JPH05158467A - Keyboard musical instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To maintain a key touch feeling in the same way as that of an acous tic piano even in the keyboard musical instrument having no string. CONSTITUTION:As for an action 14, that of a grand piano is used, and a body 22 to be hammered is hammered from downward with a hammer 20. In the inner part end of a key 11, a pseudo damper lever 25, etc., which can energize downward this key are provided. An echo plate 34 is arranged in the inner part side than this pseudo damper mechanism. A driving signal generated by control of a controller is supplied to an echo plate driving unit 36, and by driving the echo plate 34 by a prescribed frequency, a prescribed sound is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard instrument, and drives a soundboard based on vibration data of a string of an acoustic piano stored in advance in accordance with a motion state of a string striking mechanism used in the acoustic piano. By producing a sound, a lightweight and compact keyboard instrument having a volume varying function and the like superior to that of the acoustic piano is realized without impairing the touch feeling and tone of the acoustic piano.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a technique capable of producing both an acoustic piano sound and an electronic musical sound, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
The "keyboard musical instrument" disclosed in the 1-289393 publication is known. That is, this keyboard instrument is provided with both means for mechanically generating a musical tone, such as a string striking mechanism, and means for electronically generating a musical tone. Then, these means are switched to generate a musical sound.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the keyboard instrument is provided with the strings and the frame in which the strings are stretched as they are, the weight thereof is heavy and the string length thereof is long. The size is increased to secure it. In addition, even if the volume adjustment range on the low tone side is the same as that of an acoustic piano, a lower tone level (generally ppp
There was a problem that it was not possible to meet the demand for playability with a smaller sound), and there was still room for improvement.

Therefore, the applicant of the present application has proposed a keyboard instrument which eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks by removing the strings and the frame and directly driving the soundboard by an actuator. However, in this keyboard instrument, since the strings are removed,
The action of the grand piano cannot be directly applied as a string striking mechanism. That is, when the damper head and the damper block were removed, the touch of the key did not match that of the acoustic piano. Also, the damper lever became easy to dance, and after the key was pressed, the fluttering was felt on the finger, resulting in an unpleasant touch.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a keyboard instrument which is lightweight and compact, and whose volume can be adjusted over a wide range without impairing the touch feeling of keys, tone color and the like.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a string striking mechanism which operates in response to a keystroke, an operator state detecting means for detecting at least a motion state of the string striking mechanism, and an acoustic piano member including at least a string. The vibration state storage means for storing the vibration state, the selection means for selecting the vibration state stored in the vibration state storage means according to the detection result of the operator state detection means, and the selected vibration state. A keyboard instrument comprising a sounding means for converting into sound through a soundboard, wherein the string striking mechanism strikes an object to be hit in a direction opposite to a direction in which gravity acts, and a deep end of the key. And a pseudo-damper mechanism capable of urging the rear end of the key in the direction in which gravity acts, and further, the soundboard is arranged on the far side of the key from the pseudo-damper mechanism. It is a keyboard instrument.

[0007]

In the keyboard instrument according to the present invention, at least the motion state of the string striking mechanism is detected, at least the vibration state of the strings of the acoustic piano is selected in accordance with the detection result, and the soundboard is selected based on this vibration state. Is driven to convert into sound and output. In this case, an improved grand piano action is used as a string striking mechanism, and in particular, a pseudo damper mechanism for urging the back end of the key downward is provided. As a result, it is possible to perform in a state in which the tone of the acoustic piano is maintained without impairing the touch feeling of the keys. In addition, the volume can be adjusted. Further, the strings and members supporting the strings such as the frame can be eliminated, and the keyboard instrument itself can be made smaller and lighter.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of a keyboard instrument according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 are views for explaining one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a keyboard musical instrument (vertical piano) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the action.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control unit according to an embodiment.

The piano in this embodiment is constructed by removing a string, a frame and a tuning pin from a vertical acoustic piano and partially modifying the action of a grand piano as an action.

In these figures, 11 is a key,
For example, the keyboard is composed of 88 keys. Each key 11 is supported on a shelf plate 12 so as to be vertically swingable with a reed center 13 as a fulcrum. An action (string striking mechanism) 14 is arranged above the rear end of each key 11.

This action 14 has a well-known structure as a string striking mechanism for a grand piano, and is pushed up by a capstan screw 15 erected on the upper surface of the rear end of the key 11 (rear from the reed center 13). 16, a jack 17 swingably supported by the whip pen 16, a repetition lever 18 rotatably provided above the whip pen 16, and a hammer flange 19 rotatably in a clockwise direction in FIG. It has a hammer 20 and the like. In addition, 21 is a hammer shank.

