Musical tone control apparatus employing palmar member

• US 5,151,553 A
• Filed: 11/15/1989
• Issued: 09/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hideo, Sakama, Masao, Obata, Masahiko, Masubuchi, Takamichi, Matsushima, Shunichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US07/437,850
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 84/600, 84/644, 84/647, 84/670, 84/671, 84/718, 84/723, 84/735, 84/626, 84/662, 84/701, 84/743, 84/DIG. 7, 84/DIG. 8, 446/26, 446/615, 446/622, 446/653, 446/659, 341/20
• US Class Current: 84/600
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0558 using variable resistors
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/326 Control glove or other hand or palm-attached control device
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/07 Electric key switch structure

Abstract

A musical-tone-control apparatus having digit members worn along the fingers and contracting and expanding in the longitudinal directions of the digit members in response to the bending and straightening of the fingers. The bending of the digit members is detected by detectors coupled to the digit members and the generation of musical tones is controlled on the basis of the detected signal, i.e. the bending of the fingers. The contraction and expansion of the digit members facilitates the bending and straightening of the fingers. The digit members can also rotate in a plane of the hand to further facilitate the movement of the fingers. The digit members are made to bend about the axes positioned on the third joint of the fingers or the second joint of the thumb (the joint just below the root of the fingers or the thumb), which makes the bending of the digit much easier. A palmar member that supports the digit members are curved to conform the shape of the palm, which makes the bending of the fingers easier as well as preventing the displacement of the palm member.

Claims

1. A musical-tone-control apparatus comprising:

a palmar member worn on the palm of a performer;

one or more digit members, each of which is rotatably connected to the upper edge of said palmar member, an worn along the finger of th performer; and

one or more measuring means for measuring the angle of flexion of corresponding digit members relative to said palmar member and producing a musical-tone-control signal based on the measurement,

wherein each of said digit members is separated into two segments which are interconnected so as to contract or expand the digit member in the longitudinal direction of said digit member in response to the bending or straightening of the finger.

2. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said digit members are five or less.

3. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second palmar member, second digit members, and second detecting means incorporated into a second glove and wherein said gloves are worn on a performer'"'"'s hands.

4. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said digit members are five or less.

5. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising musical-tone-generating means having musical-tone-control-signal-generating means for generating tone-control signals in response to the measurement of said measuring means, a musical-tone-signal-generating circuit for generating musical-tone signals in response to the tone-control signals, and a sound system for producing musical sound in response to the musical-tone signals.

6. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said musical-tone-generating means is worn on a performer'"'"'s body.

7. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said measuring means is connected to a wireless transmitting means for transmitting the outputs of said detecting means, and said musical-tone-control apparatus is further provided with wireless receiving means for receiving the output of said wireless transmitting means, said musical-tone-generating means is placed near the performer.

8. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outputs of said measuring means are used to control tone pitches, tone colors and tone volumes of the generated tones.

9. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outputs of said measuring means are used to control the octave of the generated tones, and to produce sound effects and to control the magnitude of the effects.

10. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said measuring means detects the movement of said digit members in a plane in which the digit members lie as well as the rotation of said digit members in a plane perpendicular to the palm.

13. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outputs of said measuring means are used to control the octave of the generated tones.

14. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outputs of said measuring means are used to produce sound effects and to control the magnitude of the effects.

11. A musical-tone-control apparatus comprising:

a palmar member worn on the palm of a performer;

one or more rotary members, each of which is rotatably connected to the upper edge of said palmar member, wherein said each rotary member is provided so as to rotate in a first plane substantially perpendicular to the palm of the hand;

one or more digit members each of which is rotatably connected to the upper portion of a corresponding one of said rotary members, and worn along the finger of the performer, wherein each said digit member is provided as to rotate in a second plane substantially perpendicular to said first plane; and

one or more measuring means for measuring the angle of flexion of a corresponding one of said rotary members relative to said palmar member and producing a musical-tone-control signal varying in relation tot he angle.

12. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of said measuring means is incorporated into the connecting portion of said palmar member and each of said rotary members.

15. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of said rotary members is provided on the joint at the root of each finger.

16. A musical-tone-control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said palmar member is curved so as to conform to the shape of the palm.