GB1118032A - Improvements in or relating to electrical musical instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

1,118,032. Electrophonic musical instrument. WARWICK ELECTRONICS Inc. 2 July, 1965 [2 July, 1964], No. 28132/65. Heading G5J. Percussion effects may be added to the output of an electric organ, or the attack and decay of notes played modified, under the control of a repetitive modulating device. As shown, the modulating device is a rotating cylinder 23 having transparent and opaque sections, through which light from suitable sources falls on lightdependent resistors 19, 19a in a non-uniform rhythmic pattern which may be that of a waltz, fox-trot &c. according to which of the alternative bands (44) is brought into use by relative lateral movement of the cylinder. The resistors 19 and 19a may be included respectively in the circuits of the pedal and manual keyboard outputs or may modulate the output of an oscillator 42 part of the circuits of the pedal and manual keyboards. Alternative positions of the channel switches 26 and 43 and multi-pole mode switch 27 allow the extent and nature of the effect obtained to be varied. For example, when switch 26 is in position 51 and switch 27 in position 52 signals from the manual keyboard 11 go directly to the voicing network 17, amplifier 16 and output circuit 14 and are also applied to the input 38 of a trigger-circuit 36, by-passing resistance 19. If the musician pauses, e.g. by playing " non-legato," the onset of the first tone after the gap releases a pulse and causes whatever percussion device is in circuit to sound. When switch 26 is in position 51 and switch 27 in position 54, signals from the keyboard 11 pass directly to the voicing circuit, amplifier and output, and a steady signal from the continuous oscillator 42 is modulated by the cylinder 23. The trigger circuit fires under the control of the modulating drum only and the percussion effects are triggered accordingly. When switch 26 is in position 53 and switch 27 in position 52, the output from keyboard 11 is modulated by the pattern on the cylinder 23 and controlled in its rhythm, attack and decay and the normal pattern triggers the special circuits. The manual or pedal keyboard can be controlled in this way and the other played normally if required.