Electronic musical instrument with automatic bass accompaniment

Claim 2

In an electronic musical instrument having bass program generator means for furnishing a rhythmic bass program: an accompaniment system, comprising, in combination, a plurality of input means for furnishing a plurality of input signals each in response to activation of a corresponding one or a corresponding combination of said input means; reduction circuit means connected to said input means for furnishing one of a plurality of predetermined tone or chord signals in response to each of said input signals, said plurality of predetermined tone or chord signals being substantially less in number than said plurality of input signals, said reduction circuit means having five outputs, said chord signals comprising 32 5 bit words; and output means connected to said reduction circuit means and said bass program generator means and including a sound reproduction system for furnishing a sound output in response to said tone or chord signals and under control of said bass program generator means.

Claim 3

In an electronic musical instrument having bass program generator means for furnishing a rhythmic bass program: an accompaniment system, comprising, in combination a plurality of input means for selectively furnishing one or a plurality of input signals in response to activation of a respective one or a combination of said input means, said input means comprising an accompaniment manual of an electronic organ, having 12 keys, input circuit means responsive to activation of said keys for furnishing corresponding ones of said input signals, a plurality of memory means connected to said input circuit means, each for storing a corresponding one of said input signals until receipt of a reset signal, and means for furnishing said reset signal upon depression of a subsequent one of said keys; reduction circuit means connected to said input means for furnishing one of a plurality of predetermined tone or chord signals in response to each so-furnished input signal or plurality of input signals, said plurality of predetermined tone or chord signals being substantially less in number than said plurality of input signals; and output means connected to said reduction circuit means and said bass program generator means and including a sound reproduction system, for furnishing a sound output in response to said tone or chord signals and under control of said base program generator means.

Claim 4

In an electronic musical instrument having bass program generator means for furnishing a rhythmic bass program: an accompaniment system, comprising, in combination a plurality of input means for selectively furnishing one or a plurality of input signals in response to activation of a respective one or a combination of said input means, said input means comprising an accompaniment manual of an electronic organ, having 12 keys, input circuit means responsive to activation of said keys for furnishing corresponding ones of said input signals, a plurality of memory means connected to said input circuit means, each for storing a corresponding one of said input signals until receipt of a reset signal, and means for furnishing said reset signal upon depression of a subsequent one of said keys; reduction circuit means connected to said input means for furnishing one of a plurality of predetermined tone or chord signals in response to each so-furnished input signal or plurality of input signals, said plurality of predetermined tone or chord signals being substantially less in number than said plurality of input signals; and output means connected to said reduction circuit means and said bass program generator means and including a sound reproduction system, for furnishing a sound output in response to said tone or chord signals and under control of said base program generator means.

Claim 5

In an electronic musical instrument having bass program generator means for furnishing a rhythmic bass program: an accompaniment system, comprising, in combination, a plurality of input means for selectively furnishing one or a plurality of input signals in response to activation of a respective one or a combination of said input means; reduction circuit means connected to said input means for furnishing one of a plurality of predetermined tone or chord signals in response to each so-furnished input signal or plurality of input signals, said reduction circuit means having less outputs than inputs; and output means connected to said reduction circuit means and said bass program generator means and including a sound reproduction system, for furnishing a sound output in response to said tone or chord signals and under control of said bass program generator means.

Claim 6

In an electronic musical instrument having bass program generator means for furnishing a rhythmic bass program: an accompaniment system, comprising, in combination, a plurality of input means for selectively furnishing one or a plurality of input signals in response to activation of a respective one or a combination of said input means; reduction circuit means connected to said input means for furnishing one of a plurality of predetermined tone or chord signals in response to each so-furnished input signal or plurality of input signals, said reduction circuit means having less outputs than inputs; and output means connected to said reduction circuit means and said bass program generator means and including a sound reproduction system, for furnishing a sound output in response to said tone or chord signals and under control of said bass program generator means.

Claim 7

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 3, wherein said input means further comprise a plurality of memory means connected to said input circuit means, each for storing a corresponding one of said input signals until receipt of a reset signal; and means for furnishing said reset signal upon depression of a subsequent one of said keys.

