US2951412A

US2951412A - Electrical musical instrument with percussion apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2951412A
Application number: US475040A
Authority: US
Inventors: John M Hanert
Original assignee: Hammond Organ Co
Current assignee: Hammond Organ Co
Priority date: 1954-12-14
Filing date: 1954-12-14
Publication date: 1960-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1977-09-06

Description

J. M. HANERT Sept. 6, 1960 ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WITH PERCUSSION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1954 TUS AMPLIFIER VIBEA O PERCUSSION APPARATUS APPA AMPLI- FIER caa

United States Patent ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WITH PERCUSSION APPARATUS John M. Hanert, Des Plaines, Ill., assignor to Hammond Organ Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 14, 1954, Ser. No. 475,040

5 Claims. (Cl. 84-136) The invention relates generally toelectrical musical instruments having means whereby the tone intensity envelope may be controlled so as to have a very sharp attack and percussive decay portion, and more particularly to an instrument having two manuals, or a divided single manual, with means whereby the tones produced under the control of one group of playing keys may be made to sound percussively while the tones controlled by the other group are non-percussive.

The difficulty of playing an organ type of instrument, where the loudness of individual tones is not under the control of the musicians touch (as contrasted with the piano), is greatly increased because of necessity of operating the variety of controls for the many types of tone generating apparatus. It has been customary in the past, in large pipe organs capable of producing percussion as well as sustained tones, to provide a very intricate and expensive combination action whereby operation of a single push-button type combination piston was eifectlvc to change as many as 50 or more stops to provide various tone combinations. In playing the organ the musician generally has suitable accompaniment and pedal combinations of tones for accompanying a wide variety of solo tones. It is thus important that the general loudness of the various types of solo tones be approximately equal to correspond with the loudness of the accompaniment tones.

In the instrument of this invention the number of tone quality registrations which are possible by combining sustained tones of many dilferent tone qualities with percussion tones is very great. In order to utilize fully the variety of registrations thus available, without the necessity of greatly increasing the cost of the organ by including a group of customary combination pistons, I have provided a novel means for keeping the average loudness of the tones controlled by the solo manual approximately the same for both sustained and percussion tones. This result is achieved by reducing the overall loudness of the sustained component of the solo tone whenever it is used in conjunction with the percussion tone, and conversely to increase the loudness of the sustained tone whenever the percussion effect is removed. This volume changing means affects only the sustained port-ions of the tones controlled by the manual which is used for playing the solo. The tones produced under the control of the accompaniment manual and the pedal clavier are not affected by this loudness compensation system.

In the course of playing the organ it is found that it is generally desirable to utilize the sustained tone generating means whenever the percussion tones are used. It is only rarely that the percussion tones are used alone. Thus, by merely operating the percussion tone stop tablet, one has inexpensively and quickly available two tones of suitable loudnessthe sustained tone by itself and .the sustained tone together with the percussion tone, both controlled by keys of the solo manual.

If the full acoustic output capacity of the amplifica- ICC tion system is to be employed for producing full organ effects of the sustained tone type, then in order not to overload the amplifier when the percussion tone is added it is desirable to provide means to reduce the loudness of the sustained tone portion of the solo tones, thus preventing the percussion component, when added to the sustained component, from undesirably overloading the amplifier. In this way the full acoustic output wattage of the amplifier may be used either with or without the percussion tone generating apparatus.

Thus, in playing the organ the percussion stop may be added to any previously employed sustained combinations without increase in volume or in any way necessitating changing the accompaniment or pedal tone combinations to compensate for the extra efiect produced by the percussion solo. This is entirely unlike the historic organs in which the intensity of the sustained portion of the solo had to be reduced or the intensity of the accompaniment and pedal had to be increased when a percussion was added.

The percussion tone is highly important in organ music. The organist will usually employ this efiect more than one-hird of the time, thus making quick changes from sustained to percussion tone highly desirable. With the apparatus of this invention such quick changes can be readily made without requiring the provision of an expensive combination action.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing which is a schematic wiring and block diagram of the instrument.

The invention is herein shown and described as being part of an instrument of the type shown in the patent to Laurens Hammond No. 1,956,350. In this instrument substantially sine wave generators 10 have their outputs controlled by two manuals of playing keys, the key 12 being representative of the keys of the upper or solo manual while the key 14 is representative of the keys of the lower or accompaniment manual. Both sets of keys operate similar switches 16. One pole of each switch 16 is connected to one of the generators 10 through an anti-robbing resistor R18 and the other pole is part of a harmonic collector bus bar 20.

The bus bars of the upper manual are respectively connected to drawbars 22 which may be adjusted so as to make connections between the bus bars 20 and any one of a plurality of intensity regulating'conductors 24, the latter being connected to taps on a resistor R26. One end of this resistor is connected to ground and the other end to the primary Winding of a matching transformer T28. In a similar manner the bus bars 20 of the lower manual may be adjustably connected to intensity regulating conductors 25 by means of drawbars 23, the conductors 25 being connected to taps on a resistor R27.

