GB2536945A - Pickup for a string instrument - Google Patents

Pickup for a string instrument Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2536945A
GB2536945A GB1505688.0A GB201505688A GB2536945A GB 2536945 A GB2536945 A GB 2536945A GB 201505688 A GB201505688 A GB 201505688A GB 2536945 A GB2536945 A GB 2536945A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
transducer
pickup
cavity
bridge
instrument
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB1505688.0A
Other versions
GB201505688D0 (en
GB2536945B (en
Inventor
Hristov Valentin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB1505688.0A priority Critical patent/GB2536945B/en
Publication of GB201505688D0 publication Critical patent/GB201505688D0/en
Publication of GB2536945A publication Critical patent/GB2536945A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2536945B publication Critical patent/GB2536945B/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

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
    • 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
    • G10H3/185—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 in which the tones are picked up through the bridge structure
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10D3/00—Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
    • G10D3/04—Bridges
    • 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
    • G10H1/32—Constructional details
    • 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
    • G10H3/143—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 characterised by the use of a piezoelectric or magneto-strictive transducer
    • 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
    • G10H2220/00—Input/output interfacing specifically adapted for electrophonic musical tools or instruments
    • G10H2220/461—Transducers, i.e. details, positioning or use of assemblies to detect and convert mechanical vibrations or mechanical strains into an electrical signal, e.g. audio, trigger or control signal
    • G10H2220/465—Bridge-positioned, i.e. assembled to or attached with the bridge of a stringed musical instrument
    • 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
    • G10H2220/00—Input/output interfacing specifically adapted for electrophonic musical tools or instruments
    • G10H2220/461—Transducers, i.e. details, positioning or use of assemblies to detect and convert mechanical vibrations or mechanical strains into an electrical signal, e.g. audio, trigger or control signal
    • G10H2220/465—Bridge-positioned, i.e. assembled to or attached with the bridge of a stringed musical instrument
    • G10H2220/481—Bridge-positioned, i.e. assembled to or attached with the bridge of a stringed musical instrument on top, i.e. transducer positioned between the strings and the bridge structure itself
    • 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
    • G10H2220/00—Input/output interfacing specifically adapted for electrophonic musical tools or instruments
    • G10H2220/461—Transducers, i.e. details, positioning or use of assemblies to detect and convert mechanical vibrations or mechanical strains into an electrical signal, e.g. audio, trigger or control signal
    • G10H2220/465—Bridge-positioned, i.e. assembled to or attached with the bridge of a stringed musical instrument
    • G10H2220/495—Single bridge transducer, common to all strings
    • 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
    • G10H2220/00—Input/output interfacing specifically adapted for electrophonic musical tools or instruments
    • G10H2220/461—Transducers, i.e. details, positioning or use of assemblies to detect and convert mechanical vibrations or mechanical strains into an electrical signal, e.g. audio, trigger or control signal
    • G10H2220/525—Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage

Abstract

A pickup unit for a string instrument comprises a bridge 10 to be placed on the body of a stringed musical instrument, such as a violin or viola, and over which the strings of the instrument are tensioned. A cavity 50 is formed within the bridge, or defined between the bridge and the instrument body, and a planar piezoelectric transducer 18 is bonded to a boundary surface 34 of the cavity. As result of this configuration, sound waves generated by vibration of the strings of the instrument are transmitted through a solid to only one side of the transducer. The transducer is preferably attached to a surface of the cavity nearest to the instrument body, and may straddle a recess 24 formed in the bridge cavity. The cavity may be filled with an encapsulating elastic material. The pickup may provide improved sensitivity and increased dynamic range.

Description

PICKUP FOR A STRING INSTRUMENT
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an electrical string instrument and is particularly concerned with the pickup used in such an instrument to convert mechanical vibrations of the strings of the instrument to electrical signals. The invention will be described by reference to a violin pickup but it is also applicable to string instruments that are plucked, such as electric guitars, and other string instruments that a bowed, such as violas and bases. The pickup of the invention may be used in acoustic instruments having of conventional design (i.e. with a resonating cavity) or in purely electric instruments that have a solid body.
Background of the invention
It is known to use a pickup to sense the vibrations of the strings of a musical instrument and to process and amplify the sensed electrical signals in order to reproduce an authentic sound or to produce special sound effects. Pickups comprise piezoelectric transducers that are normally positioned either within the bridge (this being the upright element over which the strings are tensioned) or in a so-called saddle on which the bridge rests.
Object of the invention The present invention seeks to provide a pickup that is sensitive over the full range of the frequencies of the musical notes generated by the strings of the instrument and that provides high sensitivity over a wide dynamic range. -2 -
Summary of the invention
According to the present invention, there is provided a pickup for a string instrument, comprising a bridge to be 5 placed on the body of the string instrument and over which the strings of the instrument are tensioned, wherein a cavity is formed within the bridge or defined between the bridge and the body of the instrument and a planar piezoelectric transducer is bonded to a boundary surface of the cavity, whereby sound waves generated by vibration of the strings of the instrument are transmitted through a solid to only one side of the transducer.
In some embodiments, the cavity is elongate in a direction perpendicular to the strings and the transducer is elongate and located on the longer side of cavity further removed from the strings, such that sound waves generated by vibrations of the strings approach the side of the transducer facing away from the strings in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the transducer.
The transducer typically lies in a flat plane and the boundary surface of the cavity, in some embodiments, has a flat portion to which the transducer is bonded.
A recess may be provided in the flat portion, the recess being straddled by the piezoelectric transducer. While not wishing to be bound by theory, this is believed to enable the transducer to vibrate more freely.
Advantageously, a recess is formed in the flat portion beyond one end of the transducer in the path of sound waves approaching the transducer from one of its ends.
The bridge has an upper edge on which the strings are supported and a base contacting the body of the instrument, either directly or through an intervening saddle. The base may be formed with a central cut out whereby only lateral ends of the bridge base contact the saddle or the body of the instrument.
The bridge may be tapered, the upper edge of the bridge being narrow than its base in a direction parallel to the strings of the instrument.
To enclose the cavity on all sides, the bridge may be formed of a central portion to which the piezoelectric transducer is bonded and cover plates on each side of the central portion For ease of manufacture and assembly, the central portion may be formed in two parts joined to one another at a split plane that passes through the cavity.
The cavity may be filled with an clastic material to encapsulate the transducer.
Brief description of the drawings
The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in 25 which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a pickup, Figure 2 is a section through an assembled pickup, and Figure 3 is a side view of an assembled pickup.
Detailed description of the drawings
The pickup illustrated in the drawings comprises a bridge 10 made up of a lower part 12 and an upper part 14.
The upper part 14 has a curved upper edge that is formed with notches 16 for receiving the strings of the instrument. The base of the lower part 12 is intended to rest on the body of the instrument either directly or by way of a saddle -4 -and is formed with a large part-circular cut out 26. The two parts 12 and 14 are made of a hard wood, such as wenge, and when mated together, as shown in Figure 2, they define between them an elongate cavity 50 within which a piezoelectric transducer 18 is mounted.
When the pickup is fully assembled, as shown in the side view of Figure 3, the cavity 50 is enclosed by side plates 52 and 54 and is filled with an elastic material, such as a silicone sealant, which serves to encapsulate the transducer. It will also be seen from Figure 3 that the bridge is tapered, being wider at the base in contact with the body of the instrument than at its upper end in contact with the strings.
The cavity 50 has an upper boundary surface 34 that is curved and generally runs parallel to the curved upper edge of the upper part 14. The upper part 14 is shaped as a bow terminating in two feet 38 and 40 that rest on, and are glued to, shoulders 42 and 44 of the lower part 12 to close off the sides of the cavity 40.
The lower boundary surface of the cavity 50 is formed of two portions 32 and 34. The portion 32 is flat and it is to this part that the piezoelectric transducer 18 is bonded. The portion 32 needs to be flat as bending the piezoelectric transducer would damage it and interfere with its ability to vibrate freely. To further improve the ability of the transducer 18 to vibrate, a recess 24 is formed in the flat portion 32 beneath the transducer 18.
The second portion 30 of the lower boundary surface of the cavity 15 is curved and runs generally parallel to the upper boundary surface 34. A deep recess 36 is formed at the end of the portion 34 of the lower boundary surface remote from the transducer 18. -5 -
Electrical connection to the transducer 18 is made by means of a lead 20 that passes through a hole 22 in the lower part 12 of the bridge 10.
The pickup differs from conventional pickups in that the transducer is mounted with a cavity 50 in the bridge instead of being compressed between the bridge and the saddle or body of the string instrument. This has been found to improve the sensitivity of the transducer and the increase the dynamic range of the pickup.
An important feature of the illustrated bridge is that sound is coupled by solid part of the bridge only to one side of the transducer. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that improved acoustic performance is achieved because the transducer is not compressed through between two solid surfaces and is therefore free to vibrate more freely in its thickness direction. The sound waves generated by vibrations of the strings pass around the cavity 50 and enter the lower part 12 through the foot 40 shown on the right in the drawing. The sound waves then travel along the flat portion 32 of the cavity boundary to excite the transducer 18. The recess 36 serves to prevent standing waves being set up by waves travelling towards the transducer in opposite directions.
The illustrated pickup is formed of two parts for ease of manufacture and these need to be well bonded to each other. A hard wood is the preferred material for ease of working and because of its sound transmitting properties, but the bridge may alternatively be formed of a suitable solid material, including moulded plastics.
It will be clear to the person skilled in the art that 35 various other modifications may be made the illustrated pickup without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims. -6 -
In particular, the cavity within which the transducer is mounted need not be formed entirely with the bridge but may be defined between the bridge and the body of the instrument or a saddle located between the body of the instrument and the bridge. In such a construction, a second cavity may be formed within the body of the bridge to influence the path followed by the sound waves as they pass through the solid region supporting the transducer.

