US3610800A - Digital electronic keyboard instrument with automatic transposition - Google Patents

Digital electronic keyboard instrument with automatic transposition Download PDF

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US3610800A
US3610800A US872599A US3610800DA US3610800A US 3610800 A US3610800 A US 3610800A US 872599 A US872599 A US 872599A US 3610800D A US3610800D A US 3610800DA US 3610800 A US3610800 A US 3610800A
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notes
note
transposition
octave
keys
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Ralph Deutsch
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MUSICCO LLC
Boeing North American Inc
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North American Rockwell Corp
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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
    • G10H7/00—Instruments in which the tones are synthesised from a data store, e.g. computer organs
    • G10H7/02—Instruments in which the tones are synthesised from a data store, e.g. computer organs in which amplitudes at successive sample points of a tone waveform are stored in one or more memories
    • G10H7/04—Instruments in which the tones are synthesised from a data store, e.g. computer organs in which amplitudes at successive sample points of a tone waveform are stored in one or more memories in which amplitudes are read at varying rates, e.g. according to pitch
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/02—Digital function generators
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/02—Digital function generators
    • G06F1/03—Digital function generators working, at least partly, by table look-up
    • G06F1/0321—Waveform generators, i.e. devices for generating periodical functions of time, e.g. direct digital synthesizers
    • G06F1/0328—Waveform generators, i.e. devices for generating periodical functions of time, e.g. direct digital synthesizers in which the phase increment is adjustable, e.g. by using an adder-accumulator
    • 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
    • G10H1/053—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 during execution only
    • G10H1/057—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 during execution only by envelope-forming circuits
    • G10H1/0575—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 during execution only by envelope-forming circuits using a data store from which the envelope is synthesized
    • 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
    • G10H1/18—Selecting circuits
    • G10H1/182—Key multiplexing
    • 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
    • G10H1/18—Selecting circuits
    • G10H1/20—Selecting circuits for transposition

Definitions

  • a set of note, or tone, generators with availability assignment control means for capturing a pulse 111 UNITED STATES PATENTS the multiplexed signal are each rendered responsive to a given 2,601,265 6/1952 Davis 84/ 1.28 captured pulse for generating the tone represented by that 2,855,816 10/1958 Olson et a1 84/l.03 pulse.
  • This invention resides broadly in the field of electronic musical instruments and is particularly adaptable for use in an electronic organ as a digital selection system for calling forth desired tones from those available to be produced by the organ.
  • organ is used throughout the specification and claims in a generic sense (as well as in a specific sense) to include any electronic musical instrument having a keyboard such as electronic organs, electric pianos and accordions, and the principles of the present invention are, in fact, applicable to any musical instrument in which musical sounds are generated in response to the actuation of key switches, re- 'gardless of whether those switches are actuated directly, i.e., by the musicians fingers, or indirectly, e.g., by the plucking of strings.
  • key is also used in a generic sense, to include depressible levers, actuable on-off switches, touchor proximity-responsive (e.g., capacitanceor inductanceoperated) devices, closable apertures (e.g., a hole in a keyboard of holes which when covered by the musician's finger closes or opens a fluidic circuit to produce a tonal response), and so forth.
  • depressible levers actuable on-off switches
  • touchor proximity-responsive e.g., capacitanceor inductanceoperated
  • closable apertures e.g., a hole in a keyboard of holes which when covered by the musician's finger closes or opens a fluidic circuit to produce a tonal response
  • automatic transposition in a keyboard instrument can solve such problems in a quick and efficient manner.
  • the terminology automatic transpostion is used in a generic sense to denote a method by which the instrument itselfcan be preset to cause each key on the keyboard to sound a note frequency other than that nonnally associated with that key when the key is depressed.
  • the instrument may be implemented to cause each actuated key to sound a semitone higher, e.g., depressing the key for C, actually causes C to sound.
  • the tone generators which respond to the incoming multiplexed signal to bring forth the appropriate tones corresponding to those keys that have been actuated, in the order and combination of such actuation, produce digital amplitude samples of a waveform of the desired sound at a frequency corresponding to the desired note frequency.
  • Such an arrangement permits reduction of complexity that is usually found in electronic organs, and in particular permits elimination of a substantial number of wires and cables that are usually required between the keyboards and the tome generators.
  • the digital electronic organ of the aforementioned Watson application provides simple and efficient assignment of a small number of tone generators, relative to the number of keys available, to the keys which have been actuated, there is a further reduction in complexity of mapping the subset of depressed keys into the available tone generators, over conventional requirements.
  • the digital electronic organ overcomes such difiiculties as may occur when a key switch has faulty or dirty contacts, a situation that would ordinarily lead to intermittent electrical contact and discontinuity of tone.
  • a multiplexed signal the presence of a pulse in a particular time slot of a repeating signal is sufficient to represent the actuation of the cor responding key, and less than perfect contact is required to produce that pulse.
  • Each of the limited number of tone generators provided in the digital electronic organ of the aforementioned Watson application is associated with generator assignment logic constructed and arranged to assign an available tone generator to an incoming pulse in the multiplexed signal which has not yet captured to tone generator.
  • Each tone generator includes a memory means storing digital representations of amplitudes of the wave shape to be synthesized at a large number of sample points. When the tone generator is captured by a pulse, the memory means associated with that tone generator is accessed to read out amplitude samples in accordance with the frequency of the tone to be generated.
  • each tone generator constitutes a master oscillator from which all of the musical frequencies encompassed by the organ are obtained (in digital format) by frequency synthesis.
  • the present invention takes advantage of this fact to provide a relatively simple technique for implementing an automatic transposition system within the digital electronic organ, or other keyboard instrument, this being the primary object of the invention.
  • musical keys are automatically transposed in an electronic digital keyboard instrument in -which key switch operation (note selection) information is entered as respective pulses into preassigned time slots of a multiplexed signal, by shifting (or effectively shifting) the pulses by one time slot per semitone of desired transposition.
  • the original keyboard multiplexed signal or pulse train is subjected to delay to the extent necessary to provide the desired time shift and hence the desired transposition.
  • the multiplexed information may be applied serially to a 12-bit shift register which acts effectively as a l2-bit tapped delay line, each successive tap of the shift register constituting an additional one-bit delay so that a delay up to I2 bits in length (one octave) may be selected according to the tap from which the output is taken.
  • a delay up to I2 bits in length one octave
  • only one tap, or output terminal serves to provide an output for any given transposition, the entire multiplexed waveform emanating from that tap with the desired time shift.
  • the direction of shift, upward or downward in key depends on the direction in which the keyboards are scanned to provide the multiplexed waveform. That is to say, the direction of shift depends on whether the scanning is from the lowest to the highest frequency for each keyboard or from the highest to the lowest frequency. It is immaterial to the present invention in which direction the keyboards are scanned, but if it is from the highest to the lowest frequency then clearly a I2-bit maximum delay will permit only a downward shift in key; that is, a transposition to notes of lower frequency. In a similar manner, scanning in the opposite direction will permit only an upward shift in key, for a l2-bit maximum delay.
  • the delay may span almost, but not quite, a complete cycle of the multiplexed waveform. Specifically, the delay should extend to that time slot preceding, by a desired time shift, the time slot normally occupied by the pulse in question.
  • FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an exemplary decoder for use in the system ofFIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a more detailed circuit diagram of the switching array and encoder used in the system of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3A is a circuit diagram of an alternative encoder to that shown in FIG. 3, for use in the system of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the input-output bus connecting means at each intersection of the switching array of FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 is illustrative of a multiplex waveform developed by the system of FIG. 1 is response to actuation of selected keys;
  • FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of generator assignment and tone generating apparatus for processing the multiplexed signal produced by the system of FIG. I to develop the desired tones as an audible output of the organ;
  • FIG. 7A and 78 together constitute a circuit diagram of one embodiment of the tone generator assignment logic for the system of FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 8 is a block diagram of tone generator suitable for synthesizing the frequency of every note capable of being played in the organ, for use with the asignment logic of FIGS. 7A and 7B in the system of FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 9 is illustrative of a complex waveshape of the type produced by a pipe organ, and of the sample points at which amplitude values are taken, for simulation at selected note frequencies;
  • FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an attack and decay control unit for use in an electronic digital musical instrument of the type shown and described with reference to the preceding figures of drawing;
  • FIG. 11 is a representation of the multiplexed signal showing the appearance of three consecutive note assignments in the repetitive signal
  • FIG. 12 is a simplified block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 is a more detailed circuit diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 12;
  • FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of a system for providing octave folding during transposition.
  • FIG. 15 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the invention for use in the tone generating apparatus of FIG. 8.
  • the counter be capable of developing a count representative of every key on every keyboard of the organ; however, it may be desirable to provide a counter that can produce a count greater than the number of available keys in order to have available certain redundant counts not associated with any keys. Such redundancy is readily provided by simply utilizing a counter of greater capacity than the minimum required count.
  • Keyboard counter 1 is divided into three separate sections (or separate counters) designated 2, 3 and 4.
  • the first section (designated 2) is constructed to count modulo [2 so as to designate each of the 12 keys associated with the l2 notes in any octave.
  • the second section (designated 3) is adapted to count modulo 8, to specify each of the eight octaves encompassed by any of the four keyboards.
  • the last section (designated 4) is designed to count modulo 4 to specify each keyboard of the organ. Therefore, the overall keyboard counter is arranged to count modulo 384, in that at the conclusion of every 384 counts, the entire set of keyboards have been covered (scanned) and the count repeats itself.
  • each counter section may be composed of a separate conventional ring counter, the three counters being connected in the typical cascaded configuration such that when section 2 reacts its maximum count it advances the count of counter section 3 by one, and will automatically initiate a repetition of its own count. Similarly, attainment of its maximum count by counter section 3 is accompanied by advancement of the count of section 4 by one.
  • a total of four lines emanate from counter 4, one line connected to each ring counter stage, to permit sensing of the specific keyboard which is presently being scanned.
  • stages respectively of octave counter 3 to detect the octave presently being scanned.
  • a total of 12 lines extend from counters 3 and 4, and these twelve lines can carry signals indicative of 32 (8X4) possible states of the keyboard counter.
  • the specific one of the 32 states, representative of a particular octave on a particular keyboard, which is presently being scanned is determined by use of a decoder circuit 7 composed of 32 AND gates designated 8-1, 8-2, 8-3, 8-32 (FIG. 2), each with two input terminals and an output terminal.
  • the gates are arranged in four groups of eight each, with every gate of a particular group having one of its two input terminals (ports) connected to one of the four lines of counter 4. Distinct and different ones of the eight lines from counter 3 are connected to the other input tenninal of respective ones of the eight AND gates of that group.
  • the decoder logic designates every octave of keys in the organ by a respective driver pulse when a count corresponding to that octave is presently contained in the counter.
  • the output pluses deriving from the AND gates (or drivers) of decoder circuit 7 are supplied on respective ones of 32 bus bars (or simply, buses), generally designated by reference numeral 10, to a keyboard switching array 1 1.
  • array 11 has one input bus 10 for every octave of keys in the organ (including every octave on every keyboard), and that a drive pulse will appear on each input bus approximately 200 times per second, the exemplary rate of scan of the keyboards, as noted above, for obtaining adequate resolution of operation of the keys.
  • Switching array 11 also has 12 output buses, generally designated by reference number 12, each to be associated with a respective on of the l2 notes (and hence. the 12 keys) in any given octave.
  • Array 11 is basically a diode switching matrix, in which spaced input buses 10 and spaced output buses 12 are orthogonally arranged so that an intersection or crossing oc curs between each input bus and each output bus (see FIG. 3), for a total of 384 intersections, one for each count of the keyboard counter 1.
  • the crossed lines or buses are not directly interconnected.
  • a jump" diode such as that designated by reference number 13 in FIG. 4, is connected between the input bus 10 and the output bus 12 at each intersection, the diode poled for forward conduction (anode-to-cathode) in the direction from an input bus 10 to an output bus 12.
  • each diode 13 Wired in series circuit or series connection with each diode 13 is a respective switch 14 which is normally open circuited and is associated with a distinct respective one of the keys of the organ, such that depression of the associated key produces closure (close circuiting) of the switch 14 whereas release of the associated key results in return of the switch to its open state.
  • each of switches 14 may itself constitute a respective key of the various keyboards of the organ.
  • switch 14 is shown schematically as being of mechanical single pole, single throw (SPST) structure, it will be understood that any form of switch, electronic, electromechanical, electromagnetic, and so forth, may be utilized, the exact nature of the switch depending primarily upon the nature of the energization produced upon operation of the associated key.
  • Switch 14, then, is adapted to respond to the particular form of energization or actuation produced upon operation of a key on any keyboard (or, as observed above, may itself constitute the key), to complete the circuit connecting associated diode 13 between a respective input bus 10 and a respective output bus 12 at the intersection of those buses, when the key is depressed, and to open the circuit connecting the diode between respective input and output buses at that intersection when the key is released.
  • SPST mechanical single pole, single throw
  • the output buses 12 from switching array 11 are connected to an encoder circuit 15 to which are also connected the 12 output lines, generally designated by reference number 16, from keyboard counter section 2.
  • the switches 14 associated with the respective keys are conveniently arranged in a specific sequence in the switching array 11. Assume, for example, that a specific output bus 17 of the switching array is to be associated with note A of any octave, a second output bus 18 is to be associated with note B of any octave, and so forth.
  • switches 14 in the row corresponding to output bus 17 in array or matrix 11 are associated with the keys corresponding to the note A in each octave of keys in the organ.
  • the column position of each switch 14 in matrix 11 corresponds to a specific octave of keys in the organ, and hence, to a specific octave encompassed by a specific keyboard of the organ.
  • Each of the output buses 12, including 17, 18, and so forth, is connected to one of the two input ports or terminals of a respective AND gate of the 12 AND gates 20-1, 20-2, 20-3, 20-12, of encoder circuit 15.
  • An output lead 16 of counter section 2 associated with the ring counter stage designating the count for a particular note (key) in a given octave is connected to the remaining port of an encoder circuit AND gate having as its other input a pulse on the output bus 12 associated with that same note.
  • a similar arrangement is provided for each of the remaining ll output lines 16 of counter section 2 with respect to the AND gates 20 and the output buses 12.
  • encoder circuit 15 is effective to convert the parallel output of array 11 to a serial output signal in accordance with the scanning of output buses 12 as provided by the advancing and repeating count sensed in the form of pulses (at a rate of about 200 per second) appearing on output lines 16.
  • TDM time-division multiplex
  • the encoder may have the circuit configuration exemplified by FIG. 3A.
  • the encoder includes a shift register 80 having 12 cascaded stages designated SR1, SR2, SR3, SR12, each connected to a respective output bus 12 of switching matrix 1 I to receive arespective output pulse appearing thereon.
  • the shift register stages are loaded in parallel with the data read from switching array 11 on output buses 12, in response to each of the pulses appearing (i.e., each time a pulse appears) on one of the l2 output leads 16 of note counter 2.
  • That one output of the note counter which is to supply the load command for all l2 stages of shift register 80 is selected to permit the maximum amount of settling time to' elapse between each advance of octave counter 3 and keyboard counter 4 and the loading of the shift register.
  • the first note counter stage, or one of the early stages is selected to provide load" pulses to shift register 80.
  • shift register 80 is parallel loaded, and the data contents of the register are then shifted out of the register in serial format on encoder output line 25 until a one-bit pause occurs when another set of data is parallel loaded into the shift register, followed again by serial readout on line 25.
  • This serial pulse train constitutes the time division multiplexed output signal of encoder 15 just as in the embodiment of FIG. 3, except that with the FIG. 3A configuration, decoder 7 (and the counters 3 and 4 supplying pulses thereto) undergo a greater amount of settling time.
  • this operation constitutes a parallelto-serial conversion of the information on output buses 12 to a time-division multiplexed waveform on the output line 25 of encoder 15.
  • each key has a designated time slot in the 384 time slots constituting one complete scan of every keyboard of the organ.
  • the TDM waveform shown by way of example in FIG. is initiated about 200 times per second.
  • the waveform contains all of the note selection information, in serial digital form on a single output line, that had heretofore required complex wiring arrangements. This waveform development will be more clearly understood from an example of the operation of the circuitry thus far discussed. It should be observed first, however, that all of the counter and logic circuitry described up to this point can be accommodated within a very small volume of space by fabrication in integrated circuit form using conventional microelectronic manufacturing techniques.
  • Cg appears in the appropriate time slot of the multiplexed signal emanating from encoder 15 and will repetitively appear in that time slot in each scan of the keyboards of the organ as long as that key is depressed. That is to say, a pulse appears on output line 10 of decoder 7 associated with the second octave in the manual being played, in accordance with the scan provided by master clock 5, as the counter stage associated with that octave is energized in keyboard counter octave section 3 and the counter stage associated with that manual is energized in section 4 of the keyboard counter.
  • connectionbetween the appropriate input bus 10 and output bus 12 of switching array 11 for the particular octave and keyboard under consideration is effected by the depression and continued operation of the key associated with the switch 14 for that intersection in the array. Since, as previously stated, each switch is associated with a particular note (key) and is positioned in a specific row of the switching array, a signal level is thereby supplied to the appropriate output bus 12 of the switching array arranged to be associated with that note.
  • a second input is provided to the AND gate 20 receiving the signal level on output bus 12, and a pulse is delivered to OR gate 23.
  • the pulse which appears at the output of OR gate 23 always appears in the identical specified time slot in the multiplexed signal for a specific note associated with a particular key on a particular keyboard of the organ.
  • FIG. 5 An example of the multiplex signal waveform thus generated is shown in FIG. 5. While the pulses appearing in the time slots associated with the specific notes mentioned above are in a serial format or sequential order, their appearance is repetitive during the interval in which the respective keys are actuated. Hence, the effect is to produce a simultaneous reproduction of the notes as an audio output of the organ, as will be explained in more detail in connection with the description of operation of the tone generation section.
  • the multiplexed signal arriving from encoder 15 is supplied to generator assignment logic network 26 which functions to assign a tone generator 28 to a depressed key (and hence, to generate a particular note) when the associated pulse first appears in its respective time slot in the multiplexed signal supplied to the assignment logic.
  • generator assignment logic network 26 which functions to assign a tone generator 28 to a depressed key (and hence, to generate a particular note) when the associated pulse first appears in its respective time slot in the multiplexed signal supplied to the assignment logic. If only 12 tone generators 28 are available in the particular organ under consideration, for example, the assignments are to be effected in sequence (order of availability), and once particular pulses have been directed to all of the available generators (i.e., all available tone generators have been captured" by respective note assignments), the organ is in a state of saturation. Thereafter, no further assignments can be made until one of more of the tone generators is released.
  • the availability of 12 (or more) tone generators renders it extremely unlikely that the organ would ever reach a state of saturation since it is quite improbable that more than 12 keys would be depressed in any given instant of time during performance of a musical selection.
  • the output waveforms from the captured tone generators at the proper frequencies for the notes being played are supplied as outputs to appropriate waveshaping and amplification networks and thence to the acoustical output speakers of the organ. If the tone generators 28 supply a digital representation of the desired waveform, as is the case in one embodiment to be described, then the digital format is supplied to an appropriate digital-to-analog converter, which is turn supplies an output to the waveshaping network.
  • each tone generator 28 may be in only one of three possible states,- although the concurrent states of the tone generators may differ from one tone generator to the next. These three states are as follows:
  • tone' generator is presently uncaptured (i.e., unclaimed or available), but will be captured by the next incoming pulse in the multiplexed signal associated with a note which is not presently a tone generator captor;
  • any number of the tone generators provided (12, is this particular example) may be in one or the other of the states designated (1) and (3), above, but that only one of the tone generators can be in state (2) during a given instant of time. That is, one and only one generator can is the next generator to be claimed.
  • the specific tone generator in state (2) is claimedby an incoming pulse, the next incoming pulse which is not presently claiming a tone generator is to be assigned to the generator that has now assumed state (2).
  • tone generator 04 is unavailable to the next incoming pulse, and the privilege of capture must pass to the next tone generator which is not presently is a state of capture. If all of the tone generators are captured, that is, all are in state (I) as described above, then the organ is saturated and not further notes can be played until at least on of the tone generators is released. As previously observed, however, the saturation of an organ having l2 (or more) tone generators is highly unlikely.
  • Generator assignment system 26 is utilized to implement the logic leading to the desired assignment of the tone generators 28, and thus to the three states of operation described above.
  • An exemplary embodiment of the generator assignment logic is shown in FIGS. 7A and 78.
  • a ring counter 30, or a 12-bit recirculating shift register in which one and only one bit position is a logical "I" at any one time is used to introduce a claim selection, i.e., to initiate the capture, of the next available tone generator in the set of tone generators 28 provided in the organ.
  • a shift signal appearing on line 32 advances the l bit from one register or counter stage to the next, i.e., shifts the 1" to the next bit position.
  • Each bit position is associated with and corresponds to a particular tone generator, so that the presence of the logical l in a particular bit position indicates selection of the tone generator to be claimed next, provided that it is not already claimed.
  • a claim select" signal appears on the respective output line 34 associated with the stage.