The resistor R27 is connected with the primary winding of a transformer T29, the secondary of the latter having one terminalgrounded and its other terminal connected to an input terminal 32 of an amplifier 33. One terminal of the secondary 34 of transformer T28 is likewise connected to the terminal 32, while the other terminal of the secondary 33 is connected to ground through a resistor R36, and may also be directly connected to ground upon closure of a switch 38. The switch 38 as well as switches 39, and 40 are mechanically connected so as to be operable by a stop tablet 42.

When tablet 42 is in its upper Ofi position,

conductors

44 and 45 are connected together by switch 39, and switch 40 connects a terminal 48 of the percussion apparatus 50 to ground, to render the output of this apparatus ineffective. The switch 38 being then closed, will cause the sustained signals controlled by the solo manual to be transmitted to amplifier 33 at full ampli:

tude. When the stop tablet 42 is in the On position switch 38 is opened, thus placing resistor R36 in series with the secondary winding 33, thereby lowering the amplitude. of the sustained tone signals controlled by the solo manual. It will be noted that when in the On position conductor 44 which is connected to one of the harmonic bus bars such as that for collecting the signals of the second or the third harmonic is no longer connected to the conductor 45 so that the signal is effectively supplied to the percussion apparatus, by which a percussion envelope is applied to the signal. The percussion apparatus also is provided with a feedback means whereby the harmonic signals are returned by way of' conductor 45 so as to be usable in supplying the sustained portion of the solo tone. Thus, the generators of the harmonics which supply the signal to the percussion apparatus, are nevertheless available for use in supplying the sustained portion of the tone. The opening of switch 40 renders the percussion apparatus effective.

The percussion apparatus 50 may be of any suitable type but is preferably of the nature shown in my copending application Serial No. 403,673, filed January 13, 1954.

The output of the amplifier 33 is preferably vibrato modulated by a vibrato apparatus 54, and the output of the latter is supplied to a power amplifier 56, in which the overall amplitude or expression control may be included. As shown in my prior Patent No. 2,583,566 switching means may be provided so that the vibrato apparatus may beemployed selectively with either or both manuals. The output of the power amplifier is supplied to a speaker 58. The output of the percussion apparatusv 50 is likewise supplied to the power amplifier 56 through a conductor 59.

The instrument is preferably supplied with a pedal clavier comprised of a plurality of pedals 60 which, by operating one or more switches 62, may connect one or more electrical bass tone signal generators 64 to an amplifier 66, the amplitude of the signal supplied being determined by a variable capacitor C68. The output of the amplifier 66' is also supplied to the power amplifier 56. Thus, it will be noted that the power amplifier is connected to receive bass tone signals without vibrato modulation, accompaniment tone signals from the accompaniment manual which may be vibrato modulated, percussive tone signals from the percussion apparatus which are not vibrato modulated and sustained tone signals from the solo manual, which may also be vibrato modulated.

The percussive and sustained tones produced under the control of the solo manual are in phase with the signals supplied to the vibrato apparatus 54 because for any given pitch the signals are supplied by the same generator 10, and care is taken so that there is no uncompensated reversal of phase in the transformers and in the electronic apparatus which would alter this phase relationship. Thus, when the vibrato apparatus is not being used the signals produced under the control of the two manuals are always in phase and thus additive. When the vibrato apparatus 54 is being utilized the percussive and sustained signals will, of course, not be in phase excepting instantaneously twice in each vibrato cycle, and the two tone signals will thus in combination provide a chorus effect of short duration. A vibrato effect is usually not desirable in the bass tones and it is for this reason that the base generators are shown as having their outputs supplied to the power amplifier without being transmitted through the vibrato apparatus 54.

When playing the instrument with the percussionapparatus On the tones controlled by the solo manual will start with a very fast attack of the percussion and sustained components of the tone and then the percussion component will decay rapidly while the sustained component continues at constant intensity until the key is released.

The value of the resistor R36 should, generally speaking, be sufficiently great that upon depression of a key of the solo manual, for given settings of the drawbars 22 and the overall volume control, the initial intensity of the tone produced will be about the same when percussion is employed as when it is not.

From the foregoing it will be clear that the desirable features initially set forth herein are incorporated in the instrument and. the desired results may be attained in playing it. One of the principal advantages of the invention is that whenever the percussion is added to the sustained tones controlled by the solo manual, the

. intensity or loudness of the sustained component of the tone automatically reduces.

The invention has been described as having thepercussion apparatus controlled only by the solomanual. It may, of course, be arranged to be controlled by either or both manuals, whereby the percussion effect may be utilized either as asingle melody solo, a two toned. duet, or as a percussion accompaniment played as chords. It will be clear that the attenuating means employed is merely an example of a large variety of attenuating means'which' could be employed in the sustained tone output circuit of the solo manual and operated under control of the tablet 42.

