US3567838A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Musical instrument rhythm system having provision for introducing automatically selected chord components
Assignee: Marmon Co
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Filing: 1969-11-12
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Granted: 1971-03-02
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Expires: 1989-11-12
Abstract
Abstract An organ rhythm system of the automatic programmed type which at the various beats in a measure or between beats can give automatically the chord being played and/or the root and the fifth of the chord as bass notes, or a musically acceptable substitute intermixed as desired with selected noise type sounds present simultaneously or as other beats. The root and fifth bass notes or the equivalents for this purpose are obtained respectively by frequency division and wave shaping of signals obtained from a low note select and a high note select preference circuit operating over the compass of the accompaniment section of the instrument. Other automatic musical responses are also available from the high and low note select preference circuits and the chord circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles J Tennes
- 👤 Donald R Kern
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:04
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
In an electrical musical instrument of the keyboard type, means providing a plurality of signal sources representative of notes of the musical scale, an output system, an accompaniment keyboard, a chord lead, a high note select lead and a low note select lead, said keyboard connecting said signal sources selectively to said chord lead according to keys played, a preference system actuated by said accompaniment keyboard, said preference system adapted to supply the note signal for the highest playing key of a group of any number of keys played simultaneously in said accompaniment section to said high note select lead and the lowest note of said group to said low note select lead, means for dividing the frequencies of the signals on said high and low note select leads to provide high and low note suboctave bass signals, control means connecting said high note suboctave signal and said low note suboctave signal and the mixed signal from said accompaniment keyboard individually to said output system, an automatic rhythm programmer, said automatic rhythm programmer being adapted to actuate said control means to connect said chord lead, said low note suboctave lead and said high note suboctave lead selectively to the output system cyclically and automatically according to a preset program.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
In an electrical musical instrument of the keyboard type, means providing a plurality of signal sources representative of notes of the musical scale, an output system, an accompaniment keyboard, a chord lead, a high note select lead and a low note select lead, said keyboard connecting said signal sources selectively to said chord lead according to keys played, a preference system actuated by said accompaniment keyboard, said preference system adapted to supply the note signal for the highest playing key of a group of any number of keys played simultaneously in said accompaniment section to said high note select lead and the lowest note of said group to said low note select lead, means for dividing the frequencies of the signals on said high and low note select leads to provide high and low note suboctave bass signals, control means connecting said high note suboctave signal and said low note suboctave signal and the mixed signal from said accompaniment keyboard individually to said output system, an automatic rhythm programmer, said automatic rhythm programmer being adapted to actuate said control means to connect said chord lead, said low note suboctave lead and said high note suboctave lead selectively to the output system cyclically and automatically according to a preset program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system called for in claim 1 including additional control means, said additional control means connecting said high note select and said low note select leads individually to said output system, and means actuated by said automatic programmer for selectively actuating said additional control means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system called for in claim 1 including means for producing a plurality of noise type rhythm voices depending upon which of several leads thereto receive a control signal, said programmer being adapted to supply control signals selectively to the last said leads according to a preselected program.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system called for in claim 1 in which the frequency dividing means for providing both of said suboctave bass signals divides by four.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system called for in claim 1 in which the frequency dividing means for the high note and low note divides by two and by four and in which there are signal leads for the high and low notes the high and low notes one octave down, and the high and low notes two octaves down.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 in which in addition to the chord output called for there is an octavely related chord output and in which the octavely related chord output is also controlled by the automatic programmer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
131 words
In an electrical musical instrument, means providing a plurality of tone signal sources representative of notes of the musical scale, an output system, a chord lead, a high note select lead, a low note select lead, manual means adapted when actuated to supply selected signals from several of said sources simultaneously to said chord lead, a preference system actuated by said manual means, said preference system adapted to supply the note signal for the highest of the group of note signals supplied simultaneously to said high note select lead and the note signal for the lowest note of said group to said low note select lead, and selectively actuated means for connecting said chord lead, said high note select lead and said low note select lead selectively to said output system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
131 words
In an electrical musical instrument, means providing a plurality of tone signal sources representative of notes of the musical scale, an output system, a chord lead, a high note select lead, a low note select lead, manual means adapted when actuated to supply selected signals from several of said sources simultaneously to said chord lead, a preference system actuated by said manual means, said preference system adapted to supply the note signal for the highest of the group of note signals supplied simultaneously to said high note select lead and the note signal for the lowest note of said group to said low note select lead, and selectively actuated means for connecting said chord lead, said high note select lead and said low note select lead selectively to said output system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The musical instrument called for in claim 7 in which said high note select lead and said low note select lead include means for dividing the frequency by two.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The musical instrument called for in claim 7 in which said high note select lead and said low note select lead include means for dividing the frequency by four.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The musical instrument called for in claim 7 in which said high note select lead and said low note select lead have branches, and in which said branches include means for dividing the frequency by two, and means for selectively connecting said branches to the output system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The musical instrument called for in claim 10 in which said branches have additional branches and in which said additional branches have means for additionally dividing the frequency by two, and means for selectively connecting said additional branches to the output system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-01 | 1974-08-31 | 1975-03-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-01 | 1978-08-31 | 1979-03-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-01 | 1982-08-31 | 1983-03-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |