Electronic musical instrument

• US 7,238,875 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Aiba, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey W
• Application Number:
  US10/753,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20040139847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 843/19, 843/10, 843/11, 846/46, 847/22, 847/43
• US Class Current: 84/722
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/12 using electronic time-delay networks

Abstract

There is provided an electronic musical instrument which is capable of muting by a simple operation. A plurality of fret operating elements are provided on a fingerboard, for determining the pitch. Six stringed operating elements for determining sounding timing are provided on a string input section of the body of the electronic musical instrument. A tone generator and a sound system generate musical tones according to operations of the fret operating elements and the stringed operating elements. A mute fingerboard larger in transverse size than the transverse region over which the six stringed operating elements are arranged is disposed on an operating element holder protecting section engaged with latches of the operating elements. The mute fingerboard is located in the vicinity of operated ends of the stringed operating elements within the range where the stringed operating elements can be operated, and is exposed on a surface of the body.

Claims

1. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a body;

a neck;

a fingerboard provided on said neck;

a plurality of pitch determination operating elements provided on said fingerboard, for determining a pitch;

a plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements each having an operated end, provided on said body, for determining sounding timing;

a musical tone generating device that generates musical tones according to operations of said pitch determination operating elements and said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements; and

at least one mute fingerboard that comes into contact with a part of a player'"'"'s body to mute musical tones being sounded by said musical tone generating device and corresponding to operations of respective ones of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements,

wherein said mute fingerboard is disposed and exposed in a vicinity of the operated end of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements,

wherein said mute fingerboard comprises a single mute fingerboard disposed in the vicinity of the operated ends of all of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements for concurrently damping each of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements.

2. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a fingerboard;

a plurality of pitch determination operating elements provided on said fingerboard, for determining a pitch;

a plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements each having an operated end, provided at a location other than said fingerboard, for determining sounding timing;

a musical tone generating device that generates musical tones according to operations of said pitch determination operating elements and said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements; and

at least one mute fingerboard that comes into contact with a part of a player'"'"'s body to mute musical tones being sounded by said musical tone generating device and corresponding to operations of respective ones of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements,

wherein said mute fingerboard is disposed and exposed in a vicinity of the operated end of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements, and

wherein said mute fingerboard comprises a single mute fingerboard disposed in the vicinity of the operated ends of all of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements.

3. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a fingerboard;

a plurality of pitch determination operating elements provided on said fingerboard, for determining a pitch;

a plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements each having an operated end, provided at a location other than said fingerboard, for determining sounding timing;

a musical tone generating device that generates musical tones according to operations of said pitch determination operating elements and said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements;

at least one mute fingerboard that comes into contact with a part of a player'"'"'s body to mute musical tones being sounded by said musical tone generating device and corresponding to operations of respective ones of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements; and

an operating element holder protecting section having a surface,

wherein said mute fingerboard is disposed and exposed in a vicinity of the operated end of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements, and

wherein said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements each have a latch engaged with said operating element holder protecting section, and said mute fingerboard is provided on the surface of said operating element holder protecting section.

5. An electronic musical instrument as claimed in claim 3, wherein said operating element holder protecting section is stepped to have a first surface and a second surface lower than said first surface, and said mute fingerboard is disposed on said second surface of said operating element holder protecting section.

4. An electronic musical instrument comprising:

a fingerboard;

a plurality of pitch determination operating elements provided on said fingerboard, for determining a pitch;

a plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements each having an operated end, provided at a location other than said fingerboard, for determining sounding timing;

a musical tone generating device that generates musical tones according to operations of said pitch determination operating elements and said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements; and

at least one mute fingerboard that comes into contact with a part of a player'"'"'s body to mute musical tones being sounded by said musical tone generating device and corresponding to operations of respective ones of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements,

wherein said mute fingerboard is disposed and exposed in a vicinity of the operated end of said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements, and

wherein said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements are arranged transversely of the electronic musical instrument over a transverse region, and said mute fingerboard has a transverse size larger than the transverse region over which said plurality of sounding timing determination operating elements are arranged.