JPS63314597A - Electronic musical instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to obtaining musical tone control information regarding a predetermined chord by emitting and receiving sound waves such as ultrasonic waves or electromagnetic waves such as infrared light, or controlling information regarding a corresponding chord. Related to electronic musical instruments that generate musical sounds.

[Prior Art] A conventional example of an electronic musical instrument that generates electromagnetic waves and creates predetermined musical tones based on the electromagnetic waves is the one described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-5195 proposed by the present applicant, for example. .

This device uses infrared rays as electromagnetic waves, and has an infrared ray generator attached to the upper part of the main body case, and an electronic switch assembly attached to the lower part of the main body case at a position facing away from the infrared ray generator. This electronic switch device has a plurality of electronic switches arranged in an array that are electrically turned on and off by the incidence and nasal incidence (blocking) of electromagnetic waves. Each of these electronic switches generates a pitch designation signal, for example, like the six keys on the keyboard of an MI musical instrument.

For example, when a performer places his or her palm into the space between the infrared ray generator and the electronic switch device and moves it in the direction in which the electronic switches of the electronic switch device are arranged, each electronic switch will move as the palm moves. Then, the infrared rays that were initially incident are blocked, and then the infrared rays that were incident on the infrared rays change from on to off to on as the infrared rays are incident again. The output of the electronic switch operated in this manner is sent as a corresponding pitch designation signal to a musical tone creation circuit, and a musical tone having a pitch corresponding to the pitch designation signal is created and emitted. In this case, it is possible to create a musical sound similar to a sound effect on #, and the playing method is simply to move the palm of the hand, so it is extremely simple and can provide a completely new musical instrument that has not existed before. .

[Object of the Invention] In contrast to the conventional electronic musical instruments described above, which generate musical tones of a predetermined pitch by simply blocking or not blocking the incidence of electromagnetic waves into the electronic switch device, the present invention has the following features:
By emitting sound waves or electromagnetic waves toward a predetermined object and detecting the reflection time of the reflected waves from the predetermined object, an attempt is made to generate a musical tone related to a predetermined chord or chord control information for specifying the chord. In the case of the present invention, it is also an object to provide a completely new electronic musical instrument.

[Summary of the Invention] This invention generates a sound wave or an electromagnetic wave, emits it to a predetermined object, and detects the reflection time of the reflected wave from the predetermined object. The main point of this system is to generate chord control information for specifying a musical tone related to a chord according to the distance between the two chords, or a musical tone related to a chord based on the chord control information.

[Example] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Configuration Figure 1 shows the external appearance of the electronic musical instrument according to this embodiment.
A variable bushing volume 2 is provided on the upper surface and right end of the rectangular parallelepiped case body 1. This variable button volume 2 is pressed by the thumb of the right hand when the player places the bottom of the case body 1 on the palm of the right hand and grasps the whole during performance.The details are shown in Figure 6. As will be described later, the volume of the generated musical tone can be changed depending on the magnitude of the pressing force.

At the upper right part of the front side of the case body 1, there is a transmitter 3 that emits a transmitted wave, which will be described later, and a player's left palm 5, which transmits the transmitted wave that is emitted by the transmitter 3 and is spread out in front of the front side of the case body l.
Receivers 4 for receiving reflected waves reflected by the receivers are respectively disposed, and a speaker 6 is disposed below the receivers 4.

Further, a cord switch 7 consisting of four switches is provided on the left side of the front side of the case body l. This chord switch 7 is a major chord switch (MJ) from the top.
Consists of 7-1, minor 21st chord switch (m) 7-2, seventh chord switch (7th) 7-3, minor seventh chord switch (m-7th) 7-4,
Each is turned on and off by the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the player's right hand. In addition, in the case of this electronic musical instrument, when you hold the case body l in your right hand palm and press all four chord switches 7 (7-1 to 7-4) to turn them on, the melody sound will not be emitted. While the chord switch 7 is being sounded, when one of the chord switches 7 is released from the finger to turn it off, the chord specified by that switch is emitted.

The pitch name of the melody sound emitted in this way or the root note of the chord is determined by measuring the distance between the case body l (transmitter 3) and the player's left palm 5. This distance is measured by measuring the time it takes for the transmitted wave emitted from the transmitter 3 to become the reflected wave and be received by the receiver 4, as shown in Figure 3. This is a concrete example.

