Electronic musical instrument for playing along with prerecorded music and method of operation

• US 5,502,274 A
• Filed: 06/06/1994
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles J. Abronson
• Original Assignee: The Hotz Corp.
• Inventors: Hotz, Jimmy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US08/254,447
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 84/601, 84/602, 84/609-614, 84/634-638, 84/645, 84/477 R, 84/478, 84/451
• US Class Current: 84/613
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0075 with translation or conversion means for unvailable commands, e.g. special tone colors
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0558 using variable resistors
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/20 for transposition
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/44 Tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/22 Chord organs

Abstract

An electronic musical instrument includes manual input devices such as keys, a memory device or devices such as CDs which contain a prerecorded musical signal, prerecorded translation tables, and a prerecorded series of translation table switching signals synchronized to events in the musical signal such as chord changes and scale changes, a translator responsive to the manual input devices, translation tables and translation table switching signals for generating control signals, and an electronic signal generator responsive to the control signals for generating audio signals determined by the control signals.

Claims

1. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of manual input devices adapted to generate manual input device signals in response to being played;

a first memory adapted to store a plurality of different translation tables, said translation tables adapted to translate said manual input device signals into corresponding control signals;

a device for automatically playing a sound recording having at least a sound recording track and an information track recorded thereon, said information track containing translation table selection signals synchronized with events in said sound recording track, said device adapted to output said translation table selection signals;

a translator responsive to said manual input device signals, said translation tables and said translation table selection signals, and adapted to generate said control signals; and

an electronic signal generator responsive to said control signals.

2. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of manual input devices adapted to generate manual input device signals in response to being played;

a first memory adapted to store a plurality of translation tables, said translation tables adapted to translate said manual input device signals into corresponding control signals;

a second memory adapted to store musical signals representative of music containing events;

a third memory adapted to store translation table selection signals synchronized to said events in said music;

a translator responsive to said manual input device signals, said translation tables and said translation table selection signals, and adapted to generate said control signals; and

an electronic signal generator responsive to said control signals.

3. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of manual input devices adapted to generate manual input device signals in response to being played;

a first memory adapted to store a plurality of translation tables, said translation tables adapted to translate said manual input device signals into corresponding control signals;

a second memory adapted to store musical signals representative of music containing chord changes and scale changes;

a third memory adapted to store translation table selection signals time-indexed to said chord changes and said scale changes in said music;

a translator responsive to said manual input device signals, said translation tables and said translation table selection signals, and adapted to generate said control signals;

a first sound reproduction device responsive to said musical signals and adapted to generate a first audio signal representative of said music, said first audio signal having at any given moment a predetermined chord and scale;

an electronic signal generator responsive to said control signals and adapted to generate a second audio signal representative of the manual playing of said manual input devices, notes of said second audio signal at each said given moment being within said predetermined chord and scale.

4. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of manual input devices adapted to generate manual input device signals in response to being played;

a first memory adapted to store a plurality of translation tables, said translation tables adapted to translate said manual input device signals into corresponding control signals;

a second memory adapted to store musical signals representative of music containing chord changes and scale changes;

a third memory adapted to store translation table selection signals synchronized to said chord changes and said scale changes in said music;

a translator responsive to said manual input device signals, said translation tables and said translation table selection signals, and adapted to generate said control signals;

a first sound reproduction device responsive to said musical signals and adapted to generate a first audio signal representative of said music, said first audio signal being at every instant within a predetermined chord and scale;

an electronic signal generator responsive to said control signals and adapted to generate a second audio signal representative of the playing of said manual input devices, notes of said second audio signal at each said instant being within said predetermined chord and scale.

5. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a first memory, said first memory adapted for the retrieval of a signal representative of a musical signal;

a second memory, said second memory synchronized to said first memory, said second memory adapted for the retrieval of CHORD signals; and

an electronic signal generator having a plurality of force sensitive keys associated therewith, said electronic signal generator adapted to receive a sequence of different CHORD signals from said second memory and to generate signals within a chord identified by a most recently received CHORD signal in response to depressions of said plurality of force sensitive keys.

6. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a first memory, said first memory adapted for the retrieval of a signal representative of a musical signal;

a second memory, said second memory synchronized to said first memory, said second memory adapted for the retrieval of SCALE signals; and

an electronic signal generator having a plurality of force sensitive keys associated therewith, said electronic signal generator adapted to receive a sequence of different SCALE signals from said second memory and to generate signals within a scale identified by a most recently received SCALE signal in response to depressions of said plurality of force sensitive keys.

7. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a first memory adapted for the retrieval of a signal representative of a musical signal, said signal containing chord and scale changes;

a second memory synchronized with said first memory and adapted for the retrieval of CHORD and SCALE signals, said CHORD signals denoting said chord changes and said SCALE signals denoting said scale changes; and

an electronic signal generator having a plurality of force sensitive keys associated therewith, said electronic signal generator adapted to sequentially receive a sequence of CHORD and SCALE signals from said second memory and to generate signals within a chord and scale, respectively, identified by a most recently received pair of CHORD and SCALE signals in response to depressions of said plurality of force sensitive keys.

8. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a memory containing a prerecorded musical signal containing a plurality of phrases, each said phrase having a chord and a scale associated therewith, said memory also containing a prerecorded sequence of CHORD and SCALE signals, said CHORD and SCALE signals identifying chords and scales associated with said phrases of said prerecorded musical signal;

a plurality of force sensitive manual input devices for generating manual input signals;

a translator having a CHORD table memory for retrieval of one of a plurality of CHORD tables, a SCALE table memory for retrieval of one of a plurality of SCALE tables, a table memory loader for receiving said CHORD tables and said SCALE tables from an external source and storing them in, respectively, said CHORD table memory and said SCALE table memory, said translator responsive to said CHORD and SCALE signals for selecting one of said CHORD tables to be an ACTIVE CHORD TABLE and one of said SCALE tables to be an ACTIVE SCALE TABLE during playback of said prerecorded musical signal, and said translator further responsive to said manual input signals and adapted to generate control signals;

an electronic signal generator responsive to said control signals and adapted to generate signals within said ACTIVE CHORD TABLE and said ACTIVE SCALE TABLE.

9. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 8 wherein said memory is a CD.

10. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a keyboard including a plurality of electrical keys;

a programmable MIDI music synthesizer responsive to CHORD and SCALE signals so as to, in response to said keys being depressed, generate audio signals within a chord defined by said CHORD signal and within a SCALE defined by said SCALE signal;

a memory containing a prerecorded musical signal containing a plurality of phrases, each said phrase having a chord and a scale associated therewith, said memory also containing a prerecorded sequence of CHORD and SCALE signals, said CHORD and SCALE signals identifying chords and scales associated with said phrases of said prerecorded musical signal; and

means for sequentially applying said CHORD and SCALE signals from said memory to said programmable MIDI music synthesizer while said prerecorded musical signal is playing.

11. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a keyboard including a plurality of force-sensitive electrical keys;

a programmable MIDI music synthesizer responsive to CHORD and SCALE signals so as to, in response to said keys being depressed, generate audio signals within a chord defined by said CHORD signal and within a SCALE defined by said SCALE signal;

a memory containing a prerecorded musical signal containing a plurality of phrases, each said phrase having a chord and a scale associated therewith, said memory also containing a prerecorded sequence of CHORD and SCALE signals, said CHORD and SCALE signals identifying chords and scales associated with said phrases of said prerecorded musical signal;

means for sequentially applying said CHORD and SCALE signals from said memory to said programmable MIDI music synthesizer while said prerecorded musical signal is playing;

a first transducer for voicing said prerecorded musical signal; and

a second transducer for voicing said audio signals.

12. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a plurality of force-sensitive electrical keys;

a programmable MIDI music synthesizer responsive to CHORD and SCALE signals so as to, in response to said keys being depressed, generate audio signals within a chord defined by said CHORD signal and within a SCALE defined by said SCALE signal;

a memory containing a prerecorded musical signal containing a plurality of phrases, each said phrase having a chord and a scale associated therewith, said memory also containing a prerecorded sequence of CHORD and SCALE signals, said CHORD and SCALE signals identifying chords and scales associated with said phrases of said prerecorded musical signal;

means for sequentially applying said CHORD and SCALE signals from said memory to said programmable MIDI music synthesizer while said prerecorded musical signal is playing;

a mixer responsive to said prerecorded musical signal and said audio signals for generating and amplifying a mixed audio signal; and

a transducer responsive to said mixed audio signal for voicing said mixed audio signal.