Claims (11)

  1. -7 -CLAIMS 1. A pickup for a string instrument, comprising a bridge to be placed on the body of the string instrument and 5 over which the strings of the instrument are tensioned, wherein a cavity is formed within the bridge or defined between the bridge and the body of the instrument and a planar piezoelectric transducer is bonded to a boundary surface of the cavity, whereby sound waves generated by 10 vibration of the strings of the instrument are transmitted through a solid to only one side of the transducer.
  2. 2. A pickup as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity is elongate in a direction perpendicular to the strings and the transducer is elongate and located on the longer side of cavity further removed from the strings, such that sound waves generated by vibrations of the strings approach the side of the transducer facing away from the strings in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the transducer.
  3. 3. A pickup as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the transducer lies in a flat plane and the boundary surface of the cavity has a flat portion to which transducer is bonded.
  4. 4. A pickup as claimed in claim 3, wherein a recess is provided in the flat portion, the recess being straddled by the piezoelectric transducer.
  5. 5. A pickup as claimed in claim 3 pr 4, wherein a 30 recess is formed in the flat portion beyond one end of the transducer in the path of sound waves approaching the transducer from one of its ends.
  6. 6. A pickup as claimed in any preceding claim, 35 wherein the bridge has an upper edge on which the strings are supported and a base formed with a central cut out -8 -whereby only lateral ends of the bridge base contact a saddle or the body of the instrument.
  7. 7. A pickup as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bridge is tapered, the upper edge of the bridge being narrow than its base in a direction parallel to the strings of the instrument.
  8. 8. A pickup as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bridge is formed of a central portion to which the piezoelectric transducer is bonded and cover plates on each side of the central portion to enclose the cavity on all sides.
  9. 9. A pickup as claimed in claim 8, wherein the central portion is formed in two parts joined to one another at a split plane that passes through the cavity.
  10. 10. A pickup as claimed in any preceding claim, 20 wherein the cavity is filled with an elastic material to encapsulate the transducer.
  11. 11. A pickup constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with 25 reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
GB1505688.0A 2015-04-01 2015-04-01 Pickup for a string instrument Expired - Fee Related GB2536945B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1505688.0A GB2536945B (en) 2015-04-01 2015-04-01 Pickup for a string instrument

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1505688.0A GB2536945B (en) 2015-04-01 2015-04-01 Pickup for a string instrument

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201505688D0 GB201505688D0 (en) 2015-05-20
GB2536945A true GB2536945A (en) 2016-10-05
GB2536945B GB2536945B (en) 2017-10-04

Family

ID=53190086

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1505688.0A Expired - Fee Related GB2536945B (en) 2015-04-01 2015-04-01 Pickup for a string instrument

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2536945B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2018074401A1 (en) * 2016-10-17 2018-04-26 拓未 木村 Pickup device and string instrument

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4750397A (en) * 1985-08-21 1988-06-14 Ashworth Jones Alun D Electronic musical instrument with elastomeric strings and shielded bimorphic transducers
US4785704A (en) * 1986-06-19 1988-11-22 Fishman Lawrence R Musical instrument transducer
US5078041A (en) * 1990-06-04 1992-01-07 Schmued Laurence C Suspension bridge pickup for guitar

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4750397A (en) * 1985-08-21 1988-06-14 Ashworth Jones Alun D Electronic musical instrument with elastomeric strings and shielded bimorphic transducers
US4785704A (en) * 1986-06-19 1988-11-22 Fishman Lawrence R Musical instrument transducer
US5078041A (en) * 1990-06-04 1992-01-07 Schmued Laurence C Suspension bridge pickup for guitar

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2018074401A1 (en) * 2016-10-17 2018-04-26 拓未 木村 Pickup device and string instrument

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201505688D0 (en) 2015-05-20
GB2536945B (en) 2017-10-04

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
KR101245381B1 (en) acoustic and electrical string instruments of violin group
JP4702188B2 (en) Electric stringed instruments
CN107836021B (en) Pickup device for musical instrument
JP3804637B2 (en) String instruments and strings
US9117430B2 (en) Electric stringed musical instrument and method of designing the same
US6605771B1 (en) Pickup assembly for musical instrument
US9928818B2 (en) Piezoelectric pickup and cell for stringed instruments
JP2022546915A (en) Saddle and bridge for reducing longitudinal waves in stringed instruments
GB2536945A (en) Pickup for a string instrument
WO2017046843A1 (en) Pickup and string instrument equipped with pickup
JP2005084257A (en) Stringed instrument
KR101543653B1 (en) Electric guitar
JP5834298B2 (en) Stringed instrument
JP5834301B2 (en) Stringed instrument
JP4239860B2 (en) Bowed instrument piece and bowed instrument
JP7098219B1 (en) Stringed instrument exciter and stringed instrument exciter system
JP6417846B2 (en) Stringed instrument
JP3912193B2 (en) String instruments and electric instruments
JP5857359B1 (en) Microphone unit connector mounting structure and stringed instrument
JP3664247B2 (en) Vibration pickup for stringed instruments
JP2016126192A (en) Keyboard instrument

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20190401