JPH03288897A - Head controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control musical tones by natural action without requiring expert technique by using detecting the head action of a player and using the detected action as a sound tone control signal. CONSTITUTION:A head controller is put on the head part, the 1st detector 2 detects the front-back direction movement of the head part and the 2nd detec tor 3 detects the left-right direction movement of the head part. When the head is inclined to the front side, a pendulum 5 is shifted from its neutral posi tion to the front and approaches a front side plate 7 and the detected light quantity of a front side photosensor 9 is made larger than that of a rear side photosensor. Thereby, the quantity of inclination to the front is decided by an output difference between both the photosensors 9. A detection signal outputted from the controller is used for controlling the musical toners of an electronic instrument e.g., which executes musical tone control corresponding to the movement of the head part based upon the detection signal. Consequently, the fine control of musical tones can be executed without requiring expert technique.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a head controller for using the movement of an operator's head to control the operation of equipment. Such head controllers are particularly used to control musical sounds such as volume, timbre, pitch, etc. of electronic musical instruments. Also used were press controllers that detected breath pressure to control musical tones, and hand controllers that operated pitch bends and the like using the left hand.

[Problem B to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the case of a foot controller, subtle changes in operation are not easy and require technical skill. Also, if the stepping angle of the foot becomes large (for example, 1
5 degrees or more), the movement of the ankle, which is rarely used on a daily basis, resulted in poor operability and fatigue.

In addition, in the case of a press controller, breath pressure, which is an extension of breathing, is used, but in order to use breath pressure efficiently, techniques such as breathing are required, making it difficult to operate and enjoy playing easily. .

Further, in the case of a hand controller, there is a drawback that it cannot be controlled when operating a keyboard or the like with both hands.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a musical tone control device that can easily and delicately control musical tones without requiring any skill in operation.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a head motion detection means that operates according to the movement of the head of a performer, and a fixing means for fixing the detection means to the head. and a head controller that outputs a detection signal from the detection means.

The detection signal of such a head controller is, for example,
Used to control the musical tone of electronic musical instruments.

[Operation] When an operator of a device to which this controller is applied moves his head back and forth and left and right while wearing this controller, the controller detects the movement of the head and outputs a detection signal.

The detection signal output from the controller is used, for example, to control the musical tone of an electronic musical instrument. In this case, the controller outputs a detection signal according to the movement of the player's head during performance. In an electronic musical instrument, musical tone control is performed in accordance with the movement of the head based on this detection signal.

[Example] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a head controller according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part thereof.

A first detector 2 and a second detector 3 are provided at both end portions of a headband (or cap) 1 to be worn on a player's head. Each detector 2.3 is
It has a pendulum 5 mounted within a housing 12. The pendulum 5 is made of a heavy metal material and has a weight 6 at its lower end. One end of a spring 11 is fixed to the lower side of the weight 6, and applies a force (returning force) to the peg 6 toward the neutral position. The other end of the spring 11 is fixed to the housing 12 side. The pendulum 5 is swingably mounted around the shaft 4,
Plate 7 is fixedly provided on both sides of this swing direction. On each plate 7 are an LED 8 and a photosensor 9.
will be provided. Photoreflectors 10 are provided on both sides of the pendulum 5 to reflect light.

The pendulums 5 of the first and second detectors 2.3 are mounted on their respective axes 4 so that their swing directions are orthogonal to each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the first detector 2 detects the longitudinal movement of the head (
The pendulum 5 is arranged so that it swings as shown by arrow B in response to arrow A), and the second detector 3 swings as shown in arrow B in response to the left-right movement of the head (arrow C). be done.

Each detector 2.3 is attached to a housing 1 so that the pendulum 5 is in a neutral position (vertical state) when actually worn on the head.
It is desirable that the pendulum 2 be rotatably movable relative to the headband 1, and that the neutral position of the pendulum 5 can be adjusted.

The head controller having the above configuration is attached to the head, as shown in FIG. The first detector 2 detects the movement of the head in the front-back direction, as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the second detector 3 detects the movement of the head in the left-right direction, as shown in FIG. 3(b).

The operation of detecting head movement using the pendulum 5 will be explained with reference to FIG.