A rod-shaped struck body 22 having a rectangular cross section is disposed above the hammer 20 at a predetermined interval, and a cushion member 23 having a predetermined thickness is fixed to the lower surface of the struck body 22. ing. A pressure sensor is attached to the contact surface (lower surface) of the hammer 20 of the cushion member 23. This pressure sensor detects the impact force of the hammer 20. The pressure sensor can be composed of, for example, a piezoelectric element, or can be composed of other mechanical-electrical conversion element.

Further, a reflection type optical sensor is provided so as to face the hammer shank 21 which rotates together with the hammer 20, and the optical sensor detects the rotational speed of the hammer 20. Further, below each of the keys 11, a pressed key 11 and a key sensor for detecting the descending speed thereof are arranged. These key sensors are composed of reflected light type optical sensors (for example, LEDs and phototransistors). A signal from this key sensor is input to a key assigner (described later). Also, a key impact force sensor (acceleration pickup) is provided above the middle portion of the key 11.
Are arranged.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, a back check 24 is provided upright at the rear end of the key 11. A pseudo damper lever 25 made of, for example, a metal plate is arranged in proximity to the back check 24. The pseudo damper lever 25 is supported by a damper lever rail 27 via a damper lever leaf spring 26 so as to be close to the upper surface of the key 11 on the inner side of the back check 24. That is, the pseudo damper lever 25 is arranged directly above the cushion 28 fixed to the upper surface of the rear end of the key 11, and when the key 11 is hit and swings and the cushion 28 (made of felt) at the rear end is lifted. It contacts the lower surface of the pseudo damper lever 25. One end of the damper lever leaf spring 26 is fixed to the pseudo damper lever 25, and the other end thereof is fixed to the damper lever rail 27.
9 (made of felt) is in contact with the damper lever stop rail 30. The damper lever stop rail 30 is fixed to a column or the like and is bridged in the key arrangement direction. Similarly, the damper lever rail 27 extending in the key arrangement direction is fixed to the upper surface of the rear end portion of the shelf plate 12.

Further, a lifting rail 31 is provided so as to extend in the key arrangement direction close to the rear end of the key 11, and the upper surface of the lifting rail 31 is provided so as to be able to contact the lower surface of the pseudo damper lever 25. ing. This lifting rail 31 is a vertically extending push-up rod 32.
It is connected to the damper pedal 33 via, and is pushed up by the depression of the damper pedal 33 to push up the pseudo damper lever 25 upward. That is, the pseudo damper lever 25, the damper lever leaf spring 26, the damper lever stop rail 30, the lifting rail 31, etc. as a whole impart a damper effect by a mechanism corresponding to the damper of the grand action of the acoustic piano. , A pseudo damper mechanism.

In this vertical piano, the soundboard 34 is attached to the frame 35 at a position farther back than the rear end of the key 11 and is supported upright. As shown in FIG. 3, the soundboard 34 is divided into a small-area high-pitched soundboard 34A and a large-area low-pitched soundboard 34B. Four soundboard drive units 36A, 36B, 36C and 36D are attached to the straight columns at predetermined positions of these soundboards 34A and 34B, respectively, and are independently driven. .. These soundboard drive units 3
6A to 36D are composed of, for example, permanent magnets, yokes, voice coils, etc., and are electromagnetically driven to cause soundboards 34A, 34B.
Are vibrated at predetermined frequencies. For example, the voice coil is fixed to the soundboard side, and the casing of the permanent magnet is fixed to the pillar side of the piano.

Further, this vertical piano has two pedals in addition to the damper pedal 33, and a displacement sensor for detecting the swing of each pedal 33 is provided. It is arranged. The displacement sensor is for the damper pedal 33, the displacement sensor is for the shift pedal, and the displacement sensor is for the sostenuto pedal. For example, the displacement sensor is a damper pedal 3
It is assumed that the pedal ON signal is output when 3 is depressed.

As shown in FIG. 1 again, the output signals of these sensors are controlled by the control unit 37 installed in the piano body.
The control unit 37 outputs a predetermined drive signal to the soundboard drive units 36A to 36D. Reference numeral 38 indicates a power source for the control unit 37.

Here, in FIG. 3, the control unit 37 and the sensors are connected.
Shows the relationship with. As shown in the figure, in the control unit 37, the output signals from the hammer sensor, the key assigner 39 (the signals from the key sensor) and the pedal sensor are output via a data bus to a microcomputer (hereinafter, controller). 40 has been entered. The controller 40 includes a string sound ROM 41, a resonance sound ROM 42, a FDC (floppy disk drive controller) 43, a string spectrum calculation unit 44, an audio signal transmission unit 45, a remote controller 46, via a data bus.
It is connected to the resonance sound calculation unit 47, the RAM 48, and the string striking sound calculation unit 49.