  • This claim select" signal is supplied in parallel to one input of a respective one of AND gates 35, on line 36, and to further logic circuitry (to be described presently with reference to FIG. 78), on line 37.
  • the output line of each of AND gates 35 is connected to a separate and distinct input line of an OR gate 40 which, in turn, supplies an input to an AND gate 42 whose other input constitutes pulses from the master clock 5.
  • shift register stage 02 contains the logical I That stage therefore supplies "claim select 2" signal to the respectively associated AND gate 35 and, as well, to further logic circuitry on line 37. If this further logic circuitry determines that the associated note generator may be claimed, a claimed" signal is applied as the second input to the respectively associated AND gate 35. Since both inputs of that AND gate are now "true”, an output pulse is furnished via OR gate 40 to the synchronization gate 42. The latter gate produces a shift" pulse on line 32 upon simultaneous occurrence of the output pulse from OR gate 40 and a clock pulse from master clock 5. Accordingly, the logical l is advanced one-bit position, from stage 02 to stage 03 of shift register 30, in preparation for the claiming of the next tone generator.
  • tone generator 28 corresponding to stage 03 is already claimed by a previous note pulse in the multiplexed signal.
  • a claimed signal appears as one input to the associated AND gate 35, and with the claim select" signal appearing as the other input to that gate by virtue of stage 03 containing the single logical l another shift pulse is immediately generated on line 32 to advance the logical l to stage 04 of the shift register. Similar advancement of bit position of the l" continues until an unclaimed tone generator is selected.
  • the l bit remains in the shift register stage associated with the selected tone generator until such time as a claimed signal is concurrently applied to the respective AND gate 35, i.e., until the selected tone generator is claimed, because until that time no further shift signals can occur.
  • each tone generator also has associated therewith a respective portion of the generator assignment logic as shown in the figure,
  • An AND gate 50 has three inputs, one of which is the multiplexed signal deriving from encoder 15 (this being supplied in parallel to the AND gates 50 of the remaining identical portions of the assignment logic for the other tone generators, as well), a second of which is the claim select" signal appearing on line 37 associated with the i'th stage of shift register 30 (FIG.
  • A. modulo 384 counter 55 is employed to permit recognition by the respective portion of the generator assignment logic of the continued existence in the multiplexed signal of the pulse (time slot) which resulted in the capture of the associated tone generator.
  • counter 55 is synchronized with keyboard counter I (also a modulo 384 counter) by simultaneous application thereto of clock pluses from master clock 5.
  • the count of each counter 55 associated with an uncaptured tone generator is maintained in synchronism with the count of keyboard counter I by application of a reset signal to an AND gate 58 each time the keyboard counter assumes a zero count; i.e., each time the count of the keyboard counter repeats.
  • that reset signal is effective to reset counter 55 only if the associated tone generator is uncaptured.
  • the latter information is provided by the state of flip-flop 53, i.e., a not claimed" signal is supplied as a second input to AND gate 58 whenever flip-flop 53 is in the unclaimed" state.
  • Capture prevention is effected by feeding a signal representative of zero count from counter 55 to the appropriate input terminal of an OR gate 60 associated with all of the tone generators and their respective generator assignment logic.
  • the logical l supplied to OR gate 60 is inverted so that simultaneous identical log'cal inputs cannot be presented to AND gate 50.
  • a key release indication is obtained by supplying the zero count" signal to an AND gate 62 to which is also supplied any signal deriving from an inverter 63 connected to receive inputs from the TDM signal. If the zero count coincides with a pulse in the multiplexed signal, the inversion of the latter pulse prevents an output from AND gate 62, and this is proper because the coincidence of the zero count and the TDM pulse is indicative of continuing depression of the key which has captured the generator.
  • the "set claim" signal output of AND gate 50 that occurs with the simultaneous appearance of the three input signals to that gate is utilized to provide a key depressed" indication to the attack/decay circuitry of the tone generator (and to percussive controls, if desired), as well as to provide its previously recited functions of setting" flip-flop 53 and resetting" counter 55.
  • the assignment logic embodiment of FIGS. 7A and 78 may be associated with only a small number of tone generators 12, in the example previously given), the exact number being selected in view of the cost limitations and the likely maximum number of keys that normally may be actuated simultaneously. in that case, each tone generator must supply every desired frequency corresponding to every not in every octave that may be played on the electronic organ.
  • a digital tone generator of the exemplary configuration shown in block diagrammatic form in H0. 8 is employed.
  • sample points are preferably uniformly spaced because such a format permits the most direct analysis, and therefore the most direct synthesis, of the desired waveform.
  • the uniform spacing of sample points may be such that there is provided an integral number of samples per cycle for each note frequency to be generated. Such a technique requires a sampling rate that varies directly with the frequency.
  • the samples may be spaced uniformly in time, in which case the phase angle between samples points varies with the frequency of the note to be generated.
  • the preferred frequency synthesis technique is that in which the phase angle between the sample points varies with frequency, i.e., in which the sampling rate is fixed for all note frequencies to be generated, and the various generated note frequencies are produced as a result of the different phase angles.
  • FIG. 8 shows, in block diagram form, a specific exemplary structure of a tone generator for generating the required note frequencies of the organ from a memory containing amplitude samples of the desired waveform obtained at unifonnly'spaced points in time.
  • the sample points are accessed at a fixed, single clock frequency for all note frequencies to be generated and the phase angle between the sample points thereby varies with the frequency of the note to be generated.
  • the tone generator includes, as basic components, a phase angle register 101, a sample point address resister 102, a read-only memory 103, an address decoder 103d, an accumulator 104, a sampling clock 105, and a comparator 107.
  • the phase angle calculator and the readonly memory 103 may be shared by all of the tone generators 28.
  • each tone generator is addressed or accessed individually and in sequence and thus once in each cycle of addressing all tone generators.
  • the sampling clock 105 may comprise a clock rate provided by a master sampling clock, successive clock pulses of which are directed to the series of tone generators.
  • the sampling clock addressed to a given tone generator is thus at a rate comprising the pulse repetition rate of the master sampling clock divided by the number of tone generators provided in the system.
  • the accumulator 104 may be a composite structure associated with appropriate gating circuitry related to each tone generator for accumulating the information read from the memory 103 in response to accessing thereof by a given tone generator.
  • phase angle calculator 100 When a claim flip-flop of the tone generator assignment logic, such as flip-flop 53 (FIG. 7B), is switched to the claimed state in accordance with capturing of a pulse in the incoming multiplexed waveform by a given tone generator 28, the phase angle calculator 100 is instructed to determined the appropriate phase angle for the frequency of the note to be reproduced as identified by the captured pulse. A detennination of the value of the phase angle constant, and hence, of the particular not corresponding to the key that has been actuated, is initiated by supplying both the count from the main keyboard counter 1 and the count of the modulo 384 counter 55 (e.g., of FIG. 78) associated with the captured flip-flop, and which is reset to zero upon that capture, to a count comparator 107.
  • a claim flip-flop of the tone generator assignment logic such as flip-flop 53 (FIG. 7B)
  • Comparator 107 subtracts the count of counter 55 from the count of the keyboard counter l and supplies a number representative of the difference, and hence, representative of the time slot position corresponding to a particular note (i.e., that note which captured the flip-flop), to phase angle calculator 100.
