JP2004117630A - Electronic musical instrument and its chord specifying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily specify chords in a guitar type electronic musical instrument. <P>SOLUTION: Six steps are provided between frets 20, 20 by allowing a fret switch 30 to correspond to each of first to sixth strings of a guitar. The key codes of "C", "C#", "D", and so on are specified as a root from the first fret in order by 12 fret switches 30 corresponding to the second string by the same scale as a guitar sound. A "minor" is specified by the first fret switch 30. The "seventh" is specified by the third fret switch 30. The "minor seventh" is specified by both the first and third fret switches 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of pseudo-string-plucking means corresponding to a plurality of strings, and a chord specifying device for an electronic musical instrument for inputting and specifying a chord.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 62-55680, for example, there is a technique for designating a chord with one finger in an electronic keyboard instrument. Specify the root of a chord with a white key, and simultaneously press the white key lower than the key of the root key to the seventh chord, and simultaneously press the black key lower than the key of the root key to the minor chord, the root chord There is a method in which a minor seventh chord is designated by simultaneously pressing a white key and a black key on the lower side of the key. This makes it easy to specify a chord, and even beginners can perform accompaniment.
[0003]
In a musical instrument such as a guitar, a chord cannot be played unless all of the chord components are pressed, that is, there is no known technique that can easily specify a chord in a musical instrument such as a guitar.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-B-62-55680 [0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily specify a chord in an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of pseudo string plucking means corresponding to a plurality of strings.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An electronic musical instrument according to the first aspect or the electronic musical instrument according to the second aspect is an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a plurality of strings, and operates a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string. The root note corresponding to the specified fret switch is designated, and the type of chord is designated by the fret switches corresponding to strings other than the specific one string.
[0007]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument which designates a root note corresponding to an operated fret switch for a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string, and sets two roots located on both sides of the specific one string. One of the fret switches corresponding to the strings is designated as minor, the other as seventh, and both as minor seventh.
[0008]
The chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument according to claim 4, wherein a root note corresponding to the operated fret switch is specified for a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string, and a chord other than the specific one string is specified. First chord designating means for designating a chord type by a corresponding fret switch; and second chord designating means for designating a chord by a sound corresponding to a fret switch operated by a fret switch corresponding to one or more strings. A chord can be designated by selecting one of the first chord designation means and the second chord designation means.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic musical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention. This electronic musical instrument is a guitar-type electronic musical instrument, and has a body 100 and a neck 110 in the same shape as an electric guitar. In the center of the body 100, six pseudo-strings 10 made of a metal wire are provided corresponding to the first to sixth strings of the guitar. The neck 110 is provided with first to twelfth frets 20 in order from the head portion 110a at the tip.
[0010]
Each of the pseudo strings 10 has a U-shaped arch shape in which both ends of the wire are bent at substantially right angles (in a direction perpendicular to the body surface), and the legs at both ends penetrate into the body 100, and It can swing around the middle of the part. An elastic member (not shown) is in contact with the foot portion, and the elastic member urges the pseudo string 10 to stand upright at a right angle to the body 100 when the string is not plucked. The vibration of the pseudo string 10 is transmitted to the elastic member by playing the pseudo string 10, and the vibration of the pseudo string 10 is detected by a sensor such as a piezo element attached to the elastic member. A musical tone is generated according to the detected vibration. That is, the pseudo string 10, the sensor, and the like constitute sound generation trigger means. Although the reason why the sensor is a piezo element is not shown, an envelope (envelope) of the sensor output is detected and guided to a tone signal generating means to be described later. This is because the level of the musical tone generated from is controlled. Then, the above-mentioned sound generation trigger signal is obtained by detecting a predetermined value or more of the envelope.
[0011]
The neck 110 is provided with a plurality of fret switches 30 corresponding to the pseudo strings 10 between the head portion 110a and the first fret 20, and between the other adjacent frets 20,20. The direction of arrow (1) in FIG. 1 is referred to as a "string direction", and the direction of arrow (2) is referred to as a "fret direction". That is, each fret switch 30 is a plurality of fret switches arranged in six stages in the fret direction corresponding to each of the six pseudo strings 10 and in twelve stages in the chord direction corresponding to the first to twelfth fret 20. There are a total of 72 pieces arranged on the neck 110 in a matrix.
