US3742112A - Automatic rhythm instrument - Google Patents

Automatic rhythm instrument Download PDF

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Publication number
US3742112A
US3742112A US00192161A US3742112DA US3742112A US 3742112 A US3742112 A US 3742112A US 00192161 A US00192161 A US 00192161A US 3742112D A US3742112D A US 3742112DA US 3742112 A US3742112 A US 3742112A
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United States
Prior art keywords
tone
tempo
rhythm
tempo control
keyer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00192161A
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English (en)
Inventor
E Okamoto
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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
    • 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
    • G10H1/36—Accompaniment arrangements
    • G10H1/40—Rhythm
    • 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
    • G10H2210/00—Aspects or methods of musical processing having intrinsic musical character, i.e. involving musical theory or musical parameters or relying on musical knowledge, as applied in electrophonic musical tools or instruments
    • G10H2210/375—Tempo or beat alterations; Music timing control
    • G10H2210/381—Manual tempo setting or adjustment

Definitions

  • An automatic rhythm instrument comprises a clock pulse generator, a tempo control for controlling the pe- [30] Foreign Application Priority Data l'iod the 5 P2 y g P p fi Encoder receivmg t e 0 oc pu se an generatmg r yt m pat- Oct. 27, 1970 Japan 45/93983 tem pulses for the selected y tone generators for [52] US. Cl. 84/ 1.03 generating tone g and tone keyers for gating tone [51] Int Cl 0 I n Glob U00 signals upon receipt of the rhythm pattern pulses.
  • FIG.2 PRIOR ART F
  • This invention relates generally to an automatic rhythm instrument, and more particularly to a new and advanced automatic rhythm instrument wherein the sounding time length of each tone is varied automatically in accordance with the tempo of the rhythm.
  • rhythm rendition is accomplished by extracting tone signals from tone generators 1 through tone keyers 2 triggered rhythmically by rhythm pattern pulses.
  • the switching (opening and closing) operation of the tone keyers 2 are triggered by gating signals, which gating signals are produced by encoding at conventional rhythm pulse encoder the clock pulse signals generated at a clock pulse generating circuit 4 being controlled by a tempo control circuit 3.
  • gating signals are produced by encoding at conventional rhythm pulse encoder the clock pulse signals generated at a clock pulse generating circuit 4 being controlled by a tempo control circuit 3.
  • Numerous examples of such rhythm pulse encoders can be found in the patent literature, such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,358,068; 3,482,027; 3,549,774; 3,549,776; 3,624,263; and 3,646,242, all commonly assigned.
  • clock pulse generating circuit 4 is formed by an astable multivibrator, while the tempo control circuit 3 is adapted to vary the base-circuit voltage of the two transistors in the stable multivibrator by means of a variable resistance VR thereby to adjust the period of the clock pulses.
  • tone keyers 2 for accomplishing gating operation of the tone signals in accordance with rhythm pattern pulses formed by the rhythm pattern pulse encoder circuit 5 upon receiving clock pulses from the clock pulse generating circuit 4 are shown in FIGS. 3(A), 3(8), and 3(C).
  • Each of these tone keyers include a one-shot multivibrator having a time constant circuit consisting of a capacitor C, and a resistor R, as well as a gating circuit connected with the one-shot multivibrator, thereby carrying out circuit opening and closing operation in response to pulses sent from the one-shot multivibrator which is triggered by signals imparted through a trigger input terminal TI.
  • the one-shot multivibrator delivers a pulse having a time length t which is approximately equal to 0.7 C,R,, and the gating circuits in FIGS. 3 (A) and (B) will conduct the tone signal for a period of time having the time length I.
  • the gating circuit constituted by diode D, variable resistor VR, and capacitor C in FIG. 3(C) exhibits a gating operation having a decaying envelope, the decaying time 1- being determined primarily by capacitor C and variable resistor VR.
  • the musical tone signals applied to the input terminal IN are gated and are obtained as rhythm playing signals at the output terminal OUT.
  • FIGS. 4(A) and 4(3) The relationships between the clock pulses in the circuits shown in FIGS. 3(A), 3(8), and 3(C) and the sounding time lengths of the tone signal (or decaying time lengths) are indicated in FIGS. 4(A) and 4(3).
  • FIG. 4(A) indicates the gating manners of the tone keyer 2 illustrates in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(8)
  • FIG. 4(B) indicates the gating manner of the tone keyer 2 shown in FIG. 3(C).
  • symbol character P represents clock pulses of from 2 to 14 Hz (periods: from 500 ms to ms); t denotes the sounding time length; and 1 denotes the decaying time length.
  • charts (a) depict the relationship between the clock pulses and the gating envelopes at a slow tempo
  • chart (b) depicts the relationship between the same parameters at a fast tempo.
  • the sounding time t and the decaying time 1' are constant, irrespective of the magnitude of the rhythm period, that is, unrelated to the tempo.
  • the emitted tones can be clearly and accurately distinguished, and a clear rhythm effect is obtained.
  • the tones emitted are mutually superimposed, and the rhythm sensation is lost.
  • a rhythm which should, in general, impart a buoyant, pleasant sensation to listeners imparts, on the contrary, a heavy, slow sensation, whereby the entire musical rendition effect becomes deficient.