Then, the controller 40 performs predetermined processing based on the input signals from these sensors to generate a drive signal, and the drive signal is transmitted from the audio signal transmitting section 45 via the soundboard equalizer 50 and the power amplifier 51. To the soundboard drive units 36B to 36D to drive them. In addition, the sound board drive unit 36 from the treble power amplifier 52 via the audio signal transmitting section 45.
This is a configuration capable of driving A.

The string sound ROM 41 stores a sound signal recorded in advance by a sampler or a signal mainly composed of a piano sound calculated in advance by the string spectrum calculation unit 44 as string sound data for 88 keys. .. The intensity of each spectrum of these string-sounding sound data is adjusted according to the hammer speed. In general, harmonics are emphasized when hit hard.

The resonance sound ROM 42 is composed of pedal sensors.
Is accessible when is active (when stepped on). The resonance sound ROM 42 stores the resonance sound data of the resonance strings for each string when the damper pedal 33 is depressed and the key is pressed. This data is a sound signal recorded in advance by a sampler or a spectrum signal calculated in advance by the resonance sound calculator 47.
As the resonance sound data, for example, it is sufficiently practical to consider that strings of up to six keys resonate for one key. It is advisable to consider not only the second harmonic but the third harmonic, the fourth harmonic, and the sixth harmonic for the strings one octave above the bass. No. For notes higher than the 13th key, the strings of the octave key are also important. Also, the number of dampers for a piano is usually 71. Furthermore, the intensity of each spectrum is determined by the model and hammer speed.

The string spectrum calculation unit 44 may calculate the string spectrum in real time according to the keystroke and drive the soundboard drive units 36A to 36D. Further, this data may be stored in the string striking sound ROM 41. Assuming that the fundamental frequency of the string for the key pressed is f ₁ , each harmonic frequency (f _n ) is f _n = nf (1
+ Bn ² ) ^1/2 . That is, the overtones are inharmonic,
The pitch is increased by (1 + Bn ² ) ^1/2 . Where B
Is represented by B = π ² EAK ² / (TL ² ). However, E
Is Young's modulus, A is the cross-sectional area of the string, K is the radius of gyration, T is the tension, and L is the string length. The relative intensity of each overtone is | R (ω) | = | sin {(π /
L) × (L / H) × n} | / n. However, n is the harmonic order and H is the string striking ratio.

The resonance tone calculation unit 47 is capable of producing 6 tones up to 8 harmonics.
Intended for keys. Each harmonic order is f _n = nf (1
+ Bn ² ) ^1/2 . The intensity of each spectrum also differs depending on the musical range. As this resonance sound data, that of an acoustic piano can be measured and stored in a memory. The loudness of this resonance sound is about -10 to -20 dB compared to the string striking sound. Further, the rise of the resonance sound is delayed by several seconds to several hundreds msec with respect to the string striking sound. Further, the resonance sound is gradually attenuated and lasts for several seconds unless the pedal is turned off. Pedal OF
Processing at the time of F is performed by the pedal sensor and the audio signal sending unit 45.
It is done by and.

The string striking sound calculation unit 49 calculates a string striking sound and generates string striking sound data corresponding to a key striking based on the data of the string striking sound ROM 41, the input signal (hammer speed) of the sensor and the like, and sends out an audio signal. It is output to the unit 45 and the like. The string striking sound calculation unit 49 can also perform a calculation for correcting the data stored in the string striking sound ROM 41 in accordance with the hammer speed.

The audio signal sending unit 45 is the ROM
41, 42 or the digital signals of the sound data from the sound signal calculation units 44, 47, 49 are converted into analog signals, or equalized (digital equalization) by the soundboard f special inverse characteristic filter, and then DA converted. To do. In addition, the string striking sound is decayed according to the OFF signal from the key assigner 39, and the resonance sound is decayed according to the signals from the pedal sensors. However, when the damper pedal 33 is slowly returned by the half pedal,
Decay is slow according to the return speed.
When the damper pedal 33 is turned off, the sound is stopped all at once.

The soundboard equalizer 50 performs analog equalizing. Also, power amplifier 5
1, 52 are sound board drive units 36A for amplifying acoustic signals
To 36D.

Next, the operation of the keyboard instrument according to this embodiment will be described. At the time of actual performance, the CPU of the controller 40 will execute the program shown in the flowchart of FIG.

