US1932311A - Process of producing music - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 24, 1933. F1 A, HKE 1,932,311

PROCESS OF PRODUCING MUSIC Filed Nov. 14, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Z 215 HOSCii/QL WITNESS ATTORNEY Oct. 24, 1933. F. A. HQSCHKE 1,932,311

PROCESS OF PRODUCING MUSIC I Filec i Nov, 14, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1.'A.Ebsohl e,

= r I BY ATTORNEY 0% I F. A. HOSCHKE I 1,932,311

PROCESS OF PRODUCING MUSIC Filed Nov. 14, 19s; 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR WITNESS Z'AiYascbke,

83 I mm,

72 ATTORN EY Oct. 24, 1933. F. A. HOSCHKE 1,932,311

PROCESS OF PRODUCING MUSIC Filed Nov. 14, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v w. .ZL.

INVENTOR WITNESS Z 'ITALHOScIMe,

3: I BY ATTORN EY Patented Oct. 24, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE Application November 14, 1931 Serial N0. 575,077

8 Claims. (Cl. 274-1) My invention relates to a process of producing music, as distinguished from processes which have heretofore been used for reproducing music, and it consists in the steps hereinafter described and claimed.

The present invention involves the use of apparatus, certain parts of which are novel, these novel portions being set forth in a copending application, Serial No. 579,023 filed December 4, 1931.

Up until now music has only been electrically or mechanically reproduced by the conventional methodof having musicians record their performances upon a light-sensitive film, or upon disks or cylinders, for a later conversion into commercial sound film or phonograph record. While the present used methods of recording and reproducing music may be further improved upon, there probably will always remain a number of 29 mechanical and electrical difficulties that tend to distortion and unnaturalness, involving resonance, tube noises, background, disturbing natural frequencies,'etc.

Another feature which, in the case of repro-= duction by sensitive films, disks or cylinders, tends to cause unnaturalness, is that because of the small amplitude of the resultant wave line on the film the disk or cylinder, high amplification must be resorted to, introducing disturbances peculiar to such methods and thereby enlarging these disturbances as well as the sound.

In the case of sound film in the theatre, the task of fitting the music to the screen-mood in playing time (as must now be done) is diflicult and the results unsatisfactory, particularly at transitional points where fluency in the change of style of the music would be so much more desirable.

An object of my invention is to provide a procing of a wave line on a film, either mechanically or photographically, and the subsequent cones of producing music which involves the mak A further object of my invention is to provide a process for producing-music in which the resultant waveline may be readily made from components (or constituents)v of purity (or. correctness) of any desired degree of amplitude, thereby '60 eliminating distortion and the necessity of tube amplification, the former always present to some degree in the present methods of producing the film wave line. I

A further object of the invention is to provide 35 a process of producing music in which each individual sound or tone of all instruments to be simulated, such as violins, horns, harps, flutes, etc. that occur in the piece of music to be produced, may have its wave form. simulated mechanically. and the various wave forms then combined into a resultant wave line, without consequent distortion.

1 Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, in which: 0

Figure l is a sectional view of a mixing device used in the process.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in' Figure 1.

' Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed view partly 5' in section of the tone cam assembly.

Figure 4 is a detailed view of an automatic start and stop mechanism for the mixer.

Figure 5 is a detailed view of a lever-operating Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of a nuancer.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged section on the line 88 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing how one of the cam curves is made.

Figure 10 is a diagram showing how a cam for a violin tone is made.

Figures 11, 12 and 18 are diagrammatic views illustrating modified forms of mixing devices, and

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a spring holding member.

In carrying out'my process I make use of three mechanisms or units, namely a nuancer, a mixer" and a modified light-sensitive cell system. The nuancer and the cell system are old, as far as this particular invention is concerned. The mixer, however, is new and is described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial Number 579,023 filed December 4, 1931.

As will be seen in Fig. 1, I provide a base 1, upon which are mounted uprights 2 at each end thereof, bearing a bed-plate 3. This bed-plate has a plurality of standards or uprights 4 that are slidable longitudinally, there being one standardfor each tone. Secured to one of the end members is an extension 5. A screw shaft 6 extends ough a threaded bore in the base 7 and is Journalled in the base 8 of an upright 9. The shaft 6 has, at one end, a handle 10 which can be turned to move the upright 4 to the right or left as viewed in Figure 1. Each standard has a similar construction and means for shifting it as will appear hereinafter.