  • an automatic rhythm instrument comprising a clock pulse generator circuit for generating periodic pulses, a tempo control circuit for controlling the pulse generating period of the clock pulse circuit, a rhythm pattern pulse encoder receiving clock pulses from the clock pulse circuit and generating rhythm pattern pulses in accordance with a selection of rhythm kinds,'and tone keyers gated by the rhythm pattern pulses thus generated for a conducting time length controlled by the tempo control circuit and operating to transmit musical tone signals from tone generators only during the conducting time.
  • FIG. I is a block diagram showing the essential organization of one example of a known automatic rhythm instrument
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a clock pulse generator in the instrument illustrated in FIG. 1;
  • FIGS. 3(A), 3(8), and 3(C) are schematic diagrams showing respective examples of tone keyers in the same instrument
  • FIGS. 4(A) and 4(8) are pulse time charts indicating relationships between clock pulsesand tone sounding time lengths in the same instrument
  • FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the essential organization of one example of an automatic rhythm instrument according to the invention.
  • FIGS. 6(A) and 6(8) are schematic diagrams respectively showing examples of the clock pulse generator and the tone keyer in the instrument illustrated in FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 6(A) shows the circuit organization in the case where the tone sounding time length is controlled
  • FIG. 6(B) shows that in the case where the decaying time length is controlled.
  • the clock pulse generator circuit 4 comprises, for example, an astable multivibrator having two transistors Q and 0, By varying the voltage of the base circuits of these transistors by means of the variable resistance VR of the tempo control circuit 3, clock pulses P of different periods can be selectively generated. These clock pulses P are applied to the rhythm pattern pulse encoder 5 and transformed into selected pattern pulse signals in accordance with a desired rhythm.
  • pattern signals are selectively determined beforehand by the musician operating the device in accordance with the musical selection and other factors (as provided in known instruments) and are applied to the trigger input terminal Tl of the tone keyer 2.
  • the one-shot multivibrator in the tone keyer 2 thereby forms pulse signals, in accordance with which the transistor Q (keyer transistor) is caused to assume ON and OFF states.
  • the time-constant circuit (including C, and R,) of the one-shot multivibrator in this case is connected to the sliding contact .of the variable resistance VR in the tempo control circuit 3.
  • the pulse width of the pulse signals formed by the one-shot multivibrator varies depending on the position of the sliding contact of the resistance VR. Accordingly, this position is so set that the ON time of the transistor 0 (this time period becomes the sounding length time) shortens with the tempo control in such a manner that the pulse width becomes small when the tempo is fast.
  • FIG. 6(B) A circuit organization for the case of decaying-time control is shown in FIG. 6(B). This circuit is of the same construction as that depicted in FIG. 3(C) except that a field-effect transistor PET is now included in place of the variable resistor VR'.
  • a field-effect transistor FET is used as a voltage controlled variable resistor in the tone keyer 2 and is of an organization such as to carry out percussive envelopeoperation in accordance with the transmission of the pulse signals from the oneshot multivibrator.
  • the gate of the field-effect transistor FET is in this case connected to the sliding contact of the variable resistance VR of the tempo control circuit 3. For this reason, the internal resistance of the field-effect transistor F ET varies with tempo control by means of the same variable resistance VR.
  • the time required for recovery of the voltage between the terminals of the capacitor C also varies.
  • the decaying time length of the tone keyer 2 becomes as T when the tempo is 7(A)(a), the sounding time length r, is long, while when the tempo is fast as indicated in FIG. 7(A)(b), the sounding time length I, is short.
  • the range of variation of the tempo is more than two times, it will be sufficient in actual practice to vary slow, as indicated in FIG. 7(B)(a), and becomes short as T when the tempo is fast, as indicated in FIG. 7(B)(b).
  • this invention affords variation of the sounding time lengths or decaying time lengths of musical tones to match the tempo of the rhythm, lengthening the time when the tempo is slow, and shortening the time when the tempo is fast.
  • the circuit organization according to this invention is such as to employ circuit components of the same order as those used in known circuits of like class, whereby the device of this invention does not entail high production costs.
  • An automatic rhythm instrument comprising:
  • a clock pulse generator means for generating periodic clock pulses of a tempo
  • a tempo control means for controlling the period of said clock pulses
  • rhythm pattern pulse encoder means connected to said clock pulse generator for generating rhythm pattern pulses
  • tone generator means for generating tone signals
  • tone keyer means connected respectively to said tone generator means and to said rhythm pattern pulse encoder means for gating tone signals in response to said rhythm pattern pulses, said tone keyer means including a controllable time constant'circuit determining the conducting time length of the keyer and permitting each said tone signal to sound for a predetermined time length upon receipt of each said pulse, said time constant circuit being connected with said tempo control means so that said time length thereof is controlled in accordance with the tempo by said tempo control means.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
US00192161A 1970-10-27 1971-10-26 Automatic rhythm instrument Expired - Lifetime US3742112A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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JP45093983A JPS5017246B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-10-27 1970-10-27

