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Automatic control apparatus for chords and sequences

  • US 4,292,874 A
  • Filed: 05/18/1979
  • Issued: 10/06/1981
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1979
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In an electronic musical instrument, an automatic rhythm generating device for generating selectable rhythm patterns of musical tones comprising:

  • an array of playing keys;

    a plurality of rhythm switches for selecting rhythm patterns of tones, each rhythm switch in said plurality of rhythm switches corresponding to a rhythm pattern of tones and being operable to select the corresponding rhythm pattern;

    rhythm counter means for providing timing signals to control the timing of the beats of the rhythm patterns generated by the automatic rhythm generating device;

    memory storage means in which is stored binary data for each beat of each rhythm pattern, said binary data for each beat including trigger signal data indicating whether a trigger signal is required by each rhythm pattern and frequency deviation data indicating the value of the frequency deviation for the tone specified by each selectable rhythm pattern;

    logic control circuit means responsive to the timing signals from said rhythm counter means for selecting said trigger signal data from said memory storage means in accordance with a rhythm pattern selected by operation of a rhythm switch in said plurality of rhythm switches and for providing a trigger signal during the depression of a playing key during each beat on which a tone is specified by a selected rhythm pattern, and for selecting from said memory storage means in accordance with a selected rhythm pattern the frequency deviation data corresponding to each beat on which a tone is specified by a selected rhythm pattern;

    programmable signal generator means responsive to the actuation of a playing key in said array of playing keys and to said frequency deviation data selected by said logic control circuit means for generating a tone signal of a frequency related to the frequency of the actuated playing key by the frequency deviation value selected by said logic control circuit means for a selected rhythm pattern;

    gating means for receiving said tone signal from said programmable signal generator means and for receiving said trigger signal from said logic control circuit means, said gating means passing said tone signal in response to the receipt of said trigger signal; and

    audio output means for receiving said tone signal passed by said gating means, said audio output means converting said tone signal into an audible tone.

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