Claim 8

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 4, wherein said input circuit means comprise voltage furnishing means, each for applying a voltage to a corresponding one of said memory means upon depression of one of said keys; and wherein said means for furnishing a reset signal comprise a differentiating circuit connected between said voltage furnishing means and said memory means.

Claim 9

An electronic instrument as set forth in claim 5, wherein said bass program generator means comprise bass program selecting means for selecting one of a plurality of bass programs stored therein under external control, and rhythm generator means connected to said bass program selecting means for timing the so-selected bass program; and wherein said input means further comprise an AND-gate connected to said voltage furnishing means, said rhythm generator means and said memory means, for furnishing said reset signals to said memory means upon simultaneous receipt of said voltage and a signal from said rhythm generator means.

Claim 10

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 4, wherein said accompaniment manual has more than 12 keys belonging to more than one octave; and further comprising means for connecting corresponding keys in each of said octaves in parallel to said input circuit means.

Claim 11

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 4, wherein said input means further comprises a melody manual having at least 12 keys; wherein said input circuit means further comprise a means for furnishing said input signals only upon simultaneous depression of more than one of said keys of said melody manual.

Claim 12

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 8, wherein said melody manual has more than 12 keys belonging to more than one octave; and further comprising means for connecting corresponding keys in each of said octaves in parallel to said input circuit means.

Claim 13

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 3, wherein said reduction circuit means comprise a first, second and third reduction stage each having a plurality of inputs connected to said input means and plurality of outputs for furnishing respectively, first, second and third reduction stage output signals in response to said input signals, and a fourth reduction stage connected to said outputs of said first, second and third reduction stages, for furnishing said chord signals in response to said first, second and third reduction stage output signals.

Claim 14

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 10, wherein said first, second and third reduction stages each have four inputs and three outputs.

Claim 15

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 3, wherein said reduction circuit means has five outputs; and wherein said chord signals comprise 32 5 bit words.

Claim 16

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 12, wherein said 32 5 bit words signify 12 major chords, 12 minor chords, four augmented triads, three diminished chords of the seventh, and a 0 signal.

Claim 17

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 3, wherein said bass program generator means comprises bass program selecting means having a first set of inputs for receiving timing signals, a second set of inputs for external bass program selection, and a set of outputs connected to said output means for rhythmic selection of bass tones signified by said chord signal, and rhythm generator means having an output connected to said first set of inputs for furnishing said timing signals to said bass program selecting means.

Claim 18

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 14, wherein said rhythm generator means comprise clock pulse generator means for furnishing clock pulses, and counting means connected to said clock pulse generator means for counting said clock pulses and furnishing corresponding binary counting signals constituting said timing signals to said bass program selecting means.

Claim 19

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 14, wherein said output means comprise tone control means having a first set of inputs for receiving said chord signals, a second set of inputs connected to the outputs of said bass program generator means and tone control outputs for rhythmically furnishing bass tone control signals in response to signals at said first and second sets of inputs.

Claim 20

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 16, wherein said output means further comprise decoder means having decoder inputs connected to selected ones of said outputs of said tone control means, for furnishing audio tone control signals in response to signals at said decoder inputs, a plurality of audio oscillators each for furnishing a corresponding audio tone signal, and bass tone switch means connected to said decoder means and said plurality of audio oscillators, and having a bass tone output, for selectively furnishing said audio tone signals to said bass tone output under control of said audio tone control signals.

Claim 21

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 17, wherein said output means further comprise frequency divider means having a signal input connected to said bass tone output and at least one frequency control input connected to a corresponding one of the outputs of said tone control means, for frequency dividing the signal at said bass tone output under control of said tone control means and for furnishing a corresponding final output signal, and means for connecting the output of said frequency divider means to said input of said reproduction system.

Claim 22

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 18, wherein said plurality of audio oscillators comprise six audio oscillators tuned in accordance with a whole note scale.

Claim 23

An electronic musical instrument as set forth in claim 3, wherein said input circuit means, reduction circuit means, bass program generator means and output means are arranged on a single chip using an integrated circuit technique.