  • the difference computed by comparator 107 will always be positive, or zero, because the computation is elicited from the comparator only when the associated flipflop 53 is captured and at that moment counter 55 is reset to zero, whereas the keyboard counter probably has some greater count or contains a least count, i.e., zero.
  • calculator 100 On the basis of the difference count supplied by comparator 107, calculator 100 is informed as to the note for which the phase angle calculation is to be performed, i.e., the note and thus the frequency to be produced by the tone generator.
  • the calculator 100 may compute the phase angle as a function of the frequency of the note to be reproduced and of the number of memory sampling points of the waveform in storage and thus as approximately equal to the phase angle of the fundamental between adjacent memory sampling points for the frequency to be produced.
  • An alternative embodiment of the phase angle calculator 100 is a conventional storage unit with look-up capabilities, or simply a memory from which the correct phase angle is extracted when the memory is suitably addressed with the identification of the count of the captured pulse.
  • a combination of a memory with look-up capabilities and of a calculator capable of computation for determination of the phase angles may be employed.
  • the synthesis of note frequencies in accordance with the digitally stored waveform sample points may be arbitrarily as accurate as desired and, in effect, provides a true equally tempered scale of the synthesized not frequencies wherein the notes within the scale differ by the power of 2"".
  • the degree of accuracy in a practical system must be realized within a finite maximum information content and thus the stored phase angles are quantized and rounded off.
  • phase angle register 101 The phase angle thus developed is supplied to and stored in the phase angle register 101.
  • a command control means such as flip-flop 53 which establishes the captured state of the tone generator controls the operation of the comparator 107 and, in turn, the phase angle determination function of the phase angle calculator 100 for the given note frequency to be generated, for supply of that phase angle to the register 101. Since this operation must preceded the addressing function, a delay may be provided (as by use of a delay multivibrator 106) to actuate a switch 108 for passage of pulses from the sampling clock source 105 (which may be an appropriately gated pulse from a master sampling clock source) to registers 101 and 102.
  • the sample point address register 102 may be cleared when claim flip-flop 53 reverts to a noncaptured state, so that it is prepared for entry of information from the phase angle register 101 upon each calculation.
  • the rate at which the value of register 102 increases and not the absolute value thereof which is significant in the control of the rate of read out of the memory 103 and thus the cyclic frequency of read out of the memory and, ultimately, the frequency of the note reproduced by the give tone generator.
  • phase angle value stored in phase angle register 101 is added to the previously stored value of the sample point address register 102.
  • An address decoder 103a decodes preselected bit positions of the count established in register 102 to effect accessing, or addressing, of the memory, 103.
  • the transfer from the register 101 to the register 102 is a nondestructive transfer such that the phase angle value is maintained in the register 101 as long as that tone generator is captured by a given pulse.
  • the phase angle register value comprising a digital binary word
  • the memory location corresponding to the sample point address then existing is the register 102 is accessed.
  • the registers such as 101 and 102 must be of a finite, practical length. In particular, the length of the phase angle register 101 is determined by the accuracy with which the frequency of the note is to be generated. The frequency actually produced will be exactly the value of the phase angle in register 101 times the memory sampling rate.
  • the sample point address register 102 must be sufficiently long to accept data from the phase angle register 10].
  • the register 102 preferably includes additional bit positions which are not used, or not used at all times, for accessing the memory. in this respect, it will be apparent that one-bit position in the register 102 is scaled at one cycle of the fundamental of the frequency of the note to be generated. A set of next successive less significant bits may therefore specify the sample point address in accordance with the function of the decoder 1030. The more significant bits of the register 102 may be used to count numbers of cycles of the waveform for various control functions not here pertinent. in addition, by selecting appropriate bit positions by means of decoder 1030, the frequency of the note reproduced may be readily adjusted to different octaves.
  • a one-bit positional shift constitutes division or multiplication by two, depending upon direction of shift. For example, if the most significant bit is numbered 1 and thus bit positions 2 through 6 comprise the sample point address bits normally used for an 8 foot voice, then a 16 foot voice can be obtained by using bits 1 through 5 as the sample point address source. correspondingly, a 4 foot voice can be obtained by using bits 3 through 7 as the sample point address bits.
  • the read-only memory 103 contains digital amplitude values of a single cycle of the complex periodic waveform to be reproduced for all note frequencies. That is to say, the same complex periodic wavefonn is to be reproduced for each note played, the only difference being the frequency at which the complex waveform is reproduced.
  • the wave may be sampled at a multiplicity of points, shown as vertical lines in the HQ, to provide the amplitude data for storage in memory 103.
  • the data accessed is the actual amplitude of the output waveform at the respective sample points (i.e., with respect to a "zero" level at time axis 111).
  • the digital amplitude data successively read from the memory may be applied directly to an appropriate digital-toanalog conversion system.
  • incremental amplitude information i.e., simply the difference in am-.
  • each of the sample points of the memory 103 may comprise a digital word of approximately seven or eight bits.
  • the digital words thus read out from the memory 103 are supplied to the accumulator 104 which provides a digital representation of the waveform at selected sample points over a cycle of the waveform and at a frequency corresponding to the note to be reproduced.
  • this digital waveform representation may itself be operated upon for waveshape control, e.g., attack and decay, and subsequently is supplied to a digital-to-analog converter for producing an analog signal suitable for driving the acoustical output means, such as audio speakers, of the organ.
  • Memory 103 may be a microminiature diode array of the type disclosed by R. M. Ashby et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,513, issued Apr. 9, l968, and amigned to the same assignee as is the present invention.
  • the array may, for example, contain an amplitude representation of the desired waveform in the form of an eight-bit binary ward at each of 48 or more ample points.
  • Such a capacity permits the storage of up to 128 amplitude levels in addition to a polarity (algebraic sign) bit. In any event, the capacity of memory 103 should be sufficient to allow faithful reproduction of note frequencies.
  • each increment can be read out only once during each cycle of the waveform. THis is because an accumulation of incremental values is required
  • a gate l03b (shown dotted in FIG. 8) is positioned in the output line of memory 103 preceding accumulator 104 if incremental values are utilized. Gate 103b is preferably enabled to pass the sample value being read from the memory only when the least significant bit in address register 102 changes.
  • a bit change sensor 1020 may be used to detect the change and to enable gate 103k at each advancement to a new address. The same sample point may still be accessed several times in succession, but only one such value will be read out" (i.e., will be passed by the gate since it is disabled at all other times).
  • phase angle calculations should be such that the highest note playable is that note for which a sample point value is read out each time the memory is addressed. Since the ratio between adjacent notes on the equally tempered musical scale is an irrational number, it is preferable that the largest number is the phase angle register be slightly smaller then the least significant bit in the address register. If the phase angle number were larger, it would be necessary to occasionally skip a sample point and this would lead to inconsistency in the note frequency, whereas if the phase angle number were equal to the least significant bit in the address register the note frequency would be slightly higher (i.e., about one-half of a halftone higher) than the highest note that can be played. By requiring the phase angle number to be slightly smaller, the highest note capability of the instrument will not be exceeded.
