Stringed instrument for connection to a computer to implement DSP modeling

• US 7,799,986 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc. (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Line 6, Inc. (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Zak, Alan, Celi, Peter J., Doidic, Michel A., Ryle, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon T
• Application Number:
  US11/786,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20070227344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/737
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/053 during execution only voice controlled instruments G10H5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/125 using a digital filter
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/281 Reverberation or echo
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/111 Spint ukulele, i.e. mimicking any smaller guitar-like flat bridge string instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/115 Spint sitar, i.e. mimicking any long-necked plucked string instrument with a large number of additional non-playable sympathetic resonating strings or an additional gourd-like resonating chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/121 Spint mandolin, i.e. mimicking instruments of the lute family with hard sounding board, e.g. with strings arranged and tuned in pairs for tremolo playing lute with skin -like sounding board G10H2230/151
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/151 Spint banjo, i.e. mimicking a stringed instrument with a piece of plastic or animal skin stretched over a circular frame or gourd, e.g. shamisen or other skin-covered lutes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/051 with variable time delay or variable length
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/115 FIR impulse, e.g. for echoes or room acoustics, the shape of the impulse response is specified in particular according to delay times FIR filters for musical processing G10H2250/075
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/183 in which the position of the pick-up means is adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/186 Means for processing the signal picked up from the strings filtering G10H1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/188 for converting the signal to digital format transmission using a MIDI interface G10H1/0066

Abstract

Disclosed is a stringed instrument that includes a plurality of strings and a pickup to which each of the plurality of strings is respectively coupled that is connectable to a computer to implement DSP modeling. A serial interface circuit is coupled to the pickup and to a digital connector that formats each digital string vibration signal received from the pickup into a digital serial protocol. A computer is coupled by a serial link to the digital connector such that the computer receives each serially formatted digital string signal (SFDSS). The computer operates at least one audio DSP-based software module to process each received SFDSS wherein each SFDSS is processed in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of stringed instruments to create an emulated digital string tone signal (EDSTS). Each EDSTS is then transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a stringed instrument including;

a plurality of strings;

a pickup to which each of the plurality of strings is respectively coupled, the pickup to detect a string vibration signal associated with each string as the string is played, wherein each of the detected string vibration signals is converted into a digital string vibration signal; and

a serial interface circuit coupled to the pickup and to a digital connector, the serial interface circuit to format each digital string vibration signal into a digital serial protocol and to transmit each serially formatted digital string signal to the digital connector; and

a computer coupled by a serial link to the digital connector of the stringed instrument such that the computer receives each serially formatted digital string signal over the serial link, the computer operating at least one audio DSP-based software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of a model of a stringed instrument selected by a user from a plurality of selectable models of stringed instruments to create an emulated digital string tone signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, the serial link includes a separate channel for each serially formatted digital string signal transmitted from the stringed instrument to the computer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the serial link includes a separate channel for user control information selected at the stringed instrument transmitted from the stringed instrument to the computer.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the serial link includes a separate channel for a left stereo mix of the emulated digital string tone signals and a separate channel for a right stereo mix of the emulated digital string tone signals, both the left and right stereo mix of emulated digital string tone signals being transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the left and right stereo mix of the emulated digital string tone signals received at the stringed instrument are converted by a D/A converter of the stringed instrument into a left and right stereo mix of emulated analog string tone signals and outputted from the stringed instrument through an analog output to one of headphones or an amplifier.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio DSP-based software module includes an electric guitar DSP-based modeling software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of different electric guitars to create an emulated electric guitar digital string tone signal, each emulated electric guitar digital string tone signal being transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the emulation of the corresponding string tone of one of the plurality of different electric guitars includes implementing a finite impulse response (FIR) filter.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio DSP-based software module includes an acoustic guitar DSP-based modeling software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of different acoustic guitars to create an emulated acoustic guitar digital string tone signal, each emulated acoustic guitar digital string tone signal being transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each serially formatted digital string signal is processed by a pitch-transposition software module to alter the pitch of each received serially formatted digital string signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each serially formatted digital string signal is stored at the computer and is processed later in time during post-editing in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of stringed instruments to create an emulated digital string tone signal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each processed serially formatted digital string signal undergoes further processing to emulate one of a plurality of amplifiers and cabinet setups.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein each serially formatted digital string signal is processed by the computer to extract signal information including at least a pitch of the digital string signal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer operates a synthesized instrument modeling software module to implement a synthesizer engine to create synthesized sounds, wherein based upon the extracted signal information, associated synthesized sounds are triggered and rendered for playback.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein, the computer operates an audio effects software module to implement a wavetable playback engine to create sounds, wherein based upon the extracted signal information, associated pre-recorded sounds in wave file format are triggered and rendered for playback.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the pickup is a piezo-electric pickup.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the pickup is a magnetic pickup.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the stringed instrument is a guitar.

