Electronic organ having delayed fill in

Claim 2

That method of operating an electronic organ in which at least one fill note sounds in the treble portion of a composition when a key of each of the solo and accompaniment keyboards of the organ are jointly depressed, said fill note comprising a note within an octave range below the note which corresponds to the depressed solo key and harmonically related to the notes corresponding to the depressed solo and accompaniment keys, said method comprising delaying the sounding of the said fill note for a predetermined and audibly discernable time interval after the sounding of the notes corresponding to the depressed keys.

Claim 3

That method according to claim 1 in which said time interval is greater than the time interval between the depressing of keys of the solo keyboard when the keys are actuated in rapid succession whereby the fill notes will not sound when playing rapid arpeggios and glissando and like musical figures involving the actuation of keys in rapid succession.

Claim 4

That method of operating an organ having solo and accompaniment keyboards with each key of the solo keyboard when depressed causing substantially instantaneous sounding of a respective note while depression of a key of a predetermined group of the keys of the accompaniment keyboard causes substantially instantaneous sounding of the notes of a respective chord, said method enhancing the sound of the organ while simplifying the playing thereof, said method comprising; causing the sounding of at least one fill note within the range of an octave below the note corresponding to tHe key depressed in the solo keyboard when a key of each of said solo keyboard and one of said group of keys of said accompaniment manual are in depressed position at the same time, said fill note being harmonically related to the note corresponding to the depressed solo key and to the chord corresponding to the depressed accompaniment key, and delaying the sounding of said fill note for an audibly discernable period of time following the last depressed one of said solo and accompaniment keys.

Claim 5

That method of operating an organ having solo and accompaniment keyboards with each key of the solo keyboard when depressed causing substantially instantaneous sounding of a respective note while depression of a key of a predetermined group of the keys of the accompaniment keyboard causes substantially instantaneous sounding of the notes of a respective chord, said method enhancing the sound of the organ while simplifying the playing thereof, said method comprising; causing the sounding of at least one fill note within the range of an octave below the note corresponding to tHe key depressed in the solo keyboard when a key of each of said solo keyboard and one of said group of keys of said accompaniment manual are in depressed position at the same time, said fill note being harmonically related to the note corresponding to the depressed solo key and to the chord corresponding to the depressed accompaniment key, and delaying the sounding of said fill note for an audibly discernable period of time following the last depressed one of said solo and accompaniment keys.

Claim 6

That method according to claim 3 which includes preventing said fill note from sounding when more than a single one of said group of keys of the accompaniment manual is in depressed position at the same time.

Claim 7

In an electronic organ having a tone generator with a plurality of terminals at respective tone signal frequencies, an electroacoustic transducer, and solo and accompaniment manuals each having keys; a plurality of normally nonconductive first keyers connecting respective terminals of said generator to said transducer and each going to conduction in response to the depressing of a respective key of said solo manual, gate means having outputs connected to at least some of said first keyers and causing the said first keyers to go to conduction when enabling signals are supplied to the inputs of the gate means, each gate means having one input which receives an enabling signal in response to the depression of a respective key of said accompaniment manual and a second input which receives an enabling signal in response to the depression of a respective key of said solo manual other than the key which normally causes the respective first keyer to go to conduction whereby each gate means is enabled in response to the joint depression of a key of each manual, and time delay means operatively connected to said gate means and operable to delay the response to said first keyers to the joint depression of a solo key and an accompaniment key for a predetermined and audibly discernable time period after the last depressed one of the keys which cause the supply of enabling signals to the inputs of the respective gate means.

Claim 8

In an electronic organ having a tone generator with a plurality of terminals at respective tone signal frequencies, an electroacoustic transducer, and solo and accompaniment manuals each having keys; a plurality of normally nonconductive first keyers connecting respective terminals of said generator to said transducer and each going to conduction in response to the depressing of a respective key of said solo manual, gate means having outputs connected to at least some of said first keyers and causing the said first keyers to go to conduction when enabling signals are supplied to the inputs of the gate means, each gate means having one input which receives an enabling signal in response to the depression of a respective key of said accompaniment manual and a second input which receives an enabling signal in response to the depression of a respective key of said solo manual other than the key which normally causes the respective first keyer to go to conduction whereby each gate means is enabled in response to the joint depression of a key of each manual, and time delay means operatively connected to said gate means and operable to delay the response to said first keyers to the joint depression of a solo key and an accompaniment key for a predetermined and audibly discernable time period after the last depressed one of the keys which cause the supply of enabling signals to the inputs of the respective gate means.

Claim 9

An electronic organ according to claim 5 in which each said gate means comprises a group of gates each having one input connected to receive an enabling signal from a respective key of at least a predetermined group of keys of the accompaniment manual and another input connected to receive an enabling signal from a respective key of said solo manual.

Claim 10

An electronic organ according to claim 6 which includes a control gate for each group of gates, each control gate having an output connected to the said one input of each gate of the respective said group of gates and an input connected to receive an enabling signal in response to the depression of the respective said accompaniment manual key, and selector switch means having one position wherein an enabling signal is supplied to the other input of all of said control gates and a second position in which the enabling signal to the other input of said control gates is interrupted.

