RU2176825C2 - Method and device for setting string of musical instrument into vibration - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: stringed musical instruments. SUBSTANCE: actuating member is made for producing sound vibrations and its interaction with string is effected so that sound vibrations are set in string and in actuating member simultaneously by varying location of plucking point. Actuating mechanism of device is designed for reciprocating string actuating member to improve sound quality; in other design version device transmitting control signal to actuating mechanism uses mechanical or electromechanical types of coupling. EFFECT: improved sounding quality. 29 cl, 24 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to stringed musical instruments, in particular to a method for exciting sound vibrations of a string of a musical instrument and a device for exciting sound vibrations of a string of a musical instrument.

 Famous keyboard-stringed musical instruments, such as pianoforte, harpsichord and clavichord, use a percussion or pinch element to influence the string, which does not allow you to receive sounds of a continuous nature, to carry out at the request of the performer all the variety of attacks and sound attenuation, vibrato, change its internal dynamics, its timbre and macro- and micro-sonic characteristics. At the same time, the relative ease of controlling the keyboard mechanism of these instruments allows virtuoso manipulation of discrete sounds extracted on various strings, as well as the simultaneous excitation of many strings, which makes it possible to play chords and other types of polyphony.

 Well-known stringed musical instruments, such as violin, viola, cello and double bass, use the friction mechanism of sound extraction, which allows you to continually change a number of characteristics of a single sound, such as attack, attenuation, internal dynamics, timbre (within certain limits), vibrato, micro - and macro-interval changes in pitch and isolation of harmonics through the use of the left-hand technique (movement of the performer’s finger along the string). However, their design limits the number of simultaneously sounding voices to two if it is impossible to extract polyphonic on one string and does not have the technical advantages of the above-described keyboard and string instruments.

 In both groups of instruments described above, the sounding body is a string, and a piano hammer, performing a hit, or a bow of a string instrument, frictionally reproducing sound, themselves do not reproduce sound vibrations.

 Modern electronic musical devices controlled by computers and using electronic frequency generators, filters, modulating devices and samplers, allow you to work with sound at the level of its microstructures (microtemperature, micrhythm and microarticulation) and can offer the composer all the variety of possibilities for working with continuous or discrete sound for any the necessary number of really sounding voices.

 But these devices by definition reproduce synthesized sound that does not possess the immanent qualities of acoustic sound: its "imperfection" and "unpreparedness." During the listening process, even in the case of using real-time playback and sound control systems (live-electronic), these qualities of the synthesized sound do not always allow the listener to come into direct emotional contact with the music being played.

 Known descriptions of inventions of keyboards, string and bow instruments. In a number of descriptions of inventions, "endless" bows in the form of a vein (A.S. USSR N 1557585), skin (French Application N 1286667), hair (French Application N 1116966) or rotating disks (US Patent N 1327072) located perpendicular to the strings are arranged . The implementation of devices for extracting sound in the form of an “endless bow” allows you to continually change the agogical, such as attack and attenuation, and dynamic characteristics of sound, but does not provide the ability to implement micro- and macro-interval and timbre modifications of sound, vibrato, polyphonic and overtones on each string, since in this case the technique of shortening and lengthening the sounding section of the string due to the longitudinal movement of the fingers of the performer, inherent in traditional string-bow instruments, is absent m "bow" always acts on the same predetermined place on the design of the tool string.

 Also known are devices for producing vibrato in the form of cone rollers oscillating along a single string, lengthening and shortening the sounding part, as a result of which the sounds extracted on the string smoothly decrease and increase (A.S. USSR No. 363113). The piano gets vibrated.

 Known devices that activate the string "adhesive" vibration (US Patent N 3525283, 3577823).

 Also known devices that allow you to get the main overtone from the corresponding string using a special damper controlled by a pedal (US Patent No. 2267991).

 Adaptations are also known that make it possible to shorten the string and accordingly receive sounds of different heights on the same string, in particular, due to the longitudinal movement of the finger along the pressed key, which allows you to change the degree of string tension (French Application N 2408188).

 All the aforementioned sources of patent information describe devices that make it possible in some cases to be agogical and dynamic, in others macro- and micro-sonic, including vibrato, and in the third, within certain limits, timbre modifications of a single sound. However, none of the above inventions makes it possible to carry out all these modifications of sound in the complex.

