JPH09274485A - Electronic stringed instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to produce base tones as well together with the sound production of chord information even in the case automatic playing is performed in accordance with the chord information of a keyboard musical instrument. SOLUTION: An electronic guitar is provided with a string pluck detecting section 13 for detecting that strings are plucked and a pitch detecting section 14 for detecting the chord information included in the pitch information of the respective plucked strings in addition to a CPU 12. This CPU 12 discriminates whether the strings assigned as base tone strings are included in a plurality of strings or not by referencing a RAM 16 when the strings pluck detecting section 13 detects the plucking of a plurality of strings. If there are the strings assigned as the base tone strings, whether the min. pitch of the base tone strings coincides with fundamental tones of the chord information is discriminated. In the case of coincidence, the chord information including the min. pitch is determined as playing information. In the case of non- coincidence, the chord information not contg. the lowest pitch and the base tones based on the lowest pitch are determined as the playing information.

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, and the pitch of each string is detected by pressing the key and the string position information is stored in a memory. Then, the string pressing position information of the string is read out from the memory according to the string of the arbitrary string, and it can be supplied to the tone generator section for automatic performance. When playing chords that produce chords, multiple strings are pressed to detect chord position information, and chord information corresponding to the combination of multiple pitches is supplied as performance information to the tone generator section for automatic performance. It is carried out.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional electronic stringed instrument, since the automatic performance is performed on the basis of the chord information of the keyboard instrument, the voicing peculiar to the stringed instrument such that the sound other than the chord information is used as the bass tone is performed. There was a problem that I could not make good use of it. The object of the present invention is to provide automatic performance based on the chord information of a keyboard instrument,
This is to enable the pronunciation of the bass sound as well as the pronunciation of the chord information by using the chord pattern and the bass pattern.

[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. Detecting means, pitch detecting means for detecting chord information included in pitch information of each string pressed on the fingerboard, and bass for designating at least one of the plurality of strings as a bass string When the string specifying means and the string detecting means detect strings of multiple strings, the chord containing the lowest pitch if the lowest pitch of the bass string matches the root note of the chord information. The information is used as performance information, and if the information does not match, chord information that does not include the lowest pitch and control means that uses the bass tone based on the lowest pitch as the performance information are provided. With this structure, when the chord is pressed and the chord information is not included in the chord information at the same time, and a pitch lower than the chord information is pressed in the specified string, the chord information is played together with the chord information. Can pronounce sounds.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The first and second embodiments of the electronic stringed instrument of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 14 by taking an electronic guitar as an example. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic guitar in each embodiment has a fingerboard portion 2 attached to a body 1, and a tail 3 provided at an end portion 3 of the fingerboard portion 2 on the body 1 side and a central portion of the body 1. Six strings 5 are stretched between the piece 4 and the piece 4. 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) 15 frets 9 are formed on the surface of the fingerboard 2. 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 on the lower side of the linear member 10, 6 rows of pitch switches 11 are provided for each of the 15 frets 9.

Although not shown in the figure, each pitch switch 11 has a contact pattern formed on a printed circuit board embedded in the fingerboard 2 and a contact pattern provided in the vicinity of the contact pattern to press the contact pattern. It is made of conductive rubber. Therefore, when the arbitrary linear member 10 of the arbitrary fret 9 is pressed, the conductive rubber on the lower side contacts the contact pattern, so that the pitch switch 11 corresponding to the pressed linear member 10 of the fret 9 is turned on. Becomes
Although the actual string is not stretched on the fingerboard portion 2, the operation of pressing the arbitrary fret 9 of the linear member 10 corresponding to the actual string to turn on the pitch switch 11 is referred to as "convenient". I call it "pushed string". Thus, the strings are not stretched on the fingerboard portion 2 of the electronic guitar, but the six strings 5 provided on the main body 1 are numbered corresponding to the linear members 10, so that the performance is not performed. A person can play this electronic guitar with the same feel as in the case of an actual 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. As shown in FIG. 3, the string detection unit 13 includes a coil 21 that generates a vibration detection signal according to the vibration of the string 5, an amplifier 22 that amplifies the vibration detection signal, and a harmonic of the vibration detection signal output from the amplifier 22. An LPF 23 for removing wave components, an A / D converter 24 for converting a vibration detection signal of an analog signal into a digital signal, a level of the converted digital signal is compared with a predetermined value, and a binary string detection signal TH is output. It is composed of a level detection circuit 25. The string detection unit 13 detects the vibration of the string 5 and inputs the string on / off data to the CPU 12.