Claim 11

An electronic organ according to claim 5 which includes a plurality of second keyers connecting respective terminals of said generator to said transducer and each going to conduction in response to the depression of a respective key of said accompaniment manual, a plurality of third keyers each connecting a respective group of terminals of said generator to said transducer and each going to conduction in response to the depression of a respective key of a predetermined group of the keys of said accompaniment manual, the tone signals controlled by each of said third keyers being related as chords, said one input of said gate means receiving an enabling signal in response to the depression of a key of said predetermined group of keys of said accompaniment manual, and selector switch means having one position in which said second keyers go conductive in response to the depressing of the respective keys of said aCcompaniment manual and a second position in which said third keyer means go to conduction in response to the depressing of respective keys of said predetermined group of keys.

Claim 12

An electronic organ according to claim 8 in which each said first keyer and each said second keyer and each said third keyer means has a control terminal, a first switch means operated by each key of the solo manual and each connected to the control terminal of a respective said first keyer, a second switch means operated by each key of the accompaniment manual and each connected to the control terminal of a respective said second keyer, each of said second switch means operated by the keys of said predetermined group of keys of the accompaniment manual also being connected to the control terminal of a respective said third keyer, selector switch means having a first position in which said second switch means are effective for controlling said second keyers and a second piston in which the said second switch means operated by said group of keys are effective for controlling said third keyers, and means connected to said gate means and selectively operable for making said gate means responsive to the depressison of keys of said accompaniment manual only when said second switch means is in said second position thereof.

Claim 13

An electronic organ according to claim 9 in which said gate means comprises a group of gates for each key of said predetermined group of keys, a control gate for each said group of gates having an output connected to the said one inputs of the gate of the respective group of gates and one input connected to the respective said second switch means, and selector switch means connected to the other input of all of said control gates and selectively operable for supplying an enabling signal to said other inputs of said control gates simultaneously.

Claim 14

An electronic organ according to claim 10 in which each said control gate has one input connected to the respective second switch means to receive an enabling signal therefrom when the respective key is depressed, said selector switch means comprising a single switch connected to second inputs of all of said control gates and having one position wherein disabling signals are supplied to all of said second inputs of said control gates and a second position in which enabling signals are supplied to all of said second inputs of said control gates.

Claim 15

An electronic organ according to claim 5 in which the first keyers to which the outputs of respective ones of said gate means are connected are in the octave next below the note corresponding to the said solo manual key which is jointly effective for enabling the respective gate means.

Claim 16

An electronic organ according to claim 5 which includes means operable in response to the depressing of more than one of said accompaniment manual keys for making said gate means ineffective for controlling said first keyers.

Claim 17

An electronic organ according to claim 5 which includes means for adjusting the duration of the delay of said time delay means.

Claim 18

An electronic organ according to claim 5 in which said time delay means comprises a circuit which normally supplies an enabling signal to the gate means input to which it is connected and becomes effective for an adjustable period of time following the actuation of a key of either of said solo and accompaniment manuals for supplying a disabling signal to the respective gate means input.

Claim 19

An electronic organ accoding to claim 7 in which said selector means includes a further gate connected in controlling relation to all of said control gates, said time delay means being connected to an input of said further gate.

Claim 20

An electronic organ according to claim 7 in which said selector means includes a further gate having an output connected to an input of each of said control gates, a selector switch connected to one input of said further gate for selectively supplying an enabling signal thereto, said time delay meaNs being connected to the other input of said further gate.

Claim 21

An electronic organ according to claim 17 in which said other input of said further gate is normally supplied with an enabling signal, said time delay means when actuated by the depressing of said keys making said enabling signal ineffective for a predetermined period of time thereby disabling said further gate and said control gates for the said period of time.

Claim 22

An electronic organ according to claim 5 in which said predetermined period of time is longer than the interval between successive notes when the keys are depressed in rapid succession.

Claim 23

An electronic organ according to claim 5 in which each said gate means is a two input gate.

Claim 24

An electronic organ according to claim 7 in which each control gate is a two input gate.

Claim 25

An electronic organ according to claim 9 in which each said first switch is connected to an input of at least one of the said gates corresponding to each of said chord playing keys, the output of each such gate being connected to at least two of said first keyers in the octave which includes the first keyer connected to the said first switch whereby for every chord played at least two fill-in notes are played after said time delay period for each key of the solo keyboard which is depressed while a chord playing key is depressed.

Claim 26

An electronic organ according to claim 22 in which the note pertaining to said first switch is at the top of the octave and said fill-in notes are at lower pitches than the note pertaining to said first switch.

