Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
  • G10H1/00—Details of electrophonic musical instruments
  • G10H1/0008—Associated control or indicating means
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
  • G10H1/00—Details of electrophonic musical instruments
  • G10H1/18—Selecting circuits
  • G10H1/26—Selecting circuits for automatically producing a series of tones
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
  • G10H3/00—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means
  • G10H3/12—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means using mechanical resonant generators, e.g. strings or percussive instruments, the tones of which are picked up by electromechanical transducers, the electrical signals being further manipulated or amplified and subsequently converted to sound by a loudspeaker or equivalent instrument
  • G10H3/14—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means using mechanical resonant generators, e.g. strings or percussive instruments, the tones of which are picked up by electromechanical transducers, the electrical signals being further manipulated or amplified and subsequently converted to sound by a loudspeaker or equivalent instrument using mechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means
  • G10H3/18—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means using mechanical resonant generators, e.g. strings or percussive instruments, the tones of which are picked up by electromechanical transducers, the electrical signals being further manipulated or amplified and subsequently converted to sound by a loudspeaker or equivalent instrument using mechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means using a string, e.g. electric guitar
  • G10H3/182—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means using mechanical resonant generators, e.g. strings or percussive instruments, the tones of which are picked up by electromechanical transducers, the electrical signals being further manipulated or amplified and subsequently converted to sound by a loudspeaker or equivalent instrument using mechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means using a string, e.g. electric guitar using two or more pick-up means for each string
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
  • G10H2240/00—Data organisation or data communication aspects, specifically adapted for electrophonic musical tools or instruments
  • G10H2240/091—Info, i.e. juxtaposition of unrelated auxiliary information or commercial messages with or between music files

Definitions

• the invention relates to a pickup switching device for a stringed instrument, in particular an electric guitar, according to the preamble of claim 1.
• the invention further relates to a method for setting a pickup switching device for stringed instruments according to the preamble of claim 8.
• the invention further relates to a stringed instrument with a pickup according to the Preamble of claim 11.
• the pickups for stringed instruments usually have either a coil or a so-called double coil, which has two electrically separate coils arranged on the pickup.
• a double coil is also referred to as a "humbucker pickup”.
• a plurality of pickups are usually arranged spaced apart in the direction of the strings.
• the best known arrangements are the so called "GIBSON
• Tonality " which consists of two pickups with a double coil
• FENDER tonality " which consists of three pickups, each with a coil
• further arrangement variations of pickups are known, for example an arrangement in which one between the two pickups with a double coil Another pickup with a coil detects the vibrations of the strings.
• a pickup switching device for an electric guitar which allows the individual coils of a plurality of pickups to be connected in different combinations in order to to play the electric guitar in different tonality.
• This known pickup switching device has the disadvantage that both the number of connectable pickups and their possible combinations are very limited.
• the object is achieved in particular with a pickup switching device which can be actuated
• Switching device comprises, which is intended to connect the coils of the pickups in different combinations, to thereby generate an output signal of different tonality, and which also comprises a speech signal generating device which depends on the respective switching state of the
• the object is further achieved in particular with a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, which means for detecting a state of the
• Speech signal generating device comprises, wherein the speech signal generating device generates a speech signal that describes the detected state using speech.
• the speech signal is fed to an electroacoustic transducer, such as a loudspeaker or a headphone, so that the speech signal can be listened to by the instrument player and possibly also by the audience.
• the stringed instrument according to the invention has the advantage that its states can be described by using a speech signal, so that the instrument player is informed in a simple and pleasant way about the respective state of the stringed instrument.
• An electronic guitar can have a multitude of different states, for example the connection of the coils, the state of charge of the battery, setting of the volume regulator, activated filters etc., the respective state of which can be described by the speech output. If the battery is almost discharged, for example, this condition can be compared to the
• the stringed instrument or the pickup switching device always requires a speech signal generating device. The remaining
• Components can be designed in a variety of ways, in a simple embodiment as a mechanical switch, in a sophisticated embodiment comprising a microcomputer.
• the switching device can be designed as a mechanical switch, which has a plurality of fixedly specified combination options for the coils of the pickups, whereby by a Pressing the switch selects one of the predefined connections and the individual coils are connected accordingly, the signal from the coils connected in this way being fed to a downstream electroacoustic transducer, in particular a loudspeaker.
• the selected switching state becomes one
• Speech generating device fed, which generates a speech signal that describes the selected state in words.