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US3742112A true US3742112A (en) 1973-06-26

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3803970A (en) * 1972-04-19 1974-04-16 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Automatic rhythm device with start and stop controller for clock oscillator and a gate
US4018123A (en) * 1975-03-20 1977-04-19 Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha Automatic rhythm performing apparatus capable of expressing stressed and relaxed beats of rhythm

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5388822U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1976-12-22 1978-07-21
JPS5390216U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1976-12-24 1978-07-24

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US26521A (en) * 1859-12-20 pepper
US3358068A (en) * 1964-06-26 1967-12-12 Seeburg Corp Automatic rhythm device
US3482027A (en) * 1965-04-30 1969-12-02 Nippon Columbia Automatic rhythm instrument
US3549774A (en) * 1969-02-12 1970-12-22 Baldwin Co D H Rhythmic accompaniment system employing an asynchronous chain of delay circuits
US3549776A (en) * 1966-07-23 1970-12-22 Nippon Columbia Automatic rhythm player employing photoelectric and electromagnetic matrix elements
US3629480A (en) * 1970-04-10 1971-12-21 Baldwin Co D H Rhythmic accompaniment system employing randomness in rhythm generation

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US26521A (en) * 1859-12-20 pepper
US3358068A (en) * 1964-06-26 1967-12-12 Seeburg Corp Automatic rhythm device
US3482027A (en) * 1965-04-30 1969-12-02 Nippon Columbia Automatic rhythm instrument
US3549776A (en) * 1966-07-23 1970-12-22 Nippon Columbia Automatic rhythm player employing photoelectric and electromagnetic matrix elements
US3549774A (en) * 1969-02-12 1970-12-22 Baldwin Co D H Rhythmic accompaniment system employing an asynchronous chain of delay circuits
US3629480A (en) * 1970-04-10 1971-12-21 Baldwin Co D H Rhythmic accompaniment system employing randomness in rhythm generation

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3803970A (en) * 1972-04-19 1974-04-16 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Automatic rhythm device with start and stop controller for clock oscillator and a gate
US4018123A (en) * 1975-03-20 1977-04-19 Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha Automatic rhythm performing apparatus capable of expressing stressed and relaxed beats of rhythm

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Publication number Publication date
JPS5017246B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-06-19

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