[0012]
Each fret switch 30 is assigned the same key code as the pitch when each fret position of each string on the guitar corresponding to the intersection of the fret switch 30 in the fret direction and the chord direction is pressed. For example, the twelve fret switches 30 corresponding to the second pseudo string 10 include “C (central c), C♯, D, D♯, E, F, F♯, G, G #, A, A #, B ". Note that turning on the fret switch 30 is also referred to as “fret on” or “fret on”, and “first to sixth string on” or “first 1st to 6th strings are on. "
[0013]
Each fret switch 30 is composed of a resin controller protruding from the surface (fingerboard) of the neck 110, a contact switch disposed inside the neck 110, and an LED. The operation element has a length corresponding to the interval between the frets 20 adjacent in the chord direction and has a rectangular (elongate) shape in which the fret direction has a rectangular shape of about the chord width. Is composed of two pairs of parallel-connected contacts arranged in the string direction immediately below the operating element. Then, when the operator is pressed, the contact switch is turned on. Further, the operation element has a property of transmitting red light, and when the LED below the operation element is turned off, part of the external light is scattered so as to appear bluish, and on the other hand, the LED appears to be glowing red by light emission of the LED. The light emission of this operator is used for fingering display, but the fingering display is not the main point of the present invention, and therefore detailed description is omitted.
[0014]
On the body 100 side of the neck 110, a setting switch 40 and a display unit 50 are provided. The setting switch 40 selects a chord performance mode using the chord designation method according to the present invention, a play mode such as a normal guitar performance or a demo song performance, a start / stop instruction of the demo song, a tone color selection, a demo song selection, and a tempo selection. Various settings such as setting of the volume and tuning are performed. The display unit 50 displays the number of the demo song (the number of the performance data of the demo), the tempo, and the like. However, since it is not the gist of the present invention, the automatic performance system is omitted in the circuit diagram described below.
[0015]
FIG. 2 is a main part circuit block diagram of the electronic musical instrument of the first embodiment. The fret switch (FSW) input unit 1 is constituted by a scan circuit or the like for detecting on / off of each of the 72 fret switches 30, and has a fret signal F (ie, a fret signal F indicating the on / off state of each of the fret switches 30). A signal indicating the string number and fret number of the fret switch 30 that is turned on) is output to the second string detection unit 2 and the multiple string detection unit 3. The second string detecting unit 2 detects which of the twelve fret switches 30 corresponding to the second string is turned on, and when the fret switch 30 of the second string is detected to be on, outputs the enable signal EN as a chord. Output to Table 5.
[0016]
The key code (KC) detecting section 4 detects a key code corresponding to the second string fret switch 30 detected to be on by the second string detecting section 2, and sets the key code KC of the root of the designated chord as a chord table. 5 is output. That is, among the fret switches 30 corresponding to the second string, "C" when the first fret is on, "C「 "when the second fret is on," D "when the third fret is on, and so on. Thus, the pitch name of each fret of the second string of the guitar is used as the root of a chord.
[0017]
The multiple string detector 3 outputs string data S corresponding to each string number of the fret switch 30 that is turned on among the fret switches 30. The string data S is composed of 6 bits in which bits are associated with the first to sixth strings. The bit of the turned-on string is "1", and the bit of the turned-off string is "0". . When the first string detection section 6 detects that the first string is turned on from the string data S, the first string detection section 6 outputs a first string detection signal on1 to the chord table 5. When the third string detecting section 7 detects that the third string is turned on from the string data S, the third string detecting section 7 outputs a third string detection signal on3 to the chord table 5.
[0018]
The string trigger section 8 detects the rising of each vibration of the six pseudo strings 10 as a trigger signal corresponding to each of the pseudo strings 10, and the trigger is generated by 6-bit data corresponding to each of the pseudo strings 10 in the same manner as the string data S. It outputs trigger string data TS for which “1” and non-trigger are “0”. The trigger string data TS and the string data S are respectively input to the root coincidence determination unit 9. The root coincidence determination unit 9 outputs a coincidence signal (EQ) to the musical sound generation unit 11 when both the bits corresponding to the second string of the trigger string data TS and the string data S are “1”.
[0019]
The chord table 5 is enabled when the enable signal EN is input from the second string detection section 2 and is a chord type corresponding to a combination of presence / absence of the 1st string detection signal on1 and the 3rd string detection signal on3. And determines a chord having the key code KC as a root tone, and generates chord data internally. The chord data is generated with reference to a predetermined table. Then, based on the chord data, a key code KC corresponding to a chord component tone (expanded chord) of the guitar is generated as chord information. For example, for the seventh chord "A7th", "G (sound of 7th), C #, A, E, A, E" or E, C #, G, E, A, E or A from the first string side , E, C}, G, E, A key codes are generated. Then, the key code KC of the chord component sound is input to the tone generator 11, and the tone generator 11 generates a tone signal of the chord component sound according to the coincidence signal EQ (key-on signal) of the root coincidence determination unit 9. . This tone signal is output to a sound system 12 including an amplifier and a speaker, and a chord tone is generated.