 Closest to the claimed method relates to a method of exciting a string of a musical instrument, in which the interaction of the action element with the string by pressing it and very little movement along the string relative to this point with vibration of the string (US Patent No. 3620117). However, in this way only insignificant fluctuations in pitch (vibrato) are achieved, and timbre and macro-interval sound changes are not realized.

 Closest to the claimed device relates to the aforementioned device for exciting sound vibrations of a musical instrument string, containing the action elements on the string connected to the drive mechanism, and a keyboard associated with the transmission device of the control action on the drive mechanism (French Application N 2408188). Thanks to the movement of the artist’s finger along the key, it is possible to modify the macro- and micro-interval altitude characteristics of the sound extracted on the string by changing the degree of tension. However, this design, allowing you to continually change the pitch in certain limits, limited by the physical properties of the string and its ability to stretch, does not provide the performer with any other advantages in controlling the agogical, dynamic and timbral characteristics of the sound.

 The present invention is the creation of a method of exciting sound vibrations of a musical instrument string and a device for exciting sound vibrations of a musical instrument string, which will expand the possibilities of sound production on the string and receive continuum sounds, control attack, attenuation and internal dynamics, change their timbre, macro and micro-interval characteristics.

 This problem is solved by the fact that in the method of exciting sound vibrations of the string of a musical instrument, in which interacting with the string of the action element by pressing it against it and moving along it, the action element is performed with the possibility of receiving sound vibrations in it and its interaction with the string is carried out with mutual excitation of sound vibrations in the string and the impact element by changing the location of the point of pressure of the latter to the string and frictional interaction with the string moving therealong and / or offset relative to the point of pressing.

 The problem is also solved by the fact that the location of the pressure point of the impact element on the string and the frictional interaction with it lead to a change in the speed and / or direction of movement of the action element.

 The problem is also solved by the fact that the location of the point of pressing of the impact element to the string and the frictional interaction with it are continuously or discontinuous.

 The problem is also solved by the fact that the movement of the impact element and / or its displacement along the string and its frictional interaction with it are carried out with a change in the pressing force, while these movement and / or displacement and frictional interaction with the string can be made with a change in the contact area of the element impacts with a string.

 In addition, when moving and / or shifting the impact element, it is additionally vibrated, while the frequency and / or amplitude of the vibration is changed.

 The solution to the problem is also ensured by the fact that the vibration of the action element is carried out in the horizontal plane along or across the string or in the vertical plane.

 The objective of the invention is also solved by creating a device for exciting sound vibrations of a musical instrument string, containing elements of the impact on the string connected to the drive mechanism, and a keyboard associated with the transmission of the control action on the drive mechanism, characterized in that the drive mechanism is made with the possibility of reciprocating moving along the string and / or changing the angle of inclination relative to the string of the impact element, which is made with a resonating and friction part with the possibility of receiving sound vibrations in it.

 Additionally, the device can be equipped with a vibrator connected to the string impact element.

 In this case, the element of the impact on the string can be hollow, or composite with the resonating and frictional parts, connected movably or with the help of an elastic element, or made in the form of a ball or ellipsoid, on the surface of which at least one radial pin is fixed, or in the form of a cylindrical rod with oval bodies at its ends, or with a through cavity enclosing the string, inside of which is placed the friction part for contact with the string. The surface of the friction part in contact with the string may be flat or convex. The friction 5 part of the impact element for realizing better contact with the string 3 can be coated with a thin layer of rosin.

 The problem is also solved by the fact that the influence element interacts with the string at points corresponding to or not corresponding to one of the overtone nodes of the string located in 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6, etc. its parts, which allows you to change the timbre characteristics of the sounds.

 The technical result of the claimed inventions is the possibility of implementing on each string of a musical instrument a complex of continuous agogical, dynamic, timbre sound modifications, obtaining sounds of absolutely any frequency outside the uniform temperament system characteristic of keyboard-string instruments, and any, even to the smallest, intervals between two separate sounds of one or different strings, as well as the game with polyphonic sounds.

 The invention is illustrated by drawings (Fig. 1-24).

 In FIG. 1 shows an impact element made in the form of a ball with radial fingers, and in FIG. 2 - in the form of a cylindrical rod with oval shaped bodies at its ends. In FIG. 3 shows an element of an impact on a string in the shape of an ellipsoid. In FIG. 4 is a photograph illustrating the use by a performer of an element of manual exposure to a musical instrument having a large number of horizontally arranged strings fixed to a deck, such as a piano.

 Figures 5 to 10 show elementary diagrams of a device for exciting sound vibrations of a musical instrument string using a mechanical method of transmitting a signal to an action element from an artist using piano keys and an additional pedal connected to each other and to an element of action on a string by a system of blocks and hard threads, and in FIG. 11-14 - the mechanism that holds the key in the pressed position.

 In FIG. 15-16, an elementary kinematic diagram of a device for exciting sound vibrations of a musical instrument string and an electrical control circuit are presented.

 In FIG. 17-20 show options for using this circuit for remote control from a piano key.

 In FIG. 21 shows a variant of signal transmission from a performer’s finger to an influence element by means of a command sent to a computer using a track ball installed inside a key, and in FIG. 22 - 24 - embodiments of the implementation using a computer visual control by the performer of the position of his fingers on the keys.

 According to the invention, a device for exciting a string of a musical instrument comprises at least one holder 1 on which an action element 2 is attached to the string 3. If necessary, this device can be used manually (Fig. 4), having previously selected the point of pressing the action element against the string and using the holder 1 moving it in a predetermined direction along the string 3. Due to the design features of the action element 2 and the presence of a resonating 4 and friction 5 parts in it, it forms together with the string 3 th pair, both members and which are subjects of sound, providing a mutual frictional effect on each other, and at the same time objects that reproduce the sound as a result of impact and resonance.

 In FIG. 3 shows the impact element 2, mounted on the holder 1 with its resonant part 4, made with a cavity 6. The resonant part 4 is connected to the friction 5 through the elastic element 7 movably. Due to this, sound vibrations arise in the element 2 of the action on the string, which, when it is frictionally interacted with the string, resonates with the sound vibrations of the string, creating the effect of a sound-extracting pair.

 Changing the nature of the movements along the string of the impact element with changes in the speed of movement, the pressing force, the direction of movement and the application of vibration allows for the timbre, sound, height, agogic and dynamic sound continuum. The constructive implementation of the impact element, the material from which it is made, its spatial shape and volumes, the dimensions of the resonating part, the surface area and the geometric features of its friction part affect the nature of the changes in the individual characteristics of this continuum.

 Choosing the location of the point of contact of the influence element with the string relative to its overtone nodes allows you to play the game with multisounds when moving the influence element along the string and changing its angle of inclination relative to the string, which is based on the effect of interference of overtones arising from the splitting of the fundamental tones of the whole string and each of its separate oscillating parts between themselves and with the fundamental tone of the resonating part of the exposure element.

 All of these effects can be achieved in a manual way. However, in this case, the ability to play on several strings at the same time is limited (Fig. 4).

 A holder design with several impact elements is possible, but working with them will present significant difficulties for the contractor. Therefore, the invention provides an option for connecting the holder 1 with the mechanism of reciprocating movement and / or changing the angle of inclination of the action element relative to the string, which the contractor controls using a mechanical, electromechanical or sensor-electronic signal transmission method.

 Piano can serve as an ideal base for the implementation of the claimed invention.

 Its keyboard or part thereof, as well as, if necessary, a system of additional keys and / or pedals can be used to remotely control the mechanism of reciprocating movement and change the angle of inclination of the holder connected to the impact element. As in the case of a conventional piano, each of the keys produces sound on one corresponding string.

 In the case of applying the simplest mechanical method of transmitting a signal from the performer, the corresponding key 8 can be equipped, for example, with a pin 9 protruding above the surface of the key when it is pressed, associated with the mechanism of reciprocating movement and changing the degree of pressing and the angle of inclination of the holder.

 In FIG. 5 and 6 show two variants of arrangement of the drive threads inside the key 8: vertical (Fig. 5) and horizontal (Fig. 6). In this case, the direction of movement of the holder and the element 2 of the impact on the string 3 may correspond to the movement of the finger of the performer moving the pin 9 to himself or from himself (Fig. 5) or be opposite (Fig. 6). A special marking 10 is made on the surface of the key in the form of thin and thickened lines (Fig. 7), reminiscent of the arrangement of the white and black keys on the piano keyboard that is familiar to the performer, which allows the performer to visually control the pitch of the pitch extracted on the string at the corresponding location of the action element 2 relative to her.

 Embodiments of the invention are shown in FIG. 8-10.