That is, when the distance between the case body l and the player's left hand ff5 is L, L is divided into 12 equally spaced steps based on a predetermined position in front of the transmitter 3, and the distance between the transmitter 3 The part of the first stage closest to the lowest note C (note name yang is L)
, the second stage part is converted to the next pitch name CI (note name No. 2), and then similarly, pitch name D (note name Nb5), ..., pitch name B (note name No. 12) and each one octave. The pitch names for the minutes are specified.

Furthermore, on the right side of the case body 1, there is a headphone terminal 8,
A power switch 9 is provided. Also the case body
Inside, LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit), batteries, etc. are stored.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the structure of the circuit a will be explained. In FIG. Main ROM
(Read-only memory) 11 stores a control program for executing all operations of this electronic musical instrument, and after the performance starts, the control program is sequentially read out and given to the instruction decoder (not shown). , deciphered. As shown in the figure, this main ROM II includes a RAM (random access memory) 13, an arithmetic unit (ALU) 14, a counter 15, a frequency ROM 16, an envelope flip-flop 7' (FF) 17, and a key input section via a pass line 12. 18 and even LS
It is connected to the transmitter 3 or receiver 4 through the output terminal @ of I and the input terminal ■, respectively.

In addition to writing predetermined data from the main ROM II, the RAM 13 also writes various flag data (also called mode flags) and note name data from the calculation section 14. Fifth
The figure shows the register configuration of this RAM 13, and the flag registers include a key-off flag, melody flag, major flag, minor flag, seventh flag,
There is a register in which each flag data of the minor seventh flag is set, and there is also a note name register in which a note name is set in accordance with the distance between the main body case l and the palm 5 of the player's left hand.

The counter 15 is for measuring the time from when the transmitter 3 emits the transmission wave until the reflected wave is received by the receiver 4, and the count value is given to the calculation unit 14 to calculate the distance. The pitch name collapse is calculated according to. In addition, the fourth
The figure shows the waveform of the transmitted wave and the waveform of the received wave (all of which are ultrasonic waves) received by the receiver 4 with a slight time difference (delay T). The wave is a square wave that is output in a constant cycle (frequency 100Hz), and the low level part contains 40
A KHz signal is superimposed.

This 40 KHz signal indicates the maximum sensitivity frequency of the transmitter 3.

The frequency fiROM 16 stores frequency data corresponding to the above-mentioned 12M note names (ie, pitches). Further, the envelope F/F 17 is a circuit that outputs predetermined envelope data according to a command from the main ROM 1l, and the envelope data output to the LSI output terminals ■ and ■ indicates whether it is for melody or chord. There is.

The key input unit 18 is a circuit that receives the output signal of the code switch 7, and the signal is sent to the calculation unit 14, which determines whether the four switches 7-1 to 7-4 are on or off, and which one When the switch is turned off, the switch name is determined.

The frequency data read from the frequency ROM 16 is set in the waveform access fl19, and the waveform access section 1
9 generates a clock at a speed corresponding to the set frequency data and supplies it to the waveform ROM 20 as an address signal.

This waveform ROM 20 has a predetermined waveform (for example, a sine waveform).
The waveform data (amplitude value data) is read from the address addressed by the address signal, and when a melody is emitted, one type of amplitude value data is output to the output terminal RD of the LSI. be done. On the other hand,
When a chord is emitted, three types of amplitude value data including the amplitude value data of the root note are read from the waveform ROM 20 and sent to the adder 21, where they are summed and the resulting data is sent to the LS.
It is output to the output terminal ■ of I.

The amplitude value data outputted to the output terminal -rQ3) and the envelope data outputted to the output terminal ■ are sent to the waveform synthesis section 22, where they are synthesized, become a musical tone signal of the melody, and are amplified by the amplification section 23. The sound is then emitted from the speaker 6.

On the other hand, the summation result data outputted to the output terminal @ and the envelope data outputted to the output terminal 50 are synthesized in the waveform synthesis section 22 to form a chord tone signal. Then, the sound is emitted via the amplifying section 23 and the speaker 6.

Amplification P123 has its amplification factor variable bushing volume 2.
modified by the output of The variable bushing volume 2 is made of conductive rubber and has a characteristic that the relationship between the pressing force and the resistance value is as shown in the graph of FIG. In other words, the stronger the pressure, the smaller the resistance value.
The volume is loud.

