Transducer apparatus for an edge-blown aerophone and an edge-blown aerophone having the transducer apparatus

A transducer apparatus for an edge-blown aerophone, the edge-blown aerophone having a removable head joint having an aerophone embouchure hole, the transducer apparatus comprising:

• a transducer head joint which is configured to be connected to the aerophone in place of an existing head joint thereof, the transducer head joint having a housing which provides a lip plate and a housing embouchure hole, wherein the housing further comprises a plurality of sensor passages, a plurality of breath sensors, and a plurality of respective breath outlets, each sensor passage connecting the housing embouchure hole to a respective breath outlet provided by the housing;
• an aerophone speaker mounted on the housing, the aerophone speaker configured to deliver a sound signal to a resonant chamber of the aerophone via the housing embouchure hole;
• an aerophone microphone mounted on the housing, the aerophone microphone configured to receive, via the housing embouchure hole, sound in the resonant chamber;
• at least one breath sensor configured to sense breath applied across the housing embouchure hole;
• and
• an electronic processor configured to receive signals from the microphone and the breath sensor, the electronic processor being connected to the speaker,
• wherein the breath sensor is one of the plurality of breath sensors, each one of the plurality of breath sensors being located in a respective sensor passage,
• wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive signals from each of the breath sensors, and
• wherein during use of the apparatus:
• the breath sensor provides a signal indicative of breath strength to the electronic processor;
• the electronic processor generates an excitation signal which is delivered as an acoustic excitation signal to the resonant chamber by the aerophone speaker;
• the electronic processor uses the signals received by the processor to determine a desired musical note which a player of the aerophone wishes to play;
• the electronic processor synthesizes the desired musical note and outputs the synthesized note to one of more of headphones, a speaker external to the transducer apparatus, a computer apparatus and/or a smartphone, whereby the musical note is played audibly and/or displayed visually to the player;
• the sensor passages direct breath of the player from the independent housing embouchure hole to the breath outlets;
• and
• the breath sensors provide signals to the electronic processor, the signals indicative of breath strength in each of the sensor passages.

A transducer apparatus for an edge-blown aerophone, the edge-blown aerophone having an aerophone embouchure hole and a resonant chamber, the transducer apparatus comprising:

• an aerophone speaker configured to deliver a sound signal to the resonant chamber of the aerophone via the aerophone embouchure hole;
• an aerophone microphone configured to receive, via the aerophone embouchure hole, sound in the resonant chamber;
• a housing including a lip plate with a housing embouchure hole that is independent and separate from the aerophone embouchure hole, wherein the housing further comprises a plurality of sensor passages, a plurality of breath sensors, and a plurality of respective breath outlets, each sensor passage connecting the housing embouchure hole to a respective breath outlet provided by the housing;
• an electronic processor configured to receive signals from the microphone, the electronic processor being connected to the speaker;
• and
• one or more electric or electronic buttons mounted on the aerophone which are configured to be in communication with and can send signals to the electronic processor to thereby enable a player to select a harmonic to be generated by the transducer apparatus,
• wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive signals from each of the breath sensors, and
• wherein during use of the apparatus:
• the electronic processor generates an excitation signal which is delivered as an acoustic excitation signal to the resonant chamber by the aerophone speaker;
• the electronic processor uses the signals received from the microphone and the button(s) to determine a desired musical note which a player of the aerophone wishes to play;
• the electronic processor synthesizes the desired musical note and outputs the synthesized note to one of more of headphones, a speaker external to the transducer apparatus, a computer apparatus and/or a smartphone, whereby the musical note is played audibly and/or displayed visually to the player;
• the sensor passages direct breath of the player from the independent housing embouchure hole to the breath outlets;
• and
• the breath sensors provide signals to the electronic processor, the signals indicative of breath strength in each of the sensor passages.

A transducer apparatus for an edge-blown aerophone, the edge-blown aerophone having a removable head joint having an aerophone embouchure hole, the transducer apparatus comprising:

• a resonant chamber;
• a transducer head joint which is configured to be connected to the aerophone in place of an existing head joint thereof, the transducer head joint having a housing which provides a lip plate and a housing embouchure hole, wherein the housing further comprises a plurality of sensor passages, a plurality of breath sensors, and a plurality of respective breath outlets, each sensor passage connecting the housing embouchure hole to a respective breath outlet provided by the housing;
• an aerophone speaker mounted on the housing, the aerophone speaker configured to deliver a sound signal to the resonant chamber of the aerophone via the housing embouchure hole;
• an aerophone microphone mounted on the housing, the aerophone microphone configured to receive, via the housing embouchure hole, sound in the resonant chamber;
• an electronic processor configured to receive signals from the microphone, the electronic processor being connected to the speaker;
• and
• one or more electric or electronic buttons mounted on the aerophone which are configured to be in communication with and to send signals to the electronic processor to thereby enable a player to select a harmonic to be generated by the transducer apparatus,
• wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive signals from each of the breath sensors, and
• wherein during use of the apparatus:
• the electronic processor generates an excitation signal which is delivered as an acoustic excitation signal to the resonant chamber by the aerophone speaker;
• the electronic processor uses the signals received from the microphone and the button(s) to determine a desired musical note which a player of the aerophone wishes to play;
• the electronic processor synthesizes the desired musical note and outputs the synthesized note to one of more of headphones, a speaker external to the transducer apparatus, a computer apparatus and/or a smartphone, whereby the musical note is played audibly and/or displayed visually to the player;
• the sensor passages direct breath of the player from the independent housing embouchure hole to the breath outlets;
• and
• the breath sensors provide signals to the electronic processor, the signals indicative of breath strength in each of the sensor passages.

An edge-blown aerophone comprising a transducer apparatus, the edge-blown aerophone having an aerophone embouchure hole and a resonant chamber, the transducer apparatus comprising:

• an aerophone speaker configured to deliver a sound signal to the resonant chamber of the aerophone via the aerophone embouchure hole;
• an aerophone microphone configured to receive, via the aerophone embouchure hole, sound in the resonant chamber;
• a housing including a lip plate with a housing embouchure hole that is independent and separate from the aerophone embouchure hole, wherein the housing further comprises a plurality of sensor passages and a plurality of respective breath outlets, each sensor passage connecting the housing embouchure hole to a respective breath outlet provided by the housing;
• at least one breath sensor configured to sense breath applied across the housing embouchure hole;
• and
• an electronic processor configured to receive signals from the microphone and from the breath sensor, the electronic processor being connected to the speaker,
• wherein the breath sensor is one of a plurality of breath sensors, each one of the plurality of breath sensors being located in a respective sensor passage,
• wherein the electronic processor is configured to receive signals from each of the breath sensors, and
• wherein during use of the apparatus:
• the breath sensor provides a signal indicative of breath strength to the electronic processor;
• the electronic processor generates an excitation signal which is delivered as an acoustic excitation signal to the resonant chamber by the aerophone speaker;
• the electronic processor uses the signals received by the processor to determine a desired musical note which a player of the aerophone wishes to play;
• the electronic processor synthesizes the desired musical note and outputs the synthesized note to one of more of headphones, a speaker external to the transducer apparatus, a computer apparatus and/or a smartphone, whereby the musical note is played audibly and/or displayed visually to the player;
• the sensor passages direct breath of the player from the independent housing embouchure hole to the breath outlets;
• and
• the breath sensors provide signals to the electronic processor, the signals indicative of breath strength in each of the sensor passages.