Electronic musical instrument

Claim 1

A musical instrument, comprising: a. a plurality of magnetic tape player means for driving and transducing an endless magnetic tape having sound intelligence recorded thereon; each player means comprising a transducing means for transducing a magnetic tape and tape drive means for transporting the magnetic tape across the transducing means, the tape drive means of each player means being operated independently of the tape drive means of the other player means; a plurality of said player means each having operatively associated therewith an endless magnetic tape having sound intelligence recorded thereon; each player means being operable, when energized and in the play mode, independently of the other player means, continuously to drive and transduce its associated tape and thereby continuously produce an output signal; b. means connected to the player means for mixing and amplifying said output signals; c. audio means connected to said mixing and amplifying means for audibly broadcasting the output of said mixing and amplifying means applied thereto; and d. manually operated keyboard means having a plurality of keys for selecting the sound information of a desired tape, said keys being movable between a normally raised position and a depressed position, and a plurality of normally open switch means operated by said keys to remain closed for as long as a key associated with a switch means is manually held in the depressed position and to open when the key moves to the raised position, there being a key for each switch means and a switch means connected in circuit with each said player means and said mixing and amplifying means; said audio means being operable continuously to broadcast an audible tone corresponding to the sound intelligence on the tapes selected by depressing one or more of said keys for as long as said keys are depressed.