The pitch detecting section 14 uses the fret number line K
The pitch switch 11 is composed of a matrix switch formed by C and the string number line KI. When the pitch switch 11 is turned on or off in response to a pressing operation, the pitch information is input to the CPU 12 as pressing string position information. The CPU 12
Based on the operation program stored in the ROM 15, data input from the string detection unit 13, the pitch detection unit 14 and the like causes the tone generation circuit 17 to generate tone data including pitch data, tone color data, sounding time and the like. Output. The tone generation circuit 17 generates an actual acoustic signal based on a command from the CPU 12 and inputs it to the amplifier 18. The amplifier 18 amplifies this acoustic signal and gives it to the speaker 6 to generate a sound. The volume control unit 19 changes the amplification factor of the amplifier 18 according to the operation of the volume control 7 provided on the operation surface of the main body 1 to control the volume generated from the speaker 6.

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a main flow showing the operation of the CPU 12 in the first embodiment. In step S1, the performance mode selection switch 8 is searched to determine whether or not it is the performance mode. If it is the performance mode, it is determined whether or not there is a string according to the data input from the string detection unit 13. Is determined (step S2).
If there is no string, this flow ends, but if there is a string, the picking flag PF is set to "1" (step S3). Next, the pitch switch 11 on the fingerboard is scanned (step S4), and it is determined whether or not the string has been pressed (step S5). If no string is pressed, this flow is ended, but if a string is pressed, the string position information is stored in the register 16a of the RAM 16 (step S).
6). The stored string pressing position information is shown in FIG. And
A chord determination is made as to whether or not there is a pitch combination indicating chord information in the string pressing position information (step S7).

Next, bass string detection processing is performed (step S8). As shown in FIG. 5, this processing is performed by the string number i
(I = 0 to 5) is designated as "0" (step S21),
The RAM 16 stores the pressed string position information corresponding to the specified string number i.
From the register 16a to the buffer a [i] (step S22). Therefore, the string pressing information of each area corresponding to the first to sixth strings in FIG.
It is transferred to [0] to a [5]. Next, the bass designation information (bass string designation information) corresponding to the designated string number i is transferred to the buffer b [i] (step S23). The bass designation information is stored in the register 16b of the RAM 16, and as shown in FIG. 7, the value "0" or "1" is set for each string. A string having a value of "0" indicates that the bass is not specified, and a string of "1" indicates that the bass is specified. That is, RA
M16 is a bass string specifying means, which specifies at least one of the six strings as a bass string. In the case of FIG. 7, the first to third strings are strings for which bass is not specified,
The 4th string to the 6th string are strings for which bass is specified. Therefore, the data in the areas corresponding to the first to sixth strings in FIG. 7 are transferred to the buffers b [0] to b [5], respectively. The bass designation is performed in the non-playing mode, and a method of designating the bass will be described later.

Next, in step S24 of FIG. 6, it is determined whether or not the product of a [i] and b [i] at the designated string number i is not "0". That is, it is determined whether or not a [i] at the designated string number i is a designated bass string. If this product is not "0", it means that the string is a low-pitched string, so the value of the pressed string information and the area 15a of the ROM 15
The reference pitch information stored in advance is added.
The reference pitch information of the ROM 15 is information indicating the pitch of the open string in each string, as shown in FIG. The reference pitch information corresponding to the designated string number i is stored in the RA 15 from the ROM 15.
It is transferred to the buffer c [i] of M16. Therefore,
The reference pitch information of the first to sixth strings in FIG. 8 is transferred to the buffers c [0] to c [5], respectively. And a [i]
And the addition result of c [i] is the buffer d of the RAM 16
It is transferred to [i] (step S25). Next, the string number i is incremented (step S26).

On the other hand, if the product of a [i] and b [i] is "0" in step S24, it is not a bass-designated string, so the string number i is incremented in step S26 without performing addition processing. To do. It is determined whether or not the result i of the increment is smaller than "6" (step S27), and if it is smaller, that is, if the bass string detection process for all strings is not completed, step S27.
Then, the process proceeds to step 22, and the processes up to step S27 are repeatedly executed. When i becomes "6" or more in step S27, that is, when the bass string detection processing for all strings is completed, the register 16c of the RAM 16 is
The bass pitch information is stored in, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the bass pitch information of the buffers d [0] to d [5] is stored in the areas corresponding to the first to sixth strings of the register 16c of the RAM 16 respectively. Become.

