US3832479A - Electronic apparatus for programmed automatic playing of musical accompaniment systems - Google Patents

Electronic apparatus for programmed automatic playing of musical accompaniment systems Download PDF

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Publication number
US3832479A
US3832479A US00329640A US32964073A US3832479A US 3832479 A US3832479 A US 3832479A US 00329640 A US00329640 A US 00329640A US 32964073 A US32964073 A US 32964073A US 3832479 A US3832479 A US 3832479A
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group
output
notes
played
gate means
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US00329640A
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L Aliprandi
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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
    • G10H1/36—Accompaniment arrangements
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S84/00—Music
    • Y10S84/12—Side; rhythm and percussion devices

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT An electronic circuit or apparatus which, when properly combined with a keyboard electronic instrument of the button or similar type, allows automatic and programmable playing of musical accompaniments including basses, chords, arpeggio and scales, formed by notes and/or groups of notes played in periodical succession, all of which is correlated by a programmed rhythmical control.
  • the present invention makes use of one of the numerous and wellknown systems of automatic cycle timers which controls the operation of appropriate gates through which sounds are sent to the output of an amplification circuit. These sounds are of different origins, made up of noises selected from frequencies or groups of frequencies corresponding to notes of the instruments scale.
  • a first group of gate controls a group of selected noise, whose combination according to programmes established by the designer, provide rhythm accompaniments such as Waltz, Bossanova, March or others.
  • a second group of gates controls the output production of single notes, groups of notes and the octave in accordance with the preset programme.
  • a musician using an electronic musical instrument of the keyboard, button or similar type, and including circuits of the type of the present invention has the possibility of playing at the same time, a simple chord on the accompaniment manual, for instance C-E-G, either continuously or rhythmically and at the same time the three single notes of the chord taken one at a time according to a predetermined sequence can be played over a range of four octaves, extendable to 5 octaves.
  • This sequence therefore, allows the musician to obtain either ascending and/or descending scales and/or 'arpeggios or octaves, by preferably using. the medium-treble area of the range of frequencies available.
  • This sequence can also provide bass accomnized so as to have a musically valid combination.
  • Tone generators providing the signal sources are indicated at 10.
  • Tone generators providing the signal sources are indicated at 10.
  • they consist of twelve oscillators which supply the frequencies relative to the highest octave of the instrument and of twelve chains of many dividers each one formed by as many dividers as the frequencies necessitate to cover thewhole extension of the organ or other instrument.
  • the frequencies required for the accompaniment section of the keyboard 11 go from C, 1046 Hz, to G, 3136 Hz, while the frequencies sent to the treble section of the keyboard 12 can be as desired and depend upon the type of organ with which the circuits relative to this invention are combined.
  • Keyboard 11 and 12 can be separate or aligned.
  • the signals selected on the treble keyboard 12 pass through the treble filters l3 and then are properly amplified by the power amplifier in the output unit 14 and come out of the loudspeaker 15. Since this invention is only concerned with possible accompaniments that can be obtained from the accompaniment section of the keyboard 11, any changes in the basic diagram of the treble section do not alter the present invention.
  • the accompaniment keyboard section 11 includes the following circuits: an output circuit 20 where contemporarily all the signals corresponding to all the keys played appear; a rectifier circuit included in the keyboard section 11 whose output is 19, driven by the same signal that appears at circuit 20, which at the output gives an S signal in DC whose use shall be seen further on; three perferential selection devices 16,17,18 such that whatever keys are played, their outputs are respectively, frequency fl, corresponding to the key depressed first from the left, f2 corresponding to the key depressed second from the left, and f3 corresponding to the key depressed first from the right.
  • the S signal in DC is obtained which triggers the cyclical programmer 21.
  • the programmer 21 can be realized in one of the many well known ways, for example with a low frequency oscillator followed by a chain of dividers, whose outputs are decoded by means of a diode matrix. The outputs of a first matrix are then used by a second much more complex matrix to obtain programmed successions of pulses, which make up the outputs of the cyclical programmer.
  • the two aforementioned matrixes can be substituted by a read only memory, or all the programmer, excluding' the oscillator, can be substituted with an LSl circuit.