Fix the head controller to the head, adjust the housing 12 so that the pendulum 5 is in a neutral position at any natural head position, and place the pendulum 5 in a vertical position as shown in FIG. 4(b). do. Light is emitted from the LED 8 provided on the plate 7 on both sides of the pendulum 5, and the pendulum 5 rises to the flafter 1.
It is reflected at 0. The reflected light is detected by each photosensor 9.

In the neutral position (FIG. 4(b)), the plates 7 on both sides of the pendulum 5 are equidistant from the pendulum 5. Therefore, the amount of light detected by the photosensor 9 is the same in both cases, and the detection outputs are the same. This determines that the pendulum 5 is at the neutral position.

When you tilt your head forward, as shown in Figure 4(a),
When the pendulum 5 shifts forward from the neutral position and approaches the front plate 7, the amount of light detected by the front photosensor 9 becomes larger than the amount of light detected by the rear photosensor. Therefore, the amount of forward inclination is determined based on the output difference between both photosensors 9. In this case, it is possible to determine whether the pendulum 5 approaches or moves away from the pendulum 5 based on the strength of the detection output of only one sensor, but in order to improve accuracy, sensors are provided on both sides of the pendulum 5 as in this embodiment, and their outputs are It is desirable to detect the movement of the pendulum 5 based on the difference.

Conversely, when the head is tilted backward, the pendulum 5 approaches the plate 7 at the rear, as shown in FIG. 4(C). Therefore, contrary to the case shown in FIG. 9A, the output of the rear photosensor 9 becomes larger than the output of the front photosensor. Therefore, in this case as well, the amount of backward inclination can be determined based on the output difference between both sensors.

Furthermore, if a photointerrupter is used, the moving speed of the head can be detected, and the parameters of the musical tone may be controlled based on this speed detection signal.

Furthermore, a magnetic plate and a Hall element may be used instead of the reflective plate and photosensor.

Note that the operation for detecting head movement in the left-right direction is substantially the same as the detection operation in the fore-and-aft direction, so a description thereof will be omitted here.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a block configuration of musical tone control of an electronic musical instrument using the head controller according to the present invention. This example is an example of a configuration in which musical tone parameters to be controlled can be switched in accordance with a slope detection signal and a speed detection signal. Musical sound control parameter signals such as timbre, pitch, etc. are manually input from the keyboard 13 to a musical sound generation control means 14 including a physical sound source for generating electronic sounds. This control means 14 is connected to an amplifier 15 of the sound system and constitutes a musical tone control circuit.

The amplifier 15 is connected to a speaker 16 and emits musically controlled sound. The head controller 20 is connected to the selector 18 such that the tilt detection signal is introduced into one input end of the selector 18 and the speed detection signal is introduced via the speed detection circuit 19 into the other input end. Selector 1
8 is connected to a selector 17 that selects control signals for three parameters, for example, timbre, volume, and pitch.

Among the detection signals of the head controller 20, either the inclination signal or the speed f3 is selected by the selector 18 and manually inputted to the selector 17. Based on this human input signal, the parameters selected by the selector 17 are controlled.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in this invention, the head movements of the operator can be used to control equipment, and when used in an electronic musical instrument, the head movements of the performer can be detected and used to generate musical sounds. Since it is used as a control signal, musical tones can be controlled with natural movements without the need for hot wires. Furthermore, since the hands and feet are not used for operation, other performance control devices can be operated using the hands and feet, expanding the range of performance expression.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a head controller according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of essential parts of the head controller of Fig. 1, and Figs. 3(a) and (b) are , FIG. 4(a), (b), and (c) are explanatory views of the detection means of the head controller of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a tone control block diagram of an electronic musical instrument equipped with a head controller according to the present invention. Headband, 3: Detector, : Axis, : Pendulum, LED. Photo sensor, spring, :housing. Figure 2 (a) (b) Figure (a) (b) (C) Figure 2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A head motion detection means that operates according to the movement of the operator's head, and a fixing means for fixing the detection means to the head, and outputs a detection signal of the detection means. head controller. (2) The head controller according to claim 1, wherein the detection signal of the detection means is used as a tone control signal for an electronic musical instrument.