Each standard 4 has mounted thereon a rocker arm 11 which is slotted, as shown at 12, to receive the shank of a pin 13, a head 14 being provided to hold the arm in position. One end of each rocker arm is provided with a roller 15. A retaining member having a pair of spring fingers 16 is carried on the shaft 17 which is slidably disposed in the extension 5. The shaft is provided with a flngerhold 18. It is movable toward and away from the end of the rocker arm and when pushed inwardly, the detents 16a' on the spring arm 16 will engage recesses 11a on the rocker arm 11 thus holding the arm stationary. A spring detent 19 at the same time engages a recess 20 in the shaft 17 to prevent movement .of the shaft. The reason for this construction will be explained later.

- At the opposite end of each rocker arm there is positioned a plunger 21. All of the plungers 21 extend into a common tank 22 containing liquid which partially fills the tank. In Fig. 1 I have indicated the level of this liquid at X. The tank 22 is divided into individual compartments for the plungers 21 by perforated partitions 22.1: which prevent undue movement of liquid other than that effected by the movement of the plungers. At one portion of the tank 22 there is an outlet 23 to a cylinder 24 of subtantially the same height as the tank. This cylinder is slotted at 25 and contains a plunger 26 having a pin 27 arranged to enter the slot 25 so as to guide the plunger in its movement. The upper end of the plunger is in engagement with a bell crank lever 28 which is pivoted at 29 and which bears on one arm a marking device 30 for making a wave line on a film 31.

In Figure 1 I have shown, diagrammatically, a variable-speed direct-current motor M, the shaft 32 of which is connected with the speed reductionunit shown diagrammatically at 33. The latter has a shaft 34 which has a pair of pulleys 35 and 36, respectively. The pulley 35 has a belt 37 which passes over a pulley 38 on a shaft 39, thus driving the latter. As will be seen from Figure 2 the shaft 39 extends transversely of .the rocker arms 11.

Secured to the shaft 39 are pulleys 40 there being one for each tone. An arm 41' is associated with each rocker arm, one end of this arm 41 being pivoted loosely on the shaft 39 and the other end bearing a pulley 42 rigidly secured to a friction disc 43. A belt 44 passes around the pulleys 40 and 42 to drive the disc 43 for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The pulley 36 has a belt 45 which drives a pulley 46 on a shaft 47 and on this shaft there is a pulley 48 which is connected by a belt 49 with a pulley 50 that drives a shaft 51. This shaft 51 as will be seen from Fig. 2, also extends transversely of the system of parallel rocker arms. It is provided with a bevel gear 52 engaging the gear 53 on a shaft 54. The latter bears a film drum 55 which is toothed to engage drive holes in the film 31 and to firmly hold and drive the film and steadily control its movement while it is being marked or photographed. The shaft 54 also bears a driving pulley 56 which is connected by a coil-spring driving belt 57, with a pulley 58 on a shaft 59, hearing a take-up drum 60 for the film. The construction is such that while the belt 57 is tight on the pulley 56 it will slip on the pulley 58 so as to keep the film taut.

As will be observed from Figures 1 and 2 the rocker arms 41 pass through slots 61 in the bed plate. Each arm rests on a spring 62 in order to preserve contact between the friction disc 43 and an associated friction disc 63.

There is one friction driven disk for each tone. In Fig. 3 I have shown one of these disks mounted 9: on a sleeve 64 which is held on the shaft 51 by means of fixed thrust collars 65 and 66. An anchor collar 67 is placed on the sleeve, this anchor collar having pins 68 set therein. A tone cam disk 69, see Fig. 5, which is made in two parts, and which is provided with openings arranged to receive the pins 68, is slipped over the pins and moved to a position against the anchor collar. A spacing collar 70 having similar registering openings is then placed over the pins for spacing the cam disk from the ends of the arm 41. Each of the friction disks 63 is provided with bores for receiving the ends of the pins 68. A nut 71 is diposed on the threaded portion of the sleeve as shown in Fig. 3 and when the nut is screwed to the right in Fig. 3 it clamps the cam tone assembly rigidly together, a washer 72 being provided between the nut and the friction disk 63. It will be understood that there is a cam tone assembly for each rocker arm similar to that shown 115 in Fig. 3.