  • One such embodiment can be realized by utilizing a pulse oscillator connected to a chain of five frequency dividers.
  • the dividers can be made up of an integrated circuit TTL Dual 3+1 Flip Flop with clear, as for example type SN29722N produced by Texas instruments Incorporated.
  • the output of the dividers are fed to a read only memory of the type TMS2700 produced by Texas instruments incorporated.
  • the programmer can be similar to the rhythm programmer described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,838.
  • Some of the cyclical progammer 21 outputs are used to control, according to prefixed rhythmic patterns, the selected noise generators 22 made up of the type of circuits which are frequently used in electronic musical instruments and for example of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,984 to W. V. Machanian.
  • the rhythmiecombination thus realized appears, through a manually operated output selector 23, at the amplifier l4 and from there to the loudspeaker 15.
  • the sequences of pulses that appear at the output of the programmer 21 have been fixed when designed and depend on the taste of the designer. The player has the possibility of choosing in time the sequence which he prefers out of those available on the programmer by operating manual controls which are part of the programmer itself 21.
  • Each one of the aforesaid gates, for example gate 25, is made up by well known circuits, as for example the SN 7400, produced by Texas Instruments Incorporated integrated circuit and derived circuit, which are part of the TTL family and has the particularity of allowing to pass to its output the information applied at its input, only when a certain DC. signal appears on the control lead. In the absence of the control signal, no information can pass through the gate.
  • Another particularity of these gates is that their opening and closing times can be regulated as desired by the designer, therefore, the gate controlled signals acquire extremely variable attack and decay characteristics.
  • f1, f2 and 13 at either their nominal frequencies or at a frequencies which are one, two or three octaves lower, according to the control program of gates 49, 50, 51 and 52.
  • the signals thus selected bypass the divider 53 when the switch 54 is closed, or are again divided by two when the switch is open.
  • Such signals which according to the program with which gates 41, 42, 43, 49, 50, 51, 52 are controlled, make up an ascending or descending musical scale or arpeggio and enter through an ON/OFF control 55 into the filters 56 and from these pass to the amplifier l4 and then to the loudspeaker 15.
  • Frequencies f1 and f3 which appear at the outputs of the preferential selection circuits l6 and 18 respectively, appear at the inputs of the gates 28 and 29, which are alternatively energized by the programmer 21 according to predetermined patterns. At point 31, therefore, alternatively appear f1 and f3, which are then divided by two, four and eight by the chain of dividers 32, 33 and 34. At point 40 there appears fl and f3 alternatively, either at their nominal frequencies or at frequencies one, two or three octaves lower, according to the control program of the gates 30, 35, 36 and 37.
  • the signals thus selected which make up a bass accompaniment dependent on the program with which gates 28, 29, 30, 35, 36, 37 are controlled, enter through an ON/OF F control 38 into the filters 39 and from these pass to the amplifier 14 and thereon to the loudspeaker l5.
  • An electronic apparatus for use with an electronic musical instrument having signal generators for providing signal sources representative of the notes of the musical scale, at least an accompaniment keyboard for selecting note signals to be played, and output reproduction means for accoustically reproducing the notes, said apparatus comprising: at least four preferential selection circuit means (16,l7,18,20) coupled to said accompaniment keyboard and adapted to supply respectively at least the lowest note played, the note following the lowest note played, the highest note played and the mixture of all the notes played, when a group of any number of notes are played simultaneously on said accompaniment keyboard; chord gate means (25) receiving said mixture of all the notes played from the associated preferential selection means (20) and coupling it to the output reproduction means; a first group of gate means (41,42,43) each receiving respectively one of the outputs, other than said mixture of all the notes played, from the associated preferential selection circuit means (16,17,18): a first divider means (45,46,47) receiving the outputs from said first group of gates and dividing, in stages, the frequencies of the signals received, by successive powers of

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
US00329640A 1972-03-01 1973-02-05 Electronic apparatus for programmed automatic playing of musical accompaniment systems Expired - Lifetime US3832479A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT48667/72A IT949635B (it) 1972-03-01 1972-03-01 Apparato elettronico per esecuzione automatica programmabile di sistemi di accompagnamento musicale

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US3832479A true US3832479A (en) 1974-08-27

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US00329640A Expired - Lifetime US3832479A (en) 1972-03-01 1973-02-05 Electronic apparatus for programmed automatic playing of musical accompaniment systems