Operation> Next, the operation will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

Before starting to play, first turn on the power switch 9. Next, hold the main body case in the palm of your right hand, place your thumb on the variable button volume 2, and use your index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers. The switches 7-1 to 7-4 are applied to the corresponding switches 7-1.7-2.7-3.7-4 of the chord switch 7, respectively, and in order to normally keep the melody playing state, the switches 7-1 to 7-4 are Press with six fingers to turn it on.

In order to start playing, all you need to do is to position the left hand 't5 in front of the case body L while considering the distance from the case body L. In this case, after turning on the power switch 9, the main In the processing circuit including the ROMII, execution of the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 has started.

That is, the main ROM II outputs a command to create a transmission wave having a waveform as shown in FIG. 4, and the creation is constantly performed after the power is turned on. In this case, as already mentioned,
The transmitted wave is a 100 Hz square wave, and a 40 KHz signal is superimposed on its LOW level portion (processing in step (a)).

Next, the process of detecting whether or not the variable bushing volume 2 is turned on is executed in step (b). That is,
In this example, simply placing your right thumb on variable button volume 2 (off state) will not create a melody or chord tone, so if you press variable button volume 2 even slightly to turn it on. The creation operation of each of the musical tones described above is started for the first time.

Therefore, if it is determined in the next step (C) that the variable bushing volume 2 has not been pressed yet, the process proceeds to step (d) and the RAM 1 is
The rONJ data is set in the key-off flag register No. 3, and the process returns to step (b). Then, until the variable bushing volume 2 starts to be suppressed, the above step (b)
) to (d) are repeated.

When the variable button volume 2 is pressed for the first time, this is determined in step (C) and the main ROMI is pressed.
I generates a command to output the above-mentioned transmission wave to the transmitter 3 from the output terminal @ of the LSI (step (e)), resets the counter 15 (step (f)), and outputs the above-mentioned transmission wave from the transmitter 3 (step (e)). Start outputting (step (g
)).

This transmitted wave is reflected by the player's palm and becomes a reflected wave and is sent to the receiver 4. Until this reflected wave is received by the receiver 4, step (h) is performed. The process of determining whether reception has started and the process of incrementing the counter 15 (step (i)) are repeatedly executed. Note that the counter 15 performs its counting operation by being given a periodic +1 signal from the main ROMII.

Next, when the transmitted wave is received by the receiver 4, the received signal is sent from the input terminal (3) of the LSI to the main ROM 11, and its reception operation is determined. And the next step (j
), the count value of the counter 15 at that time is sent to the RAM 13. Then, a pitch name corresponding to the counted contents of the counter 5 is set in the pitch name register of the RAM 13.

That is, the counting content T of the counter 5 corresponds to the time difference (delay) between the transmitted wave and the received wave, L is the distance between the transmitter 3 (receiver 4) and the player's left palm, and V is the speed of sound. When LT=-ma.

Therefore, if the player's palm is now at a position corresponding to the distance of the pitch name pl (ff name No. 7) as shown in Figure 3, the pitch name register will contain the pitch name No. 7 based on the count result. Set.

Next, the process proceeds to step (k), where it is determined whether the code switch 7 is in an off state. In this case, the output of the code switch 7 is set in the key manual section 18, and this judgment process is executed depending on the contents.

When playing a melody, all four switches 7-1 to 7-4 of the chord switch 7 are pressed with fingers and turned on. Therefore, the melody flag is set to "ON" in the flag register of the RAM 13 (processing in step l).On the other hand, when playing a chord, any one of the switches 7--, which indicates the type of chord, is set to ON.
Since flags 1 to 7-4 are turned off, the major flag, minor flag, seventh flag, or minor seventh flag is set to "ON" in the corresponding flag register of the RAM 13, respectively.

Now, assuming that the melody performance of the note name F- has started, the four switches 7-1 to 7 of the chord switch 7
-4 are all in the ON state, and the melody flag is "ON".
'', so when we proceed to step (m), it is determined whether this flag (mode flag) is the same as the previous one, and since this is our first performance, the answer is ``NO'', and we proceed to step (m). Proceed to p).