  • the same read-only memory 103 may be shared by all of the tone generators 28 if the data words (amplitude values of sample points) read therefrom are gated to respective wave shapers in synchronism with the addressing of the memory for the respective notes being played. In other words, simultaneous or concurrent play to two or more notes requires that these be distinguished as separate sets of sample points, if a single memory is to be shared for all tone generators.
  • each tone generator has its own memory (and, incidentally, memories composed of microminiature diode arrays of the type disclosed in the aforementioned Ashby et al. patent are readily fabricated with more than 5,000 diode elements per square inch), which supplies its digital output to a respectively associated attack and decay control unit.
  • the binary-valued amplitude samples are applied directly to the attack and decay circuitry if each sample is a whole value, or may be applied via an accumulator I04 if each sample is an incremental value. Alternatively, accumulation of incremental values may be preformed after shaping, if desired.
  • an embodiment of the attack and decay unit associated with each tone generator included a multiplier 120 to which the sample values from memory 103 are applied for multiplication by an appropriate scale factor or control the leading the trailing portions of the note waveform envelope.
  • a multiplier 120 to which the sample values from memory 103 are applied for multiplication by an appropriate scale factor or control the leading the trailing portions of the note waveform envelope.
  • the faithful simulation of true pipe organ sounds by an electronic organ requires that the latter be provided with the capability to shape each tone envelope to produce other than an abrupt rise and fall.
  • the note waveform produced by an electronic organ normally rises sharply to full intensity immediately upon depression of the respective key, and ceases abruptly when that key is released. At times, this may be a desirable effect to maintain during the play of a musical selection.
  • attack and decay controls may be avoided entirely, or the scale factor supplied to multiplier 120, and with which the amplitude samples are to be multiplied, may be set at unity. More often, however, attack and/or decay are desirable for or in conjunction with special effects such as percussion, sustain, and so forth.
  • the multiplying scale factor is varied as a function of time to correspondingly vary the magnitude of the digital samples, with which it is multiplied, on a progressive basis to simulate attack and/or decay.
  • the total time duration and the time constant(s) for the attack or decay are controlled by a counter 122 which may be selectively supplied with uniformly timed pulses that are independent of the specific note frequency under consideration, such as pulses obtained or derived from the master clock, or with pulses having a repetition rate representative of or proportional to the note frequency.
  • the counter 122 may be considered as determining the abscissa of a graph of envelope amplitude versus time and representative of the attack or decay.
  • the ordinate or amplitude scale of the graph is represented by the series of scale factors stored in a read-only memory 125 to be accessed by the counter itself, or by an address decoder 126 which addresses the memory for readout of scale factors on the basis of each count (or timed, separated counts) of counter 122.
  • the counter may be of the reversible, up lown (forwardbackward) type in which it is responsive to incoming pulses to count upwardly when its up" (here, attack) terminal is ac tivated, and to count downwardly when its down (here, decay) terminal is activated.
  • the attack mode of the overall control unit is entered when the associated tone generator is captured by a hitherto unclaimed note pulse in the multiplexed signal.
  • the capture of a tone generator is accompanied by a signal indicative of a key having been depressed (see FIG. 78), form the assignment logic, and it is this signal which initiates the attack count of counter 122.
  • the first key depressed signal (and possibly the only one) that occurs upon capture of a tone generator 28 is effective to produce a count in the first stage of ring counter 128, thereby supplying a trigger signal fonn that stage to a monostable delay multivibrator 130 which is set to have an ON time (delay time) of sufficient duration to ensure that the attack is completed despite release of the key prior to the nonnal end of the attack interval. It has been found that a delay time equal to or greater than approximately the time occupied by seven cycles (i.e., seven periods) of the lowest frequency note is quite adequate for multivibrator 130 to ensure this positive attack.
  • the up" control of counter 122 is activated by the quasi-stable state of multivibrator 130 and the counter continues to count incoming pulses until the multivibrator spontaneously returns to its stable state, or until the note envelope reaches the full desired intensity (magnitude), if earlier.
  • This full intensity value may be preset into the attack/decay control logic or it may be determined by logic circuitry responsive to such factors as the force with which the respective key is struck (i.e., to velocity-responsive or touchresponsive device outputs). ln the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the former arrangement is utilized in which a maximum desired count is set into a fixed counter 131 for continuous comparison in comparator 133 with the present count of updown counter 122. If the latter exceeds the former. a disable" command is applied to the counter to terminate the attack.
  • Pulses to be counted by counter 122 may be obtained at a rate which is a function of note frequency, as by supplying the output of phase angle calculator 100 to a phase-to-frequency converter 135, or at a rate based on the master clock rate, whichever is desired. Selection of either rate is accomplished by appropriately setting a switch 136 coupled to an associated switch or key on or adjacent to one of the keyboards.
  • the pulses to be counted appear at the input of counter 122 but no count is initiated until a key is depressed and the associated pulse in the multiplexed signal from the keyboard results in the capture of a tone generator 28.
  • the key depress" signal from the generator assignment logic initiates a count in ring counter 128, which bad been reset by completion of decay the immediately preceding time the attack/decay control unit had been used.
  • the latter reset signal is obtained upon switching of the claim flip-flop 53 in the assignment logic 26 to the not claimed" (delay complete) state.
  • the up count of counter 122 is thereby enabled and continues through completion of attack regardless of whether or not the key remains depressed. The duration of attack depends on whether the note frequency mode or the fixed time mode is employed.
  • address decoder 126 With each count of counter 122 (or less frequently, by use of suitably timed enabling commands), address decoder 126 develops a related address code for accessing a digital scale factor stored in the appropriate address of read-only memory unit 125, to be combined as a product in multiplier 120 with the amplitude samples being read from tone generator 28 of FIG. 8.
  • address decoder 126 By presetting memory 125 such that the scale factors stored therein are logarithmically increasing (up to the equivalent of unity) with addresses decoded according to progressively increasing count in counter 122 (up to the maximum desired count, representing full note intensity), a logarithmic attack is provided in the note being played.
  • a key release" signal is applied from AND gate 62 of assignment logic 26 (FIG. 713) to a flipflop 138 to initiate the decay mode of the attack/decay control unit by enabling the decay" (down) count of counter 122. Accordingly, incoming pulses to the counter are counted downwardly from the count representative of full intensity, until a zero count is obtained unless decay is terminated earlier.
  • the count in counter 122 is periodically decoded (e.g., once each count) by unit 126 for addressing of memory 125, thereby supplying logarithmically decreasing scale factors, from unity to zero, for multiplication with amplitude samples form the tone generator in multiplier 120. This produces the desired fall in note intensity at the trailing portion of the note waveform.
  • a second "key depress" signal is applied to ring counter 128 thus increasing the count therein to the second stage and switching flip-flop 138 from the decay state to its other state. which reintroduces the attack mode. Since decay is incomplete in this particular instance, the count of counter 122 now proceeds upward from the minimum count which had been attained when decay was interrupted. If, however, the key is again released, prior to completion of attack, positive attack is no longer in effect and the flip-flop 138 reverts immediately to' the decay state by virtue of appli cation of the key release" signal thereto.
  • flip-flop 138 may be switched to its attack" state upon full completion of decay. by the not claimed" signal of associated flip-flop 53.