Each cam, as stated, is made in two parts so that when the nut 71 is run to the left in Figure 3 and the friction disk 63 with the spacer 70 is moved from the pins the cam disk and its asso- 12c ciated friction disk may be taken out and replaced by a cam disk of another shape corresponding to another tone and the parts brought together and tightened to hold the cam rigidly. The mechanism thus far described discloses the essential 125 features of one form of mixing device which may be used in this process. Certain modified forms will be described later. The operation of the mixer will also be taken up later.

The nuancer is a rhythm, tempi and nuance re- 130 cording device. Music consists of rhythm, tempi, melody, contra melody, or melodies, phrasing, crescendi, decrescendi, harmonic structure, etc., and it is the function of the nuancer to record the correct tempi, rhythm, and nuances of the :35 music to be produced. The nuancer is illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. 7, I have shown three keys 72, which are in circuit with their respective magnets 73, so that when a key is closed, a circuit from the corresponding bat- 14; tery B will pass through the magnet coil, thus attracting the armature 74 and causing the stylus 75 to mark the nuancing tape 76. This tape is wound from a roller .77 over a sprocket 78, and on to a roller 79, this sprocket being driven by any 145 suitable mechanism, not shown. As the tape is drawn along and the keys are manipulated, as will be explained later, marks are made on the tape and the tape is then taken and punched with holes at the beginning of each mark.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the perforated tape '76 as passing over a roller 81 which may be driven by a motor M with any suitable connection. The circuit of the motor is closed by an armature 83 of magnet 84. The latter is actuated by a battery 85, and has, as a portion of its circuit, a spring contact 86 which completes a circuit through the roller 81, the latter being of conducting material, when the end of the spring rides into an opening 76a. This energizes the magnet 84 and pulls the armature 33 away from the contact point, thus breaking the circuit of the motor and causing the stopping oi movement of all parts driven thereby, including the roller 81. The motor may be again started to drive the mechanism and the roller 81 by pressing the key 88, which forces the armature 83 away from the magnet 84 against the contact 8'7, whereupon the roller 81 will be turned until the spring 86 reaches the next opening. 1 From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood. I

Let us assume that some orchestral score from an opera is to be produced. The first step is to nuance the score'to be produced. This is done in actual playing time and in silence, the recording is done precisely as the conductor of a symphonic orchestra does when he wields his baton to impart to his musicians his interpretive ideas.

In the present case the movements of a conduetors baton are simulated by means of marks on the tape it. The tape is preferably an inch wide and moves at a predetermined constant speed, say ninety feet per minute. The keys 72 are depressed, one at a time and in succession,

by the musician who is nuancing the score. Two

of the keys or fingers are used for recording in common or multiples of common, and three are used in triples or multiples of triple time in order to complete the accent under the same finger when nuancing. The operation is precisely like that of a person drumming with his fingers upon a table in time with a piece of music, except that, in the present case the depression and release of key contacts is more orderly with respect to the rhythmic and'nuancic requirements oi the music to be produced and is done with the intelligence that only a musician, skilled in the. art of recording or interpreting, possesses. The depression of these keys 72 closes the circuits containing the respective magnets 73 thereby causing the marks. to appear on the tape in the manner already described.

The nuancing tape, with the marks thereon for the entire score or piece of music to be produced, is then punched with a hole about a quarter of an inch in diameter at the beginning or head of each of the recorded lines 80.

. This tape is then run through a device somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 4, having a contact like the contact 86 for making a circuit to give a series of clicks of an armature similar to that shown at 83, thus producing an audible replica oi the recording musicians conducting. The purpose of perforating the tape and listening to a rhythmic performance of the music to be produced is to assure the conductor, at this point, of a good reading of the score before the remaining operations are carried out. This operation of nuancing upon the paper tape is a most important one, since it is one that gives to the music that is to be produced that individuality and vitality of performance that a well rendered musical production should possess.

