Duet-sound generating method for an electronic musical instrument

• US 5,166,465 A
• Filed: 10/20/1989
• Issued: 11/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Young-Man, Jeon, Ik-Bom
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US07/424,814
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 84/601, 84/602, 84/613, 84/662, 84/664, 84/682, 84/701, 84/708, 84/637, 84/650, 84/669, 84/715, 84/DIG. 9, 84/DIG. 22
• US Class Current: 84/669
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/36 Accompaniment arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/261 Duet, i.e. automatic generation of a second voice, descant or counter melody, e.g. of a second harmonically interdependent voice by a single voice harmonizer or automatic composition algorithm, e.g. for fugue, canon or round composition, which may be substantially independent in contour and rhythm
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 7/002 using a common processing for different operations or calculations, and a set of microinstructions (programme) to control the sequence thereof

Abstract

There is disclosed a method of a dual filter duet-sound generating method, by allowing an electronic musical instrument with duet-note capability to simultaneously output a harmonious chord in an instrument voice different from that of the depressed melody keyboard note, each duet note being respectively output in different instrument'"'"'s voice. The electronic musical instrument for carrying out the invention includes: a microputer 11 for control, a sound-generator IC 21 for generating a duet-sound, a plurality of instrument voice filters, a plurality of buffers connected between the sound-generator and the instrument voice filters, a plurality of inventers for control, a plurality of switches at the user interface, a musical keyboard, amplifiers, and a speaker to produce musical sounds.

Claims

1. A dual filter duet-sound generating method for an electronic musical instrument, said method comprising:

a first step for enabling a plurality of filters in response to a filter control signal applied from a microcomputer;

a second step for forming a signal path for applying said duel filter duet sound, to said plurality of filters and checking if a melody keyboard note, of a sound corresponding to a root note of a chord presently being generated, is being played;

a third step for, if said melody keyboard note in said second step does not correspond to said root note, then generating a signal corresponding to both said melody keyboard note and said root note through a signal path formed in said second step;

a fourth step for checking if said chord is a major chord, when said melody keyboard note in said second step is being played;

a fifth step for, if said chord is a major chord in said fourth step, then controlling said microcomputer to generate a signal corresponding to said melody keyboard note and another signal four melody keyboard notes higher in pitch than said melody keyboard note, to an output terminal of a sound-generator; and

a sixth step for, if said chord is not said major chord in said fourth step, then controlling said microcomputer to generate a sound corresponding to said melody keyboard note and another sound three melody keyboard notes higher in pitch than said melody keyboard note to an output terminal of said sound-generator.

2. An electronic musical instrument, comprising:

musical note selecting means, for supplying note signals corresponding to selection of musical notes from among a plurality of musical notes;

first function selection means, for supplying a first function enabling signal corresponding to selection of a first automated musical function;

second function selection means, for supplying a second function enabling signal corresponding to selection of a second automated musical function;

filter selection means, for supplying a filter enabling signal corresponding to selection of a filter among a plurality of filters;

control means, coupled to said musical note selecting means, to said first function selection means, to said second function selection means and to said filter selection means, for producing a plurality of control signals in response to said selection of musical notes, to said selection of said first and second automated musical functions, and to said selection of a filter;

sound generator means, coupled to said control means, for generating sound signals in response to said control signals;

a plurality of buffers;

said plurality of filters being each coupled through different buffers of said plurality of buffers to said sound generator means, to produce filtered sound signals at a common node, each filter of said plurality of filters having an enabling control terminal coupled to said control means, each buffer of said plurality of buffers being coupled to respond to said control signals;

a chord and bass filter, coupled to said sound generator means, to produce chord and bass filtered sound signals, said chord and bass filter being coupled to respond to said control signals; and

a rhythm generator for generating musical rhythm sound signals and being coupled to respond to said control signals.

3. The electronic musical instrument of claim 2, wherein said musical note selecting means comprises a musical keyboard of keys.

4. The electronic musical instrument of claim 2, wherein said first function selection means comprises a switch, and said first automated musical function comprises an auto-accompaniment musical function.

5. The electronic musical instrument of claim 2, wherein said second function selection means comprises a switch, and said second automated musical function comprises a duet note musical function.

6. The electronic musical instrument of claim 2, wherein said filter selection means comprises a selection switch, and each said filter of said plurality of filters produces a sound signal corresponding to sounds associated with a particular musical instrument;

7. The electronic musical instrument of claim 2, wherein:

said control means comprises a first integrated circuit having a plurality of output control terminals producing said control signals;

said sound generator means comprises a second integrated circuit of five channels with each of said channels being able to generate notes, said second integrated circuit having a first output terminal commonly connected to each filter of said plurality of filters through first, second, and third buffers, respectively, of said plurality of buffers, said first buffer having an enabling control terminal coupled to a first output control terminal of said plurality of output control terminals, said second buffer having an enabling control terminal coupled to a second output control terminal of said plurality of output control terminals, said third buffer having an enabling control terminal coupled to a third output control terminal of said plurality of output control terminals; and

said second integrated circuit having a second output terminal commonly connected to each filter of said plurality of filters through fourth, fifth, and sixth buffers, respectively, of said plurality of buffers, said fourth buffer having an enabling control terminal coupled through a first inverter to said first output control terminal of said plurality of output control terminals, said fifth buffer having an enabling control terminal coupled through a second inverter to said second output control terminal of said plurality of output control terminals, said sixth buffer having an enabling control terminal coupled through a third inverter to said third output control terminal of said plurality of output control terminals.

8. A method of controlling an electronic musical instrument having an auto-accompaniment musical function and a duet note musical function, comprising the steps of:

activating said auto-accompaniment musical function to produce musical chord accompaniment to a selected note selected by the musician;

activating said duet note musical function;

activating a first filter and a second filter, each coupled to a sound generator means and also coupled to a control means, to provide signals corresponding to musical notes;

generating a signal corresponding to said selected note;

automatically generating a duet note harmonized to said selected note by using said duet note musical function;

controlling said filters and input signals to said filters to supply both said first filter and said second filter with both said signal corresponding to said selected note and a signal corresponding to said duet note;

automatically generating a root note of said musical chord accompaniment and supplying both said first filter and said second filter with both a signal corresponding to said root note and said signal corresponding to said selected note, if said root note was not a selected note;

automatically generating a major note, said major note being a major-third interval from said selected note, and supplying both said first filter and said second filter with both a signal corresponding to said major note and said signal corresponding to said selected note, if said root note was a selected note and said musical chord accompaniment was a major chord; and

automatically generating a minor note, said minor note being a minor-third interval from said selected note, and supplying both said first filter and said second filter with both a signal corresponding to said minor note and said signal corresponding to said selected note, if said root note was a selected note and said musical chord accompaniment was a minor chord.