Electronic musical instrument with vibration feedback

• US 5,054,361 A
• Filed: 10/19/1989
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Usa, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Application Number:
  US07/423,971
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 84/662, 84/670, 84/701, 84/718, 84/737, 84/743, 80/DIG. 10
• US Class Current: 84/737
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/26 using electric feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/10 Feedback

Abstract

A vibrator for vibrating an electronic musical instrument in accordance to the generated tone being produced. In this manner, a player of the electrical musical instrument will have the sensation of playing a conventional musical instrument due to the feedback of vibrational energy into the input device of the electronic musical instrument.

Claims

1. An electronic musical instrument having vibrational feedback to the performer, comprising:

input means, adapted to be contacted by the performer, for providing data relating to musical tones to be produced in response to actions of the performer;

sound source means for generating musical tone signals based on data received from the input means; and

vibrator means for vibrating the electronic musical instrument in response to the musical tone signals and separate from any generation of sounds in response to the musical tone signals, thereby to impart vibration to the input means and provide vibrational feedback to the performer.

2. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said electronic musical instrument comprises an electronic piano and the input means comprises a keyboard.

3. The electronic musical instrument of claim 2, wherein a single-piece metallic vibrating plate is provided and a driver, which causes the vibration, is provided at the left and right sides of said metallic plate.

4. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the whole lower part of said keyboard is divided into several zones, in each of which a vibrating plate is located and a driver for vibrating said vibrating plate is provided.

5. The electronic musical instrument of claim 1, wherein said vibrator means comprises a digital sound source or an analog sound source driven according to a playing signal and a driver for vibrating said vibrator means.

6. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 5, wherein said digital sound source or said analog sound source comprises a sound source which outputs stereo signals.

7. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said electronic musical instrument comprises a guitar type controller.

8. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said electronic musical instrument comprises a wind controller.

9. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the vibrator means includes at least one vibrating plate located beneath the keyboard, such that a key of the keyboard will contact a vibrating plate when the key is depressed.

10. An electronic musical instrument, comprising:

input means, adapted to be contacted by a performer, for providing data relating to musical tones to be produced in response to actions of the performer;

sound source means for receiving said data and outputting a musical tone signal;

first drive means for receiving the musical tone signal;

second drive means for receiving the musical tone signal;

speaker means coupled to the first drive means for generating musical sounds in response to musical tone signals from the first drive means; and

vibration means, coupled to the second drive means, for contacting the input means and for vibrating the input means independent of the speaker means.