Electronic musical instrument

Claim 2

A musical instrument to be played by a performer comprising, an audio output means, a signal generator producing an output signal including a fundamental frequency and one or more harmonics of that frequency, said signal generator including, an oscillator for producing output signals at a controlled frequency and a coupling means for coupling these signal generator output signals from said signal generator to said audio output means, first and second control means operable by said performer to produce first and second continuously variable control signals, one of said signals being applied to said signal generator to control independently of frequency the harmonic content of the signals from said signal generator and a different one of said signals being applied to said signal generator to control the amplitude of the signals from said signal generator.

Claim 3

A musical instrument as in claim 1 and further including a keying means producing discontinuous output signals in response to the performer''s keying action, said keying means output signals being applied to said oscillator to control the frequency of said oscillator.

Claim 4

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 1 wherein said musical instrument includes a mouthpiece and said first control means comprises an air flow transducer mounted in a mouthpiece.

Claim 5

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 1 wherein said musical instrument includes a mouthpiece and said second control means comprises a transducer mounted on said mouthpiece, said transducer providing output signals which vary in response to changes in the performer''s embouchure.

Claim 6

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 3 wherein said second control means comprises a transducer mounted on said mouthpiece, said transducer providing output signals which vary in accordance with changes in the performer''s lip pressure.

Claim 7

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 2 wherein said musical instrument includes a mouthpiece and said first control means comprises an air flow transducer mounted in said mouthpiece and said second control means comprises a second transducer mounted on said mouthpiece, said second transducer providing output signals which vary in response to changes in the performer''s lip pressure.

Claim 8

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 5 wherein said mouthpiece includes a reed and said second transducer is mounted on said reed to provide output signals varying with variations in position of said reed.

Claim 9

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a comparator, adder combination and a manually adjustable reference voltage, said comparator adder combination being coupled to the output from said oscillator and receiving signals from said manually adjustable reference voltage and from at least one of said first and second control means, the output from said comparator being provided as the output from said signal generator.

Claim 10

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 3 further including a silencing circuit including a signal subtracting element interposed between said air flow transducer and said audio output means, means for providing a subtracting input signal to said subtractor, said subtracting signal varying with variations in the signal from said keying means to said oscillator, thereby subtracting from said air flow transducer signal a signal which varies in accordance with changes in said keying signal.

Claim 11

Circuitry in accordance with claim 9 and further including a series of bandpass filters having variable center frequencies controlled by applied voltages, said filters being arranged such that the center frequencies vary in accordance with variations in said oscillator repetition frequencies.

Claim 12

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 2 wherein said keying means comprises a plurality of keys generally arranged in physical disposition in accordance with a Boehm fingering arrangement and providing output frequencies producing musical notes generally in accordance with a Boehm fingering arrangement, but further including first and second flat keys and first and second sharp keys, the contribution from each of said flat and sharp keys being cumulative with the contributions from the other of said sharp and flat keys, whereby actuating both of said sharp keys or both of said flat keys changes the note designated by the fingering on the remainder of said keys by a full tone.

Claim 13

A musical instrument to be played by a performer comprising, an audio output means, a signal generator producing an output signal of generally triangular waveform including a fundamental frequency and one or more harmonics of that frequency, said signal generator including, an oscillator producing a generally triangular output waveform at a controlled repetition frequency, and a coupling means for coupling the output signal from said signal generator to said audio output means, a first transducer operable by said performer to produce a first continuously variable control signal and a second transducer operable by said performer to produce a second continuously variable control signal, the output from said first transducer being applied to said signal generator to change the shape of the waveform from said oscillator independently of changes in frequency and the output from said second transducer being applied to said signal generator to change the amplitude of the output signal from said oscillator.

Claim 14

A musical instrument to be played by a performer comprising, an audio output means, a signal generator producing an output signal of generally triangular waveform including a fundamental frequency and one or more harmonics of that frequency, said signal generator including, an oscillator producing a generally triangular output waveform at a controlled repetition frequency, and a coupling means for coupling the output signal from said signal generator to said audio output means, a first transducer operable by said performer to produce a first continuously variable control signal and a second transducer operable by said performer to produce a second continuously variable control signal, the output from said first transducer being applied to said signal generator to change the shape of the waveform from said oscillator independently of changes in frequency and the output from said second transducer being applied to said signal generator to change the amplitude of the output signal from said oscillator.

Claim 15

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 12 and further including a keying means operable by the performer and producing output signals coupled to said oscillator to control the repetition frequency produced by said oscillator.

