Standalone electronic module for use with musical instruments

• US 7,678,985 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2007
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
• Inventors: Lorenzen, Lawrence E., Curtis, Dale V., Brieske, Jeremy A., Adams, Charles C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Millikin; Andrew R
• Application Number:
  US11/784,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 847/37, 847/21, 847/46, 844/54, 84D/IG.18, 847/43, 846/45, 844/62, 846/44, 381/118, 381/119, 381/120, 381/61, 381/334, 381/386, 381/388, 381/306, 381/98, 381/123, 700/94
• US Class Current: 84/645
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/281 Reverberation or echo
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/186 Means for processing the signal picked up from the strings filtering G10H1/12

Abstract

An electronic module has an enclosure which is mechanically and electrically compatible with a plurality of receiving devices such as amplifiers, computers, mixer consoles, and musical instruments. The module has a programmable control panel and display on the enclosure and an electronic circuit disposed within the enclosure and receiving user commands from the control panel and displaying configuration information on the display. The electronic circuit performs a variety of functions for each of the receiving devices by way of a digital signal processor, synthesizer for generating a programmable audio signal in response to a data stream, storage device for storing musical information in a digital format, and playback device for retrieval and playback of the stored musical information. An audio output is coupled for transferring the programmable audio signal to or from the receiving device.

Claims

1. An electronic module for use in conjunction with a musical instrument, comprising:

an enclosure with connector adapted for mechanical and electrical compatible insertion into a receptacle of first and second receiving devices each having a function usable in conjunction with the musical instrument, the function of the second receiving device being different from the function of the first receiving device;

an audio input coupled for receiving an audio signal;

a digital input coupled for receiving musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) data;

a programmable control panel and display disposed on the enclosure; and

an electronic circuit disposed within the enclosure and receiving user commands from the control panel and displaying configuration information on the display, the electronic circuit including,

(a) an analog to digital converter coupled to the audio input for receiving the audio signal and providing a digital audio signal,

(b) a microcontroller coupled for receiving the MIDI data and controlling routing of the MIDI data,

(c) a synthesizer coupled to the microcontroller for receiving the MIDI data and generating a synthesized audio signal, the MIDI data containing information which is processed by the synthesizer to produce sound content of a first musical instrument or vocals contained in the synthesized audio signal,

(d) a digital signal processor (DSP) coupled for receiving the digital audio signal and synthesized audio signal and generating a digital audio output signal based on signal processing of the digital audio signal and synthesized audio signal, the digital audio output signal being routed to an audio output of the electronic circuit, and

(e) a memory coupled to the DSP, the memory storing the digital audio signal and MIDI data.

2. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit provides at least one feature selected from the group consisting of equalizer, fully chromatic tuner, phrase sampler, phrase trainer, play loops, MIDI file support, variable speed playback, sample recording, sound selection, and style selection.

3. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the first and second receiving devices are selected from the group consisting of foot-operated docking station, portable amplifier and speaker system, and musical instrument.

4. The electronic module of claim 3, wherein the musical instrument is a guitar.

5. An electronic module for use in conjunction with a musical instrument, comprising:

an enclosure with a connector which is mechanically and electrically compatible with first and second receiving devices each having a function usable in conjunction with the musical instrument, the function of the second receiving device being different from the function of the first receiving device;

an audio input coupled for receiving an audio signal;

a digital input coupled for receiving musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) data;

a programmable control panel and display disposed on the enclosure; and

an electronic circuit disposed within the enclosure and receiving user commands from the control panel and displaying configuration information on the display, the electronic circuit including,

(a) a synthesizer coupled for receiving the MIDI data and generating a synthesized audio signal, the MIDI data containing information which is processed by the synthesizer to produce sound content of a first musical instrument or vocals contained in the synthesized audio signal,

(b) a digital signal processor (DSP) coupled for receiving the audio signal and synthesized audio signal and generating an audio output signal based on signal processing of the audio signal and synthesized audio signal, the audio output signal being routed to an output of the electronic circuit, and

(c) a memory coupled to the DSP, the memory storing the audio signal and MIDI data.

6. The electronic module of claim 5, wherein the first receiving device is selected from the group consisting of a foot operated docking station, portable amplifier and speaker system, and musical instrument.

7. The electronic module of claim 5, wherein the first musical instrument is selected from a group consisting of a string instrument, brass, woodwind, percussions, or keyboard.

8. The electronic module of claim 5, wherein the signal processing within the DSP includes at least one feature selected from the group consisting of equalizer, fully chromatic tuner, phrase sampler, phrase trainer, play loops, MIDI files, variable speed playback, sample recording, sound selection, and style selection.

9. The electronic module of claim 5, wherein the enclosure connects to the first receiving device via a cable.

10. A method of providing signal processing for a musical instrument, comprising:

providing an electronic module having an enclosure which is mechanically and electrically compatible with first and second receiving devices each having a function usable in conjunction with the musical instrument, the function of the second receiving device being different from the function of the first receiving device

receiving user commands from a control panel on the enclosure and displaying configuration information;

generating a synthesized audio signal in response to musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) data, the MIDI data containing information which is processed by the synthesizer to produce sound content of a first musical instrument or vocals contained in the synthesized audio signal;

generating an audio output signal based on digital signal processing of the synthesized audio signal and an audio signal; and

storing the MIDI data and audio signal in a memory.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first musical instrument is selected from a group consisting of a string instrument, brass, woodwind, percussions, or keyboard.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal processing includes at least one feature selected from the group consisting of equalizer, fully chromatic tuner, phrase sampler, phrase trainer, play loops, MIDI files, variable speed playback, sample recording, sound selection, and style selection.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first receiving device is selected from the group consisting of a foot operated docking station, portable amplifier and speaker system, and musical instrument.