The next step is to select the cams corresponding to the tones that are to be produced at the beginning of the score. If there area number of instruments playing simultaneously, the cams corresponding to the desired tones of these instruments, such as the violin, the horn, the harp, etc. are taken and these various cams are placed on the shaft 51 in the manner already described. If now the shaft 51 is rotated it is obvious that the arms 11 corresponding to the individual tones will be raised and lowered as the cams rotate, dependent upon thecain curves of the various cams. The ends of some of the arms nearest the cams may be rising or others may be falling and at the opposite endof these arms the plungers 21 may be falling or rising dependent upon the movernent effectedby the cam. The rising or falling of the plungers 21 will occasion a corresponding rise or fall of the level of the liquid in the tank 22, and the resultant of this rise or fall will be communicated to that portion of the liquid in the cylinder 24, and will thus cause a rising and falling of the plunger 26 and the consequent movement of the device 30 which records the resultant wave line on the film 31. I

. While I have shown the device 38 as a marking device it will be understood that any suitable wave line forming device, such as that used in producing a wave line photographically on a film, might be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In most scores there arecertain instruments that are intended to be played louder at certain times than other instruments. In order to accomplish this efiect in the music to be produced, I may shift the standard 4, by turning the handle 10, either farther away from the row of cams or nearer to it. In order to prevent the bodily movement of the arm 11 whenits standard or fulcrum is being shifted, the head 18 is pushed inwardly thus bringing the spring fingers into engagement with the end of the arm as described and holding it, the slot in the lower fingers clearing the bracket which carries the wheel 15. The screw 13 may be tightened to clamp the arm 11 against the standard 4 thus insuring against movement. The handle 10 is now turned and the fulcrum is moved say to the right in Fig. 1. This will tend to make a greater movement of the plunger 21 and thus will cause a correspondingly greater movement in the resultant wave line for the particular tone to be amplified. Thus if it is desired to bring out, a flute tone louder than the oboe, it may be done by shifting the fulcrum of the arm corresponding to the flute tone in one direction so as to' amplify the tone, as described, or to shift the arm which corresponds to the oboe tone to be softened, in the opposite direction thus reducing the movement of the plunger 21, corresponding to the oboe tone, and giving to the resultant wave line a characteristic corresponding to a softened oboe tone.

I, have'described how the film 31 and shafts 51 and 39 are driven by the motor M. The arrangement synchronizes the movement of these parts. In the arrangement shown there is an individual arm 41 hearing a driving friction disk 43, and a driven friction disk 63 for each tone. This permits of individual cams 69 being driven at different rates of speed which may be accomplished by selecting friction disks of different ratios or in any other suitable manner. It is essential, however, that all the moving parts of the apparatus be synchronized.

days of eight hours each of working time.

of the spring fingers 16 clear of the cam. It is' also held in this position if the cam is to be removed, that is to say, the cam must be in its highest position in which it raises the roller 15 as high as it will go. During the removal of the cam the arm 11 is locked in the manner already described.

Let us assume that in the score the harp plays in arpeggios, or broken chords. The conductor has previously informed the operator to what extent this chord should be broken or rolled. Let us assume that the notes comprising an A flat major arpeggiated chord should be played as if they were 64ths. The mixer shaft is stopped after the tape and film has moved a 64th in notational length or value, which latter is found by dividing an 8th note, as nuanced, into eight equal divisions.

The A flat harp rocker is released from the cam (held above the cam by the holding means 16) and the cam for the second note of the harp chord is engaged, there being no other occurrence or rhythmic point of utterance in the score. The

operations are repeated until the last note of the harp arpeggio is finished. If, of course, the conductor had instructed the operator not to damp the harp tones after they are sounded", the operation of making the harp figure on the film is somewhat different. In such event instead of disengaging the rockerfrom the first harp tone cam after its time value has elapsed, it is left in engagement while the second note of the chord is made, but the upright-to the first harp note cam is moved so that the amplitude of its wave becomes less and less in proportion to how a harp tone dies out after it is struck on the real instrument, and similarly with the remaining arpeggiated harp notes.

' I have previously described how the nuanced tape having perforations is run over a roller with a circuit breaking contact 86- in Fig. 4 which breaks the circuit of the motor M. The motor is thus stopped automatically at each nuancingv mark.