In step (p), the key-off flag is set to "rOFF", and a new sound generation start state is set. Then, proceeding to step (q), the frequency ROM 16 is stored based on the fact that the mode flag, that is, the melody flag is "ON", and that the pitch name collapse of the pitch name register is "7" of FI.
sends the corresponding frequency data to the waveform access section 19 7-7
Also, by the process of step (r), the main ROM
11 gives a predetermined envelope data output command to the envelope F/F 17. After this, the envelope data changes sequentially with time, and the process returns to step (b).

The waveform access unit 19 then addresses the waveform ROM 20 through the steps (q) and (r) described above, and
The waveform data of the pitch name F1 is read out and applied to the waveform synthesis section 22 via the output terminal (2). Further, envelope data generated by the envelope F/F is sent to the waveform synthesis section 22 via one output terminal. Therefore, the waveform data and the envelope data are multiplied by the waveform data in the waveform synthesis section 22, and the resulting data is amplified by the amplification section 23, and then the melody tone with the pitch name F- is started to be emitted from the speaker power 6. In addition,
The amplification factor of the amplifying section 23 is the sixth of the variable bushing volume 2.
The coalescence is changed according to the characteristics shown in the figure.

In order to continue emitting the melody tone with the note name F- for a long period of time, step 2 (b) is performed at predetermined intervals while the player stops with the palm of his left hand in the above position.
(e), (e) to (also) are executed. Then, when proceeding to step (m), in this case, the melody flag is rONJ
Since it remains unchanged, the process proceeds to step (n), where it is determined whether or not the contents of the note name register have changed. Since it remains unchanged at Fl, the process proceeds to step (0) and the contents of the key-off flag are confirmed. In this case, r
Since it is oFFJ, it is determined that the musical tone F- is being produced, and the process returns to step (b). From then on, the above-mentioned operation is repeated in green while the melody tone Fl is being produced.

On the other hand, when the player changes the melody note to another note, for example note name G, he moves his left hand 'X5 away from the transmitter 3 by that amount. Then, steps (b), (c), (e) described above
) to (also) are executed in the same way, and in step (m) rY
Then, in step (n), the contents of the note name register change from F to G and become rNOJ.
Proceed to step (p) and below, step (q),
A new melody sound (note name (G)) is created by executing (r)
starts to sound, and the process returns to step (b).

Furthermore, as explained at the beginning, when the variable button volume 2 is turned off after the F- melody sound has started, steps (b) to (d) are executed and the key-off flag is set to "ON". Ru. Therefore, a control signal is sent from the main ROM II to the envelope 'F/F 17 so that the envelope fd is quickly turned on.

Next, when the variable bushing volume 2 is pressed anew, step (m) is executed after steps (e) to (again) are executed.
Then, the judgment result is rYESJ, and the process proceeds to step (n), and this step also becomes rYESJ, and the process proceeds to step (0).

In this step (0), the key-off flag rO
NJ is determined, and the process proceeds to step (p). Thereafter, through the processes of steps (q) and (r), the melody tone with the pitch name Fl becomes a new pronunciation and starts emitting the sound again.

Furthermore, during the generation of the melody tone with the pitch name Fl, for example, the major chord switch 7-1 of the chord switches 7 is pressed.
When the flag is turned off, this is determined in step (k), and roNJ is set in the major flag register among the flag registers of the RAM 13. and step (m
), it is determined that the contents of the mode flag have changed, and the process proceeds to step (p), where the key-off flag is set to ro.
It is set to FFJ, and further, through each process of steps (q) and (r), a chord sound based on the major chord of the root name F starts to be emitted.

In this case, the frequency ROM 19 sets three types of frequency data of the major chord in the waveform access section 19 based on the root note name F, and uses the respective frequency data to create the waveform R.
Adder 2 reads three types of amplitude value data from OM20.
1. Therefore, the 7der 21 adds these values and provides the resultant data to the waveform synthesis section 22 via the output terminal (2).

Further, the envelope F/F 17 provides the envelope data to the waveform synthesis section 22 via the output terminal O, and thereby,
The waveform synthesis section 22 outputs a major chord signal with the root note name F1, and the signal is outputted as a chord sound via the amplification section 23 and the speaker 6.

