GB2153579A - Improvements in or relating to electronic musical instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

Conventional electronic musical instruments provide operating controls which are set at fixed mutual spacings which can restrain synchronisation of the movements of an operator. The present invention provides apparatus by which the mutual spacing of the switches can be varied and, in one form, in which the operation of the switch can be independent of any fixed position relative to the instrument. In one embodiment there is provided a ring (10) having an electrical contact (12) provided thereon. The ring is worn on a finger tip of an operator who taps his fingers at any position on a common contact sheet, in order to operate the switches. Alternatively, the ring may incorporate both of the switch contacts so that the switch is operated by simply pressing on any sufficiently rigid surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to electronic musical instruments The present invention relates in general to musical instruments which produce music by electronic means and in particular to arrangements of manual switches for operating the instrument.

Musical instruments which produce music by electronic means have been known for some time. In addition to the more conventional instruments such as electronic organs there have also been known for some time instruments which emulate electronically percussion instruments such as drums and cymbals.

This later type of electronic instrument in particular is advantageous for use as a practice instrument due to its reduce size, ease of portability, adjustable volume output etc. There are however a number of restraints inherent in the known devices which have tended to limittheappeal of such instruments.

With a view to enhancing the appeal of such instruments the present invention provides, in a first aspect, a manual switch mechanism of an electronic musical instrument, comprising at least one switch contact adapted to be attached to the body of an operator of the instrument.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a musical instrument which produces music by electronic means, comprising manual switch means which controls the electronic means to produce the music, wherein the switch means have at least one switch contact adapted to be attached to the body of an operator of the instrument.

Preferably, the switch contact is adapted to be attached to a digit of the operator and in an improved embodiment several contacts are provided, each being adapted to be attached to the ends of respective fingers of the operator.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa sectional view of an embodiment of a switch contact according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is a sectional view of a further embodiment of a switch contact according to the present invention.

The following description is given in relation to one type of electronic musical instrument only, the so called "drum box". It should be appreciated that the embodiments and principles may be extended to other forms of musical instruments having various arrangements of operating switches or keyboards.

A musical instrument which electronically emulates the sound of drums and sometimes cymbals as well is known as a drum-box. The name dervies from the fact that the instrument comprises a relatively small box containing electronic circuitry producing electrical signals which, when amplified and applied to a loud speaker produce a sound similar to that produced by a set of drums, The instrument is operated by a number of manual switches the main operational ones of which are often presented on a separate panel connected to the main circuit box by a ribbon cable.

Each manual switch may produce, when operated, a single note or a pre-programmed sequence of notes. One of the switches may be used as a 'function change' switch which changes the effect of some or all of the other switches. For example, the change may be from producing a single note to the production of a sequence of notes. In a standard arrangement there may be provided six manual switches on a separate panel, the switches each having a respective one of the following designations; function switch, base drum, snare drum, tom-tom, high cymbal, low cymbal. The designations represent the emulated sound which is normally produced by operation of the respective switches, with pro-programmed sequences being initiated as an alternative upon operation of the function switch.

It is a disadvantage of the conventional drum box arrangement that the manual switches are presented at fixed locations relative to each other. Often the switches are located too close to each other and although this can be cured by increasing the spacing between the switches it is still necessary for the operators fingers to strike at fixed locations in order to operate the switches. This limitation can force an artificial synchronisation on the operators movements.

The present invention overcomes the described disadvantages by locating the operating contact of each switch at an appropriate point, such as the tips of the fingers. The switches can therefore be succussfully operated regardless of any inconsistency in the spatial distribution of the positions at which the switches are operated.

One embodiment of a switch arrangement enabling achievement the principle of the invention is partially illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Figure lisa vertical section showing an injection moulded ring 10 which is shaped to fit securely on the end of an operator's finger. Included in the moulding is an electrical contact 12 the contact surface of which protrudes from the ring 10. A number of such units are provided so that one is worn on each of several fingers.

The connections to the manual switches on a conventional drum-box are redirected so that one side of each switch is connected to a respective contact 12 and the other sides of the switches are connected to a common contact which may, for example, be in the form of a sheet of electrically conductive material. By tapping the fingers upon the metal sheetthecontacts 12 will complete the respective circuits and thus produce the appropriate musical sound. It will be appreciated that as compared with using manual switches at fixed positions relative to each other the operator has freedom to operate the switches at variable mutual spacings and at any position over a relatively large area of the common contact sheet. Synchronisation of the operators movements are not therefore restricted and a natural rhythm can be established.This has the benefit of more closely resembling the form of rhythm required to play an actual set of drums.

Instead of or in addition to the switch contacts being attached to the operators fingers, the switch contacts could be attached to the heel of a hand or foot or to any other convenient part of the body.