The operator has before him the score which has been nuanced and this score is divided up into periods of time and the various tones that occur at any one period and which are to be produced, are provided for by bringing into play those cams which correspond to the tones. This is repeated step by step throughout the entire score, due consideration being given to making the tones louder or softer, as occasion demands, by shifting the fulcrums of the arms 11, as already explained.

The making of a film having on it a musical composition requiring six or seven minutes of playing time, may require from three -or four The accomplishment of the mixer, with respect to the number of feet of film marked, depends upon a maintenance of speed of the rocker ends on the cam edges that will not be so fast as'to invite distortion in the resultant, by reason of any change in the level of the fluid over or under that of the true displacement by the plungers.

In orchestral music, though there is, of course, sustained music, most of it is much detached, so that the mixer in its operation could be caused The duration of movement of any particular to move up during the silent periods at a relatively fast rate with the rockers disengaged from the tone cams, thereby materially reducing the time necessary in making a complete film.

I have spoken of tone cams for particular ins'truments. The manner in which these cams are formed is as follows: Consider for instance middle C as played on a violin string. The fundamental has 256 vibrations per second, but the tone quality depends not only on the fundamental, but on the various overtones that are associated with the fundamental. In making a characteristic cam Iormiddle C of the violin I make use of a number of cams, each having a sine curve (simple harmoniccurvelas a periphery. Thus, in Figure 9 I have shown how-these curves are constructed. A disk 90 is divided into equal sections by radial lines and is also provided with equi-distant concentric circles. The curve is con structed by placing a dot on the inner circle on one of the radial lines and then a second dot on the adjacent radial line and the adjacent concentric line, continuing in this manner around the circle and then connecting the dots to form the curve. About thirty of these cams are used in a device similar to the mixer already described. Certain of these cams represent various tones that give the distinguishable quality to the violin string'of middle C. They are rotated at corresponding speeds and the resultant wave is in-, dicated on a disk 91 by a marker 30:: similar to the marker 30 in Fig. 1, disk 91 being rotated in synchronism with the cams, by any suitable means. The disk is then cut or shaped in accordance with the cam curve. One of these cams thus formed is provided for each tone to be sounded by any musical instrument, so that any combination of tones may be effected in the piece of music to be produced.

By employing overtones which may not appear in the tones of any musical instrument a cam may be constructed to give a tone quality dififerent from that of any known instrument.

In Figs. 11, 12 and 13 I have shown modified forms of the mixer which may be used in lieu of the plunger and tank arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 11 the ends of the arms 11 may be attached to pulleys P and a cord C having one end attached at D is passed over stationary pulleys S secured to a beam or rod B. The free end E of the cord may be attached to a lever similar to that shown at 28 in Fig. 1 having the marking device 30. It will be obvious that as the ends of the arms 11 move upwardly or downwardly, in accordance with the movement imparted to them by the tone cams, there will be a resultant movement of the end E of the cord and hence of the marking device similar to that effected by the tank and plunger arrangement.

In Fig. 12 I have shown the ends of the arms 11 as attached to sliding contacts K arranged to engage resistance elements it so thata downward movement in the figure will throw in more resistance while an upward movement will throw in less. The resultant current from the battery Y will therefore depend upon the movements of the arms 11, in precisely the same manner as that shown in Fig. 1 and this current may be used in any suitable electro-motive device (not shown) for controlling the movement of th marker.

In Fig. 13 the arms 11 control pneumatic devices H which are connected with a common pipe F leading to a pneumatic device L. The amount of fluid in the pneumatic device L and hence its movement will be the resultant of the movements of the arms and any suitable connection can be made to this pneumatic device L to actuate the marker, or beam of light, to record the resultant wave line upon the film.

The resultant wave line on the film may be used in any sound producing device such as that used in connection with talking pictures. The present process has many advantages over that in,/which this film wave line is produced when music is actually played. In the present process I can make the amplitudes of the various waves as large as desired, whereas when the film wave is made in the ordinary manner there must be amplification, and all distortion, extraneous noises or imperfections in the ordinary process are magnified. .In the present invention the wave movements are not only not exaggerated,

but in many instances, they are actually reduced" so that the resultant film wave line is free from the objections of distortion and will produce purer tones than a wave line made by any other process of which I am aware.