Among the code switches 7, other switches 7-2.7-3.
The operation when 7-4 is individually turned off is also the same as that for the major chord described above, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

In addition, in the above embodiment, ultrasonic waves were used as the sound waves, but
Alternatively, electromagnetic waves such as infrared light or laser beams may be used. Also, by reflecting the electromagnetic waves on a predetermined object and receiving the reflected waves, the reflection time (therefore, the time corresponding to the distance between the object and the object) can be determined. , musical tone control information is obtained from this time, but this musical tone control information is not limited to pitch information as in the case of the above embodiment, but may also include various other information such as volume, timbre, etc. There may be.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the melody and the chord are sounded separately, but it is also possible to make them sound simultaneously. Of course, the types of codes are not limited to the four types described above.

Yet again. In the above embodiment, only musical tones with note names in the l octave are 9. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and musical tones of multiple octaves may be produced. In this case, semitones are omitted and only the main tone is produced. You can also do that.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the pitch increases as the left hand 75 moves away from the transmitter 3, but the opposite may be true, and another operator may be used instead of the palm.

Further, the characteristics of the variable button volume 2 shown in FIG. 6 may be reversed by circuit processing so that the more strongly the variable button volume 2 is pressed, the lower the volume becomes.

[Effects of Emitted IJI] As explained above, the present invention is based on the time it takes for a sound wave or an electromagnetic wave to be sent from the sending means to a predetermined object and for the reflected wave from the predetermined object to be received by the receiving means. Since the chord control information for specifying and controlling the musical tone related to the corresponding chord is obtained, the distance between the predetermined object and the transmitting means and the receiving means can be appropriately changed to obtain the desired sound. Chord control information can be obtained reliably and easily.

Further, according to the present invention, the corresponding root sound designation information is obtained based on the time from when the transmitting means sends out the sound wave or the electromagnetic wave to the predetermined object until the reflected wave from the predetermined object is received by the receiving means. is determined, and a musical tone related to a chord determined by this root note designation information and the re-information of the type designation information output in response to an external operation is generated at the output timing of the type designation information. By simply performing the external operation while appropriately changing the distance between the transmitting means and the receiving means, the musical tone related to the desired chord can be reliably and easily produced at the timing in response to the external operation. can be generated. Therefore, not only does it have the advantage of being able to perform chords using a completely new technique that has never been seen before, but it also has the advantage that even beginners can play chords in a short time because the technique is extremely simple. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the external appearance of an electronic musical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram thereof, and FIG. Figure 4 shows the waveform contents of the transmitted wave and the received wave and the time lag between the two waveforms, Figure 5 shows the register configuration of the RAM 13, and Figure 6 shows the characteristics of the variable bushing volume 2. FIG. 7 is a flowchart. 2...Variable bushing volume, 3...
・Transmitter, 4...Receiver, 5...! x
(predetermined object), 6... Speaker, 7 (7-1
~7-4)...Code switch, 11...
...Main ROM, 13...RAM, 14...
...Calculation unit, 15...Counter, 16...
...Frequency aROM, 17...Envelope flip 70 knob, 18...Key human power department, 19
... Waveform access section, 20 ... Waveform R
OM, 21... Adder, 22... Waveform synthesis section, 23... Amplification section. Patent Applicant Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Machi 1) Toshi Nagako Figure 6

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A sending means for generating a sound wave or electromagnetic wave and sending the sound wave or electromagnetic wave toward a predetermined object; a receiving means for receiving a reflected wave generated when the sound wave or electromagnetic wave is reflected by the predetermined object; Determine the time from the time when the means transmits the sound wave or electromagnetic wave to the time when the reflected wave is received by the receiving means, and based on the time, determine chord control information for specifying and controlling musical tones related to the chord. An electronic musical instrument comprising chord control means. (2) The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the musical tone control information is root note designation information that specifies the root note of a chord. (3) a sending means for generating sound waves or electromagnetic waves and sending the sound waves or electromagnetic waves toward a predetermined object; a receiving means for receiving reflected waves generated when the sound waves or electromagnetic waves are reflected by the predetermined object; A root note specifying information for determining the root note of a chord based on the time from the time when the means sends out the sound wave or electromagnetic wave to the time when the reflected wave is received by the receiving means. a note specifying means; a type specifying information outputting means for outputting type specifying information for specifying the type of chord in response to an external operation; , and chord generating means for generating a musical tone related to a chord determined by the type specifying information and the root note specifying information from the root note specifying means.