Claim 16

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 12 wherein said signal generator includes a comparator coupled to the output signal from said oscillator and a manually adjustable reference voltage connected to said comparator, and wherein said first transducer output signal is applied to said comparator, said comparator providing a two-level output signal, the duration of the signal at either level being controlled by the signals applied to said comparator.

Claim 17

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 14 wherein the two-level output signal from said comparator is applied to a lag circuit providing a generally triangular output waveform, the ratio of rise time to fall time of said triangular waveform being controlled by the comparative time duration of the output signal from said comparator or at its first and second levels.

Claim 18

A musical instrument to be played by a performer comprising, an audio output means, an oscillator producing output signals at a controlled repetition frequency and having a waveform which includes the fundamental repetition frequency and one or more harmonics of that frequency, oscillator control means operable by said performer for varying the frequency of said oscillator within a predetermined range, a plurality of bandpass filters, with the center frequencies of each of said filters relative to the others remaining in fixed relation, filter control means operable by said performer for varying the center frequencies of all of said filters to track with variations in the frequency of said oscillator, the output of said oscillator being connected to the input to said bandpass filters and the output from said bandpass filters being coupled to said audio output means.

Claim 19

A musical instrument to be played by a performer comprising, an audio output means, an oscillator producing output signals at a controlled repetition frequency and having a waveform which includes the fundamental repetition frequency and one or more harmonics of that frequency, oscillator control means operable by said performer for varying the frequency of said oscillator within a predetermined range, a plurality of bandpass filters, with the center frequencies of each of said filters relative to the others remaining in fixed relation, filter control means operable by said performer for varying the center frequencies of all of said filters to track with variations in the frequency of said oscillator, the output of said oscillator being connected to the input to said bandpass filters and the output from said bandpass filters being coupled to said audio output means.

Claim 20

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 16 wherein said oscillator control means comprises, a mouthpiece transducer generating control signals varying in response to variations in the performer''s embouchure, keying means producing output signals in response to the performers keying action, and combining means for combinIng said mouthpiece transducer signal and said keying means output signal to generate the oscillator control signal.

Claim 21

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 17 wherein said mouthpiece transducer signal is added to said keying signal in weighted proportion for controlling the repetition frequency of said oscillator.

Claim 22

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 17 wherein said filter control means includes a time delay circuit positioned between said filter control means and said filters for varying the time response characteristic of said control means.

Claim 23

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 16 and further including a mouthpiece having an air flow transducer responsive to variation in performer''s breath blown into said mouthpiece to produce output signals and wherein said musical instrument further includes a modulating element, the output signals from said bandpass filters being applied as one input to said modulating element and the output signal from said air flow transducer being applied as a second input to said modulator, thereby providing an output signal to said audio output means having an amplitude varying in accordance with variations in the amplitude of the output signal from said first transducer.

Claim 24

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 17 and further including a mouthpiece having an air flow transducer responsive to variation in performer''s breath blown into said mouthpiece to produce output signals and wherein said musical instrument further includes a modulating element, the output signals from said bandpass filters being applied as one input to said modulating element and the output signal from said air flow transducer being applied as a second input to said modulator, thereby providing an output signal to said audio output means having an amplitude varying in accordance with variations in the amplitude of the output signal from said first transducer.

Claim 25

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 21 and further including an overtone circuit for generating, in response to signals from either said air flow transducer or said embouchure transducer, a series of overtone components according to a predetermined function and combining means for combining said overtone components with the output signals from said filters.

Claim 26

A musical instrument in accordance with claim 22 wherein said overtone circuit comprises a plurality of function fitter elements and a corresponding plurality of multipliers, each function fitter providing its output signal as one input to a corresponding one of said multipliers, second inputs to each of said multipliers being supplied from corresponding ones of said bandpass filters, and means for supplying as input voltage signals to said function fitter a signal which is a combination of the output signal from said air flow transducer and said embouchure transducer.

Claim 27

Circuitry for use in a musical instrument to be played by a performer, said instrument including audio output means and providing control signals in the form of at least two continuously variable DC voltages, which are varied in response to actions of said performer, comprising, an oscillator producing output signals at a repetition frequency controlled by one of said control signals, a comparator coupled to said oscillator and providing output signals to said audio output means having a repetition frequency controlled by said oscillator and a wave shape controlled by another of said control signals.

Claim 28

Circuitry for use in a musical instrument to be played by a performer, said instrument including audio output means and providing control signals in the form of at least two continuously variable DC voltages, which are varied in response to actions of said performer, comprising, an oscillator producing output signals at a repetition frequency controlled by one of said control signals, a comparator coupled to said oscillator and providing output signals to said audio output means having a repetition frequency controlled by said oscillator and a wave shape controlled by another of said control signals.