JPH09269768A - Electronic stringed musical instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To conduct a performance peculiar to stringed musical instrument by enabling the mute process by hand, which conducts string pushing or string releasing operations, even though for the case where no sting is provided to a fingerboard section, a pitch is decided by the pitch switch of the fingerboard section and the sound is generated. SOLUTION: The instrument is provided with a string playing detection section 13 which detects the playing of the strings, a pitch detecting section 14 which has two contact switches, that are turned on by the amount of displacement of different string pressings and provided at each fret position of each string and a CPU 12. If the section 13 detects the fact that the strings are played, the CPU 12 detects the speed of string pressing or string releasing operations by the time difference of the state changes of the snitches. If the speed of the above operations is faster than a prescribed value, a mute process instruction is provided to a musical sound generating circuit 17 and a hammering-on playing or a pulling-off playing is conducted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electronic stringed instrument such as an electronic guitar.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional electronic guitar, a pitch switch is provided on the fingerboard portion in correspondence with each string and each fret position, and when the button is pressed, the pressed string position information of each string is detected to detect the pressed string position. The pitch data of is stored in the memory. Then, the pitch data is read from the memory according to the string of the arbitrary string, and is supplied to the sound source section to generate a sound, thereby performing the automatic performance.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional electronic stringed instrument, the actual string for determining the pitch is not stretched on the fingerboard portion, and the string is depressed by turning the pitch switch on or off. Since only information on whether or not
There is a problem that the left hand, that is, the hand that operates the string is not able to perform the mute process, and cannot perform the peculiar performance of a stringed instrument such as hammering on and pulling off. An object of the present invention is to perform a string-pressing operation and a string-leaving operation even when a pitch switch is used to determine a pitch and to generate a sound without having an actual string on the fingerboard. It is possible to perform a peculiar performance of a stringed instrument by enabling mute processing with.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a plurality of strings provided on at least a string part of a main body having a string part and a finger part, and a string string for detecting that the string has been stringed. The detection means and the speed detection means provided on the fingerboard portion for generating speed detection information according to the string pressing speed or the string separation speed, and the string detection means when the string detection is detected, the speed detection information is displayed. A control unit that issues a command for mute processing accordingly. With such a configuration, a mute processing command is issued according to the string pressing speed or the string separating speed. Therefore, even if you do not have the actual strings to determine the pitch on the fingerboard and decide the pitch by turning the pitch switch on and off to generate sound, you can control the on / off speed by pressing the strings. By doing so, it is possible to perform mute processing and perform a performance peculiar to a stringed instrument.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of an electronic stringed instrument of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 by taking an electronic guitar as an example. The electronic guitar in the embodiment has a configuration shown in FIG.
As shown in (A), the fingerboard portion 2 is attached to the main body 1, and 6 pieces are provided between the end portion 3 of the fingerboard portion 2 on the main body 1 side and the tail piece 4 provided in the central portion of the main body 1. String 5 is stretched. A speaker 6 is attached to the inside of the main body 1, and a volume control 7 for adjusting the volume and a performance mode selection switch 8 for selecting the performance mode on / off and other performance types are provided on the operation surface of the main body 1. There is. FRET (0) to FRET (14) is 1 on the surface of the fingerboard 2.
Five (9 for FRET (0) open strings) frets 9
Are formed. Six linear members 10 resembling an actual string are formed of an elastic material on the fingerboard portion 2 and have a structure that is bent by pressing like an actual string. Further, inside the fingerboard portion 2 below the linear member 10, a pitch switch 11 is provided for each fret 9 of each string 5.

As shown in FIG. 1B, each pitch switch 11 has a contact switch 1 between an elastic plate 21 forming the upper surface of the fingerboard 2 and a printed circuit board 22 embedded therein.
And a contact switch 2. Each contact switch constitutes a contact with the conductive rubber 11a formed on the printed circuit board 22 side and the conductive rubber 11b formed on the elastic plate 21 side. However, one contact switch 1 has a small gap between the conductive rubbers 11a and 11b, and the other contact switch 2 has conductive rubbers 11a and 11b.
The interval b is formed large. Therefore, when the arbitrary linear member 10 of the arbitrary fret 9 is pressed by a predetermined displacement amount, the elastic plate 21 bends, and the conductive rubbers 11a and 11b of the contact switch 1 first come into contact with each other to turn on the contact switch 1. When the linear member 10 is pressed by a larger displacement amount, the elastic plate 21 is further bent, and the conductive rubber 1 of the contact switch 2 is pressed.
The contacts 1a and 11b come into contact and the contact switch 2 is turned on. In addition, although the actual strings are not stretched on the fingerboard 2,
For the sake of convenience, the operation of pressing an arbitrary fret 9 of the linear member 10 corresponding to an actual string will be referred to as a “pressed string”.

