Control device for performance effects of an electronic musical instrument

Claim 2

In an electronic musical instrument having a keyboard, a keybed below said keyboard, and performance effect circuitry; a control device for controlling said performance effect circuits comprising: a photoelectric conversion element disposed on the underside of said keybed; a light source located in the front of the bottom part of said musical instrument projecting a light beam to said photoelectric conversion element, said light beam being positioned to be interrupted solely by a member of the body of a player to vary the intensity of thE light reaching said photoelectric conversion element, said photoelectric conversion element exhibiting an internal resistance which varies in response to the intensity of the light projected thereon; and a control circuit connected to said photoelectric conversion element and coupled with said performance effect circuitry for selectively rendering said performance effect circuitry operative and inoperative according to the internal resistance of said photoelectric conversion element.

Claim 3

A control device according to claim 1 wherein said control circuit includes a transistor having a collector, an emitter and a base; first and second power source terminals; a relay having a coil and contacts, said coil being connected between said collector and said first power source terminal, and said contacts being coupled to said performance effect circuitry; a first resistor connected between said emitter and said second power source terminal; and a second resistor connected between said base and said first power source terminal; said photoelectric conversion element being connected between said base and said second power source terminal.

Claim 4

A control device according to claim 2 wherein said performance effect circuitry comprises a sustain keyer including a selector switch which is closed during a non-selected time, said relay having a normally closed contact which is connected in parallel to said selector switch.

Claim 5

A control device according to claim 2 wherein said performance effect circuitry comprises a vibrato oscillator including a selector switch which is opened during a non-selected time, said relay having a normally open contact connected in series with said selector switch, the output from said vibrato oscillator being coupled out serially through said selector switch and said normally open contact.

Claim 6

A control device according to claim 2 wherein said performance effect circuitry comprises a reverberation circuit including a selector switch which is opened during a non-selected time, said relay having a normally open contact connected in series with said selector switch, the output from said reverberation circuit being coupled out serially through said selector switch and said normally open contact.

Claim 7

A control device according to claim 1, wherein said performance effect circuitry comprises a plurality of performance effect circuits and selecting means coupled to said circuits for selective performance of a performance effect when said circuitry is rendered operative by said control circuit.

Claim 8

A control device according to claim 2, wherein said performance effect circuitry comprises a plurality of performance effect circuits, one of said performance effect circuits being a sustain keyer including a selector switch which is closed during a non-selected time, said relay having a normally closed contact which is connected in parallel to said selector switch; another of said performance effect circuits being a vibrato oscillator including a selector switch which is opened during a non-selected time, said relay having a normally open contact connected in series with said vibrato oscillator selector switch, the output from said vibrato oscillator being coupled out serially through said vibrato oscillator selector switch and said normally open contact; and another of said performance effect circuits being a reverberation circuit including a selector switch which is opened during a non-selected time, said relay having a normally open contact connected in series with said reverberation circuit selector switch, the output from said reverberation circuit being coupled out serially through said reverberation circuit selector switch and said normally open contact.