 When the pedal is not pressed (position 0), the instrument can be used as an ordinary piano (Fig. 8). When the artist’s foot acts on the pedal 11, the lever 12 and the system of blocks and hard threads 13 begin to rise and the action element 2 and the pin 9 associated with it also move upward, approaching the string 3 and the top surface of the key 8, respectively.

 When the pedal 11 is pressed halfway down in position I using the usual locking mechanism III of the piano damper pedal (Fig. 9), pin 9 protrudes above the surface of the pressed key 8, while the action element 2 is not yet in contact with the string. The contractor, moving the pin 9 in the forward or reverse direction along the pressed key, can thereby move the action element 2 along the string without touching them. Using the markup 10 on the key for orientation, he can, therefore, choose at his own discretion any point on the string, where subsequently the action element 2 and the string can come into contact (Fig. 9).

 With further action on the pedal 11 and its fixation in the lower position II (Fig. 10), the action element 2 comes into contact with the string 3, forming a sound-absorbing pair with it, and can move along it depending on the movement of the pin 9 along the key 8, carried out finger of the artist while holding the key.

 When fixing the pedal 11 in position II (Fig. 10), the performer has the possibility of a small additional movement of the pedal down, which allows him to adjust the degree of pressing of the action element 2 to the string 3 and thus control the attack, attenuation, and internal dynamics of the sound obtained when the element is moved 2 impacts along the string 3, as well as carry out vertical vibration of the sound-extracting pair.

 The speed and direction of movement of the action element 2 along the string 3 and their changes, as well as the horizontal vibration of the element 2, completely depend on the corresponding characteristics of the movement along the key of the finger of the artist in contact with the pin 9.

 Simultaneous full (up to position II) pressing the pedal 11 and the key 8 while moving the pin 9 allows you to receive sound in mixed shock-sliding technique.

 In FIG. 11-14 depicts a mechanism that allows you to lock the key 8 in the pressed position, which can facilitate the work of the performer when he must use the same keys for a long time to sound on the corresponding strings.

 Part 14 with a slot 15 is fixed on the axis 16 of the system of blocks and drive threads 13. When the key is pressed, it is displaced relative to the front frame of the cordepiano and relative to the axis 16 of the system of blocks, as a result of which part 17 of the part 14 reaches the stop 19 made in the form of a transverse plate, located inside the key above the special hole 20 in its front wall. When you press the pedal 11, the axis of the block 16 rises, as a result of which the opposite end 18 of the part 14 also rises and the part 14 comes into a horizontal position. When moving the pin 9 to the extreme position, the latter acts on it, and it passes through the hole 20 of the key 8 and enters the groove 21 of the frame 22. The reverse movement of the pin 9 does not affect the position of the part 14, part 17 of which remains in the groove 21, thus fixing key in the pressed position. When the pedal 11 returns to its initial position 0, the axis of the block 16 is shifted down and removes the part 17 of the part 14 from the groove 21 through the hole 20 of the key 8, as a result of which the key is locked.

 An embodiment of the use of an electromechanical drive mechanism is shown in FIG. 15 and 16.

 In FIG. Figure 15 shows an elementary kinematic diagram of a drive mechanism for moving a cylindrical holder 1, on which three spherical action elements 2 with fingers 24 are placed in respective bodies 23, each of which can be made of different materials and brought into contact with string 3 by its control electromagnet M1 , M2, M3. Their connection with the fingers in the diagram is not shown. In order for the fingers 24 to come into contact with different strings, the cases 23 are offset relative to each other on the surface of the cylindrical holder 1 and placed along different generatrices of its cylindrical surface.

 The inclusion of electromagnets is performed by the tumblers T1, T2, T3 (Fig. 16). At the moment of switching on one of the toggle switches, the L1, L2 or L3 LED lights up, respectively, which indicates that the finger is pressed to the given string. The location on the holder at once of three impact elements with three fingers 24 allows you to bring them into contact with one or more strings 3. The influence element 2 can be made in such a way that its friction part 5 in contact with the string 3 can come into contact with only one a string. In this case, the number of influence elements should correspond to the number of strings with which each influence element should come into contact. The degree of pressing the finger (impact element) to the string depends on the magnitude of the current in the electromagnet and is regulated by potentiometer P1 using the slider 28. The movement of the action element along the string is carried out by a DC direct current motor, which rotates the spindle 25 through gear 26. Nut 27, moving along screw 25, is connected to the holder 1 associated with the elements 2 of the impact. A nut 27 is connected to the slider 29 of the rheostat P3 of the position sensor. The speed of movement of the action elements depends on the engine speed Dv and can be adjusted within certain limits using the slider 30 of the potentiometer P2. Its movement is carried out by switching the T4 toggle switch to the "forward" or "back" position. When you release the handle of the toggle switch, it returns to the zero position "stop". To protect the engine of the engine from overload in extreme positions, the KVN and KVV limit switches are installed. When reaching any extreme position, the engine Dv is turned off and can only turn on in the opposite direction with the T4 toggle switch. As a position indicator, a voltmeter B can be used, the voltage to which is supplied from the slider 29 of the rheostat P3 of the position sensor. In the extreme position "back" the voltmeter shows "0", and in the extreme position "forward" - the maximum value on the scale of the voltmeter.

 Thus, after pressing one of the fingers 24 to the corresponding string 3, an action element is set in motion, which moves along the string with friction and / or shifts relative to one of the points of pressing against the string with a change in magnitude, and / or speed, and / or direction of displacement . The presence of more complex kinematic connections will allow the holder to be moved with a different angle of inclination to the string of impact elements.

 The above-described control circuit of the holder’s movement with elements of influence on the string can also be used for remote control from the piano key. In this case, with any, even the lightest keystroke, the toggle switch T1 located under it is turned on, as a result of which the action element 2 is pressed against the string 3.

 The potentiometer P1, which regulates the degree of pressing element 2 against the string, can also be located under the key from the side closest to the performer, or placed in the front frame of the cordepiano, and in one case or another reacting to the degree of its pressing.

 In FIG. 17-18 show a variant of placement of P1 potentiometer in the frame of the cordepiano 22 with the slider 29 before pressing the key 8 (Fig. 17) and after pressing it (Fig. 18).

 A potentiometer P2, which controls the speed of movement relative to the string, is located inside the key and responds to the longitudinal movement of the finger of the performer on the surface of the key. To do this, the upper plate of the key is made of elastic material that allows the lower surface of this plate to come into contact with the slider 30 of the potentiometer P2 located below it inside the key and, with it, instruct the motor Dv to move the action element 2 along the string with speed, set by the position of the artist’s finger on the key. The conditional arrangement within the key of potentiometer P2 is shown in FIG. 19-20. Two different positions of the rheostat slider in these figures correspond to two different positions of the finger on the key and two values of the speed of movement of the action element along the string.

 The most promising embodiment of the invention, in which the connection between the performer’s finger moving along the key and the mechanism of reciprocating movement of the action element on the string, changes in its angle of inclination, degree of pressing and other characteristics of interaction with the string is carried out in the sensor-receiver system via a sensor device , which, being located inside each key, can track the position of the performer’s finger on the key and its movement at a particular speed along it and transmit a digital signal to the computer to move the impact element with the appropriate speed and direction. Another sensor device located under the key, when pressed last, will transmit a digital command to bring the action element closer to the string and to implement various degrees of pressure against the string. Thus, when the key is not pressed, the performer has the ability, moving the finger along the key, to move the action element along the string without touching it, and when the key is pressed, use the finger to control the interaction of the said element with the string.

 Another embodiment of the invention can be implemented using known systems that control the movement of the cursor on the display screen using a computer mouse or other devices, such as trackball. In this latter case, the finger of the performer, while holding down the key, touches the surface of a small ball (Fig. 21) installed inside it, and tells it to rotate back and forth, transmits a signal to move in the corresponding direction of the action element on the string.

 When the performer’s finger is shifted laterally relative to the key and the ball or its vibration in the horizontal plane (left-right), the ball inside the key rotates left and right in the same direction and transmits a signal to the mechanism for changing the inclination of the action element 2 relative to the string 3. Vertical vibration (up - down ) the finger relative to the ball allows the vertical vibration of the action element relative to the string. Other devices existing for controlling laptop computers, such as the Track-Pad, using which the artist’s finger can draw a trajectory of movement on a small surface that receives tactile signals, or Track-Point, or other Mouse-Points, with light pressure and movement fingers moving in the corresponding direction the cursor on the display screen can also be used in relation to the present invention. Sensors can be placed inside each key and track the position of the artist’s finger on its surface, followed by the translation of the position and the degree of pressing into a digital signal transmitted to a computer that generates a command for a corresponding change in the position of the holder with the action element 2 relative to the string, their approach to string, moving along it, changing the angle of inclination and the degree of pressing, as well as the speed of movement of the impact element along the string.

 Another embodiment of the invention - “contactless” can be carried out on the basis of recent developments by scientists at the Massachusetts University of Technology, which allows you to control computer systems by moving your fingers over the surface of the desktop. In this case, the sensor devices inside it read the signal from the finger due to the heat emitted by it and / or due to the change in its electric capacitance when approaching and moving (the last effect was used by L.S. Termen in relation to electronic musical instruments, in particular To theremin - see the patents of the RSFSR for his inventions N 612 and N 890, claimed certificates N 75859 of September 15, 1922 and N 75152 of June 23, 1921).

 In the case of using a non-contact signal control method as applied to the cordepiano, the principle scheme of transmitting information from the fingers of the performer to the element of impact on the string remains the same: approaching the finger to the key gives a command to approach and contact the impact element with the string, its horizontal longitudinal movement along the key to move impact element along the string with the corresponding speed, horizontal lateral movement or vibration (left - right) - to change the angle of inclination impact element relative to the strings, and the vertical vibrations (microscopic approximation of fingers to the respective key and the removal from it by a boundary threshold allowing contact therewith) - the vertical vibration of the impact member relative to the string.

 In a specific implementation of the invention, the above methods of signal transmission from the performer to the element of the impact on the string: mechanical, electromechanical and sensor-electronic (contact or non-contact) can complement each other and, if necessary, be used in a kind of hybrid designs. So, for example, the use of sensory-electronic signal transmission from the key does not exclude the use of the pedal to bring the impact element closer to the string (Fig. 8-10) or the mechanical device described above for fixing the key in the pressed position (Fig. 11-14), and adjusting the degree of pressing of the action element 2 to the string 3, if it is carried out by vertical movement of the key down when the performer’s finger is exposed, can be implemented using a potentiometer (Fig. 17-18), and using eschennogo a key sensor device.

 But even in hybrid designs, the sensor-electronic type of signal transmission has several advantages that allow the performer to control all sound characteristics with the greatest accuracy on the basis of feedback.

 To implement this type of control, the characteristics of sounds and polyphonic sounds arising from the interaction of element 2 of the action and the string must be analyzed in advance using an electronic analyzer of the spectrum of sounds and entered into an electronic catalog in which each of the possible combinations of the choice of the interaction point, speed and direction of movement, angle the inclination, the degree of pressing, the nature of horizontal or vertical vibration and their mutual changes, carried out during the interaction of the element 2 of the impact and the string us, will be fixed in the form of a specific digital code. Each value of this digital code must, in turn, correspond to digital characteristics that describe the position of the artist’s finger on the key, that is, the point of its touch, the speed and direction of its longitudinal movement, the degree of its lateral displacement relative to the key, affecting the nature of the change in the angle of inclination of the action element 2 relative to strings, the degree of keystroke, the nature of the longitudinal or transverse vibration of the finger relative to the keys and their mutual change. On the corpendian screen of the multiprocessor computer installed in the case or in the music stand, the performer sees graphically implemented frequency characteristics of sounds, or polyphonic, corresponding to one or another position of each of his ten fingers at a certain point of each key with varying degrees of pressure on it and its pressing, or other speed and direction of longitudinal movement and / or lateral displacement and / or longitudinal or transverse vibration.

In FIG. 22 points of contact with the keys of the 5 fingers of the left and right hands of the performer are indicated by the signs • and •, respectively. When the artist’s fingers move along each of the ten keys, the characteristics obtained from the interaction of the action element 2 and the corresponding string 3 appear on the screen. In the left column of FIG. 22 shows the frequencies of sounds in digital form, in the right - in the form of names of notes. In the bottom row are the names of the keys currently used by the contractor. From the computer screen, the performer receives information about the frequencies produced by him:
1) “pure” sounds (the left hand keys “mi” - the sound “si b2” and “salt” - the sound “do3”, the right hand keys “la” - the sound to # 3 and “do #” - the sound of mi # ),
2) sounds with their clearly audible overtones (the “mi” key of the left hand - the sounds “salt #” - “salt # 1” - “re # 2”, the key “to” the left hand - the sounds “do2” - “salt2”, the right hand si key - the sounds "fa # 2" - "fa # 3", the right hand si key - the sounds "mi1" - "si2" - "mi3") and
3) polyphonic (keys "re" left hand and "re # sharp" right).