In step S9 of FIG. 4, the RAM 16
It is determined whether or not any one of d [0] to d [5] stored in the register 16c is not "0". If there is even one d [i] that is not "0", bass sound processing is performed (step S10). This processing is performed by d stored in the register 16c of the RAM 16 as shown in FIG.
Among the [0] to d [5], the one that is not "0" is searched (step S31), and the lowest pitch among them is searched for the bass tone bas.
s (step S32). Then, this bass sound is the root root in the chord information determined in step S7.
Then, it is determined whether or not (step S33). If they do not match, the pitch of only the bass part is changed (step S34). This pitch change is performed by, for example, the pitch of the sixth string in FIG. 9 being the base pitch and the pitch of the fifth string being the minimum pitch (not necessarily the root pitch) of the chord information, that is, Decrease the pitch of the bass part by "5".

Next, a tone generation process is performed by the performance information based on the chord information and the bass tone (step S11). In this processing, as shown in FIG. 11, it is determined whether or not the flag PF is "1" (step S41), and if the PF is not "1", the sound generation processing is not performed and this flow is ended. However, if the PF is "1", it instructs the tone generation circuit 17 to generate a chord based on the chord information obtained by converting the pitch information of the RAM 16 and a bass tone based on the bass part (step S42). Then, the flag PF is set to "0" and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. In step S9, d stored in the register 16c of the RAM 16 is stored.
When all of [0] to d [5] are "0", there is no designation of the bass string, so in step S42 of FIG. 11, only the chord based on the chord information is instructed to the musical tone generating circuit 17.

If it is determined in step S1 of FIG. 4 that the performance mode is not set, a bass string designation routine is executed. That is, the string number i is designated as "0" (step S12), and it is determined whether or not the bass string is designated (step S13). If the bass string is specified, the register c [i] is set to "1" (step S14), and if the bass string is not specified, c [i] is set to "0". Yes (step S1
5). Next, i is incremented (step S1
6), it is determined whether i is smaller than "6" (step S17). If smaller than "6", step S1
3 is performed and each processing up to step S17 is repeatedly executed. When i becomes "6" or more, that is, when the processing for specifying the bass string for all strings is completed, the mode is changed to the performance mode. (Step S18), each processing of the above-mentioned step S2 and thereafter is executed. As a result, the previously described bass string designation information shown in FIG. 7 is created.

According to the first embodiment, at the same time as the chord pressing operation of the chord, a pitch lower than the chord information on the designated string of the bass string is depressed and the string is played. Can be a sound. Therefore, even when performing an automatic performance based on the chord information of a keyboard instrument, the chord pattern and bass pattern can be used to produce the chord information as well as the bass note, enabling performance that takes advantage of the voicing unique to stringed instruments. Becomes

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 12 shows the configuration of the string detection unit 13 in the second embodiment. The string detection unit 13 is, similar to the first embodiment, a coil 21 that generates a vibration detection signal according to the vibration of the string 5, an amplifier 22 that amplifies the vibration detection signal, and a vibration detection signal that is output from the amplifier 22. LPF 23 for removing harmonic components, A / D converter 24 for converting an analog vibration detection signal into a digital signal, and outputs a binary string detection signal TH by comparing the level of the converted digital signal with a predetermined value. It has a level detection circuit 25 that operates. In addition, a velocity detection circuit 26 that detects the level of the strength of the string and outputs the velocity value V is provided.

FIG. 13 shows the CPU 1 in the second embodiment.
It is a main flow which shows operation | movement of 2. First, based on the data input from the string detection unit 13, it is determined whether or not there is a string (step S51). If there is no string, this flow ends, but if there is a string, the picking flag PF is set to "1" (step S52),
The velocity value V is set in the register (not shown) of the RAM 16 (step S53). Next, the pitch switch 11 on the fingerboard is scanned (step S54), and it is determined whether or not the string has been pressed (step S55). If no string is pressed, this flow is ended, but if a string is pressed, the string position information is stored in the register 16a of the RAM 16 (step S56). Then, chord determination is made as to whether or not there is a pitch combination indicating chord information in the string pressing position information (step S57).