[0020]
When the chord playing mode is selected by the mode switch 40a, the tone signal generating section 11 generates a tone signal with the key code of the chord constituting tone from the chord table 5, and the normal playing mode is set by the mode switch 40a. When selected, a tone signal is generated based on the key code from the key code (KC) determination unit 13 and the trigger signal. That is, the fret signal F from the fret switch input unit 1 and the trigger string data TS from the string trigger unit 8 are input to the key code determination unit 13, and the key code determination unit 13 determines the pseudo string 10 in which the trigger has occurred. For each of them, the key code of the fret switch 30 which is fret-on with the highest tone (the key code corresponding to the open string in the case of fret-off) and a trigger signal (key-on signal) are output to the musical tone signal generator 11. Thereby, a normal guitar performance can be performed.
[0021]
The chord types according to the combination of the presence / absence of the 1st string detection signal on1 and the 3rd string detection signal on3 in the chord table 5 are as follows. When the 1st string detection signal on1 is present, it is referred to as “first string on”, when it is not present, “first string off”, when the 3rd string detection signal on3 is present, it is called “third string on”, and when it is not present, it is called “third string off”. . A major chord when the first string is off and the third string is off, a minor chord when the first string is on and the third string is off, a seventh chord when the first string is off and the third string is on, and a seventh chord when the first string is on. When the third string is on, it is a minor seventh chord. The reverse is also acceptable. That is, the generation of the major chord and the minor seventh chord are the same as above, but the first chord is on, the third chord is off, the seventh chord is off, and the first chord is off and the third chord is on, the minor chord is on. You may do so.
[0022]
Note that the circuit of the above embodiment is a circuit that does not affect the chord designation even if the extra fret switches 30 corresponding to the fourth to sixth strings are operated. That is, only the first to third strings necessary for chord designation are supported.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing how a chord is held down in a normal guitar and an example of a chord designation in the embodiment is compared. When playing C (a major chord of the root “C”) with a normal guitar, FIG. Although it is necessary to press the fret as shown in FIG. 3A, in the embodiment, it is only necessary to press as shown in FIG. When playing Cm (minor chord of root "C") with a normal guitar, it is necessary to hold down as shown in FIG. 3C, but in the embodiment, it is only necessary to hold down as shown in FIG. 3D. . When playing C7 (seventh chord of root "C") with a normal guitar, it is necessary to press the fret as shown in FIG. 3 (E), for example, but in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 (F). Just need. Further, when playing Cm7 (the minor seventh chord of the root note "C") with a normal guitar, it is necessary to press the fret as shown in FIG. 3 (G), for example, but in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 (H). You only have to hold it down.
[0024]
When the second string fret (fret switch 30) is pressed, that is, when the root note, which is the basic sound of the chord, is specified, the left finger is pressed and the other fret is pressed with another finger. , Makes chords easier to understand. In this case, if a finger other than the second string presses a fret position different from the fret of the second string, the operation is easier for a beginner. However, in a case where the user is accustomed to the method, the fret of another string may be held at the same fret position as the second string as shown by broken lines in FIGS. 3 (D), (F) and (H). In this case, particularly in FIGS. 3D and 3H, it can be easily pressed with one finger. FIG. 3 shows a case where the fret of the first string and the third string is pressed at the same position as the second string or the fret one step up (semitone above). If a sound is specified, the first string and the third string specify the type, so that other positions other than those described above may be used.
[0025]
FIG. 4 shows an example of a chord designation in the case of performing the accompaniment of the song of "Yesterday". In the chord F of "Yesterday" in the first bar of the lyrics portion, only one fret-on is set, and "all" in the second bar is set. For the chord Em7 of “my”, three frets are set. The chord A7 of the next "troubles-seemed so" has two fret-ons, and the chords Dm and Dm7 of the third measure "far a-way ..." have two fret-ons and three fret-ons, respectively.
[0026]
In this way, a guitar-like chord that generates six sounds can be designated by a simpler operation than a normal guitar. As for the type designation, the fret switch 30 of any fret may be operated as long as the string is determined, so that the fret switch 30 which is easy to press with a finger which is easy to press may be pressed, and the operability is good. Of course, if the operation is performed within the same fret, two or three of the fret switches 30 of different strings may be simultaneously pressed with one finger, and the number of chords that can be specified by such a simple operation increases. It is easy to learn how to specify many chords.
