Electronic musical instrument generating chord data in response to repeated operation of pads

• US 5,223,655 A
• Filed: 03/20/1991
• Issued: 06/29/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Iwakami, Yoshinori, Ito, Shinichi, Watanabe, Kunihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US07/673,149
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 84/735, 84/644, 84/601, 84/602, 84/610, 84/613, 84/634, 84/637, 84/650, 84/666, 84/669, 84/670, 84/743, 84/DIG. 22, 84/715, 84/DIG. 12
• US Class Current: 84/637
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/386 One-finger or one-key chord systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/42 comprising tone forming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/12 Side; rhythm and percussion devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/22 Chord organs

Abstract

An electronic musical instrument with pads is provided with a plurality of pads, a pad operation detection device, and a chord data generation device which generates specified chord data corresponding to a pad when the pad has been operated a second time within a specified time. Since chord data previously corresponds to each pad, if a player operates a pad two times within the specified time, chord data corresponding to that pad is generated. This chord data is provided to an accompaniment playing device and accompaniment playing is performed.

Claims

1. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of pads, each capable of being manually operated by a player of the electronic musical instrument;

pad operation detection means for detecting operation of each of the plurality of pads;

measurement means for measuring a time interval between two pad operations of the plurality of pads in response to detection of pad operation by the pad operation detection means;

chord data generation means for generating specified chord data corresponding to a pad of the plurality of pads whose operation has been detected by the pad operation detection means when a time interval measured by the measurement means is within a specified time, the chord data being assigned to the pad and including root data and type data; and

accompaniment playing means for performing accompaniment playing corresponding to the chord data generated by the chord data generation means.

4. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising designating means for providing a halftone raise of said chord data.

5. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 4, wherein said designating means includes a foot pedal.

9. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising:

tempo specifying means for specifying tempo; and

tempo generating means for generating a tempo clock according to the specified tempo,

wherein, when new chord data is generated by the chord data generation means during the performance of accompaniment playing corresponding to previously generated chord data, said accompaniment playing means continues accompaniment playing corresponding to the previous generated chord data to a specified timing of one bar based on the tempo clock, at which specified timing accompaniment playing corresponding to the new chord data is performed.

2. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of pads, each capable of being manually operated by a player of the electronic musical instrument;

pad operation detection means for detecting operation of each of the plurality of pads;

measurement means for measuring a time interval between two pad operations of the plurality of pads in response to detection of pad operation by the pad operation detection means;

chord data generation means for generating specified chord data corresponding to a pad of the plurality of pads whose operation has been detected by the pad operation detection means when a time interval measured by the measurement means is within a specified time; and

accompaniment playing means for performing accompaniment playing corresponding to the chord data generated by the chord data generation means;

said chord data generation means generating chord data consisting of previously determined chord type data and root data when a time interval measured by the measurement means exceeds said specified time, the root data corresponding to a pad of the plurality of pads which is first operated.

3. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of pads, each capable of being manually operated by a player of the electronic musical instrument;

pad operation detection means for detecting operation of each of the plurality of pads;

measurement means for measuring a time interval between two pad operations of the plurality of pads in response to detection of pad operation by the pad operation detection means;

chord data generation means for generating specified chord data corresponding to a pad of the plurality of pads whose operation has been detected by the pad operation detection means when a time interval measured by the measurement means is within a specified time; and

accompaniment playing means for performing accompaniment playing corresponding to the chord data generated by the chord data generation means;

said chord data generation means generating root data based on the first pad operation and type data based on the second pad operation.

6. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 3, further comprising designating means for providing a halftone raise of said chord data, said plurality of pads consists of eight pads, and said chord data generation means generates root data based on operation of a pad of the plurality of pads and on the designating means.

7. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of pads, each capable of being manually operated by a player of the electronic musical instrument;

pad operation detection means for detecting operation of each of the plurality of pads;

measurement means for measuring a time interval between two pad operations of the plurality of pads in response to detection of pad operation by the pad operation detection means;

chord data generation means for generating specified chord data corresponding to a pad of the plurality of pads whose operation has been detected by the pad operation detection means when a time interval measured by the measurement means is within a specified time;

accompaniment playing means for performing accompaniment playing corresponding to the chord data generated by the chord data generation means; and

memory means for previously storing chord data corresponding to each pad, the chord data being read out in response to detection of pad operation by the pad operation detection means.

8. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 7, further comprising means for editing chord data stored in said memory means.

10. An electronic percussion musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of pads, each capable of being manually operated by a player of the electronic percussion musical instrument;

pad operation detection means for detecting operation of each of the plurality of pads;

percussion designating means for selecting a function to be assigned to each of the plurality of pads from tone color, scale tone, or accompaniment percussion set names;

measurement means for measuring a time interval between two operations of the same pad of the plurality of pads in response to detection of pad operation by the pad operation detection means;

chord data generation means for generating specified chord data corresponding to a pad of the plurality of pads whose operation has been detected by the pad operation detection means when a time interval measured by the measurement means is within a specified time, the chord data being assigned to the pad and including root data and type data;

musical tone output means for outputting a musical tone of a tone color or a scale tone corresponding to a pad of the plurality of pads which has been operated at the selection of the tone color or scale tone percussion set name by the percussion designating means; and

accompaniment playing means for performing accompaniment playing corresponding to chord data when the chord data is generated at the selection of the accompaniment percussion set name by the percussion designating means.

11. The electronic percussion musical instrument according to claim 10, wherein said chord data generation means generates root data based on the first pad operation and type data based on the second pad operation.