 As soon as the artist’s finger stops touching one of the keys, the image in the corresponding column on the computer screen disappears. If subsequently this finger of the performer touches and moves along another key, then in the same column of the computer appears graphical information about the sound frequencies reproduced on the new string corresponding to the new key.

 Since each of the possible combinations of the choice of the interaction point, the speed and direction of movement, the angle of inclination, the nature of the vibration and their mutual changes, which are carried out during the interaction of the action element 2 and the string 3, are fixed in the form of a digital code, the composer has the opportunity to enter into the computer during the work on the composition all the necessary macro- and micro-altitude, timbre, dynamic and agonic characteristics of the sound material of the work, bringing them into a graphic score. Each point of the graph of each voice of this score will correspond to a certain combination of the characteristics of the movement of the action element 2 relative to the string, which has the same digital code. In this case, this score can be realized with maximum accuracy without performing participation, as in the case of works for all kinds of mechanical musical instruments of the 16th - early 20th centuries or graphic scores of modern electronic music written using a computer. But unlike the former, the Cordepiano graphic score implemented on a computer allows you to reproduce all the sound characteristics, not just the pitch and rhythm, but unlike the latter, it implements the sound of an acoustic musical instrument with its “live” sound, and not the synthesized sounds of electronic music . In the case of the implementation of this score by the performer, a digital code similar to that recorded in the score is reproduced by him when his fingers interact with the instrument key and transmitted to the element of influence on the string. Variants of such a score are shown in FIG. 23-24, where the graphic lines on the computer screen in real time indicate the correspondence of the frequencies of the reproduced sounds to the position of the fingers (for simplicity of the image in these examples, the graphs show only the basic tones of the strings without overtones and polyphonic). The digital designation and color of each line of the graph for clarity corresponds to the digital designation and the color of the point indicating the position of the fingers of the artist on the keys. The graphical sound result marked with dots at the 8th second of the sound in this example is the same as in FIG. 22.

Thus, in this last embodiment of the invention, the device can:
a) read the position and characteristics of the artist’s fingers on the keys of the cordepiano in real time;
b) inform the musician about the correspondence of the position of his fingers to the desired sound result;
c) to realize the graphic score of the composition written by the composer on a computer without the participation of the performer.

 The advantage of the keyboard-pedal control system for the element of influence on the string for all the above mechanical, electromechanical or sensor-electronic options is also that for a performer familiar with the technique of playing the piano, the steps for extracting sound in accordance with the new method will be quite familiar, corresponding to the structure of the hand and not contradicting the already known methods of execution.

Another advantage is that the piano, which is usual for the performer, being supplemented by the above-described device for exciting sound vibrations of the string, using the keyboard-pedal system of signal transmission from the performer to the elements of the impact on the string, can also be used to play traditional piano music with using the classical method of sound extraction and at the same time using special pedals and gears - as a new string-keyboard instrument trumpet
If necessary, in accordance with the author’s intention, the performer can also use the technique of cordepiano on part of the keys in a fixed state (Fig. 11-14) and the usual piano sound extraction on the remaining uncommitted keys. All of the above advantages of the claimed inventions open up great opportunities for further application and development of the proposed method of sound extraction and the creation of new keyboard and string instruments based on the piano.

 According to the inventions, the new instrument, possessing all the technical advantages of keyboards, such as the ability to simultaneously play multiple voices and playing chords, the ease of visual control, etc., significantly expands the expressive possibilities of sound, allowing you to perform sound extraction in a new way and receive continuous sounds, consciously control all its possible characteristics: attack, attenuation, internal dynamics and vibration pattern, change timbre patterns ISTIC get sound through the allocation of different formant Overtone, carried out on each individual string game Polyphony, and play sounds absolutely any frequency outside the system of equal temperament peculiar keyboard-string instruments.

 Providing musicians with the opportunity to work with sound at the level of microstructures, to change its micro-interval, micro-timbre, microdynamic characteristics, which until recently was only possible with studio work on sound in electronic studios, the cordepiano remains nonetheless a completely acoustic instrument. The use of a computer in it is limited only by the mechanism for controlling the reproduction of acoustic sound, but not for creating new sounds by electronic synthesis or modifying natural acoustic sounds using electronic signal processing. For its full functioning in concert conditions there is no need (except for cases specially provided by the composer) for the use of amplification equipment, speakers, etc.

 In the case of the implementation of a sensor-electronic mechanism controlled by a computer, the cordepiano will become the first representative of a new class of acoustic computer musical instruments in the world on which the composition can be performed with or without the participation of the performer.

