Patent · US Active

Active bridge for stringed musical instruments

US8658879B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
81References
24Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 10, 2008
Grant dateFeb 25, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 11, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG10H2220/525
  • WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A method of making musical sounds from a musical instrument may include amplifying musical sounds from vibrations of a vibrating element when a musical instrument is played, sensing forces between the musical instrument and the vibrating element and altering the forces applied to the vibrating element in response to the sensed forces to emulate musical sounds produced by a musical instrument having different musical characteristics, for example, to emulate an acoustic guitar. Piezoelectric material or magnetic material may be used to apply forces along one or more than one axis of vibration and may be controlled by a replaceable element and/or in response to user adjustments. The applied forces may be adjusted to control relative phase between the sensed and applied forces to avoid unwanted musical effects, such as unwanted sustained oscillation, in response to a fundamental period of the vibrations or random number generation to change the vibration waveform.

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