The facility with which the amplitude of the wave movements and hence the loud and soft effects are produced is also a feature of this invention which ishighly important. In addition to this, the possibility of producing tonal qualities in music which have never been heard before and which are not known in any musical instrument, lend to this process an advantage over any process in which instruments are used to play music that is subsequently to be reproduced.

It will be noted that inaddition to effecting movements by the cams for the tones of the score step by step, and regulating the duration and amplitude of these movements, periods of silence are provided for, as described. These movements and silence periods are derived from the nuancing. It is obvious therefore that in order to effect the production or" the best music by my process, the nuancing should be done by one highly skilled in the art of conducting or interpreting.

As I have before explained, the parts are syn- Jchronized and the roller 81, the perforated tape 76 and the automatic stop and starting key 88 constitute the principal control to the mixer and its operation. The selection of the cams and the variation of loudness is in accordance with the requirements of the score as called for by the nuanced tape.- A score has no interpretative qualities or interest. It is merely a notational method of indication by the composer to the interpreter. In the present instance the interpreter is the nuanced tape and all rhythmic control of the mixer operation comes from the tape only. That is to say the holes and subdivisional markings on the tape dictate or control the time elementwhen and how longall the operations of the mixer are to be carried on. v

In Fig. 10 I have shown a cam which has one complete cycle or wave about .its periphery. There are some instances in which the proper friction disk ratio cannot be had because of im-- practical diameters and in such instances the cams may have more than one cycle about their ments corresponding to the sound waves that produce the said tones, combining said movements to form a resultant movement, and recording the resultant movement as a wave line which may subsequently be used for producing sound or music to conform therewith.

2. The herein described process of producing music which consists in first nuancing the score to be produced, selecting certain tones and intervals of silence indicated in the score, effecting a movement for each tone and a'cessation of movement for each interval of silence for a period of time derived from the nuancing, certain movements being predeterminedly modified for certainpredetermined tones, said movements corresponding to the sound waves that produce the said tones, .combining said movements to form a resultant movement, and recording the resultant movement as a wave line, which may subsequently be used in producing sound in conformity with the wave line.

3. The herein describedsteps in a process oi. producing music which consists in selecting certain tones and intervals of silence indicated in the score, eiiecting individual movements for each tone and a cessation of movement for each inter val of silence fora predetermined period of time, said movements corresponding to the sound waves that produce the said tone, combining said movements to form a resultant wave line, and recording the resultant wave line on a film.

4. The herein described steps in a process of producing music which consists in selecting certain tones which constitute the elements of the sound given by a characteristic tone produced on a particular musical instrument, effecting a movement for each selected tone for a predetermined period of time, said movements corresponding to sound waves that produce said characteristic tone, combining the said movements to form a resultant wave line, and recording the resultant wave line, which may subsequently be used in producing sound in conformity with the resultant wave line whereby a tone is sounded which is peculiar to said particular instrument.

5. The herein described steps in a process of producing music which consists in selecting a fundamental tone and overtones not present in the corresponding tone of any known musical instrument, effecting a movement for each tone 1 thus selected for a predetermined period of time, said movements corresponding to the sound waves that produce the tones, and combining said movements to form a resultant wave line, which may be used subsequently in producing sound in co'nform- 4 ity with the wave line whereby a tone having a quality different from the corresponding tone of any known musical instrument is effected.

6. The herein described steps in a process of producing music synthetically which consists in selecting certain tones which are to be sounded simultaneously in a score, effecting an individual movement for each tone, said movements corresponding to the sound waves that produce the tones, combining said movements to form a resultant movement, and recording the resulting movement as a wave line.

7. The herein described steps in a process of producing music synthetically which consists in selecting certain tones indicated in the score to be produced, effecting an individual reciprocatory movement for each tone, the amplitude of certain reciprocatory movements being predeterminedly fixed, said movements corresponding to sound waves that produce the tone, combining said the amplitudes of the movements corresponding to certain overtones being altered arbitrarily, combining said movements to form a resultant wave line, and recording the resultant wave line which may be used subsequently in producing sound in conformity with the wave line whereby a. tone having a quality diiferent from the corresponding tone of any known musical instrument is efiected.

FREDERICK ALBERT HOSCHKE.

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