Thumb Bar Controller

A Thumb Bar Controller is a variable contol device accessory for a music synthesizer having a horizontally disposed keyboard, positioned horizontally in front of the keyboard and capable of movement on two axes, to control electronic parameters of the music synthesizer, comprising:

• a horizontal bar that is non-specific size, dimensions or shape, and the length is approximately the width of the horizontally disposed keyboard including its enclosure,
• said horizontal bar being positioned approximately one inch in front of keyboard and one half inch below a plane parallel to the top of the playing surface of the keyboard, whereby the player may move the bar up, down, and/or in and out, with the thumb of the playing hand;
• a two-part telescoping lever holds said horizontal bar in the playing position, whereby each part one is attached perpendicularly at each end to said horizontal bar, and each part two is mounted on each side of the the keyboard enclosure, holding the bar in the neutral postion used for playing;
• each part one of said telescoping lever is capable of sliding into or telescoping into each part two at least one inch on the x-axis, when the thumb of the playing hand applies pressure to the horizontal bar in an inward direction (x-axis) towards the keyboard, while any of the other fingers are playing or holding a note or notes on the keyboard;
• one of a spring or elastic mechanism, connected between part one and two of the telescoping lever, returns part one and said horizontal bar to its neutral position, when no pressure is applied;
• part two, of each of said telescoping levers, is mounted on an axle within the attachment mount to each side of the keyboard enclosure, whereby when pressure is applied, the horizontal bar can move up or down at least thirty degrees on the y axis;
• one of a spring or elastic mechanism, connected within the attachment mount of part two of the telescoping lever, returns part two and said hourizontal bar to its neutral resting position, when no pressure is applied;
• the wiper control of one of a sliding potentiometer or digital encoder is connected by one of physical or mechanical means to part one of the telescoping lever for changing a control voltage when pressure is applied to move said horizontal bar inward (x axis), up to one inch, towards the keyboard;
• the wiper control of one of a rotary potentiometr or digital encoder is connected by one of physical or mechanical means to part two of the telescoping lever for changing another control voltage when pressure is applied to move said horizontal bar up or down (y axis) up to at least thirty degrees;
• said each electronic potentiometer or digital encoder electronic component is connected by cable or an integrated wireless transmission system to the controller circuitry in the music synthesizer, either replacing the existing controller knobs, wheels, levers, etc., or made as a switchable option.