As shown in FIG. 2, a circuit block having a CPU 12 as a control means as a core is provided inside the electronic guitar. That is, the CPU 12 includes a string detection unit (string detection unit) 13, a pitch detection unit (pitch detection unit) 14, a ROM 15 and a RAM 16 which are storage units,
The performance mode selection switch 8 and the tone generation circuit 17 are connected. In addition, the tone generation circuit 17 has an amplifier 18
The speaker 6 is connected via the, and the volume control section 19 is connected to the amplifier 18. The pitch detection unit 14 is composed of a matrix switch of two blocks, that is, a matrix switch composed of a plurality of contact switches 1 and a matrix switch composed of a plurality of contact switches 2 by the fret number line KC and the string number line KI. There is. Contact switch 1 by pressing or releasing strings
And when the contact switch 2 is turned on or off,
The state change is input to the CPU 12.

The CPU 12 uses the data input from the string detection unit 13, the pitch detection unit 14, etc., based on the operation program stored in the ROM 15, to generate the musical tone generation circuit 1.
Performance information to be output to 7 is generated. At this time, ROM1
5, a reference pitch table stored in advance in the data area 31 of the RAM 5, a hammering-on table of the registers 32 to 37 of the RAM 16, a pulling-off table, a fret table, a pitch table, a sounding flag, and other data. Perform processing.

3A to 3F show the data structure of the data area 31 of the ROM 15, the tables of the registers 32 to 36 of the RAM 16 and the sounding flags. The hammering-on table has a string number i (i = 0 to 5; the same applies hereinafter).
Data a (i) corresponding to the pressed string is stored in the area corresponding to. The pulling-off table stores data b (i) corresponding to the pressed string in the area corresponding to the string number i. In the reference pitch table, the pitch data c (i) of the open string is stored in advance in the area corresponding to the string number i as fixed data regardless of the presence or absence of the pressed string. The fret table has the fret number (0
The data d (i) of 14 to 14) are stored. In the pitch table, pitch data e (i) actually output to the musical tone generating circuit 17 is stored in the area corresponding to the string number i. As the sounding flag, data HF (i) of "1" or "0" indicating sounding or mute is set in the area corresponding to the string number i. The counter value in the register 37 of the RAM 16 will be described later.

The tone generation circuit 17 shown in FIG.
Waveform data is read from a waveform memory (not shown) in response to a sounding instruction from 2, and an actual acoustic signal is generated and input to the amplifier 18. Further, the input of the acoustic signal to the amplifier 18 is stopped in response to the mute instruction from the CPU 12. The amplifier 18 amplifies the acoustic signal and supplies it to the speaker 6. The speaker produces a sound according to the acoustic signal. The volume control unit 19 includes a volume control 7 provided on the operation surface of the main body 1.
The amplification factor of the amplifier 18 is changed according to the operation of, and the volume generated from the speaker 6 is controlled.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow charts of the CPU 12 shown in FIGS. In FIG. 4, when the power of the electronic guitar is turned on, initialization processing is performed (step S1). In this process, the data in the other tables except the reference pitch table is cleared and the tone generation flag is set to "0". next,
The string number i is designated as "0" (step S2), and the following processing is performed while incrementing i. That is, the reference pitch table c (i) of the ROM 15 corresponding to the designated string number i is transferred to the register 35 of the RAM 16 and e
(I) (step S3). That is, the pitch data of the open string of the specified string is used as the pitch data. And
i is incremented (step S4) and i is "6"
Then, it is determined whether or not the transfer of the reference pitch data of all strings is completed (step S5).
If i is less than “6”, the process proceeds to step S3 and the processes up to step S5 are repeated while incrementing i.

The routine for transferring the reference pitch data from step S1 to step S5 is a routine for setting an initial value when the power is turned on and does not form a loop. Make a loop. Therefore, the pitch data e (i) of the pitch table
The initial value of is the reference pitch data c (i), but in the loop after step S6, the pitch data e (i) of the pitch table is arbitrary pitch data according to the string pressing operation.

