ELECTRONIC ORGAN WITH PLAYER CONTROLLED MUTED BRASS EFFECTS

• US 3,767,834 A
• Filed: 08/06/1971
• Issued: 10/23/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard Hebeisen, Russel J. Starkey
• Original Assignee: Richard Hebeisen, Russel J. Starkey
• Inventors: Hebeisen, Richard, Starkey, Russel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkinson, Richard B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US05/169,635
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 84/1.01,1.11,1.19,1.24,1.12,1.21,DIG.9
• US Class Current: 84/699
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/02 Means for controlling the tone frequencies, e.g. attack or decay; Means for producing special musical effects, e.g. vibratos or glissandos
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/06 Circuits for establishing the harmonic content of tones , or other arrangements for changing the tone colour
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/18 Selecting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/09 Filtering

Abstract

An electronic organ circuit in which an effect similar to muted brass is created by passing the organ signal through a circuit, the frequency response of which can be varied by a potentiometer connected with the swell pedal of the organ. More specifically, the circuit, when effective, provides somewhat of a muted brass sound and which varies with adjustment of aforementioned potentiometer or the swell pedal of the organ is adjusted. When the circuit is made effective, the main organ volume control is switched from a potentiometer under the control of the swell pedal to another potentiometer which can be adjusted manually. Further, a novel switching arrangement is disclosed utilizing transistors for routing signals.

Claims

1. In an electronic organ having tone generator means, voice formant means for supplying a signal in the form of a band of mixed frequencies and having the characteristics of a '"'"''"'"'brass'"'"''"'"' sound and electroacoustic transducer means arranged in series in the order named, a frequency sensitive signal modifying filter circuit interposed between said voice formant means and said electroacoustic transducer means operable to modify a signal passed therethrough, said filter circuit exhibiting peak conductivity at one frequency and diminishing in conductivity in both directions from said one frequency, selectively operable switch means having a first position in which the signal from said voice formant means bypasses said signal modifying circuit and a second position in which the said signal passes through said signal modifying circuit, said electroacoustic means including amplifying means, a first potentiometer controlling the output of said amplifying means, said signal modifying circuit comprising a player controlled variable resistor operable when adjusted to vary the frequency response of said circuit, a second potentiometer manually adjustable independently of said first potentiometer, said switch means when in said first position connecting said first potentiometer in controlling relation to said amplifying means and when in said second position connecting said second potentiometer in controlling relation to said amplifying means.

2. An electronic organ according to claim 1 which includes first and second electronic gates in series with said first and second potentiometers respectively, said switch means when in said first position making said first gate conductive and said second gate nonconductive and when in said second position making said second gate conductive and said first gate nonconductive.

3. An electronic organ according to claim 2 in which said gates are FET transistors having the source to drain path in series with the respective potentiometer, said switch means controlling the connection of the gate terminals of said transistors to a source of voltage.

4. In an electronic organ having tone generator means, voice formant means for supplying a signal in the form of a band of mixed frequencies and having the characteristics of a '"'"''"'"'brass'"'"''"'"' sound and electroacoustic transducer means arranged in series in the order named, a frequency sensitive signal modifying filter circuit interposed between said voice formant means and said electroacoustic transducer means operable to modify a signal passed therethrough, said filter circuit exhibiting peak conductivity at one frequency and diminishing in conductivity in both directions from said one frequency, selectively operable switch means having a first position in which the signal from said voice formant means byPasses said signal modifying circuit and a second position in which the said signal passes through said signal modifying circuit, said electroacoustic means including amplifying means, a first potentiometer controlling the output of said amplifying means, said signal modifying circuit comprising a player controlled variable resistor operable when adjusted to vary the frequency response of said circuit, a second potentiometer manually adjustable independently of said first potentiometer, said switch means when in said first position connecting said first potentiometer in controlling relation to said amplifying means and when in said second position connecting said second potentiometer in controlling relation to said amplifying means, said switch means including a first electronic gate between said voice formant means and said electroacoustic transducer means and a second electronic gate between said voice formant means and said signal modifying circuit, said switch means in said first position making said first gate conductive and said second gate nonconductive and in said second position making said second gate conductive and said first gate nonconductive.

5. An electronic organ according to claim 4 in which said gates are FET transistors having gate terminals and said switch means controls the connection of said gate terminals to a source of voltage.

6. In an electronic organ having tone generator means, voice formant means for supplying a signal in the form of a band of mixed frequencies and having the characteristics of a '"'"''"'"'brass'"'"''"'"' sound and electroacoustic transducer means arranged in series in the order named, a frequency sensitive signal modifying filter circuit interposed between said voice formant means and said electroacoustic transducer means operable to modify a signal passed therethrough, said filter circuit exhibiting peak conductivity at one frequency and diminishing in conductivity in both directions from said one frequency, selectively operable switch means having a first position in which the signal from said voice formant means bypasses said signal modifying circuit and a second position in which the said signal passes through said signal modifying circuit, said electroacoustic means including amplifying means, a first potentiometer controlling the output of said amplifying means, said signal modifying circuit comprising a player controlled variable resistor operable when adjusted to vary the frequency response of said circuit, a second potentiometer manually adjustable independently of said first potentiometer, said switch means when in said first position connecting said first potentiometer in controlling relation to said amplifying means and when in said second position connecting said second potentiometer in controlling relation to said amplifying means, said signal modifying circuit comprising an input amplifier having an input side connected to receive signals to be modified and also having an output side, an output amplifier having an output side which supplies the modified signals and also having an input side, a connection leading from the output side of said input amplifier to the input side of the output amplifier, frequency sensitive impedance means connected between said connection and ground, and control means for varying the frequency response of said impedance means.

7. An electronic organ according to claim 6 in which said impedance means comprises serially arranged capacitive and inductive impedances, and said control means comprises means for varying the effective value of at least one of said impedances.

8. An electronic organ according to claim 6 in which said impedance means comprises a first capacitor and a coil in series, a second capacitor connected on one side to said impedance means, and said control means comprises means for varying the voltage level on the other side of said second capacitor.

9. An electronic organ according to claim 8 in which said control means includes first means connected to receive a sIgnal from the output side of said input amplifier, and second means to convert said signal into a voltage at said other side of said second capacitor.

10. An electronic organ according to claim 9 in which said second means comprises a transistor having a point on the collector-emitter path connected to said other side of said second capacitor, said first means comprising a connection leading from the output side of said input amplifier to the base of said transistor.

11. An electronic organ according to claim 10 which includes a variable resistor in the connection leading to the base of said transistor.