Patent · US Expired

Electronic musical instrument with dynamically responsive keyboard

US4099439A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
10References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 19, 1975
Grant dateJul 11, 1978
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 19, 1995

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S84/07
  • WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

An electronic musical instrument has a keyboard equipped with apparatus for developing a voltage in response to the momentum of operated keys of the keyboard, which voltage is employed to control the amplitude of the sounds produced in response to each key depression. The amplitude is dependent partially upon the momentum of the key depression and partially upon the amount of time since the previous depression of the same key. An envelope generator operates in response to depression of a key and has a charge circuit for controlling attack and decay of the envelope. The discharge circuit is controlled partially by the pitch of the note selected by the depression of any given key of the keyboard. The envelope produced by the envelope generator controls a unit which functions as a combined modulator and filter, closing a path between an audio source and an output system and varying the width of the band-pass provided for the signal from the audio source in response to the amplitude of the envelope. The wave shape of the signal supplied to the output system is also modified in response to the amplitude of the envelope.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.