• This speech signal is preferably supplied to the aforementioned loudspeaker, the speech signal also being able to be output via an additional electroacoustic transducer, for example via headphones or a loudspeaker built into the guitar.
• the pickup switching device has an electronic control device with selectively controllable switches, each coil being connectable to a switch.
• the switches are designed electromechanically, for example comprising an electromagnet and a make contact, or electronically, for example only consisting of a FET transistor.
• control device is designed to be programmable and also has a plurality of memories, with each of which a connection combination of coils can be stored. During a programming process, for example, one of a large number of possible connections of coils
• Connection combination selected and assigned to a memory wherein the control device or the memory can be activated, for example, via a key switch arranged on the guitar.
• a guitar can have six key switches, with each key switch being able to be freely assigned to a combination of connections.
• Connection combinations can be done very quickly by pressing the respective push button.
• connection combination in particular the current assignment of a key switch
• voice output can take place via the same loudspeaker via which the sound signal of the guitar is also output.
• the programming process is also output by a voice signal, in which, for example, instructions for the required inputs or the stored settings during the programming process are described by appropriately selected words and output on the loudspeaker.
• An advantage of the device according to the invention can be seen in the fact that the output of a voice signal simplifies the operation of the pickup switching device for a guitarist, because each state of the switching device can be queried in a simple manner, and because the preferred combinations of coils or the preferred tonalities by a programming process can be easily assigned to the push buttons.
• Pickup switching device can be seen in the fact that the loudspeaker always required for an electric guitar can also be used for the output of the speech signal, so that no additional display device, in particular no optical display, is required.
• the acoustic signal also has the advantage that the guitar can be programmed in a wide variety of lighting conditions, even in the dark or with closed eyes.
• the guitar is also for
• Connection combination calls and in a second phase the selected tonality can be listened to directly by pressing the strings. If the sound does not have the desired tonality, another connection combination can be selected in programming mode, which in turn can be listened to by pressing the strings. Assigning the pushbutton switches with different connection combinations can therefore be done very quickly and comfortably.
• Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram of a
• FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a programmable switching device
• Fig. 8 is a table with states and associated speech signal.
• connection elements 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j for example, as a clamping device or as a plug is configured to effect an electrically conductive connection to the coils 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b, 16a, 17a, 18a, 19a of pickups 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 arranged on the guitar.
• the connecting element 2j is grounded and the connecting elements
• Switches 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i, 4j, 4k, 41, 4m, 4n are designed as field effect transistors (FET transistors).
• 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i, 4j, 4k, 41, 4m, 4n could also be designed in a different way, for example as controllable electromagnetic relays.
• the switches 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i, 4j, 4k can be individually controlled via switching signal lines 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5i, 5j, 5k and connected to a control device 21.
• This arrangement of switches 4 allows the coils 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b, 16a, 17a, 18a, 19a of the pickups 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 to be combined in a wide variety of ways, which is illustrated by the configuration of the pickups Fig. 2 is shown in more detail.
• the configuration of pickups 14, 15, 16 in a GIBSON tonality has two pickups 14, 15, each with two coils 14a, 14b; 15a, 15b, also referred to as a double coil, and a pickup 16 with a single coil 16a.
• the individual coils 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b, 16a can be connected to the corresponding electrical connecting elements 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j.
• the electrical connecting elements 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j are such with one another and with the individual switches
• the individual coils 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b, 16a can be interconnected in a variety of combinations in order to derive from the sum of the
• Switching device 12 which includes the control device 21 and the switch 4, adjustable.
• Control device has a programmable microprocessor with memory.
• the inputs to the control device are made via the electrical connecting elements 11a, 11b, 11c, lld, llle, llf, 11g, which are connected to the control device 21 via signal lines 13.
• the electrical connecting elements 11a, 11b, 11c, lld, llle, llf, 11g are connected to the control device 21 via signal lines 13.
• six pushbuttons that can be actuated individually by a slight pressure movement are arranged on a guitar, and are connected via a cable to the electrical connecting elements 11a, 11b, 11c, lld, llle, llf, 11g.
• the programmable switching device 12 can be programmed via these pushbutton switches, a speech signal Sp being used to designate the respective state of the switching device 12, which is connected to the control device 21 by a voice signal Sp Voice signal generating device 20 is generated and output to a voice signal line 9, corresponding to the state of the switching device 12.
• the voice signal generating device 20 forms part of the control device 21.