13. A prerecorded compact disk recording comprising:

a first prerecorded digitized optical signal adapted for replay of a musical signal in a compact disk player; and

a second prerecorded digitized optical signal adapted for replay of a digital signal containing a sequence of CHORD and SCALE signals time-indexed to said first prerecorded digitized optical signal, said CHORD signals adapted to control the chord within which the keys of a musical synthesizer will cause audio signals to be generated by said musical synthesizer, and said SCALE signals adapted to control the scale within which the keys of a musical synthesizer will cause audio signals to be generated by said musical synthesizer, said first prerecorded digitized optical signal and said second prerecorded digitized optical signal adapted to be read by said compact disk player so as to provide said CHORD and said SCALE signals at an output of said compact disk player at times corresponding to times at which said compact disk player is outputting said musical signal and said musical signal is in a scale corresponding to said SCALE signals and in a chord corresponding to said CHORD signals.

14. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a memory system;

a sound reproduction device; and

an electronic audio signal generator;

said memory system containing a first sequence of data and a second sequence of data, said first sequence of data representative of music containing chord and scale changes and adapted to cause said sound reproduction device to create first audio signals representative of said music, said second sequence of data time-indexed to said first sequence of data and containing CHORD and SCALE signals representative of said chord and scale changes;

said sound reproduction device linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said first sequence of data from said memory system to said sound reproduction system, said sound reproduction system further adapted to create first audio signals representative of said music from said first sequence of data;

said electronic audio signal generator linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said second sequence of data from said memory system to said electronic audio signal generator, said electronic audio signal generator equipped with a plurality of input devices for causing said electronic audio signal generator to create second audio signals, said electronic audio signal generator adapted to generate in response to activations of said input devices only audio signals within a particular chord after receipt of a particular CHORD signal and only audio signals within a particular scale after receipt of a particular SCALE signal.

15. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a memory system containing a first and a second sequence of data, said first sequence of data representative of music containing chord and scale changes and said second sequence of data containing CHORD signals representative of said chord changes and SCALE signals representative of said scale changes, said CHORD signals time-indexed to said chord changes and said SCALE signals time-indexed to said scale changes;

a first sound reproduction device linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said first sequence of data from said memory system to said first sound reproduction system, said first sound reproduction system adapted to generate first audio signals representative of said music from said first sequence of data;

a second sound reproduction device operable in one of a plurality of chords and one of a plurality of scales linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said second sequence of data from said memory system to said second sound reproduction device so that said CHORD signals cause said second sound reproduction system to operate in a chord defined by a most recently received CHORD signal and a scale defined by a most recently received SCALE signal, said second sound reproduction device including a plurality of input devices adapted to cause said second sound reproduction device to generate second audio signals in said chord and said scale.

16. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 15 wherein:

said second sound reproduction device is adapted to operate so that when one of said input devices is activated so as to cause generation of a particular second audio signal, and said second sound reproduction device subsequently receives a CHORD or SCALE signal representative of a different chord or scale from the chord or scale that said second sound reproduction device is then operating in, said particular second audio signal will not change as long as said one of said input devices remains activated.

17. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 15 wherein:

said second sound reproduction device is adapted to operate so that when one of said input devices is activated so as to cause generation of a particular second audio signal, and said second sound reproduction device subsequently receives a CHORD or SCALE signal representative of a different chord or scale from the chord or scale that said second sound reproduction device is then operating in, said particular second audio signal will not change as long as said one of said input devices remains activated, and if said one of said input devices is deactivated and then reactivated after said second sound reproduction device subsequently receives a CHORD or SCALE signal representative of a different chord or scale from the chord or scale that said second sound reproduction device is then operating in, activation of said one of said input devices will cause generation of an audio signal within the then-current chord and scale as defined by the most recently received CHORD and SCALE signals.

18. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a memory system containing a first and a second sequence of data, said first sequence of data representative of music and said second sequence of data containing control signals representative of changes within said music, said control signals time-indexed to said changes within said music;

a first sound reproduction device linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said first sequence of data from said memory system to said first sound reproduction system, said first sound reproduction system adapted to generate first audio signals representative of said music from said first sequence of data;

a second sound reproduction device controlled by a plurality of operating parameters and linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said second sequence of data from said memory system to said second sound reproduction device so that said control signals cause said second sound reproduction system to vary said operating parameters to conform to operating parameters defined by most recently received control signals, said second sound reproduction device including a plurality of input devices adapted to cause said second sound reproduction device to generate second audio signals.

19. A memory system for use with an electronic musical instrument, said memory system comprising:

a medium on which is recorded a first and a second sequence of data, said first sequence of data representative of music and said second sequence of data containing control signals representative of changes within said music, said control signals time-indexed to said changes within said music, said first sequence of data adapted to cause a first sound reproduction device linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said first sequence of data from said memory system to said first sound reproduction system to generate first audio signals representative of said music from said first sequence of data, said second sequence of data adapted to cause a second sound reproduction device controlled by a plurality of electronically programmable operating parameters and linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said second sequence of data from said memory system to said second sound reproduction device so that said control signals cause said second sound reproduction system to vary said operating parameters to conform to operating parameters defined by most recently received control signals, said second sound reproduction device including a plurality of input devices adapted to cause said second sound reproduction device to generate second audio signals.

20. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a memory system containing a first and a second sequence of data, said first sequence of data representative of music and said second sequence of data containing control signals representative of changes within said music, said control signals time-indexed to said changes within said music;

a first sound reproduction device linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said first sequence of data from said memory system to said first sound reproduction system, said first sound reproduction system adapted to generate first audio signals representative of said music from said first sequence of data; and

a second sound reproduction device controlled by a plurality of operating parameters and linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said second sequence of data from said memory system to said second sound reproduction device so that said control signals cause said second sound reproduction system to vary said operating parameters to conform to operating parameters defined by most recently received control signals, said second sound reproduction device including a plurality of input devices adapted to cause said second sound reproduction device to generate second audio signals.

21. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a memory system containing a first and a second sequence of data, said first sequence of data representative of music and said second sequence of data containing control signals representative of changes within said music, said control signals time-indexed to said changes within said music;

a first sound reproduction device linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said first sequence of data from said memory system to said first sound reproduction system, said first sound reproduction system adapted to generate first audio signals representative of said music from said first sequence of data; and

said control signals adapted to control a second sound reproduction device controlled by a plurality of operating parameters and linked to said memory system with a link adapted to transmit said second sequence of data from said memory system to said second sound reproduction device so that said control signals cause said second sound reproduction system to vary said operating parameters to conform to operating parameters defined by most recently received control signals, said second sound reproduction device including a plurality of input devices adapted to cause said second sound reproduction device to generate second audio signals.

22. An electronic musical instrument adapted to receive manual input device signals from a plurality of manual input devices, said instrument comprising:

a first memory adapted to store a plurality of different translation tables;

an input for receiving translation table selection signals;

a translator responsive to said manual input device signals, said translation tables and said translation table selection signals, and adapted to generate control signals for controlling an electronic signal generator.

23. An electronic musical instrument adapted to receive manual input device signals from a plurality of manual input devices, said instrument comprising:

a first memory adapted to store a plurality of translation tables;

a second memory adapted to store musical signals representative of music containing events;

a third memory adapted to store translation table selection signals synchronized to said events in said music;

a translator responsive to said manual input device signals, said translation tables and said translation table selection signals, and adapted to generate control signals for controlling an electronic signal generator.