[0027]
FIG. 5 is a main part block circuit diagram of the second embodiment, in which a different rule from that of the first embodiment is applied to the designation of a chord type. In the second embodiment, instead of the multiple string detector 3, the first string detector 6, the third string detector 7, and the chord table 5 of FIG. It has a designation unit 15 and a chord table 16, and the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment (FIG. 2). The number / number detector 14 is turned on in the embodiment that detects the number of string numbers corresponding to the fret switches 30 that are turned on (also referred to as “the number of strings” corresponding to the strings). It is a block expressed also as an embodiment for detecting the number of fret switches 30.
[0028]
The multiple switch detector 13 outputs the string numbers of the fret switches 30 turned on among the fret switches 30 and the switch data SD corresponding to the fret numbers to the number / number detector 14 and detects the multiple strings. The string data S corresponding to each string number is output to the root note coincidence judging section 9 (FIG. 2) as in the section 3 (FIG. 2).
[0029]
In the embodiment for detecting the number of strings based on the switch data SD from the multiple switch detection unit 13, the number / number detection unit 14 corresponds to the fret switch 30 which is fret on except for the fret switch 30 of the second string. The number of strings to be detected is detected, and the number data is output to the type designation unit 15. When a plurality of fret switches 30 corresponding to the same string are turned on, the number is one. In the embodiment for detecting the number, the number of fret switches 30 that are fret-on other than the fret switch 30 of the second string is detected, and the number data is output to the type designation unit 15.
[0030]
The type designation unit 15 includes a 1 detection unit 151, a 2 detection unit 152, and a 3 or more detection unit 153. When detecting one or one from the number data or the number data, the one detection unit 151 outputs a one detection signal D1 to the chord table 16. In addition, when two or two pieces are detected from the number data or the number data, the 2 detection unit 152 outputs a 2 detection signal D2 to the chord table 16. When detecting three or more or three or more from the number data or the number data, the three or more detection unit 153 outputs a three or more detection signal D3 to the chord table 16.
[0031]
The chord table 16 determines a chord having a key code from the key code detection unit 4 as a root, with a chord type corresponding to one detection signal D1, or two detection signals D2, or three or more detection signals D3. Similarly, based on the chord data, a key code of a chord component of the guitar is generated. In the second embodiment, the one detection signal D1, the two detection signals D2, and the three or more detection signals D3 are output only selectively when each is output. The chord table 16 is a major chord when no signal is output, a seventh chord when the detection signal D1 is output, a minor chord when the detection signal D2 is output, and 3 or more. When the detection signal D3 is output, it is determined as a minor seventh chord.
[0032]
That is, in the embodiment in which the number of fret-on strings other than the fret switch 30 of the second string is detected, 0 is “major chord”, 1 is “seventh chord”, 2 is “minor chord”, and 3 is “minor chord”. This is the “Minor Seventh Chord”. Further, in the embodiment for detecting the number of fret ons other than the fret switch 30 of the second string, 0 is “major chord”, 1 is “seventh chord”, 2 is “minor chord”, and 3 or more is “minor chord”. "Minor Seventh Chord".
[0033]
In each of the above embodiments, the mode switch 40a can switch between the chord performance mode and the normal performance mode. Therefore, the chord is designated by the chord performance mode, that is, the "first chord designation means", and the chord is sounded. In the normal performance mode, that is, in the "second chord designation means", a chord can be sounded in a normal manner. Therefore, it is possible to confirm how to hold the chord of the guitar performance itself together with the simple chord designation, and to promote the chord performance.
[0034]
In the first embodiment, the chord type is designated by the first string and the third string on both sides of the second string of the root note designation, so that the operation is extremely easy. The type may be specified by the lower string (the third to sixth strings). For example, the type of “seventh” may be designated by the third string (its fret-on), “minor” may be designated by the fourth string, and “minor seventh” may be designated by the third and fourth strings. Further, the type of “seventh” may be designated by the third string, “minor” may be designated by the third and fourth strings, and “minor seventh” may be designated by the third, fourth and fifth strings.
[0035]
Also, in the embodiment, the second string is used for the root note designation, so based on the C-length "do" (first fret), which is the introduction part of the music, from there, do, les, mi, fa, ... The chords can be specified in this order, making it easy to understand and memorize chords, and easy to operate. However, the root note can be specified with another string (either the sixth to third strings or the first string). It may be. For example, if the root note is designated by the first string, the first string and the second string are turned on for the seventh, the first and third strings are turned on for the minor, and the first, second, and third strings are turned on. A method of designating a minor seventh is also included in the present invention.