Next, a bass string detection process is performed (step S58). In this process, as shown in FIG. 14, the string number i (i = 0 to 5) is designated as "0" (step S7).
1), RA is the string pressing position information corresponding to the specified string number i
Transfer from the register 16a of M16 to the buffer a [i] (step S72). Next, the bass (bass tone) designation information corresponding to the designated string number i is transferred to the buffer b [i] (step S73). Then, it is determined whether the product of a [i] and b [i] at the designated string number i is not "0" (step S74). When this product is not "0", it is determined whether or not the velocity value V stored in the register of the RAM 16 is larger than the predetermined value t (step S75). If the value is larger than the predetermined value t, the value of the string press information and the reference pitch information stored in advance in the register 15a of the ROM 15 are added, and the buffer d [i] is added.
(Step S76).

Next, the string number i is incremented (step S77). If the product of a [i] and b [i] is "0" in step S74, and step S75
If the velocity value V is less than or equal to the predetermined value t in step S77, the chord number i is incremented by going to step S77 without performing the addition process of step S76. It is determined whether or not the result i of the increment is smaller than "6" (step S78), and if it is smaller, that is, if the bass string detection processing for all strings is not completed,
After shifting to step S72, each processing up to step S78 is repeatedly executed. When i becomes "6" or more in step S78, that is, when the bass tone string detection processing for all the strings is completed, the bass pitch information is stored in the register 16c of the RAM 16, and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. .

In step S59 of FIG. 13, the RAM
D [0] to d [5] stored in 16 registers 16c
It is determined whether any one of the above is not "0". If there is even one d [i] that is not "0", bass sound processing is performed (step S60). This processing is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 10, and therefore its explanation is omitted.
Next, sound generation processing is performed based on the chord information and the performance information based on the bass sound (step S11). This processing is shown in FIG.
Since it is the same as the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, its description is omitted. In step S59, if all of d [0] to d [5] stored in the register 16c of the RAM 16 are "0", there is no bass string designation.
In step S42 of No. 1, the musical tone generating circuit 17 is not instructed to generate the bass tone but only the chord is generated based on the chord information.

According to the second embodiment, whether or not to specify the bass string is controlled according to the strength of the string, so that the user can more flexibly specify the chord string in real time. it can.

In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the string 5 is provided on the plucked part of the 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 switch 11 is provided inside the fingerboard 2,
There is no change in that the pitch switch is turned on by pressing the string of the fingerboard 2.

[0024]

According to the present invention, the chord information is not included in the chord information at the same time when the chord is pressed, and a pitch lower than the chord information is depressed in the chord information designated by the bass chord to play the chord. It is possible to pronounce the bass tone as well as the information. Therefore, even when the automatic performance is performed based on the chord information of the keyboard instrument, the chord information and the bass pattern can be used to produce the bass sound as well as the chord information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electronic guitar according to first and second embodiments of the present invention.

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

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a string detection unit in the first embodiment.

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

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of string pressing information stored in a RAM.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a bass string detection process in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing bass string designation information stored in a RAM.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing reference pitch information stored in a ROM.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing bass pitch information stored in a RAM.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of bass sound processing in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the sound generation process in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a string detection unit in the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a main flowchart showing the operation of the CPU in the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the bass string detection process in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 pitch switch 12 CPU 13 string detection unit 14 pitch detection unit 15 ROM 16 RAM 17 tone generation circuit

Claims (4)

[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. Pitch detecting means for detecting chord information included in pitch information of each string that is pressed on the string portion, and bass tone string designating means for designating at least one string of the plurality of strings as a bass string. When the string detection means detects strings of a plurality of strings,
When the lowest pitch of the bass string matches the root note of the chord information, the chord information including the lowest pitch is used as performance information, and when it does not match, the chord that does not include the lowest pitch. An electronic stringed instrument comprising: a control unit that uses information and a bass tone based on the lowest pitch as performance information. 2. The control means, if the lowest pitch of the plucked strings does not match the root note of the chord information, plucks the lowest pitch in the chord information. 2. The electronic stringed instrument according to claim 1, wherein the performance information is obtained by shifting the bass tone by a difference from the lowest pitch of a plurality of strings. 3. A storage means for storing bass string designation information indicating whether or not the string is designated as a bass string, the control means referring to the bass string designation information, and playing the plurality of plucked strings. 3. The electronic string instrument according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not any of the strings specified as a bass string is specified. 4. The plucking means has a plucking level detecting means for detecting a level of strength of the plucking string, and the controlling means has a lowest pitch of the plurality of strings as a root of the chord information. If the strings do not match the tone, when the string level detecting means detects a string above a predetermined level, the chord information not including the lowest pitch of the plurality of strings that have been stringed and the lowest tone. The electronic stringed instrument according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a bass tone based on a pitch is used as performance information.