 The basis of creating a new string-keyboard instrument can be the claimed invention.

Claims (29)

 1. A method of exciting sound vibrations of a string of a musical instrument, in which they interact with the string of the action element by pressing it against it and move along it, characterized in that the action element is configured to receive sound vibrations in it and interact with the string with mutual excitation of sound vibrations in the string and the impact element by changing the location of the point of pressure of the latter to the string and frictional interaction with the string when moving it lengthwise and / or offset relative to the point of pressing.  2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the location of the pressure point of the impact element and its frictional interaction with the string are changed with its speed and / or direction.  3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the change in location of the pressure point of the impact element and its frictional interaction with the string are continuous or discrete.  4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement and / or displacement of the impact element and its frictional interaction with the string are carried out with a change in the pressing force.  5. The method according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the movement and / or displacement of the action element on the string and its frictional interaction with the string are carried out with a change in the surface area of its contact with the string.  6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that when moving the element of influence and / or offset additionally carry out its vibration.  7. The method according to p. 1 or 6, characterized in that they change the frequency and / or amplitude of the vibration.  8. The method according to claim 2 or 6, characterized in that the vibration of the action element is carried out in the horizontal plane along or across the string or in the vertical plane.  9. A device for exciting sound vibrations of a string of a musical instrument, containing elements of the impact on the string connected to the drive mechanism, and a keyboard associated with the transmission device of the control action on the drive mechanism, characterized in that the drive mechanism is configured to reciprocate the movement of the impact element on the string and / or changes in its angle of inclination relative to the string, and the element of impact on the string is made with resonating and friction parts with the possibility receiving sound vibrations in it.  10. The device according to p. 9, characterized in that the element of the impact on the string is made hollow.  11. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the impact element is made integral with the resonating and friction parts connected movably.  12. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the resonating and friction parts are connected by an elastic element.  13. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that it is equipped with a vibrator connected to the string impact element.  14. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the impact element is made in the form of a ball or an ellipsoid, on the surface of which at least one radial finger is fixed.  15. The device according to p. 9, characterized in that the element of impact on the string is made in the form of a cylindrical rod, provided at both ends with oval-shaped bodies.  16. The device according to p. 9, characterized in that the element of the impact on the string is made with a through cavity covering the string, inside which is placed the friction part for contact with the string.  17. A device for exciting sound vibrations of a musical instrument string, containing elements of the impact on the string connected to the drive mechanism, and a keyboard associated with a device for transmitting a control action to the drive mechanism, characterized in that the device for transmitting a control signal to the drive mechanism uses a mechanical, electromechanical or electronic-touch contact or non-contact types of communication.  18. The device according to 17, characterized in that the mechanical, electromechanical or electronic-touch contact or non-contact types of communication are used in mixed hybrid designs.  19. The device according to 17, characterized in that the command part of the drive mechanism is located inside and / or under the key of the keyboard and / or in the front frame of the tool.  20. The device according to p. 17, characterized in that the command for the longitudinal movement of the impact element relative to the string is carried out by moving the artist’s finger along the key.  21. The device according to p. 17, characterized in that the command to approach the impact element with the string is carried out using an additional pedal.  22. The device according to 17, characterized in that the command for vertical vibration of the impact element with the string is carried out using an additional pedal.  23. The device according to 17, characterized in that the key is locked in the pressed position.  24. The device according to 17, characterized in that the key lock mechanism in the depressed position is actuated using an additional pedal.  25. The device according to 17, characterized in that the command for the interaction of the impact element with the string is carried out by the interaction of the performer’s finger with the track-pad touch surface located on the surface of each key.  26. The device according to 17, characterized in that the command for the interaction of the exposure element with the string is carried out by the interaction of the finger of the performer with a ball of a computer mouse located at the surface of each key.  27. The device according to 17, characterized in that the command for the interaction of the action element with the string is carried out by the interaction of the performer’s finger with any systems used to remotely control computers, each of which is located inside and / or at the surface of each key.  28. The device according to 17, characterized in that each of the possible combinations of the choice of the interaction point, speed and direction of movement, angle of inclination, the nature of the vibration and their mutual changes carried out during the interaction of the exposure element and the string are fixed in the form of a digital code.  29. The device according to 17, characterized in that the playback of the score recorded in digital code can be carried out without the participation of the performer.

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