[0036]
Further, in the embodiment, the sound generation trigger is obtained by the string trigger section 8, but a string trigger section 8 may not be used or may not be used. That is, the present invention can be applied to a so-called electronic koto that sounds when the fret switch is turned on. Further, for example, an input operation of a keyboard or the like may be used as a sound generation trigger, or a key-on of automatic performance sequence data (for example, MIDI data) may be used as a sound generation trigger. May be generated.
[0037]
Furthermore, in the embodiment, the example of the electronic musical instrument including the tone signal generator 11 and the sound system 12 has been described. However, a chord specifying device not including these tone generators (as an example, FIG. For example, a configuration in which the generator 11 and the sound system 12 are eliminated) may be adopted. That is, a chord designation device for a device that generates a musical tone may be used.
[0038]
In each of the above embodiments, the electronic musical instrument and the chord designating device have been described with a circuit block diagram. However, after detecting the fret switch on the fret switch, the processing for determining the chord by determining the operation state of each switch is performed by a computer. May be executed by software.
[0039]
【The invention's effect】
According to the electronic musical instrument of the first aspect or the chord specifying device of the electronic musical instrument of the second aspect, the root note corresponding to the operated fret switch is specified for a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string, and the identification is performed. Since the type of chord is designated by the fret switches corresponding to other strings than the first string, the chord can be easily designated by a simple operation.
[0040]
According to the chord specifying device for an electronic musical instrument of the third aspect, for a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string, the root note corresponding to the operated fret switch is specified, and the root note is positioned on both sides of the specific one string. One of the fret switches corresponding to the two strings to be specified, one of the fret switches is designated as minor, the other is designated as seventh, and both are designated as minor seventh, so by operating the three rows of fret switches centering on the root note designation It can be easily operated, and it is easy to remember and remember minor, seventh, and minor seventh.
[0041]
According to the chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument according to the fourth aspect, either one of the first chord designation means similar to the chord designation of the first aspect and the second chord designation means corresponding to the normal performance is selected and the chord is selected. Can be specified, so that the chord of the second chord designating means in the manner of holding down the chord in the guitar performance can be confirmed by a simple operation of the first chord designating means, and the improvement of the chord performance is promoted. be able to.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic musical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a main part circuit block diagram of the electronic musical instrument according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing how a chord is pressed on a normal guitar and an example of chord designation according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a case where chord designation is performed according to music accompaniment in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a main part block circuit diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... input part, 2 ... 2nd string detection part, 3 ... multiple string detection part, 4 ... key code detection part, 5 ... chord table, 6 ... 1st string detection section, 7 ... 3rd string detection section, 8 ... String trigger section, 10: pseudo string, 20: fret, 30: fret switch

Claims (4)

A plurality of fret switches corresponding to a plurality of strings,
A plurality of sound generation trigger means corresponding to a plurality of strings;
Musical sound generating means for generating a musical sound by said fret switch and / or said sound generating trigger means;
An electronic musical instrument having
For a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string, the root note corresponding to the operated fret switch is specified, and the type of chord is specified by the fret switches corresponding to strings other than the specific one string. An electronic musical instrument comprising: a chord generating means for determining a chord according to the root designation and the chord type designation, and generating information on the chord to the musical tone generating means. A chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a plurality of strings,
For a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string, the root note corresponding to the operated fret switch is specified, and the type of chord is specified by the fret switches corresponding to strings other than the specific one string. A chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument, wherein a chord tone is designated by the root designation and the chord type designation. A chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a plurality of strings,
For a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string, a root note corresponding to the operated fret switch is designated, and one of the fret switches corresponding to two strings located on both sides of the specific one string, respectively. A chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument, characterized in that a minor designation is designated for the other, a seventh designation for the other, and a minor seventh designation for both. A chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a plurality of strings,
For a plurality of fret switches corresponding to a specific one string, the root note corresponding to the operated fret switch is specified, and the type of chord is specified by the fret switches corresponding to strings other than the specific one string. First chord designating means for designating a chord by the root designation and the chord type designation;
Second chord specifying means for specifying a chord by a sound corresponding to a fret switch operated by a fret switch corresponding to the one or more strings;
Selecting means for selecting one of the first chord designating means and the second chord designating means;
A chord designation device for an electronic musical instrument, wherein a chord is designated by the designation method selected by said selection means.

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