• the output signal S is passed via a further switch 41, which can be controlled by the control device 21 via a switching signal line 6. After the switch 41, the output signal S becomes an electrical one
• Connection element 3 supplied, where the output signal S is tapped and is usually fed to a downstream amplifier system with speakers.
• the switch 41 allows the output signal S to be switched on or off with respect to the connecting element 3.
• the voice signal Sp is passed via a further switch 4m, which can be controlled by the control device 21 via a switching signal line 7.
• the line which transmits the voice signal Sp is connected to the line which transmits the output signal S and is jointly supplied to the electrical connecting element 3.
• the further switch 4n with switching signal line 8 serves to connect the voice signal Sp or, by an additional switching of the switch 4m, also the output signal S present at the electrical connecting element 3 to ground 10.
• An advantage of this arrangement and the use of FET transistors is the fact that the switching is crack-free, so that there is no crackling noise on the downstream speaker.
• FIG. 3 shows a further configuration of pickups 17, 18, 19, which each have a single coil 17a, 18a, 19a, and which are electrical
• Connecting elements 2 are connected to each other in a FENDER tonality and can be switched in different combinations according to the possibilities of the switching device 12.
• FIG. 4 shows a programming process of the control device 21 or the switching device 12 using a flowchart.
• the key number 1 which is arranged on the guitar and is designed as a key switch and is connected to the control device 21 via the connecting element 11a, is pressed.
• a key with a stored switching state of the switches 4 is assigned to the button number 1 in the control device 21.
• the duration of the key press is monitored and, if the key is pressed for less than two seconds, the method is switched to method step 31.
• the state stored for key number 1 is applied to the individual switching signal lines 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5i, 5j, 5k and the switches 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g , 4h, 4i, 4j, 4k switched accordingly, so that when the strings are actuated an output signal S can be generated with a corresponding connection of the coils 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b, 16a.
• the respectively saved switching state can be set by actuating switches number 2, number 3 etc.
• the control device 21 changes to one Programming mode and a speech signal Sp with the content "swich number one is now in programming mode" is generated in subsequent method step 33.
• a voice signal Sp is then output in method step 34 with the designation of the switching state currently in the memory, for example by the message “neck and bridge”, which means that the coil 14a is connected in parallel with the coil 14b, the coil 15a in parallel is connected to the coil 15b, and both parallel connections are connected in series.
• the switches 4 are also switched in accordance with this memory content, so that the tonality of this output signal S can be heard by operating the strings.
• Push button switch with button number 1 pressed again the time duration being monitored in method step 36. If the key switch is pressed briefly once, a branch is made to method step 38, which causes a fixed list of
• Switching states of the next following state is applied to the switch 4 and is also output acoustically with a speech signal Sp, for example by the message "neck and brige outer coil parallel".
• a speech signal Sp for example by the message "neck and brige outer coil parallel”.
• Another short press of the button number 1 takes a further branch to step 38 after step 36, so the next state stored in the fixed list of switching states is applied to the switches 4 and at the same time is output acoustically.
• the list of the given switching states can be viewed very quickly and comfortably and, if desired, can also be listened to by pressing the strings.
• the key number 1 is either to be pressed for more than two seconds or there is no more key input to be made for more than thirty seconds, so that branching from method step 36 to method step 39, which the
• the programming process ends with the message "Switch number one the setting has now been saved”.
• the selected combination is thus saved and can be called up at any time by pressing key number 1, as shown in method step 31. If the key is pressed briefly twice in method step 36, a branch is made to method step 37, and a return takes place in the list of fixed switching states, that is to say a jump in the opposite direction in comparison to method step 36. Thus, by pressing the pushbutton once or twice in method step 36, it is possible to jump forward or backward in the fixed list of switching states.
• control device 21 could be programmed.
• An optical representation could also be used as an indication means for displaying the switching states.
• Other means could be provided as an input means instead of or in addition to the pushbutton switches, for example by actuating the strings with a pickup and generating an input signal therefrom.
• one string is pressed in such a way that it touches the pickup, the string being usually grounded and the touch in the pickup generating a pulse that can be detected with a correspondingly designed electronic switching device, by a switching signal to create.
• the contact between the string and the pickup must take at least a quarter of a second or at least half a second to be accepted as a switching signal. This can be between an unintentional touch of the
• FIG. 5 shows a guitar 22 with body 22a, neck 22b, strings 23 and pickups 14, 15. Pressure or tension sensors are arranged in the bridge 25, which allow the tension of the individual strings 23 to be measured and transmit the tension values through the signal line 28 to the switching device 12.