  • a decay complete signal is applied to the claim flip-flop 53 (FIG. 7B) of the respective assignment logic unit to cause that flip-flop to return to its "not claimed state, and thereby to release the tone generator for claiming by another note.
  • each position, or time slot, in the multiplexed signal is assigned to a particular key (and the note associated therewith) on each keyboard.
  • the multiplexed signal is structured such that adjacent time slots therein correspond to adjacent semitones in the equally tempered musical scale. For example, pulses associated with notes C C D will appear in successive positions in the order recited in the multiplexed signal, as shown for the single cycle of the multiplexed signal in FIG. 11, whenever the key switches associated with those notes are concurrently depressed.
  • the basic scheme of automatic transposition contemplated by the present invention is the shifting of note frequencies by a selected amount during play of the keys on each keyboard in the normal manner.
  • One technique of accomplishing this objective is shown in simplified form in FIG. 12, where the multiplexed signal from encoder 15 (FIG. 1) is applied to a pulse delay device which is preset, or which is adjustable, to introduce a delay into the multiplexed signal by a number of time slots, or pulse positions, equal to the number of halftone transpositions desired, prior to entry of the multiplexed signal into the tone generator assignment logic (FIG. 6).
  • original time slots 83 and 85 could be subjected to a one-pulse delay (a single halftone transposition) to accomplish a shift of those slots to time slots 84 and 86, respectively, in the delayed multiplexed signal leaving delay device 150.
  • FIG. 13 A more detailed circuit diagram of the system of FIG. 12 is shown in FIG. 13.
  • the multiplexed signal appearing on line 25 from encoder I5 is supplied, via a normally open gate 151 (i.e., a completed circuit path for passing signal), to a switch 152 having a switch arm I53 and a pair of contacts 154 and 155.
  • the system of FIG. 13 is capable of producing an upward shift in frequency or a downward shift in frequency.
  • the scanning of the keyboards is in a direction from the highest frequency to the lowest frequency.
  • any pulses occuring in the multiplexed signal are inserted into a l2-bit shift register in their respective time slots, by positioning switch arm 153 against contact 154 as shown.
  • Shift register 155 is effectively a l2-bit delay line with an output tap at each stage. If no transposition is desired, the output is taken from the first stage of the shift register since at that point no delay has been introduced into the multiplexed signal. Shifting of pulses through the register is efiected by pulses from the master clock.
  • a selector switch 157 may have a knob (not shown) positioned on or near the keyboards or in any position conveniently accessible to the organist for presetting the amount of delay, and thus the extent of transposition, into the system.
  • switch 157 has a rotatable arm 158 connected to output line 159 of the transposition system and selectively movable against each contact associated with the output taps of the twelve stages of shift register 155. If, for example switch arm 158 is positioned against the contact associated with line 160 of the l2-bit shift register, as shown, then a one time slot delay is introduced into the multiplexed signal. Similarly, positioning of arm 158 against the contact associated with line 161 connected to the third stage of shift register 155 will introduce a two-time slot delay into the multiplexed signal, and so forth for each contact associated with each succeeding stage of the sift register.
  • the organist may select any desired delay up to and including one complete octave (i.e., l2 semitones) of the organ and thereby any note is audibly produced by the organ a respective number of halftones lower than the note with which the actuated key is normally associated.
  • the organist selects the desired amount of transposition prior to playing the musical selection.
  • the transposition selection switch delay of N-n where multiplex signal;
  • ing system is employed. This will depend, of course on the frequency range encompassed by the tone generators of the organ. If some redundancy has been provided in the time division multiplexed waveform, as was previously discussed, then 157 is set to the appropriate stage of delay unit 155 that will this presents no particular problem. Thus, if say to 12 time produce the desired time delay, and thus the desired shift in slots at the beginning and/or the end of the multiplexed signal frequency (downward, in the case of highest frequency to are not associated with any keys of the organ, then the upward lowest frequency scanning) for each note played.
  • the arm 158 of transposition switch 157 l 5 pulses for notes which are out of the range of the organ, or to is set at the contact connected to the eighth stage of lZ-bit mute the tones produced as a result of those pulses.
  • This is shift register 155.
  • each note played by the organist because these pulses will have been shifted to time slots which in the key of C natural is transposed automatically to the key are representative of notes in the range of the organ but at the of F natural, the transposed pulse train (i.e., delayed mulcompletely opposite end of the musical scale.
  • the notes may tiplexed signal) being supplied to input terminal 30 of the lie in an octave several octaves below that in which the notes generator assignment logic circuitry 31 (FIG. 6). are to be sounded.
  • blanking pulunder the stated conditions of scanning (multiplexing) from ses may be applied to the inhibit terminal of gate 151 in high to low notes
  • one suitable mechanization is to utilize a synchronism with the undesired pulses in the multiplexed signal. Synchronization of blanking pulses may be achieved by N total number of time slots in a complete cycle of the supplying a count representative of the extent of delay selected by transposition switch 157 to a pulse generator (not n number of halftones by which the musical selection is to shown) which also receives pulses from the master clock and be transposed above the nominal frequencies.
  • the top line in the above table illustrates the nominal tones placed against contact 155, so that the incoming multiplexed of the sixth octave of the organ, assuming for the sake of exsignal is supplied to a 372-bit delay line 165, (for the previous ample that this is the highest keyed octave on any organ example of a multiplexed signal containing 384 time slots). ln manual.
  • FIG. 14 shows one simple arrangement for implementing 5 octave folding.
  • Each key switch such as 175, 176, 177, 190, 191, 192, (in Jet manual of the organ is connected to a source of voltage so that upon depression of a key switch a keying signal is supplied to call forth the associated tone..
  • the keying signals produced upon depression of key switches are supplied to switching array 1 (FIG. to operate respective switdhe s 14 (FIG.
  • the leads via which the keying signals are supplied to the overall multiplexed signal are wired through respective single pole, double throw (SPDT) octave folding switches.
  • Lead 193 connects key switch 192 to octave folding switch 194, lead 195 connects key switch 191 to octave folding switch 196, lead 197 connects key switch 190 to octave folding switch 198, and so forth.
  • SPDT single pole, double throw
  • each octave folding switch when the musical instrument is operated without transposition, or the transposition is to the lower frequencies, each octave folding switch is maintained in what may be marked a normal" position.
  • each of switches 194, 196, and 198 has its switch arm resting against respective contact N when no octave folding is to be provided. If a halftone trans-i position in an upward frequency direction is introduced, theorganist merely throws switch 194, conveniently located on one of the manuals and ganged with similar switches for the same note on other manuals, to the one-half tone contact.
  • successively greater transposition is selectively instituted, successively more of the octave folding switches are to be thrown according to the amount of transposition in effeet.
  • the preceding octave folding switches are also operated to the folding" position. For example, if a one and one-half tone transposition to higher frequencies is selected, switch 198 is thrown to the 1% tone position, and all preceding oc- 5 tave folding switches, here 196 and 194, are also operated to the octave folding position.
  • the octave folding switches may be ganged to the transposition selection switch for introduction of the proper amount of octave folding simultaneously with selection of transposition.