If i becomes "6" in step S5, i is designated again as "0" (step S5).
6) The following processing is performed while incrementing i.
That is, it is determined whether or not the designated string is played (step S7), and if it is played, the tone flag HF (i) corresponding to the string is set to "1" (step S7). S8). Then, the sound source (musical tone generation circuit 17;
The same applies hereinafter), and e (i) is sent to give a sounding instruction (step S9). After this pronunciation instruction or step S7
If the string specified in No. is not struck, i is incremented (step S10), and it is determined whether i has become "6", that is, whether the processing for all strings has been completed. (Step S11). i is “6”
If it is less than, it proceeds to step S7 and repeats each processing up to step S11 while incrementing i.

Next, i is designated as "0" (step S
12), the following processing is performed while incrementing i. That is, it is determined whether or not the pronunciation flag HF (i) is "1" (step S13), and HF (i) is "1".
If it is, the fret number j is designated as "0" (step S14). Then, the contact switch 1 [i, j] at the specified fret number j of the specified string number i
It is determined whether or not has changed from off to on (step S15). If there is no change from off to on, j is incremented (step S16), and j is "15".
It is determined whether or not (step S17). j is less than "15", that is, the existing fret number "0"-
In the case of "14", it is determined in step S15 whether or not there is a change in the contact switch 1 corresponding to each fret. Then, when the contact switch 1 [i, j] at the specified fret number j of the specified string number i changes from off to on, the value obtained by adding the reference pitch data c (i) to the fret number j. Is greater than the pitch data e (i) at that time (step S
18). That is, it is determined whether or not the string is pressed at a fret position higher than the pitch data.

When j + c (i) is larger than e (i), j is transferred to the register 32 of the RAM 16 and set as hammering-on data a (i) (step S19).
Next, the tone generation flag HF (i) is set to "0" (step S20), the counter value 37 of the RAM 16 is cleared to start the counting of CONT (i), and the timer interrupt is enabled (step S21). . The timer interrupt process, as shown in FIG.
Is designated as "0" (step S101), and the following processing is performed while incrementing i. That is, CONT (i) is incremented for each timer interrupt (step S102), and it is determined whether CONT (i) has reached the maximum value (step S103). When the maximum value is reached, CONT (i) is set to "0" (step S104) and i is incremented (step S104).

At step S103, CONT
If (i) has not reached the maximum value, step S1
The process proceeds to 05 and increments i. Then, it is determined whether i has become "6" (step S10).
6). If i is less than “6”, step S10
The process proceeds to 2 and the processes up to step S106 are repeated while incrementing i. If i becomes "6" in step S106, that is, if the timer interrupt process is completed for all strings, the process returns to the flow of FIG. In this state, as shown in FIG.
Each string number i is stored in the counter value of the register 37 of the RAM 16.
CONT (i) for is stored. Therefore, for example, if a timer interrupt occurs every 5 ms, CONT (i) increases to 5 ms, 10 ms, 15 ms, etc., and the elapsed time from the change of the contact switch 1 in step S15 of FIG. 5 is measured.

After step S21 in FIG. 5, the sound source is subjected to muffling processing of the currently sounding e (i) (step S21).
22). Then, the process proceeds to step S23 and i is incremented. By the way, when the fret number j becomes "15" in step S17, the contact switch 1 whose state has changed from OFF to ON in the designated string
Since [i, j] does not exist, the process moves to step S23 and i is incremented to specify the next string. Then i
Is determined to be "6" (step S2)
4). If i is less than “6”, step S13
Then, each process up to step S24 is repeated while incrementing i. When i reaches "6" in step S24, the process proceeds to step S25 in FIG.

In step S25, the string number i is designated as "0", and the following processing is performed while incrementing i. That is, it is determined whether or not the hammering-on data a (i) is "0", that is, whether or not it is an open string (step S26A). If it is not "0", the data a (i) is determined. To the fret number j (step S
26B), it is determined whether or not the contact switch 2 [i, j] corresponding to the designated fret number j of the string number i has changed from off to on (step S27). When the contact switch 2 [i, j] changes from off to on, the fret number j is transferred to the register 34 of the RAM 16 and j
Be d (i) (step S28).

Next, d (i) and c (i) of the specified string
Is added as a new e (i) (step S2)
9). That is, the pitch data corresponding to the fret number in which both the contact switch 1 and the contact switch 2 are turned on by the string-pressing operation is set as the pitch data to be actually generated. Next, with reference to the register 37 of the RAM 16, the value of CONT (i) is read. CON at this time
The value of T (i) represents the elapsed time from the time when the contact switch 1 changes from off to on to the time when the contact switch 2 changes from off to on. It is determined whether or not CONT (i), which is the elapsed time, is smaller than the predetermined value C (step S30). That is, it is determined whether the string pressing speed is faster than a predetermined value. If CONT (i) is smaller (faster) than the predetermined value C, it is regarded as hammering-on performance, the pronunciation flag HF (i) is set to "1" (step S31), and the sound source is hammered. A sounding instruction of e (i) is given by a performance style of ON (step S32).
That is, the hammering-on sound is generated when the string-pressing speed is higher than a predetermined value.