When the invention is incorporated in an electric organ of the kind shown in the patent to Laurens Hammond No. 1,956,350, it is preferable, in order to maintain tonal and intensity balance, that an additional switch 70 be provided, connected in parallel with switch 38. 7 Because it is desirable to be able very quickly to change from non-percussion to percussion playing, and vice versa, itis preferable to have the tone quality preset for per cussion playing. Thus one of the preset keys 72 has its switches 74 wired to connect the bus bars 20 to the drawbar contactors 22', respectively. This preset key may be used for the selection of a non-percussive tone or a percussive tone depending-upon whether the tablet 42 is in its Ofi or On position.

It will be understood that there are present in the instrument' other preset keys similar to the key 72 shown which operate switches similar to switches 74 and thus either connect the bus bars 22 directly to the intensity regulating conductors 24 respectively, or connect them to conductors 24 through another set of adjustable drawbar contactors 22. These keys 72 as shown in the store said patent form a keyboard of the so called flexible type, in which when one key is depressed all others are released for return by their respective springs. Thus, if the switch 70 were not provided to short out the resistor R36 the intensity of the tones would be reduced if one of the other preset keys were depressed while the percussion tablet 42- is in its On position. The provision of the switch 70 makes it possible to shift from a percussive tone to sustained tone merely by depressing one of the other preset keys- 72, releasing the particular preset key 72 shown, and permitting the switch- 70 to close so that the sustained tones produced will be of normal'intensity. This is accomplished without having to move the'tablet 42 from On to Ofi position. Conversely, with the tablet 42 in On position depression of the particular preset key 72 shown will cause attenuation of the sustained component of the percussive tones by virtue of the opening of switch 70 which, in eifect, connects resistor R36 in series with the transformer secondary 34-.

The playing of the instrument is greatly facilitated by making it possible rapidly to change the tone quality and to change to percussion tonality by the operation of asingle control element namely, one-of the preset keys 72. In addition, by use ofthe switch 39 and its associated circuits the normal functions of the preset key 72 will not be disturbed, provided the tablet 42 is in the Off position.

While I have shown and described apartieular embodiment of myinvention, it will be apparent to'those-skilled in the art that numerous modifications'and variations may be made in the form' and construction thereof, without departing from the more fundamental principles of the invention. I therefore desire, by the following claims, to include within the scope of my invention all such similar and modified forms of the apparatus disclosed, by which substantially the results of the invention may be obtained by substantially the same or equivalent means.

Iclaim:

1. In an electrical musical instrument having a plurality of electrical tone signal generators, and an output system including a speaker, a solo manual, and an accompaniment manual; means in the output system for causing the tones under the control of the solo manual to be sounded with a percussion efiect followed by a sustained tone; a manually operable control element for selectively rendering the percussion means effective; and means in the output system to attenuate the sustained portion of the tones controlled by the solo manual relative to the tones produced under the control of the accompaniment manual whenever the percussion apparatus is rendered effective by manual operation of the control element.

2. In an electrical organ having an output system including an amplifier and electroacoustic translating means, a solo manual, and an accompaniment manual; electrical tone generating means for supplying sustained signals to an output system under the control of both manuals, an auxiliary percussion tone intensity envelope control means for supplying to the output system percussion tones under the control of the solo manual; a single control element for causing said auxiliary percussion tone intensity envelope control means to become effective for control by the solo manual; and attenuating means in the output system rendered operative by said control element to attenuate the signals supplied by the sustained tone generating means controlled by the solo manual, whereby the overall loudness of the solor tones having only the sustained component will be approximately the same as the loudness of the solo tones having both a sustained and percussive component quality.

3. In an electrical musical instrument having an output system, a plurality of electrical tone signal generators, a solo manual, means to couple the outputs of the generators under control of the solo manual to the output system to produce sustained tones, a percussion tone signal intensity envelope producing means, means also under control of the solo manual to cause the percussion means to transmit a percussion tone signal to the output system, a manually operable control element to render the percussion means elfective or inelfective, and means operated by said control element to attenuate substantially the sustained tone signals controlled by the solo manual Whenever said control element is in the position to render the percussion means eifective.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which the instrument includes a preset key, and means operated thereby to determine the quality of the tone signals supplied to the output system under the control of the solo manual, and in which means operated by the preset key are effective to attenuate substantially the sustained component of the percussion tone signals controlled by the solo manual.

5. In an electrical musical instrument having an output system including an amplifier and an electroacoustic translating means coupled to the output thereof, a plurality of electrical tone signal generators, a solo manual, means including a preset key, switches operable by the preset key to couple the outputs of the generators under the control of the solo manual to produce sustained tones, a percussion tone signal intensity envelope producing means, means also under the control of the solo manual to cause the percussion means to transmit a percussion tone signal to the output system, and means operated by said preset key to cause substantial attenuation of the sustained component of the percussive tone signals con trolled by the solo manual.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,266,030 Hammond Dec. 16, 1941 2,302,457 Midgely et al. Nov. 17, 1942 2,486,208 Rienstna Oct. 25, 1949 2,543,628 Haner-t Feb. 27, 1951 2,577,753 Hanert Dec. 11, 1951