Claim 27

In an electronic organ having a tone generator with a plurality of output terminals for supplying an electroacoustic transducer, first normally conductive keyer means connecting said terminals to said transducer, said organ comprising playing keys in the form of solo, accompaniment and pedal keyboards, each key of said keyboards when depressed normally causing a respective first keyer means connected to a respective terminal of said tone generator to go conductive, second normally nonconductive keyer means connecting groups of said terminals to said electroacoustic transducer, selector switch means having a position in which the keys of said accompaniment keyboard are disabled for causing the pertaining first keyer means to go to conduction while enabling predetermined ones thereof forming chord playing keys for causing respective said second keyer means to go to conduction, each said chord playing key when effective for causing a said second keyer means to go to conduction and each key of said solo keyboard jointly causing a first keyer means for at least one tone in the octave next below the respective key of said solo keyboard and musically related to the chord corresponding to the respective chord playing key to go to conduction when the said keys are depressed, and time delay means connected to said jointly controlled first keyer means and operable for delaying the response of said jointly controlled first keyer means to a condition of joint actuation of a key of said solo keyboard and a said chord playing key of said accompaniment keyboard, said time delay means having a control terminal connected to receive a signal from the last actuated one of said jointly actuated keys for initiating said time delay, said time delay being audibly discernable.

Claim 28

In an electronic organ having a tone generator with a plurality of output terminals for supplying an electroacoustic transducer, first normally conductive keyer means connecting said terminals to said transducer, said organ comprising playing keys in the form of solo, accompaniment and pedal keyboards, each key of said keyboards when depressed normally causing a respective first keyer means connected to a respective terminal of said tone generator to go conductive, second normally nonconductive keyer means connecting groups of said terminals to said electroacoustic transducer, selector switch means having a position in which the keys of said accompaniment keyboard are disabled for causing the pertaining first keyer means to go to conduction while enabling predetermined ones thereof forming chord playing keys for causing respective said second keyer means to go to conduction, each said chord playing key when effective for causing a said second keyer means to go to conduction and each key of said solo keyboard jointly causing a first keyer means for at least one tone in the octave next below the respective key of said solo keyboard and musically related to the chord corresponding to the respective chord playing key to go to conduction when the said keys are depressed, and time delay means connected to said jointly controlled first keyer means and operable for delaying the response of said jointly controlled first keyer means to a condition of joint actuation of a key of said solo keyboard and a said chord playing key of said accompaniment keyboard, said time delay means having a control terminal connected to receive a signal from the last actuated one of said jointly actuated keys for initiating said time delay, said time delay being audibly discernable.

Claim 29

In an electronic organ having a tone generator with a plurality of terminals at respective tone signal frequencies, an electroacoustic transducer, first keyers connected between individual terminals of said tone generator and said electroacoustic transducer and actuatable for keying solo notes, second keyers connected between individual terminals of said tone generator and said electroascoustic transducer and individually actuatable for keying accompaniment notes, and third keyers connected between groups of terminals of said tone generator means and said electroacoustic means and actuatable for keying accompaniment chords, solo playing keys each opeRable to actuate a respective first keyer, accompaniment playing keys each operable to actuate a respective second keyer, predetermined ones of said accompaniment playing keys forming chord playing keys and each operable to actuate a respective third keyer, a selector switch having a first position wherein said accompaniment manual keys are effective for actuating said second keyers and a second position wherein said chord playing keys are effective for actuating said third keyers, means operable in response to the joint actuation of a chord playing key and a solo playing key when said selector switch is in said second position for actuating at least two of said first keyers other than the one pertaining to the actuated solo playing key said two of said first keyers pertaining to tones musically related to the tone pertaining to the actuated solo playing key and to the chord pertaining to the actuated chord playing key, and time delay means connected to said first keyers and operable in response to the actuation of either of a solo key or a chord playing accompaniment key for delaying the response of said two of said first keyers to a condition of joint actuation of a said solo key and a said chord playing accompaniment key.

Claim 30

In an electronic organ having a tone generator with a plurality of terminals at respective tone signal frequencies, an electroacoustic transducer, first keyers connected between individual terminals of said tone generator and said electroacoustic transducer and actuatable for keying solo notes, second keyers connected between individual terminals of said tone generator and said electroascoustic transducer and individually actuatable for keying accompaniment notes, and third keyers connected between groups of terminals of said tone generator means and said electroacoustic means and actuatable for keying accompaniment chords, solo playing keys each opeRable to actuate a respective first keyer, accompaniment playing keys each operable to actuate a respective second keyer, predetermined ones of said accompaniment playing keys forming chord playing keys and each operable to actuate a respective third keyer, a selector switch having a first position wherein said accompaniment manual keys are effective for actuating said second keyers and a second position wherein said chord playing keys are effective for actuating said third keyers, means operable in response to the joint actuation of a chord playing key and a solo playing key when said selector switch is in said second position for actuating at least two of said first keyers other than the one pertaining to the actuated solo playing key said two of said first keyers pertaining to tones musically related to the tone pertaining to the actuated solo playing key and to the chord pertaining to the actuated chord playing key, and time delay means connected to said first keyers and operable in response to the actuation of either of a solo key or a chord playing accompaniment key for delaying the response of said two of said first keyers to a condition of joint actuation of a said solo key and a said chord playing accompaniment key.

Claim 31

An electronic organ according to claim 25 in which the tones pertaining to said two of said first keyers are within an octave range of the tone pertaining to the actuated solo playing key.