After the sounding instruction, a (i) in the register 32
Is set to "0" (step S33) and i is incremented (step S34). Also, step S30
If CONT (i) is equal to or more than the predetermined value C, the process proceeds to step S33 without instructing the hammering-on rendition style, and a (i) is set to "0". In this case, since it is a normal performance, the sounding instruction of the normal performance style is given in step S9 of FIG. When a (i) is “0” in step S26A, and in step S27, contact switch 2
If [i, j] does not change from off to on,
In step S34, i is incremented. Then, it is determined whether i has reached "6" (step S35). If i is less than “6”, step S
26A, the processing up to step S35 is repeated while incrementing i. When i reaches “6” in step S35, the process proceeds to step S36 in FIG.

In step S36, the string number i is designated as "0", and the following processing is performed while incrementing i.
That is, it is determined whether or not the pronunciation flag HF (i) is "1" (step S37). If the HF (i) is "1", the fret number j is designated as "0" ( Step S38). Then, it is determined whether or not the contact switch 2 [i, j] at the designated fret number j of the designated string number i has changed from on to off (step S3).
9). If there is no change from ON to OFF, j is incremented (step S40), and it is determined whether j has become "15" (step S41). j is “1
Less than 5 ", that is, existing fret numbers" 0 "to" 1 "
If it is "4", it is determined in step S39 whether or not there is a change in the contact switch 1 corresponding to each fret.
When the contact switch 2 [i, j] at the designated fret number j of the designated string number i changes from on to off, the fret number k is designated as "0" (step S42), and designated. It is determined whether or not both the contact switch 1 [i, k] and the contact switch 2 [i, k] corresponding to the designated fret number k of the string number i are turned on (step S43). That is, the contact switch 2
When [i, j] changes from on to off, it is determined whether or not another fret position of the same string is in a pressed state.

If neither the contact switch 1 [i, k] nor the contact switch 2 [i, k] is turned on, k is incremented (step S44) to determine whether k has become "15". (Step S45). k is “0”
If it is "14", the process proceeds to step S43.
Then, the contact switch 1 [i, k] and the contact switch 2
When there is a fret number k for which both [i, k] are on, it is determined whether k is smaller than j (step S46). That is, it is determined whether or not the pressed fret number k is lower than the released fret number j. If k is smaller than j, k is transferred to the pull-off data b (i) of the register 33 of the RAM 16 (step S47). Next, the tone flag HF (i) is set to "0" (step S48), the counter value 37 of the RAM 16 is cleared, and the data CONT (i) is cleared.
Counting is started, and the timer interrupt is enabled (step S49).

Next, e (i) currently being sounded for the sound source
That is, the muffling process of e (i) corresponding to the fret number j that has been released is performed (step S50). Then, the process proceeds to step S51 and i is incremented. Step S
If the fret number j is "15" at 41, there is no contact switch 2 [i, j] that has changed from on to off in the designated string, so step S51
And the i is incremented to specify the next string.
Further, in step S45, the fret number k is "1".
If it is "5", there is no other fret that has been pressed in the specified string, so the process proceeds to step S51.
Is incremented to specify the next string. If k is greater than or equal to j in step S46, it is determined that the playing mode is not pulling off, and the process moves to step S51 to increment i and specify the next string. Next, it is determined whether i has become "6" (step S
52). If i is less than “6”, step S3
7, the process up to step S52 is repeated while incrementing i.

When i reaches "6" in step S52, the process proceeds to step S53 of FIG. 10, the string number i is designated as "0", and the following process is performed while incrementing i. That is, pulling-off data b
(I) is designated as the fret number k (step S54),
It is determined whether or not the contact switch 1 [i, j] corresponding to the fret number j of the string number i designated previously has changed from on to off (step S55). Contact switch 1 [i,
j] changes from on to off, the fret number k is transferred to the register 34 of the RAM 16 and k is set to d (i).
(Step S56).

