US3598893A - Tremolo effect producing device - Google Patents

Tremolo effect producing device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3598893A
US3598893A US44751A US3598893DA US3598893A US 3598893 A US3598893 A US 3598893A US 44751 A US44751 A US 44751A US 3598893D A US3598893D A US 3598893DA US 3598893 A US3598893 A US 3598893A
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Prior art keywords
signal
frequency
output
tremolo
producing device
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US44751A
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English (en)
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Yasuji Uchiyama
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Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
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Nippon Gakki Co Ltd
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
    • G10H1/00—Details of electrophonic musical instruments
    • G10H1/02—Means for controlling the tone frequencies, e.g. attack or decay; Means for producing special musical effects, e.g. vibratos or glissandos
    • G10H1/04—Means for controlling the tone frequencies, e.g. attack or decay; Means for producing special musical effects, e.g. vibratos or glissandos by additional modulation
    • G10H1/043—Continuous modulation

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A tremolo or chorus effect can be obtained by a tremolo effect producing device which comprises a balanced modulator for modulating a signal having a specific frequency with a musical sound signal. a band-pass filter for obtaining a single-band signal of the output of the balanced modulator, a [54] g fir g ggfigfig g DEVICE demodulating circuit for demodulating the single sideband g signal employing a signal the frequency of which is shifted [521 11.8. CI 84/1.25, from the above-mentioned specific frequency by a predeter- 84/1.24 mined quantity and a buffer amplifier which amplifies the [51] Int.Cl 1. 010]! 1/04 above-mentioned sound signal in a buffering manner, output [50] Field of Search 84/101, signal from the demodulating circuit and the output signal 124, 1.25, 1.26 from the buffer amplifier being thereafter mixed together.
  • FIG. 4(b) TREMOLO EFFECT PRODUCING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • This invention relates generally to a tremolo effect (inclusive ofchorus effect) producing device. and more particularly to a type of device for creating tremolo effect sounds, by varying not only the amplitude but also the frequency thereof, in a purely electrical manner.
  • tremolo or chorus effect producing device wherein a sound signal is simply amplitude modulated with a signal having a desired waveform and frequency, or the sound signal is converted into sound by means of a loudspeaker rotatable at a desired speed have been proposed.
  • a sound modulated with a frequency of from 5 to 7 Hz. is referred to as tremolo effect sound and that modulated with a frequency of from 0.5 to 2 Hz. is referred to as "chorus effect sound”
  • the sound signal is merely amplitude modulated with a desired signal with the frequency thereof being left unchanged, the resultant sound if rather monotonous and no satisfactory tremolo or chorus effect can be obtained.
  • the second type of device is accompanied by the Doppler effect in its operation, and the frequency, phase relation, and the radiation direction of the output musical sound can be varied.
  • the amplitude of the output musical sound transmitted in one direction is varied in the second type of device, can a wide spread sensation of the sound can also be obtained.
  • the primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel organization of a tremolo or chorus effect producing device wherein all of the above-described drawbacks ofthe conventional devices can be eliminated.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel tremolo or chorus effect producing device which can produce a sound signal which is not only amplitude modulated but also frequency modulated.
  • Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel tremolo or chorus effect producing device which can operate in a purely electrical manner and is simple in organization and economical in production.
  • a novel organization of a tremolo or chorus effect producing device which comprises a balanced modulator for modulating a signal of specific frequency with a musical signal, a band-pass filter for passing a single sideband of the output signal from the balanced modulator, a demodulating circuit which demodulates the single sideband signal employing a signal the frequency of which is shifted from the abovementioned specific frequency by a predetermined value, and a buffer amplifier which amplifies the above-mentioned musical sound signal for isolating the preceding circuit from the sub sequent circuit, whereby the output signal from the demodulating circuit and the output signal from the buffer amplifier can be mixed together for obtaining the tremolo or chorus effect on the musical sound.
  • a level-adjusting filter for lowering the level of a signal in the low frequency region is provided at the output side of the demodulator circuit in the above-mentioned tremolo effect producing device, whereby the output of the level-adjusting filter is mixed with the output signal from the buffer amplifier.
  • FIG. I is a block diagram showing an example of the tremolo effect producing device according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another example of the device according to the invention.
  • FIG. 3(a) through 3(h) are graphical representations respectively indicating frequency spectra of signals obtained from various parts of the devices shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
  • FIG. 4(a) and 4(b) are graphical representations of tunings, based on the equal temperament, of an ordinal musical instrument and of an electronic musical instrument embodying the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 showing an example of the tremolo or chorus effect producing device according to the present invention
  • asignal having a frequency fs the signal comprises not only a fundamental frequency but also harmonic components, thus constituting a frequency band, but for convenience in explanation in this specification, the band is referred to as fs only
  • a tone source circuit S is passed through a switching circuit E to a tone filter circuit TF, so that the tone color thereof is adjusted therein.
  • the signal is then amplified in an amplifier circuit A1.
  • the output signal fs from the amplifier Al has a certain band width as shown in FIG. 3(a).
  • the signal fs is then passed to a balanced modulator M wherein a frequencyfol (see FIG. 3(b)) from an oscillator 0 which is oscillating at a frequency of, for instance, 50 kHz., is balance modulated so that frequenciesf01+ fs andfol-fs are included in the output signal (see FIG. 3(a)).