  • the ratio of two adjacent note frequencies in the equally tempered musical scale is 2"".
  • This fact may be utilized to advantage to provide a further embodiment of an automatic transposition scheme other than that using a shift of the note assignments in the multiplexed waveform. While the effect is that of shifting pulses representing note assignments by one time slot per semitone of desired transposition, the means for achieving the transposition is different. In essence, the shift operation is performed in the frequency domain, rather than in the time domain as was described earlier, by acting on the selection of waveform sample addresses, and the rate of accessing, of the waveform memory unit in the tone generator.
  • a multiplier 210 is inserted into the line between calculator 100 and register 101, and is supplied with a second input (i.e., the ratio number furnished by calculator 100 constituting the other input) from a transposition ratio selector 212.
  • the latter unit may simply comprise a set of recycling values of R any one of which may be selected according to desired transposition and which is read out in synchronization with the output generated by calculators 100 (e.g., using the master clock rate), to supply the value including the incremental frequency shift to register 101.
  • the rate of addressing of memory 103 is appropriately varied for accessing the digital amplitude samples of the wave shape stored in the memory at a rate consonant with the selected transposition.
  • the octave folding technique previously described in conjunction with the apparatus of FIG. 14 is usable with any embodiment of the invention introducing the desired transposition. That is, it may be employed with the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 13 or with the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 15.
  • An electronic musical instrument comprising:
  • means for selecting a desired amount of transposition of the identified notes to a different pitch means responsive to the note assignments in the digital signal for producing the notes identified thereby and means responsive to said transposition selection means for controlling said note producing means to produce notes at pitches different from those of the notes identified by the assignments in the digital signal, by the selected amount of transposition.
  • transposing controlling means selectively shifts all of said note assignments an equal number of positions in said signal for any selected amount of transposition.
  • transposing controlling means effects an appropriate delay of said digital signal relative to a predetermined reference time with which said signal is normally synchronized to introduce the desired transposition shift.
  • said means for selectively introducing assignments of notes into a different octave comprises switch means for transferring signals representative of actuation of said keys which due to the transposition selected call for the generation of notes at a pitch exceeding the range of note generation of said instrument, to positions normally occupied by signals representative of the keying of the corresponding notes in said different octave lying within the range of note generation, to be detected during said scanning of said keys.
  • transposition controlling means is responsive to said transposition selection means for weighting the note assignments to which said note generating means is responsive by a factor calculated to introduce the amount of transposition desired in the generated note.
  • weighting factor is the common ratio of adjacent notes in a musical scale of equal temperament, said factor being varied in accordance with the number of semitones of transposition desired within said musical scale.
  • said means for selectively introducing assignments of notes into a different octave comprises switch means for transferring signals representative of actuation of said keys to positions normally occupied by signals representative of the keying of corresponding notes in said different octave, to be detected during said scanning of said keys.
  • An electronic musical instrument comprising:
  • transposition selection means responsive to said transposition selection means for controlling said note producing means to produce notes at pitches different from the normal pitches of the identified notes in accordance with the selected amount of transposition.
  • trans si tion controlling means comprises means for selectively s lfttng the positions of said signals in said multiplexed waveform by a number of positions based on the amount of transposition desired.
  • transposition control means conditions said note generating means to shift the pitch of the note generated thereby by an amount corresponding to the amount of transposition selected.
  • An automatic transposition system for an electrical musical instrument for automatically and selectively transposing the notes selected by actuation of keys of that instrument to higher and lower pitches than those normally corresponding to the respectively actuated keys, comprising:
  • transposition selection means responsive to said transposition selection means for controlling said note generally means to generate notes at pitches different from the normal pitches corresponding to the actuated keys, by the selected amount of transposition.
  • transposition control means comprises:
  • said shift register having a plurality of outputs for selectively deriving the received multiplex waveform therefrom as an output multiplex waveform shifted in time at the successive outputs by successive time slot positions, and
  • said transposition control means controls said addressing means to address said storing means at a rate different from the normal rate by an amount corresponding to the amount of transposition selected for deriving the digital sample value words therefrom at a rate corresponding to the frequency of the transposed note.

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US872599A 1969-10-30 1969-10-30 Digital electronic keyboard instrument with automatic transposition Expired - Lifetime US3610800A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (12)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US87259969A 1969-10-30 1969-10-30
US87259769A 1969-10-30 1969-10-30
US87260069A 1969-10-30 1969-10-30
US87259869A 1969-10-30 1969-10-30
US87517869A 1969-11-10 1969-11-10
US17099271A 1971-08-11 1971-08-11
GB3994671 1971-08-25
AU32776/71A AU449757B2 (en) 1969-10-30 1971-08-26 Method and apparatus for addressing a memory at selectively controlled rates
NLAANVRAGE7112290,A NL174997C (nl) 1969-10-30 1971-09-07 Inrichting om een geheugen met selectief bestuurde snelheden te adresseren.
FR7133790A FR2153149B1 (xx) 1969-10-30 1971-09-20
DE2149104A DE2149104C3 (de) 1969-10-30 1971-09-28 Verfahren zur Erzeugung elektrischer Schwingungen
CH1505971A CH559956A5 (xx) 1969-10-30 1971-10-15

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US3610800A true US3610800A (en) 1971-10-05

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US872600A Expired - Lifetime US3610806A (en) 1969-10-30 1969-10-30 Adaptive sustain system for digital electronic organ
US872598A Expired - Lifetime US3610805A (en) 1969-10-30 1969-10-30 Attack and decay system for a digital electronic organ
US872597A Expired - Lifetime US3610799A (en) 1969-10-30 1969-10-30 Multiplexing system for selection of notes and voices in an electronic musical instrument
US872599A Expired - Lifetime US3610800A (en) 1969-10-30 1969-10-30 Digital electronic keyboard instrument with automatic transposition
US875178A Expired - Lifetime US3639913A (en) 1969-10-30 1969-11-10 Method and apparatus for addressing a memory at selectively controlled rates
US00170992A Expired - Lifetime US3743755A (en) 1969-10-30 1971-08-11 Method and apparatus for addressing a memory at selectively controlled rates

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US872598A Expired - Lifetime US3610805A (en) 1969-10-30 1969-10-30 Attack and decay system for a digital electronic organ
US872597A Expired - Lifetime US3610799A (en) 1969-10-30 1969-10-30 Multiplexing system for selection of notes and voices in an electronic musical instrument

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Publication number Publication date
US3610806A (en) 1971-10-05
GB1317385A (en) 1973-05-16
NL174997C (nl) 1984-04-02
DE2149104A1 (de) 1973-04-12
NL7112290A (xx) 1973-03-09
US3743755A (en) 1973-07-03
NL174997B (nl) 1984-04-02
DE2149104B2 (de) 1980-10-09
US3610805A (en) 1971-10-05
US3639913A (en) 1972-02-01
US3610799A (en) 1971-10-05
BE772689A (fr) 1972-01-17
AU449757B2 (en) 1974-06-20
AU3277671A (en) 1973-03-01
FR2153149A1 (xx) 1973-05-04
DE2149104C3 (de) 1981-06-11
CH559956A5 (xx) 1975-03-14
FR2153149B1 (xx) 1975-08-29

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