Next, d (i) and c (i) of the specified string
The value obtained by adding is set as a new e (i) (step S5).
7). That is, the pitch data corresponding to the fret number k in which both the contact switch 1 and the contact switch 2 are turned on by the string pressing operation is set as the pitch data to be actually sounded. Next, referring to the register 37 of the RAM 16,
Read the value of CONT (i). CONT at this time
The value of (i) represents the elapsed time from the time when the contact switch 2 changes from on to off to the time when the contact switch 1 changes from on to off. It is determined whether or not CONT (i) which is the elapsed time is smaller than the predetermined value C (step S58). That is, it is determined whether or not the string separation speed is faster than a predetermined value. When CONT (i) is smaller (faster) than the predetermined value C, it is regarded as pulling off rendition, the pronunciation flag HF (i) is set to "1" (step S59), and e (i ) Is issued (step S60). That is, when the string separation speed is faster than a predetermined value, the sound is a pull-off sound.

After the sounding instruction, i is incremented (step S61). In addition, when the contact switch 1 [i, j] does not change from on to off in step S55, and CONT (i) in step S58.
Is greater than or equal to the predetermined value C, the process proceeds to step S61 without giving a sounding instruction, and i is incremented.
Then, it is determined whether i has reached "6" (step S62). If i is less than “6”, the process proceeds to step S54 and the processes up to step S62 are repeated while incrementing i. When i reaches “6” in step S62, the process proceeds to step S6 of FIG. 4 and each process in the loop up to step S62 of FIG. 10 is repeatedly executed.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the mode of the string-pushing operation or the string-breaking operation is detected by the state change of the contact switch 1 and the contact switch 2, and the mute processing command is issued according to the mode. Therefore, even if the pitch switch does not have an actual string for determining the pitch and the pitch switch is used to produce sound, by enabling the mute process with the hand that performs the string-pressing operation or the string-release operation, You can play peculiar to stringed instruments such as hammering on and pulling off.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the string 5 is provided on the plucked part of the main body 1 of the electronic guitar, the actual string is not provided on the fingerboard part 2, and the linear member 10 similar to the string is provided. However, the strings may be stretched across the string part and the fingerboard part 2. However, even in this case, the pitch is not determined by the vibration of the string, and the pitch is determined by the pitch switch provided inside the fingerboard. And, like the embodiment, this pitch switch
It is composed of two contact switches that are turned on by different amounts of displacement of the pressed strings, and the two contact switches are turned on or off with a time shift due to pressing or releasing the strings.

The speed detecting means for detecting the string pressing speed and the string separating speed is not limited to the pitch switch composed of the contact switch 1 and the contact switch 2. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a pressure sensor that detects the pressure of the string pressing is provided on the fingerboard 2 as the speed detecting means, and the string pressing speed and the string separating speed are detected by detecting the speed of pressure change.

[0030]

According to the present invention, a mute processing command is issued according to the string pressing speed or the string separating speed. Therefore,
Even if the pitch is determined by turning the pitch switch on and off without producing an actual string for determining the pitch on the fingerboard, the on / off speed can be controlled by pressing the strings. This enables mute processing and enables performance unique to stringed instruments.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B are diagrams of an electronic guitar according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1A is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view showing a structure of a pitch switch of a fingerboard portion.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration inside the electronic guitar in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data area of a ROM and a RAM in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU following FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of timer interrupt processing.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing counter value data in a RAM register.

8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU following FIG.

9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU following FIG.

10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU following FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 CPU 13 String detection unit 14 Pitch detection unit 15 ROM 16 RAM 17 Music tone generation circuit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of strings provided on at least the plucked part of a main body having a plucked part and a fingerboard part, a plucked string detection means for detecting that the string has been plucked, and the fingerboard. And a speed detecting means for generating speed detection information according to a string pressing speed or a string releasing speed, and a mute according to the speed detecting information when the string detecting means detects a string of the string. An electronic stringed instrument comprising: a control unit that issues a processing command. 2. The speed detecting means has two contact switches which are turned on by different amounts of displacement of the pressed strings at each fret position of each string, and the control means is characterized in that the string detecting means causes the string to hit the string. When a string is detected, the mode of the string-pressing operation or the string-breaking operation in the string that has been hit is detected by the state change of the two contact switches, and the mute process is performed according to the mode of the string-pressing operation or the string-release operation. The electronic stringed instrument according to claim 1, wherein the electronic stringed instrument is issued. 3. The electronic string instrument according to claim 2, wherein the control means issues a command for the mute processing in accordance with a time difference between state changes of the two contact switches caused by the string pressing operation or the string separating operation. . 4. The electronic string instrument according to claim 1, wherein the control means issues a hammering-on performance mode instruction when the string pressing speed is lower than a predetermined value. 5. The electronic string instrument according to claim 1, wherein the control means issues a pulling-off performance mode instruction when the string separation speed is smaller than a predetermined value.