• the programmable switching device 12 Arranged inside the body 22a is the programmable switching device 12, which is connected via electrical signal lines 2, 13, 28 to the coils 14, 15, the sensors of the bridge 25 and the actuating switches 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11l, 11f, 11g.
• the output signal S and the voice signal Sp of the switching device 12 can be tapped at the electrical connection element 3, which is designed as a socket for a plug of a cable.
• FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a programmable switching device 12, which comprises a programmable control device 21 and a speech signal generating device 20.
• Various means are provided for detecting one
• These means can include the switches 11a, 11b, 11c, lld, lle, llf, 11g, which are connected to the control device 21 via signal lines 13.
• These means can also be, for example, a controller 26, a measuring device for the other
• Lines 27a, 27b present voltage of the battery 27, a signal line 28 for a pressure or tension sensor or the output signal S of individual coils or all coils.
• An electric guitar can have a large number of states which can be detected with appropriately designed means and can be supplied to the control device 21.
• the programmable switching device 12 comprising the control device 21 can, as shown for example in FIG. 7, consist of a microprocessor (CPU) 21b, which via data lines D2, D3, D4 with an input / output device (I / O) 21a, with a Memory 12c (RAM, ROM) as well as connected to the speech signal generating device 20. All states of the lines 10, 13, 2a-2j, 6, 7, 8, 28, 29a are recorded via the input / output device 2la.
• the signal S of the coils 17, 18, 19 is detected via the lines 2a-2j and supplied individually or as a sum signal S of the connected coils 17, 18, 19 by the input / output device 21a to the speech signal generating device 20.
• data can be exchanged with an external device via a data line D1, which is designed, for example, as a MIDI interface.
• the voice signal Sp and the signal S of the coils are output via the socket 3.
• the speech signal generating device 20 comprises a table according to FIG. 8, in which different states and corresponding texts, voice or music signals are stored.
• the states can be stored as alphanumeric text, wherein the speech signal generating device 20 allows a synthetic speech signal Sp to be generated from this text.
• This initially electrical voice signal Sp is converted into an acoustic signal via an internal or external loudspeaker.
• the description of the states can also be stored as acoustic signals stored in digitized form, these signals being output as a speech signal Sp via a digital / analog converter.
• An advantage of storing the signals in digitized form can be seen in the fact that signals with any content can be stored, including entire welcoming texts, identifications, comments or even advertising contributions, which can also include music in addition to language.
• the stringed instrument designed as a guitar 22 allows, for example, the following states to be recorded and output with a descriptive speech signal:
• the frequency of the signal S can be analyzed and the tuning of the string can be output with voice output.
• the Speech output can also be used as an aid for tuning the strings, for example by saying "to high” or "to low", depending on whether the string is too high or too low.
• the programmable switching device 12 can be programmable externally, for example by connecting a computer to the external digital line D1, the table shown in FIG. 8 also being programmable with assignment of states and corresponding voice signals.
• the programmable switching device 12 can also be configured without a digital line D1, whereby, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, an analog or digital input 29 can be provided, via which, for example, via a microphone, a voice signal directly into the table according to FIG. 8 is discardable.
• a guitar player could very simply save a greeting via a microphone directly as a state in the table according to FIG. 8, and call it up at a suitable point in time by actuating switches 11a, 11b, 11c, lld, llle, llf, 11g and supply it as a speech signal Sp to a downstream loudspeaker.
• the memory 21c arranged in the guitar can be configured as a permanent memory (ROM) as a volatile memory (RAM) or as a magnetic memory such as a floppy disk, a hard disk or an optical memory such as a megnet-optical disk, a compact disk or a mini disk.
• ROM permanent memory
• RAM volatile memory
• magnetic memory such as a floppy disk, a hard disk or an optical memory such as a megnet-optical disk, a compact disk or a mini disk.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
• Binders And Loading Units For Sheaves (AREA)

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• 1998
  • 1998-03-17 CA CA002284021A patent/CA2284021A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-03-17 WO PCT/CH1998/000102 patent/WO1998041972A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-03-17 AU AU62878/98A patent/AU6287898A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-03-17 EP EP98906786A patent/EP0968496B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-03-17 DE DE59804327T patent/DE59804327D1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-03-17 ES ES98906786T patent/ES2178168T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-03-17 AT AT98906786T patent/ATE218738T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-03-17 JP JP53999198A patent/JP3220729B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-11-09 US US09/189,007 patent/US6316713B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

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