First, the sensors 4 to 4
The sensor signal is input to the input / output unit I / O of 0 (S40
1). For example, with respect to the key 11 that has been key-operated, the detection signal from the key sensor is input via the key assigner 39, and the speed of the hammer is input as the key velocity signal from the hammer sensor.

Next, it is judged whether or not the damper pedal 33 has been operated (S402), and if there is no operation (depression), the string-striking sound signal corresponding to the key-striking is output as the string-striking sound RO.
Read from M41 or string spectrum calculator 4
In step 4, the calculation is performed based on the key velocity signal (S403).

Then, the output timing control process for the string striking sound signal is performed (S404). For example, according to a map that defines mutual relationships such as key numbers, hammer speeds, and sounding times, an appropriate sounding time is calculated corresponding to the detected key number and hammer speed, and sounding timing is adjusted. Further, at the sounding timing calculated in this way, the string striking sound signal (driving signal) is output for each soundboard driving unit 36A to 36D (S405). As a result, the soundboard drive units 36A to 36D drive the soundboards 34A and 34B respectively at a predetermined frequency to obtain a desired tone color. After the signal is output, it is checked whether or not the performance is finished (S406). If it is not finished, the step S401 is performed.
Return to and wait for sensor signal input.

When the damper pedal 33 is operated by the input of the sensor signal (YES in S402).
S), it is determined whether or not the damper pedal 33 is depressed (S407). If the damper pedal 33 is depressed, the string striking signal is read or the string spectrum is calculated in the same manner as described above by the string striking signal. Get the signal (S40
8). Further, the resonance sound signal is read from the resonance sound ROM 42, or the resonance sound calculation unit 47 calculates the resonance sound signal (S409). Then, a signal output timing control process is performed to calculate the output timing of the string striking sound signal and the output timing of the resonance sound signal (S410). Then, it is assumed that the string striking sound is output to the soundboard driving units 36A to 36D at a predetermined timing by the signal output processing (S405) so that the resonance sound is generated with a delay of a predetermined time.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S407 that the damper pedal 33 is not being depressed (pedal release), the damping noise reduction processing is performed (S411), and a signal is output. Depending on the release speed of the damper pedal 33, for example, simultaneous stringing, inclined stringing, or extremely slow stop sound is selected to stop the sound. Predetermined correction processing is performed on the calculated resonance sound signal.

Therefore, in this keyboard instrument, as in the case of a normal acoustic piano, the hammer is rotated through the action by the player's key depression, and a predetermined key touch feeling is obtained. In this case, since the damper effect is provided by the pseudo damper mechanism, the depth of the action portion can be shortened and the exterior can be made compact. Further, at the time of playing, simultaneously with the keystroke, a desired sound is produced from the soundboard based on the line spectrum relating to the string vibration signal of the acoustic piano. In this case, not only the string striking sound of the pressed key but also its resonance sound is produced with a predetermined delay. As a result, it is possible to obtain a tone color and sound volume (especially small sound volume) similar to or higher than that of an acoustic piano.

[0035]

As described above, according to the keyboard musical instrument of the present invention, the strings and the frames associated therewith can be eliminated, and the keyboard musical instrument can be made smaller and lighter. Further, the key touch feeling during the performance is the same as that of the acoustic piano, and the tone color is also the same as that of the acoustic piano. In addition, the control of its volume is much wider and easier.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a keyboard instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an action of the keyboard instrument according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a keyboard musical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a program executed by a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: key (operator), 14: action (string striking mechanism), 20: hammer, 22: hit object, 25: pseudo damper lever (pseudo damper mechanism), 34A, 3
4B: soundboard, 36A to 36D: soundboard drive unit (sounding means), 40: controller (selection means), 41:
String striking sound ROM (vibration state storage means), 42: Resonance sound R
OM (vibration state storage means),:, sensor (operator state detection means)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A string-striking mechanism that operates in response to a keystroke, an operator state detection unit that detects at least a motion state of the string-striking mechanism, and a vibration state that stores a vibration state of a member of an acoustic piano including at least a string. Storage means, selection means for selecting a vibration state stored in the vibration state storage means in accordance with the detection result of the operator state detection means, and converting the selected vibration state into sound through a soundboard. And a hammer for striking an object to be hit in a direction opposite to a gravity acting direction, and a string instrument provided at the back end of the key. A keyboard instrument having a pseudo damper mechanism capable of urging the rear end portion in the direction in which gravity acts, and wherein the soundboard is disposed on the back side of the key with respect to the pseudo damper mechanism.