Electronic music synthesizer

Claim 2

An electronic music synthesizer, comprising: a sound producing chain having a plurality of voltage-controlled elements; a low impedance control input for each of said elements; means coupled between each control input and its respective element for developing a control voltage proportional to the sum of the control currents supplies to the respective input; means including a resistor matrix coupled to said control inputs for supplying predetermined control currents to said inputs to control the functions of said elements, wherein said matrix comprises a set of rows and a set of columns, means for coupling one of said sets to a source of constant voltage, and means coupling the other of said sets to said control inputs; and means coupled to said inputs for supplying pitch-related control currents to said control inputs in parallel with said resistor matrix.

Claim 3

An electronic music synthesizer comprising a sound producing chain having a plurality of voltage-controlled elements, a low impedance control input for each of said elements, means coupled between each control input and its respective element for developing a control voltage proportional to the sum of the control currents supplied to the respective input, and means including a resistor matrix coupled to said control inputs for supplying predetermined control currents to said inputs to control the functions of said elements.

Claim 4

An electronic music synthesizer comprising a sound producing chain having a plurality of voltage-controlled elements, a low impedance control input for each of said elements, means coupled between each control input and its respective element for developing a control voltage proportional to the sum of the control currents supplied to the respective input, and means including a resistor matrix coupled to said control inputs for supplying predetermined control currents to said inputs to control the functions of said elements.

Claim 5

A synthesizer according to claim 2 wherein said matrix comprises a set of rows and a set of columns, means for coupling one of said sets to a source of constant voltage, and means coupling the other of said sets to said control inputs.

Claim 6

A synthesizer according to claim 3 wherein the rows and columns of said matrix are interconnected in each instance by a single resistor.

Claim 7

A synthesizer according to claim 3 wherein said control voltage developing means includes summing means for producing a control voltage proportional to the sum of the currents supplied to a respective control input.

Claim 8

A synthesizer according to claim 5 including means coupled to said inputs for supplying pitch-related control currents to said control inputs in parallel with said resistor matrix.

Claim 9

A synthesizer according to claim 2 wherein said elements comprise an oscillator, a bandpass filter, a low pass filter and an amplifier connected in series.

Claim 10

A synthesizer according to claim 2 wherein said resistor matrix comprises a predetermined number of input columns and output rows, said output rows being coupled to said control inputs, single resistors between preselected rows and columns, and means coupled to said columns for applying a preselected voltage to one of said columns and for grounding selected other columns.

Claim 11

In an electronic music synthesizer means for generating audio signals corresponding to predetermined musical sounds; a voltage-controlled oscillator for generating an output signal having a frequency proportional to an applied pitch control voltage; means coupled to said oscillator for applying a pitch control voltage to it; voltage controlled elements including a voltage controlled band pass filter adjustable in both center frequency and band width by the application of control voltages, a voltage controlled low pass filter having a low pass cut-off frequency adjustable by the application of a control voltage, and a voltage controlled amplifier having a gain adjustable by the application of a control voltage; means for connecting said voltage controlled elements in series and for applying an oscillator output signal to said band pass filter, an audio output terminal coupled to said series connected voltage controlled elements; and a master control circuit for generating a number of control voltages applied selectively to said band pass filter, to said low pass filter and to said voltage controlled amplifier for controlling respectively the band width and center frequency of said band pass filter, the low pass cut-off frequency of said low pass filter and the gain of said voltage controlled amplifier, said master control circuit including a resistor matrix having a predetermined number of input columns and a predetermined number of output rows, means for applying a predetermined voltage to an input column and for grounding selected other input columns, resistive elements of preselected values between selected input columns and rows, said rows being connected to low impedance current summing points within said master control circuit, said master control circuit including means for generating said control voltages in response to the currents supplied to said summing points from said resistor matrix.

Claim 12

In an electronic music synthesizer means for generating audio signals corresponding to predetermined musical sounds; a voltage-controlled oscillator for generating an output signal having a frequency proportional to an applied pitch control voltage; means coupled to said oscillator for applying a pitch control voltage to it; voltage controlled elements including a voltage controlled band pass filter adjustable in both center frequency and band width by the application of control voltages, a voltage controlled low pass filter having a low pass cut-off frequency adjustable by the application of a control voltage, and a voltage controlled amplifier having a gain adjustable by the application of a control voltage; means for connecting said voltage controlled elements in series and for applying an oscillator output signal to said band pass filter, an audio output terminal coupled to said series connected voltage controlled elements; and a master control circuit for generating a number of control voltages applied selectively to said band pass filter, to said low pass filter and to said voltage controlled amplifier for controlling respectively the band width and center frequency of said band pass filter, the low pass cut-off frequency of said low pass filter and the gain of said voltage controlled amplifier, said master control circuit including a resistor matrix having a predetermined number of input columns and a predetermined number of output rows, means for applying a predetermined voltage to an input column and for grounding selected other input columns, resistive elements of preselected values between selected input columns and rows, said rows being connected to low impedance current summing points within said master control circuit, said master control circuit including means for generating said control voltages in response to the currents supplied to said summing points from said resistor matrix.

Claim 13

The electronic music synthesizer according to claim 9, wherein said master control circuit includes: a band-pass filter control circuit; a low-pass filter control circuit; and a voltage-controlled amplifier control circuit; said band-pass filter control circuit generating two output signals, one for controlling the bandwidth of said band-pass filter and the other controlling the center frequency of said band-pass filter, said two output signals being generated responsively to two separate output signals from said resistor matrix; said low-pass filter control circuit generating a third control signal for controlling the low-pass filter cutoff frequency responsively to an additional output signal from said resistor matrix.

Claim 14

The electronic music synthesizer according to claim 10 wherein said master control circuit includes: filter contour control voltage generating means operably coupled in parallel with the center frequency control signal to said band-pass filter control circuit for modifying said center frequency control signal responsively to output signals from selected rows of said resistor matrix and said pitch control voltage, to vary the frequency vs. time contour of the center fequency of said band-pass filter, said filter contour control voltage generating means being selectively disconnected from said band-pass filter and operably connected to said low-pass filter control circuit responsively to a control signal from an output row of said resistor matrix for modifying the low-pass cutoff signal from said resistor matrix in the same manner as the band-pass filter to vary the frequency vs. time contour of said low-pass filter.

Claim 15

The electronic music synthesizer according to claim 10 wherein said master control circuit includes amplitude contour control voltage generating means operably connected to said voltage-controlled amplifier control circuit for varying the amplitude contour vs. time characteristic of said voltage-controlled amplifier responsively to output voltages from selected rows of said resistor matrix.