  • a frequencyfol see FIG. 3(b)
  • an oscillator 0 which is oscillating at a frequency of, for instance, 50 kHz.
  • the upper sidebandfol+fis only is taken out through a bandpass filter F(see FIG. 3(d)) and is supplied to a demodulating circuit D.
  • a demodulated signal will have a frequencyfsAf(as indicated in FIG. 3(1)).
  • the mixed signal When the signal having a frequency off.rAf is mixed with original signal fs from an amplifier Al and through a buffer amplifier A2, the mixed signal will be a signal having the spectra offs (a full line a) plusfs-Af(a dotted line b) as shown in FIG. 3(g), wherein the signal fs and the signal fs-Afinterfere each other to produce phase change resulting in the amplitude modulation and with the frequency modulation at a frequency Af.
  • the mixed signal is then amplified in an amplifier A3 and passed, through an expression circuit EX and another amplifier A4, to a loudspeaker SP. In this manner, the sound varied in both the amplitude and frequency can be obtained from the loudspeaker SP.
  • the frequency difference Af is selected to be in a range from 5 to 7 Hz. for obtaining a tremolo effect and is selected to be in a range from 0.5 to 2 Hz. for obtaining a chorus effect sound.
  • the signalsfs and fr- Af from the modulating circuit D are mixed in a condition wherein both of the signals are at the same level or either one of the signals is slightly lower than the other.
  • FIG. 2 there is shown another example of the present invention wherein a level-adjusting filter F, is further provided at the output side of the demodulator circuit D of FIG. 1, and the signal fs from an amplifying circuit A] and through a buffer amplifier A2 is applied to the output side of the filter F
  • the characteristic of the filter F is so selected that the level of the output signal from the demodulating circuit D (see FIG. 30)) is lowered at the low-tone portion of the signal.
  • the spectrum of the output signal from the filter F will show a configuration as indicated by a dotted line b in FIG. 3(h).
  • FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) showing various tunings based on the equal temperament.
  • Curves a and b in FIG, 4(a) show pitch deviations in ordinary musical instruments such as a piano and a wind instrument, respectively. It is known that the tunings of the ordinary musical instruments will be felt natural to human ears when the tunings are done in such a way that the pitch is deviated higher in the treble range and lower inn the bass range.
  • curve a shows the deviations of the output signals of the demodulating circuit D from the standard equal temperament
  • curve I shows the deviations of the mixed signals, of the output signals from the demodulating circuit D and the output signals from the amplifier Al, from the standard equal temperament.
  • these curves deviate excessively from the standard temperament pitch at the bass region, and this excessive deviation of the curve b can be compensated to a moderate curve c when the level-adjusting filter F, is provided at the output side of the demodulating circuit D.
  • the tuning of the tremolo effect sound may be brought nearer to those ofthe ordinary musical instruments
  • the entire tremolo effect producing device according to the present invention of the constitution as described above is composed purely of electrical components, whereby the device can easily be combined with a specific tone color lever in the musical instrument, and in a musical instrument of a type having multiple stages of keyboards, the device can also be combined with one of these keyboards.
  • the device can be produced without requiring any high-precision mechanical technique, so that it has various advantageous features such as economy in production, compact size, a tuning to render natural sensations of instruments, and capability to produce tremolo or chorus effect accompanying amplitude and frequency variations in the output sounds.
  • a tremolo effect producing device comprising a balanced modulator for modulating a signal having a first frequency with a musical tone signal, a filter for passing one of the sidebands of the output from said balanced modulator, a demodulating circuit which demodulates said single sideband signal employing a second frequency differing from said first frequency by a predetermined small quantity, and a buffer amplifier which amplifies said musical tone signal with a buffer action, whereby a desired musical tone accompanied with a tremolo effect is obtained when the output from said demodulating circuit is mixed with the output from said buffer amplifier.
  • a tremolo effect producing device comprising a balanced modulator for modulating a signal having a first frequency with a musical tone signal, a filter for passing one of the sidebands of the output signal obtained from said balanced modulator, a demodulator circuit which demodulates said single sideband signal employing a second frequency differing from said first frequency adjusting filter inserted at the output side of said demodulator circuit for reducing the signal level at a low-tone ran e thereof, and a buffer amplifier which amplifies said musica tone signal with a buffer action, whereby a desired musical tone accompanied with a tremolo effect is obtained when the output from said level-adjusting filter is mixed with the output from said buffer amplifier.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
US44751A 1969-06-27 1970-06-09 Tremolo effect producing device Expired - Lifetime US3598893A (en)

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JP44050881A JPS493579B1 (enExample) 1969-06-27 1969-06-27

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3916752A (en) * 1968-10-21 1975-11-04 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd Frequency conversion system for an electronic musical instrument
JPS5417716U (enExample) * 1978-06-23 1979-02-05

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2835814A (en) * 1956-03-15 1958-05-20 Richard H Dorf Electrical musical instruments
US3267198A (en) * 1964-03-04 1966-08-16 Hurvitz Hyman Music enhancement
US3516318A (en) * 1968-01-02 1970-06-23 Baldwin Co D H Frequency changer employing opto-electronics

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2835814A (en) * 1956-03-15 1958-05-20 Richard H Dorf Electrical musical instruments
US3267198A (en) * 1964-03-04 1966-08-16 Hurvitz Hyman Music enhancement
US3516318A (en) * 1968-01-02 1970-06-23 Baldwin Co D H Frequency changer employing opto-electronics

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3916752A (en) * 1968-10-21 1975-11-04 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd Frequency conversion system for an electronic musical instrument
JPS5417716U (enExample) * 1978-06-23 1979-02-05

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