In a preferred arrangement the common contact sheet is flexible, for example, the sheet may be in the form of a metalised fabric at least one surface of which is capable of conductive electricity. The advantage of this arrangement is that the contact sheet can be piaced over non-planar surfaces such as the arm of a chair or the operators knee thus enabling operation of the control switches at any convenient position. This advantage may be particularly beneficial where the musical instrument which is being emulated has controls provided on a curvilinear surface.

Various possibilities exist for contacting the switching apparatus of the invention to the conventional electroinc musical instrument. In the above described conventional arrangement it is possible to replace the connections to the separate switch panel by connections to the switch arrangements of the invention. That is an electronic musical instrument which completely avoids the conventional control panel may be provided. Alternatively, an additional or alternative connection to the switching arrangement of the invention can be made together with the connection to the separate control switch panel. This can be achieved by simply inserting a multi-contact jack-plug connection on the circuit box, or control switch panel, in the path of the connections to the control switch panel.

The arrangement of the present invention offers exciting opportunities for the playing of several instruments simultaneously. An example would be the provision of a common contact sheet provided over the keys of an electronic organ or the like. If the operator is wearing a number of rings 10 with the contacts 12 connected to control a drum-box then it is possible for the operator to simultaneously play the organ and the drums.

It should be noted that various possibilities exist for connecting the contacts 12 to the circuit box. The connection can be made directly by wires which run along the am of the operator to a suitable position and then leave the body of the operator and connect into the circuit box. Alternatively, it may be possible for the contacts 12 to be connected to a transmission box located at a suitable position on the operators body with transmission to the circuit box being by way of appropriate radiation such as that commonly used for remote control of electronic equipment such as televisions, videos and his.. With such an arrangement it is necessary to ensure that the response time of the transmission and reception circuits is sufficiently fast to cope with the speed of operation of the switches by the operator.

The ring 10 illustrated in Figure 1 has been described above as a separate component. An alternative arrangement is to provide a glove with portions similar to ring 10 providing contacts at each fingertip. The provision of a glove would enable a much more convenient arrangement for the electrical connections to the contacts 12.

In the above described embodiments of the invention use has been made of a common contact sheet on which the operator taps his fingers. An enhanced embodiment of the invention avoids the requirement for a common contact sheet and thus enables the operator to operate the switches independently of any specific area in addition to being able to operate the switches at variable mutual spacings. An embodiment for achieving this result will be described with the aid of Figure 2 which is a sectional view similar to that of Figure 1. The switch unit of Figure 2 comprises an electrically conductive ring 14 which constitutes a first switch contact and a second electrically conductive component 16 which constitutes the second switch contact. The second switch contact 16 partially surrounds the ring 14 and is spaced apart therefrom by a resilient insulator 18.

The resilient insulator 18 has an aperture passing there through and the second switch contact 16 has a projection 20 extending into the aperture in the insulator 18. The insulator 18 is formed of an elastomer material and consequently when a force is applied in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 2 the insulator 18 is compressed and the projection 20 of the second switch contact 16 contacts ring 14, thus operating the switch. The internal and external surfaces of the switch arrangement of Figure 2 are covered with an insulating hardwearing coating which is flexible at least in the area of the second switch contact 16. The switch arrangement of Figure 2 enables the operator to play the instrument by simplytapping his fingers on any surface which is sufficiently rigid to produce a reaction force capable of sufficiently compressing insulator 18 to cause contact between components 14and 16.

By suitable choice of material for component 16 it is possible to avoid that portion of insulator 18 which is compressed by simply relying upon a leaf spring effect in component 16 to normally bias projection 20 away from ring 14.

This embodiment of the invention can be further modified so as to make use of 'proscimity' type switches.

Various embodiments of the invention have been described above by way of example and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that further variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. A manual switch mechanism of an electronic musical instrument, comprising at least one contact adapted to be attached to the body of an operator of the instrument.

2. A musical instrument which produces music by electronic means, comprising manaul switch means which control the electronic means to produce the music, wherein the switch means have at least one switch contact adapted to be attached to the body of an operator of the instrument.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the said switch contact is adapted to the attached to a digit of the operator.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein several independent switch contacts are provided each being adapted to be attached to separate digits of the operator.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the or each of said switch contacts are adapted to be attached to a respective finger tip of the operator.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a common switch contact for operation of a plurality of the said switch contact or contacts.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the common switch contact is in the form of a flexible sheet.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the or each switch contact has a complementary contact secured thereto in a maner enabling electrical connection between the contacts upon the application of a force to the complementary contact.

9. A manual switch mechanism of an electronic musical instrument, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A musical instrument which produces music by electronic means comprising a switch mechanism as defined in claim 9.