# US 2014/0150623 A1 · Recording and reproduction of waveform based on sound board vibrations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150623 A1 - Document ID: US20140150623A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/095,048 - Filed: 2013-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Yamaha Corporation - Applicants: Yamaha Corporation - Inventors: Yuji FUJIWARA; Shinya KOSEKI; Fukutaro OKUYAMA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150623A1 ## CPC - G10C 3/06: Resonating means, e.g. soundboards or resonant strings; Fastenings thereof - G10H 3/22: using electromechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means (G10H3/24 takes precedence) - G10H 2210/271: Sympathetic resonance, i.e. adding harmonics simulating sympathetic resonance from other strings - G10H 2220/525: Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage - G10H 2230/011: Hybrid piano, e.g. combined acoustic and electronic piano with complete hammer mechanism as well as key-action sensors coupled to an electronic sound generator - G10C: PIANOS, HARPSICHORDS, SPINETS OR SIMILAR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH ONE OR MORE KEYBOARDS (automatic musical instruments G10F) - G10H: ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE ## Abstract In a musical instrument, such as a piano, having a sound board, the sound board vibrates in response to vibrations of a string responsive to depression of a key. A waveform corresponding to such vibrations of the sound board is detected and recorded. The recorded vibration waveform is usable for reproduction of a sound based on sound board vibrations. In a sound reproduction apparatus, such as a piano, having a sound board, an excitation device physically excitable in response to an input waveform is provided on the sound board. A signal indicative of a vibration waveform of the sound board is received, and the excitation device is driven in accordance with the received waveform signal so that the sound board is vibrated. Thus, a sound based on the sound board vibrations can be replicated or reproduced with a high quality. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A musical instrument comprising; at least one performance operation key; at least one sounding member each provided in association with one of said at least one performance operation key; a sound board; at least one striking member each configured to physically vibrate one of said at least one sounding member in response to an operation of said at least one performance operation key; a transmission joint disposed in such a manner as to physically transmit vibrations of said at least one sounding member to said sound board; a vibration waveform detector configured to detect a vibration waveform corresponding to vibrations of at least one of said sound board and said transmission joint; and a controller configured to perform control for storing, into a memory, a time series of the vibration waveforms detected by said vibration waveform detector in correspondence with a music piece or phrase performed using said at least one performance operation key. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The musical instrument as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises an operation detector configured to detect an operation of said at least one performance operation key, and wherein said controller stores information identifying the at least one performance operation key whose operation has been detected by said operation detector and the vibration waveform into the memory in time-serial association with each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The musical instrument as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises: a damper device operable to damp vibrations of said at least one sounding member; and a damper behavior detector configured to detect behavior of said damper device, and wherein said controller stores information indicative of the behavior of said damper device detected by said damper behavior detector and the vibration waveform into the memory in time-serial association with each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The musical instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sounding member is a string, said striking member is a hammer, and said transmission joint is a bridge provided on said sounding member for supporting the string in a stretched-taut state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The musical instrument as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises an excitation device physically excitable in accordance with an input waveform signal and disposed in such a manner that physical vibrations generated by said excitation device are transmitted at least to said sound board, wherein said controller is configured to further receive a waveform signal based on the time series of the vibration waveforms stored in said memory and input the received waveform signal to said excitation device, so that physical vibrations according to the input waveform signal are generated by said excitation device and sounds of the music piece or phrase are generated by at least said sound board physically vibrating in response to the physical vibrations generated by said excitation device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The musical instrument as claimed in claim 5, wherein said excitation device is a device that comprises same hardware as said vibration waveform detector. ### Claim 7 A sound reproduction apparatus comprising: a sound board; an excitation device physically excitable in accordance with an input waveform signal and disposed in such a manner that physical vibrations generated by said excitation device are transmitted at least to said sound board; and a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a vibration waveform of said sound board and input the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform to said excitation device, so that physical vibrations according to the input signal indicative of the vibration waveform are generated by said excitation device and a sound is generated by at least said sound board physically vibrating in response to the physical vibrations generated by said excitation device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said signal indicative of the vibration waveform received by the controller comprises a time series of vibration waveforms corresponding to a music piece or phrase so that sounds of the music piece or phrase are generated by the physical vibrations of the sound board. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vibration waveform is stored in a memory, and said controller receives the vibration waveform read out from the memory. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vibration waveform is a vibration waveform detected by a vibration waveform detector of a musical instrument, and said musical instrument comprises: at least one performance operation key; at least one sounding member configured to physically vibrate in response to an operation of said at least one performance operation key; a sound board; a transmission joint disposed in such a manner as to physically transmit vibrations of said at least one sounding member to said sound board; and said vibration waveform detector configured to detect a vibration waveform corresponding to vibrations of at least one of said sound board and said transmission joint. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in claim 10, which is mounted on said musical instrument, and wherein said excitation device is a device comprising same hardware as said vibration waveform detector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in claim 10, which further comprises a drive unit configured to automatically drive said at least one performance operation key, and wherein said controller receives, in association with the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform, information identifying said at least one performance operation key and automatically drives said at least one performance operation key via said drive unit on a basis of the received information identifying said at least one performance operation key. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in claim 12, which further comprises a prevention device configured to prevent said at least one sounding member from physically vibrating in response to an operation of said at least one performance operation key; and wherein, when said controller automatically drives said at least one performance operation key via said drive unit on the basis of the received information identifying said at least one performance operation key, said controller actuates said prevention device to prevent said at least one sounding member from physically vibrating. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in claim 10, which further comprises a damper device operable to damp vibrations of said at least one sounding member; and a damper drive unit configured to automatically drive said damper device, and wherein said controller receives, in association with the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform, information indicative of behavior of said damper device and automatically drives said damper device via said damper drive unit on a basis of the information indicative of the behavior of said damper device. ### Claim 15 A computer-implemented method for storing performance information of a musical instrument, the musical instrument comprising: at least one performance operation key; at least one sounding member each provided in association with one of the at least one performance operation key; a sound board; at least one striking member each configured to physically vibrate one of the at least one sounding member in response to an operation of the at least one performance operation key; and a transmission joint disposed in such a manner as to physically transmit vibrations of the at least one sounding member to the sound board, said method comprising: a detection step of detecting a vibration waveform corresponding to vibrations of at least one of the sound board and the transmission joint; and a step of storing, into a memory, a time series of the vibration waveforms detected by said detection step in correspondence with a music piece or phrase performed using said at least one performance operation key. ### Claim 16 A computer-implemented method for reproducing a sound in a sound reproduction apparatus, the sound reproduction apparatus comprising: a sound board; and an excitation device physically excitable in accordance with an input waveform signal and disposed in such a manner that physical vibrations generated by the excitation device are transmitted at least to the sound board, said method comprising a step of receiving a signal indicative of a vibration waveform of the sound board and inputting the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform to the excitation device, wherein physical vibrations according to the input waveform signal are generated by the excitation device and a sound is generated by at least the sound board physically vibrating in response to the physical vibrations generated by the excitation device. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable by a processor to perform a method for storing performance information of a musical instrument, the musical instrument comprising: at least one performance operation key; at least one sounding member each provided in association with one of the at least one performance operation key; a sound board; at least one striking member each configured to physically vibrate one of the at least one sounding member in response to an operation of the at least one performance operation key; and a transmission joint disposed in such a manner as to physically transmit vibrations of the at least one sounding member to the sound board, said method comprising: a detection step of detecting a vibration waveform corresponding to vibrations of at least one of the sound board and the transmission joint; and a step of storing, into a memory, a time series of the vibration waveforms detected by said detection step in correspondence with a music piece or phrase performed using said at least one performance operation key. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable by a processor to perform a method for reproducing a sound in a sound reproduction apparatus, the sound reproduction apparatus comprising: a sound board; and an excitation device physically excitable in accordance with an input waveform signal and disposed in such a manner that physical vibrations generated by the excitation device are transmitted at least to the sound board, said method comprising a step of receiving a signal indicative of a vibration waveform of the sound board and inputting the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform to the excitation device, wherein physical vibrations according to the input waveform signal are generated by the excitation device and a sound is generated by at least the sound board physically vibrating in response to the physical vibrations generated by the excitation device.