US3918341A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Automatic chord and rhythm system for electronic organ
Assignee: DH Baldwin Co
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Filing: 1974-03-25
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Granted: 1975-11-11
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Expires: 1994-03-25
Abstract
Abstract The present system provides an automatic chord accompaniment and/or an automatic rhythm system, actuation of only one left hand operated key producing proper distribution of root, third, fifth and seventh parts of a chord and root and fifth parts of a bass line. The bass and/or chord notes may be automatically rhythmically pulsed or selectively converted to a continuous mode, while the chord notes may be rhythmically pulsed to simultaneously sound different accompaniment instruments, such as guitar, piano, banjo, etc., at different rhythmic intervals, a touch bar being provided to select a minor chord when desired. A set of musical key selector buttons is provided which automatically provides seventh chords in correct positions for a given key selection. One or more accompaniment instruments may play different rhythmic sequences when seventh chords are sounded, while actuation of two or more keys, simultaneously, defeats the chord and bass accompaniment.
Inventors
- 👤 David A Bunger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 14:56
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/36; G10H1/38; G10H1/40; G10H1/42; G10H2210/00; G10H2210/571; G10H2210/616; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/12; Y10S84/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
In an electric organ, an array of keys, means responsive to actuation of selected ones of said array of keys for sounding a triad chord, means responsive to actuation of the unselected ones of said array of keys for sounding a seventh chord, key selector switches, and means responsive to said key selector switches fOr selecting which of said keys shall be selected keys.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
In an electric organ, an array of keys, means responsive to actuation of selected ones of said array of keys for sounding a triad chord, means responsive to actuation of the unselected ones of said array of keys for sounding a seventh chord, key selector switches, and means responsive to said key selector switches fOr selecting which of said keys shall be selected keys.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination according to claim 1, wherein is provided means for sounding said chords in one rhythm in response to actuation of one of said selected keys and in another rhythm in response to actuation of one of said unselected keys.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
95 words
In an electronic organ, a keyboard, said keyboard including a set of solo keys and an octave of chord control keys, each of said chord control keys representing a root note, control means, means responsive to actuation of any one and only one of said chord control keys for calling forth a chord, means responsive to said control means for selecting the chords called forth by said chord control keys in all twelve musical keys, and means for disabling said control means in response to actuation of more than one of said chord control keys.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
95 words
In an electronic organ, a keyboard, said keyboard including a set of solo keys and an octave of chord control keys, each of said chord control keys representing a root note, control means, means responsive to actuation of any one and only one of said chord control keys for calling forth a chord, means responsive to said control means for selecting the chords called forth by said chord control keys in all twelve musical keys, and means for disabling said control means in response to actuation of more than one of said chord control keys.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination according to claim 3 wherein said control means are manually operable musical key selector means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination according to claim 3 wherein said chords are selectively major triad and dominant seventh chords and, wherein is included mechanical means for converting said major triad and dominant seventh chords to minor triad and minor seventh chords.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The combination according to claim 5, wherein is included means for initiating rhythmical sounding of said chords to start on a downbeat in response to actuation of one of said octave of chord keys and to stop in response to release of said one of said octave of keys.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination according to claim 5, wherein is provided means for automatically calling forth a first rhythm in response to calling forth a triad chord and a second diverse rhythm upon calling for a seventh chord.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
99 words
An automatic chord device for an electronic organ having percussive and accompaniment voices, comprising an array of keys, a set of rhythm select switches, means responsive to actuation of only one key of said array of keys for sounding a musical chord, means responsive to actuation of one of said rhythm select switches for selecting a first rhythm pattern of a percussive voice and another rhythm pattern of an accompaniment voice, and means for concurrently sounding said chord in said another rhythm in said accompaniment voice and for sounding said chord in said percussive voice in said first rhythm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
An automatic chord device for an electronic organ having percussive and accompaniment voices, comprising an array of keys, a set of rhythm select switches, means responsive to actuation of only one key of said array of keys for sounding a musical chord, means responsive to actuation of one of said rhythm select switches for selecting a first rhythm pattern of a percussive voice and another rhythm pattern of an accompaniment voice, and means for concurrently sounding said chord in said another rhythm in said accompaniment voice and for sounding said chord in said percussive voice in said first rhythm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination according to claim 8, wherein said percussive voices are bass drum, snare drum, brush, cymbal, clave and accent and wherein said accompaniment voices are piano, banjo, rhythm guitar, electric guitar and bass guitar.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The combination according to claim 8, wherein said accompaniment voices are string instrument voices.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination according to claim 8, wherein is further included a set of seventh selector switches, and means responsive to selective actuation of said seventh selector switches for controlling which keys of said array of keys shall call forth a seventh chord and which shall call forth only a triad chord.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination according to claim 11, wherein is provided means responsive to actuation of any one of said array of said keys which calls forth a seventh chord for modifying the rhythmic pattern of said rhythm patterns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
In an electronic organ system, an array of keys, means selectively responsive to actuation of any one of said keys for calling forth a musical chord of tones of selectively major and minor character and in a first rhythmic sequence, mechanically operable means for converting said musical chord from a major chord to a minor chord and vice versa, and control means operative to convert said musical chord from a chord containing no seventh component to a chord containing a seventh component and for concurrently modifying said rhythmic sequence.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
89 words
In an electronic organ system, an array of keys, means selectively responsive to actuation of any one of said keys for calling forth a musical chord of tones of selectively major and minor character and in a first rhythmic sequence, mechanically operable means for converting said musical chord from a major chord to a minor chord and vice versa, and control means operative to convert said musical chord from a chord containing no seventh component to a chord containing a seventh component and for concurrently modifying said rhythmic sequence.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
103 words
An electronic organ, comprising a clock for producing recurrent pulses, means responsive to said pulses for generating recurrent trains of spatially distributed pulses, a read only memory matrix having input terminals and output terminals, means applyIng said spatially distributed pulses to said input terminals, a plurality of keys, means for deriving a variety of patterns of output pulses from said output terminals in response only to selective actuation of a single one of said keys, and means for rhythmically sounding musical chords in response to said patterns of output pulses such that plural ones of said musical chords sound in diverse rhythms concurrently.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
103 words
An electronic organ, comprising a clock for producing recurrent pulses, means responsive to said pulses for generating recurrent trains of spatially distributed pulses, a read only memory matrix having input terminals and output terminals, means applyIng said spatially distributed pulses to said input terminals, a plurality of keys, means for deriving a variety of patterns of output pulses from said output terminals in response only to selective actuation of a single one of said keys, and means for rhythmically sounding musical chords in response to said patterns of output pulses such that plural ones of said musical chords sound in diverse rhythms concurrently.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination according to claim 14, wherein is provided means for adding seventh chord components to said chords at will.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination according to claim 15, wherein is provided means for varying said rhythmic patterns of said chords in response to operation of said last named means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination according to claim 14, wherein is included means for playing in twelve diverse musical keys.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination according to claim 14, wherein said chords are all played in major keys and wherein is provided player operated means for converting major keys to minor keys.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination according to claim 14, wherein is provided a keyboard having a group of playing keys, means responsive to playing of any one key of said group of playing keys for calling forth a major triad chord corresponding with that one key, and touch bar means for converting said major triad chord to a minor triad chord.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination according to claim 19, wherein is included a set of key selector switch actuators, means selectively responsive to said switches when actuated for determining which of said group of playing keys shall provide a seventh chord.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
50 words
The combination according to claim 20, wherein is provided an output line for said chords, wherein said memory provides normally either a major triad or a dominant seventh chord, and touch bar means for converting said major triad to a minor triad and said dominant seventh to a minor seventh.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |