GB2443450A

GB2443450A - System for allowing modulation of individual keys on an electronic keyboard

Info

Publication number: GB2443450A
Application number: GB0611927A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Payne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-06-16
Filing date: 2006-06-16
Publication date: 2008-05-07
Also published as: GB0611927D0

Abstract

A system whereby the movement of a player's fingers across a touch sensitive pad provided on an individual key of an electronic keyboard can send a signal to a controller for modification of the note generated by that key. Functions such as modulation and pitch bending may be possible. The effect will only be applied to the note generated by that particular key and not any others that may be depressed. The keyboard may be able to interface with other devices via USB or MDI or similar protocols.

Description

System for Allowing Modulation of Individual Keys on an Electronic

Keyboard

Background

In modern recorded musical productions, instruments such as guitar, bass, trumpets, etc. are rapidly being "virtualized." They are now being emulated using computer software and firmware, and the Musical Instrument Digital Interface ("MIDI") connected keyboard has become the method of choice for playing not only these virtualized instruments, but other software-created synthesizers as well.

The most common keyboard configuration is a row of piano-style, white-and-black keys, with added electrical and electronic hardware for modulating the sound of the keys being played. These typically take the form of two wheels, one of which changes the pitch of the notes being played and the other adding vibrato or other effect programmable by the computer software and hardware to which the keyboard is connected.

However, this imposes some limitations. One cannot modulate an individual note being played on the keyboard to the exclusion of all others when multiple keys are being depressed. This invention gives the player much greater control over which notes are affected by the modulation as specified within the parameters set up in the software used by the musician. For example, this invention makes the computer software-based emulation of a guitar much more realistic by giving the player control over the individual virtualized notes and strings being played at any given time.

This invention also overcomes another problem with conventional electronic keyboard configurations which have separate wheels or other manipulation devices built into them, in which one is forced to leave the keyboard to actually manipulate the wheel itself. This can be a problem when both hands are engaged in playing a piece of music, with the hand handling the bass part being forced to cease playing in order to use the modulation controls. With the system as described here, neither hand ever need abandon the playing surface in order to perform modifications to the sound What this invention does is allow for modulation and/or modification of the note or sound being played, as specified by the user of whatever programmable software or firmware is in use. For instance, one could program the individual key to be interpreted by the virtualized instrument or software synthesizer as a pitch shift, such that movement across the touch pad surface causes the string bend effect of a guitar. Another application might be altering the timbre of a sound generated with a software synthesizer, allowing new and interesting creative possibilities.

How it Works This consists of a touch sensitive pad not dissimilar to those found on laptop computers, which when the finger moves across its surface causes the desired affect. The touch pad is interfaced with the digital circuitry of the keyboard which translates the movement on the surface of the key or keys into MIDI or other digital signals suitable for feeding into electronic instruments for the purposes of effecting modification of the note or other sound being generated or being caused to sound as a result of the depression of the same key.

Features The Key The key is a normal white or black, piano-style key which incorporates the touch sensitive surface as part of it's construction.

The touch pad Standard type touch pad used in the computer lap top industry and otherwise known as a mouse' function.

The Hardware and Software with Which the Sensors Interface This takes the electronic signal produced by the finger moving across the surface of the touch Sensitive pad and creates a digital signal which adheres to the Musical Instrument Digital Interface and/or other electronic instrument conimunication protocol.

This signal may be used internally if the keyboard is part of an electronic instrument which is capable of producing its own sounds, or sent out of the instrument as an electronic signal via cable using Universal Serial Bus ("USB"), MIDI or other computer or instrument communication protocol, or both.

Defeat Switch A switch may be provided in order to defeat the effect being created.

The Drawing The drawing illustrates how the touch sensitive pad may be interfaced with the relevant electronics in order to produce the desired MIDI or other computer or musical instrument communications signals.

1) Key With built-in touch sensitive pad.

2) Touch Pad Detects the movement of the finger across its surface.

3) Keyboard Controller Circuitry Internal circuitry takes the signal from the touch sensitive pad to generate a signal compatible with MIDI or other musical instrument communications protocol.

4) External MIDI Interface The keyboard may have connectors for interfacing the internally generated electronic musical instrument protocol with other, external electronic devices such as synthesizers or computers. The connector or connectors may be in the form of USB, MIDIDIN plug, or other relevant, industry-standard or proprietary connector, depending on the interface chosen by the designer.

5) Defeat Switch For disabling the effect as the effect may not always be desirable during a performance.

6) SignalLeads For carrying signal from touch sensitive pad to keyboard's internal circuitry.

Claims

This invention allows the player of an electronic musical instrument which uses piano-style keyboards to produce signals which give the player or programmer of the device the ability to affect the music performed on the device by applying pressure laterally or otherwise to a touch-sensitive pad situated on the key itself.

It will give the player the ability to perform functions such as pitch bending without the player's hands having to leave the keyboard. It also gives the player the ability to affect the performance of individual notes whilst pressing multiple keys, which current keyboard configurations do not allow because the mechanisms for doing so are designed to affect all notes being played.