to control the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers;

a plurality of acoustic musical instruments disposed around a perimeter of a platform;

wherein the platform provides a surface for a user to stand and move around between the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers and the plurality of acoustic musical instruments disposed around the perimeter of the platform.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of acoustic musical instruments disposed around the perimeter of the platform comprises a plurality arcos each having a bow-shaped portion and a musical instrument string strung across the bow-shaped portion, each musical instrument string tuned to produce a musical tone when caused to vibrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of acoustic musical instruments disposed around the perimeter of the platform are reconfigurable to different positions around the perimeter of the platform.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a serpentine figure disposed around the central mast substantially at a center portion of the platform, wherein each of the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers is disposed in spaces formed between coils of the serpentine figure, and

wherein a space is formed between the serpentine figure and the plurality of acoustic musical instruments disposed around the perimeter of the platform for the user to access and operate the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers and the plurality of acoustic musical instruments.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein portions of the coils of the serpentine figure are configured to form a plurality of shelves, and

each of the plurality of shelves is configured to support one of a plurality of Tibetan bowls.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of audio transducers disposed in proximity to the plurality of acoustic musical instruments disposed around the perimeter of the platform and each of the plurality of Tibetan bowls to capture sounds produced by the plurality of acoustic musical instruments and each of the plurality of Tibetan bowls.

14. A mini-acoustic-electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a plurality of arcos each having a bow-shaped portion and a musical instrument string strung across the bow-shaped portion, each musical instrument string tuned to produce a musical tone when caused to vibrate;

a plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers wirelessly coupled to a computer;

an audio interface unit communicatively coupling the computer to sound processing equipment;

a plurality of audio transducers configured to capture musical tones produced the plurality of arcos; and

an audio mixer unit configured to input audio signals from the plurality of electronic musical instruments, the sound processing equipment, and the audio transducers, adjust the audio signals, and output the audio signals to sound reproduction equipment.

15. The mini-acoustic-electronic musical instrument of claim 14, wherein the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers and the sound processing equipment are disposed on a platform and the plurality of arcos are disposed around a perimeter of the platform, and

wherein the audio mixer unit is disposed remotely from the platform.

16. The mini-acoustic-electronic musical instrument of claim 15, wherein the platform comprises two removably attached sub-platforms.

17. The mini-acoustic-electronic musical instrument of claim 15, wherein the arcos are removably attached around the perimeter of the platform are reconfigurable to different positions around the perimeter of the platform.

18. The mini-acoustic-electronic musical instrument of claim 15, further comprising a central mast assembly disposed substantially at a center of the platform,

wherein the central mast assembly comprises a central mast and a serpentine figure disposed around the central mast.

19. The mini-acoustic-electronic musical instrument of claim 18, wherein the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers is disposed vertically along the central mast, each of the plurality of MIDI keyboard controllers disposed in spaces formed between coils of the serpentine figure.

20. The mini-acoustic-electronic musical instrument of claim 19, wherein portions of the coils of the serpentine figure are configured to form a plurality of shelves, and

each of the plurality of shelves is configured to support a Tibetan bowl.