18. A method comprising:

detecting a string vibration signal associated with each string of a plurality of strings of a stringed instrument as each string is played;

converting each detected string vibration signal into a digital string vibration signal;

formatting each digital string vibration signal into a digital serial protocol; and

transmitting each serially formatted digital string signal over a serial link to a computer, the computer operating at least one audio DSP-based software module to perform operations including processing each received serial formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of a model of a stringed instrument selected by a user from a plurality of selectable models of stringed instruments to create an emulated digital string tone signal.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the serial link includes a separate channel for each serially formatted digital string signal transmitted from the stringed instrument to the computer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the serial link includes a separate channel for user control information selected at the stringed instrument transmitted from the stringed instrument to the computer.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the serial link includes a separate channel for a left stereo mix of the emulated digital string tone signals and a separate channel for a right stereo mix of the emulated digital string tone signals, both the left and right stereo mix of emulated digital string tone signals being transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the left and right stereo mix of the emulated digital string tone signals received at the stringed instrument are converted into a left and right stereo mix of emulated analog string tone signals and outputted from the stringed instrument through an analog output to one of headphones or an amplifier.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the computer performs electric guitar DSP-based modeling to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of different electric guitars to create an emulated electric guitar digital string tone signal, each emulated electric guitar digital string tone signal being transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the emulation of the corresponding string tone of one of the plurality of different electric guitars includes implementing a finite impulse response (FIR) filter.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the computer performs acoustic guitar DSP-based modeling to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of different acoustic guitars to create an emulated acoustic guitar digital string tone signal, each emulated acoustic guitar digital string tone signal being transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the computer performs pitch transposition processing to process each serially formatted digital string signal to alter the pitch of each received serially formatted digital string signal.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein each serially formatted digital string signal is stored at the computer and is processed later in time during post-editing in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of stringed instruments to create an emulated digital string tone signal.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein each serially formatted digital string signal is processed by the computer to extract signal information including at least a pitch of the digital string signal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein based upon the extracted signal information, associated synthesized sounds are triggered and rendered for playback by the computer.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein based upon the extracted signal information, associated pre-recorded sounds in an audio file format are triggered and rendered for playback by the computer.

31. A system comprising:

a stringed instrument including;

a plurality of strings;

a pickup to which each of the plurality of strings is respectively coupled, the pickup to detect a string vibration signal associated with each string as the string is played, wherein each of the detected string vibration signals is converted into a digital string vibration signal; and

a serial interface circuit coupled to the pickup and to a digital connector, the serial interface circuit to format each digital string vibration signal into a digital serial protocol and to transmit each serially formatted digital string signal to the digital connector; and

a computer coupled by a serial link to the digital connector of the stringed instrument such that the computer receives each serially formatted digital string signal over the serial link, wherein the computers stores each serially formatted digital string signal and later in time, during post-editing, processes each serially formatted digital string signal, the computer operating at least one audio DSP-based software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of a model of a stringed instrument selected by a user from a plurality of selectable models of stringed instruments to create an emulated digital string tone signal.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein, the serial link includes a separate channel for each serially formatted digital string signal transmitted from the stringed instrument to the computer.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the audio DSP-based software module includes an electric guitar DSP-based modeling software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of different electric guitars to create an emulated electric guitar digital string tone signal, each emulated electric guitar digital string tone signal being transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the emulation of the corresponding string tone of one of the plurality of different electric guitars includes implementing a finite impulse response (FIR) filter.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the audio DSP-based software module includes an acoustic guitar DSP-based modeling software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of different acoustic guitars to create an emulated acoustic guitar digital string tone signal, each emulated acoustic guitar digital string tone signal being transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein each serially formatted digital string signal is processed by a pitch-transposition software module to alter the pitch of each received serially formatted digital string signal.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein each serially formatted digital string signal is processed by the computer to extract signal information including at least a pitch of the digital string signal.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the computer operates a synthesized instrument modeling software module to implement a synthesizer engine to create synthesized sounds, wherein based upon the extracted signal information, associated synthesized sounds are triggered and rendered for playback.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein, the computer operates an audio effects software module to implement a wavetable playback engine to create sounds, wherein based upon the extracted signal information, associated pre-recorded sounds in wave file format are triggered and rendered for playback.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein the pickup is a piezo-electric pickup.

41. The system of claim 31, wherein the pickup is a magnetic pickup.

42. The system of claim 31, wherein the stringed instrument is a guitar.

43. A system comprising:

a stringed instrument including;

a plurality of strings;

a pickup to which each of the plurality of strings is respectively coupled, the pickup to detect a string vibration signal associated with each string as the string is played; and

an interface device coupled between the stringed instrument and a computer, the interface device including;

a converter circuit to convert the detected string vibration signals into digital string vibration signals;

a serial interface circuit coupled to the converter circuit and to a digital connector, the serial interface circuit to format each digital string vibration signal into a digital serial protocol and to transmit each serially formatted digital string signal to the digital connector; and

a computer coupled by a serial link to the digital connector of the interface device such that the computer receives each serially formatted digital string signal over the serial link, the computer operating at least one audio DSP-based software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of a model of a stringed instrument selected by a user from a plurality of selectable models of stringed instruments to create an emulated digital string tone signal.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the serial link includes one or more channels of the emulated digital string tone signals, the one or more channels of the emulated digital string tone signals being transmitted back over the serial link to the interface device for playback.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the one or more emulated digital string tone signals received at the interface device are converted by a D/A converter of the interface device into emulated analog string tone signals and outputted from the interface device through an analog output to one of headphones or an amplifier.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the emulated digital string tone signals received at the interface device are outputted from the interface device through a digital output connector.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the audio DSP-based software module includes an electric guitar DSP-based modeling software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of different electric guitars to create an emulated electric guitar digital string tone signal.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein each emulated electric guitar digital string tone signal is transmitted back over the serial link to the interface device for playback.

49. The system of claim 43, wherein the audio DSP-based software module includes an acoustic guitar DSP-based modeling software module to process each received serially formatted digital string signal in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of different acoustic guitars to create an emulated acoustic guitar digital string tone signal.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein each emulated acoustic guitar digital string tone signal is transmitted back over the serial link to the interface device for playback.

51. The system of claim 43, wherein the pickup of the stringed instrument is a piezo-electric pickup.

52. The system of claim 43, wherein the pickup is a magnetic pickup.

53. The system of claim 43, wherein the stringed instrument is a guitar.