Electronic string instrument with bend detector

• US 4,676,134 A
• Filed: 05/13/1986
• Issued: 06/30/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mesur-Matic Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mesur-Matic Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Newell, Harold R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US06/862,736
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 84/1.04, 84/1.06-1.16, 84/1.19, 84/1.24-1.27, 84/DIG. 9
• US Class Current: 84/673
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/225 Portamento, i.e. smooth continuously variable pitch-bend, without emphasis of each chromatic pitch during the pitch change, which only stops at the end of the pitch shift, as obtained, e.g. by a MIDI pitch wheel or trombone
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/521 Hall effect transducers or similar magnetic field sensing semiconductor devices, e.g. for string vibration sensing or key movement sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/18 using a string, e.g. electric guitar mechanical features G10D1/085

Abstract

An electronic musical instrument of the stringed type wherein bending of a string results in a change in a parameter of the sound produced. At the bridge of the instrument, each string is connected with a leaf spring which is moved towards the nut end of the instrument when the string is bent. Each leaf spring is connected with a Hall effect device, and the spacing between it and a permanent magnet is changed when the spring moves, thus causing a variation in the output of the Hall effect device, which variation alters a parameter of the audio output produced by a tone generator means.

Claims

1. An electronic musical instrument of the stringed type, wherein sounds are produced by the performer by interacting with the strings of the instrument, and wherein bending of a string causes an alteration of a parameter of the sound produced, comprising,

an instrument having a plurality of strings,

tone generator means responsive to said performerstring interaction for producing an audio output,

a Hall effect device, which outputs an electrical signal,

a permanent magnet disposed in spaced relation to the Hall effect device,

means responsive to the bending of a string for causing an alteration in the spacing between said Hall effect device and said permanent magnet for causing a variation in the electrical signal outputted by the Hall effect device, and

means responsive to said variation in electrical signal for causing a change in a parameter of said audio output which is produced by said tone generator means.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said tone generator means includes an audio oscillator and wherein the parameter of said audio output which is changed by the bending of the string is pitch.

3. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said tone generator means includes a filter and wherein the parameter of said audio output which is changed by the bending of the string is timbre.

4. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said tone generator means includes an amplifier and wherein the parameter of the audio output which is changed by the bending of a string is loudness.

5. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the strings are disposed between a nut end of the instrument and a bridge, and wherein said means responsive to the bending of a string for causing an alteration in the spacing between said Hall effect device and said magnet includes spring means located near said bridge and arranged to be moved towards the nut end of the instrument when said string is bent.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein said Hall effect device is attached to said spring means.

7. The instrument of claim 6 wherein said spring means comprises a leaf spring.

8. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal outputted by said Hall effect device is a voltage which is fed to one input of a differential amplifier, said voltage having an initial voltage value when the string is unbent and further including supply means for generating a balancing voltage having a value equal to said initial voltage value, which balancing voltage is fed to the other input of said differential amplifier, and wherein the output of said differential amplifier is fed to a voltage control input of said tone generator means.