Chord selection system for a musical instrument
AssigneeC. G. Conn, Ltd.
InventorJames S. Southard
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Abstract
A keyboard electronic musical instrument includes a plurality of playing keys, each of which are capable of coupling a set of chord tone signals to an output utilization circuit. These chord tone signals comprise the root and fifth parts and also the major third and minor third parts of a chord. Each of the playing keys are capable of operation to two different depressed positions, one of which causes the major third chord component to be supplied along with the root and fifth parts to the utilization device. The other depressed position of the key causes the minor third chord component to be supplied along with the root and fifth parts to the utilization device. Provision also is made for permitting only the root note tone signal to be passed to the output circuit to permit normal playing of the keyboard.
Claims8
In an electronic organ,
- at least one playing key corresponding to a predetermined root note tone to be produced by said organ, said playing key capable of movement from a rest position to at least first and second different operated positions;
- a utilization circuit for processing tone signals applied thereto;
- tone signal generating means for generating a plurality of tones;
- a plurality of first switch means coupled with said tone signal generating means and responsive to movement of said playing key to the first operated position thereof for supplying a unique plurality of tone signals from said tone signal generating means to said utilization circuit;
- gating circuit means coupled with at least some of said first switch means for controlling the application of tone signals therefrom to said utilization circuit;
- and
- second switch means coupled with said gating circuit means and responsive to movement of said playing key to the second operated position thereof for selectively controlling the operation of said gating circuit means to thereby control the application of tones therethrough from said first switch means to said utilization circuit.
An electronic organ including in combination:
- tone generator means capable of producing at least one octave of root note tones, fifth chordal components and major and minor third chordal components for such root note tones;
- a plurality of playing keys encompassing at least an octave of musical tones representing the root note tones produced by said tone generator means, each of said playing keys being capable of movement from a rest position to at least first and second operated positions;
- an output transducer;
- a plurality of first switch means closed by operation of a playing key to said first operated position thereof for coupling corresponding outputs from said tone signal generator representing said root, fifth, minor third and major third chord tone components to different corresponding output leads;
- means coupling said fifth and root output leads with said output transducer;
- first and second gating circuit means coupling said major third and minor third output leads, respectively, with said output transducer;
- second switch means operated from a first state to a second state by operation of a playing key to said second operated position thereof;
- and
- means coupled with said second switch means and with said first and second gating circuit means for enabling one of said first and second gating circuit means and for disabling the other with said second switch means in the first state thereof, and for enabling the other of said first and second gating circuit means and for disabling the one with said switch means in the second state thereof, said enabled gating circuit means connecting the chord tone component lead coupled to it to said output transducer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.