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US (1) US3832479A (it)
CA (1) CA986753A (it)
DE (1) DE2307420A1 (it)
GB (1) GB1425711A (it)
IT (1) IT949635B (it)
NL (1) NL7302143A (it)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3972258A (en) * 1973-11-07 1976-08-03 Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha Automatic rhythm performance system
US4038896A (en) * 1975-09-05 1977-08-02 Faulkner Alfred H Electronic organ with multi-pitch note generators
US4106385A (en) * 1975-10-06 1978-08-15 Thomas International Corporation Digital arpeggio generating device
US4476763A (en) * 1979-04-12 1984-10-16 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Electronic musical instrument

Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3470306A (en) * 1965-07-01 1969-09-30 Baldwin Co D H Bass register keying system
US3558794A (en) * 1965-07-01 1971-01-26 Baldwin Co D H Bass register keying system
US3567838A (en) * 1969-11-12 1971-03-02 Hammond Corp Musical instrument rhythm system having provision for introducing automatically selected chord components
US3585891A (en) * 1969-05-23 1971-06-22 Wurlitzer Co An electronic rhythm generator particularly suitable for integrated circuitry
US3624263A (en) * 1970-02-16 1971-11-30 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Electronic musical instrument with automatic bass performance circuitry
US3646242A (en) * 1970-03-16 1972-02-29 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Automatic rhythm instrument with cycle-end termination circuit
US3697664A (en) * 1969-12-10 1972-10-10 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Electronic musical instrument having automatic bass tone selector
US3707594A (en) * 1970-03-10 1972-12-26 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Automatic rhythm sound producing device adapted for use with keyboard musical instruments
US3708602A (en) * 1969-10-29 1973-01-02 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg An electronic organ with automatic chord and bass systems
US3711618A (en) * 1971-02-22 1973-01-16 A Freeman Automatic harmony apparatus
US3712950A (en) * 1970-12-14 1973-01-23 A Freeman Automatic bass from chord apparatus
US3715442A (en) * 1970-12-15 1973-02-06 A Freeman Chord tone generator control system

Patent Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3470306A (en) * 1965-07-01 1969-09-30 Baldwin Co D H Bass register keying system
US3558794A (en) * 1965-07-01 1971-01-26 Baldwin Co D H Bass register keying system
US3585891A (en) * 1969-05-23 1971-06-22 Wurlitzer Co An electronic rhythm generator particularly suitable for integrated circuitry
US3708602A (en) * 1969-10-29 1973-01-02 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg An electronic organ with automatic chord and bass systems
US3567838A (en) * 1969-11-12 1971-03-02 Hammond Corp Musical instrument rhythm system having provision for introducing automatically selected chord components
US3697664A (en) * 1969-12-10 1972-10-10 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Electronic musical instrument having automatic bass tone selector
US3624263A (en) * 1970-02-16 1971-11-30 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Electronic musical instrument with automatic bass performance circuitry
US3707594A (en) * 1970-03-10 1972-12-26 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Automatic rhythm sound producing device adapted for use with keyboard musical instruments
US3646242A (en) * 1970-03-16 1972-02-29 Nippon Musical Instruments Mfg Automatic rhythm instrument with cycle-end termination circuit
US3712950A (en) * 1970-12-14 1973-01-23 A Freeman Automatic bass from chord apparatus
US3715442A (en) * 1970-12-15 1973-02-06 A Freeman Chord tone generator control system
US3711618A (en) * 1971-02-22 1973-01-16 A Freeman Automatic harmony apparatus

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3972258A (en) * 1973-11-07 1976-08-03 Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha Automatic rhythm performance system
US4038896A (en) * 1975-09-05 1977-08-02 Faulkner Alfred H Electronic organ with multi-pitch note generators
US4106385A (en) * 1975-10-06 1978-08-15 Thomas International Corporation Digital arpeggio generating device
US4476763A (en) * 1979-04-12 1984-10-16 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Electronic musical instrument

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA986753A (en) 1976-04-06
NL7302143A (it) 1973-09-04
DE2307420A1 (de) 1973-09-06
IT949635B (it) 1973-06-11
GB1425711A (en) 1976-02-18

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