24. An electronic musical instrument adapted to receive manual input device signals from a plurality of manual input devices, said instrument comprising:

a first memory adapted for storage and retrieval of a plurality of translation tables;

a second memory adapted for storage and retrieval of musical signals representative of music containing chord changes and scale changes, said second memory adapted to provide said musical signals to a first sound reproduction device responsive to said musical signals and adapted to generate a first audio signal representative of said music, said first audio signal having at any given moment a predetermined chord and scale;

a third memory adapted for storage and retrieval of translation table selection signals time-indexed to said chord changes and said scale changes in said music; and

a translator responsive to said manual input device signals, said translation tables and said translation table selection signals, and adapted to generate control signals for controlling an electronic signal generator responsive to said control signals and adapted to generate a second audio signal representative of manual playing of said manual input devices, notes of said second audio signal at each said given moment being within said predetermined chord and scale.

25. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

an electronic signal generator;

means for generating a stream of first input signals;

a first memory adapted to store a plurality of different translation tables, each said translation table corresponding to a particular chord and a particular scale;

means for placing said plurality of different translation tables into said first memory;

a player for playing a prerecorded sound recording having at least a sound recording track and an information track recorded thereon, said information track containing translation table selection signals synchronized with events in said sound recording track, said player adapted to output said translation table selection signals;

a translator for outputting control signals for controlling an output of said electronic signal generator, said translator responsive to said first input signals and to said translation tables in said first memory and to said translation table selection signals so that control signals output from said translator cause said electronic signal generator to output music signals only within said particular chord and said particular scale corresponding to said translation table selected by a most recently received translation table selection signal.

26. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

an electronic signal generator;

means for generating a stream of first input signals;

a first memory adapted to store a plurality of different translation tables, each said translation table corresponding to a particular chord and a particular scale;

means for placing said plurality of different translation tables into said first memory;

a first player for playing a prerecorded sound recording having at least a sound recording track;

a second player for playing a prerecorded data recording having at least an information track recorded thereon, said information track containing translation table selection signals synchronized with events in said sound recording track, said second player adapted to output said translation table selection signals;

a translator for outputting control signals for controlling an output of said electronic signal generator, said translator responsive to said first input signals and to said translation tables in said first memory and to said translation table selection signals so that control signals output from said translator cause said electronic signal generator to output music signals only within said particular chord and said particular scale corresponding to said translation table selected by a most recently received translation table selection signal.

27. A method of operating an electronic musical instrument in a play-along mode with a pre-recorded sound recording, said pre-recorded sound recording having at least a sound recording track and an information track recorded thereon, said information track containing translation table selection signals synchronized with events in said sound recording track, each said translation table corresponding to a particular chord and a particular scale, said method comprising:

storing in a first electronic memory a plurality of different translation tables, each of said translation tables corresponding to a particular chord and a particular scale;

playing the pre-recorded sound recording to form at least a translation table selection signal output containing translation table selection signals;

forming a stream of first input signals;

receiving said translation table selection signals from said translation table selection signal output;

translating said first input signals into a stream of control signals for controlling an output of the electronic musical instrument by applying said first input signals to a translation table most recently selected by a most recently received translation table selection signal so that said control signals cause the electronic musical instrument to output music signals in response to said first input signals which music signals are only within said particular chord and said particular scale corresponding to said translation table selected by said most recently received translation table selection signal.

28. A method of operating an electronic musical instrument in a play-along mode with a pre-recorded sound recording and a pre-recorded data recording, said pre-recorded sound recording having at least a sound recording track, said pre-recorded data recording having at least an information track recorded thereon, said information track containing translation table selection signals synchronized with events in said sound recording track, each said translation table corresponding to a particular chord and a particular scale, said method comprising:

storing in a first electronic memory a plurality of different translation tables, each of said translation tables corresponding to a particular chord and a particular scale;

playing the pre-recorded data recording to form at least a translation table selection signal output containing translation table selection signals;

forming a stream of first input signals;

receiving said translation table selection signals from said translation table selection signal output;

translating said first input signals into a stream of control signals for controlling an output of the electronic musical instrument by applying said first input signals to a translation table most recently selected by a most recently received translation table selection signal so that said control signals cause the electronic musical instrument to output music signals in response to said first input signals which music signals are only within said particular chord and said particular scale corresponding to said translation table selected by said most recently received translation table selection signal.